Patents Examined by Stacy A. Whitmore
  • Patent number: 11211785
    Abstract: A method for dynamic limiting of battery voltage includes determining that a voltage delivered by a battery exceeds a predefined maximum safe voltage for operation of a portable electronic device in a hazardous environment and, in response, enabling a voltage restriction circuit in a supply line between the battery and the portable electronic device to reduce the voltage delivered by the battery below the maximum safe voltage, and supplying electrical power to the portable electronic device at the reduced voltage. Enabling the voltage restriction circuit may include deactivating a MOSFET switch that includes a forward biased body diode to allow the body diode to provide a fixed voltage drop. The method also includes determining that the voltage delivered by the battery no longer exceeds the maximum safe voltage and, in response, disabling the first voltage restriction circuit by activating the MOSFET, thus allowing the body diode to be bypassed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Wai Mun Lee, Macwien Krishnamurthi, Chen Kok Yeoh, Kow Chee Chong, Muhamad Ridzuan Azizan
  • Patent number: 11204859
    Abstract: A method for testing an integrated circuit, comprising: accessing a database associated with a test template, wherein said test template is configured to test a selected function of the integrated circuit; storing, in said database, data corresponding to at least partial predicted results of one or more random instruction sequences generated based on said test template; generating, by an automated test generation tool, a random instruction sequence based on said test template; executing said instruction sequence by a hardware exerciser, in the integrated circuit; and comparing results of said instruction sequence with said at least partial predicted results, to verify a function of said integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tom Kolan, Alex Lvovsky, Hillel Mendelson, Vitali Sokhin
  • Patent number: 11205034
    Abstract: A method of designing a 3D Integrated Circuit, the method including: performing partitioning to at least a logic strata, the logic strata including logic, and to a memory strata, the memory strata including memory; then performing a first placement of the memory strata using a 2D placer executed by a computer, where the 2D placer is a Computer Aided Design (CAD) tool for two-dimensional devices, where the 3D Integrated Circuit includes through silicon vias for connection between the logic strata and the memory strata; and performing a second placement of the logic strata based on the first placement, where the memory includes a first memory array, where the logic includes a first logic circuit controlling the first memory array, where the first placement includes placement of the first memory array, and the second placement includes placement of the first logic circuit based on the placement of the first memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Monolithic 3D Inc.
    Inventors: Zvi Or-Bach, Zeev Wurman
  • Patent number: 11196280
    Abstract: A charge controller, which controls a charging process for charging a battery mounted on a vehicle by connecting a charging connector of a charger that is installed outside the vehicle to a charging inlet of the vehicle, includes: a controller discriminating whether a cooling mechanism of the charging connector is provided on a charger side before starting the charging process, operating the cooling mechanism of the charging connector if the cooling mechanism of the charging connector is provided, and operating a cooling mechanism of the charging inlet that is provided on a vehicle side if the cooling mechanism of the charging connector is not provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shota Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 11196271
    Abstract: Provided is a full-charge-capacity estimating device that has one or more of a plurality of battery modules, as battery-modules-to-be-measured, charged or discharged by means of a first switch element and a second switch element according to whether a power supply device is in a powering state or a regenerating state, measures an integrated current value and a change in the state-of-charge of the battery-module-to-be-measured, and then estimates the full charge capacity of the battery-module-to-be-measured from the integrated current value and the change in the state-of-charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Tomura, Shigeaki Goto, Naoki Yanagizawa, Kyosuke Tanemura, Kazuo Ootsuka, Junta Izumi, Kenji Kimura, Toshihiro Katsuda, Kohei Matsuura, Takayuki Ban
  • Patent number: 11196304
    Abstract: According to certain embodiments, an electronic device comprises a plurality of coils configured to transmit charging power; a communication circuit; at least one processor; and at least one memory. The at least one memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a plurality of operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jangwoo Lee, Taeseon Kim, Taeho Wang, Soonkyu Jang, Sunmi Jin, Jihoon Ha
  • Patent number: 11186199
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for presenting in a hybrid electric vehicle display, proximate to or in some relation to each other, engine power usage, motor-generator power usage, and battery state of charge information. By combining the display of engine power usage, motor-generator power, and battery state of charge information, power distribution and related information may be presented to the operator of a vehicle to explain the vehicle's performance from a power split output and usage perspective. This can provide reassurance or confirmation that the vehicle is operating as it should, identify a problematic condition, etc. Sometimes, the motor-generator power usage may be presented as boost power, where motor-generator power can augment engine power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Craig D. Herring, Aaron M. France
  • Patent number: 11186157
    Abstract: Provided is a control device or a power storage device configured to efficiently increase the temperature of a vehicular power storage unit, while suppressing an increase in the size of the configuration. A control device includes: a holding unit that holds a power storage unit; a board unit in which one board surface is arranged on the power storage unit side; a charging circuit unit that performs charging operations of supplying charging current to the power storage unit; and a resistance unit, mounted on the one board surface of the board unit and disposed between the board unit and the power storage unit, wherein current flows in the resistance unit in response to a circuit unit performing predetermined charging operations, and the resistance unit emits heat at least toward the power storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kosei Maekawa
  • Patent number: 11180031
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a motor providing driving force for the vehicle; an electricity storage device configured to feed electricity to the motor or be charged by the motor; and an electronic control unit that controls the motor, wherein: the vehicle is configured to perform an external charging of charging the electricity storage device with electricity from an external power source and an external feeding of feeding electricity from the electricity storage device to an outside of the vehicle; and the electronic control unit is configured to divide an amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage device into an amount of stored electricity for traveling and an amount of stored electricity for feeding, and to notify of at least information related to the amount of stored electricity for feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoya Katanoda
  • Patent number: 11177859
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices and methods for performing wireless charging of an electronic device and establishing a wireless connection with the electronic device for receiving data from the electronic device. Different modes of wireless data reception from the electronic device can be used to ensure that a power supply of the electronic device is charged without interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rohan Shirsat, Shyam Chavali, Amar Alamuri
  • Patent number: 11176306
    Abstract: A method, a system, and non-transitory computer readable medium for level package routing are provided. The method includes performing triangulation on a set of nets to generate a routing resource graph. The objects of the set of nets are represented by a respective center point during triangulation. The method also includes generating a route between the objects of the set of nets based on at least a total cost. The total cost is determined based on at least the routing resource graph. The method also includes altering the route based on a determination that a constraint rule is unmet and outputting routing information comprising the route for the set of nets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: About Liao, Bing Chen, Happy Wang, Pagan Chou, Cheng-chieh Chen, Philippe Aubert McComber, Siarhei Lekhtsikau
  • Patent number: 11163931
    Abstract: A system to access one or more user profiles that govern one or more vehicle functions. The system cooperates with a processor and verification module which are adapted to verify, using one or more of biometric information, gesture recognition, facial recognition and device identification information, that a user has authority to access the one or more user profiles, where the one or more profiles are stored in one or more of a vehicle, a cloud and a communications device. An edit module is further provided and adapted to allow the user to make one or more edits to the one or more user profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: AutoConnect Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Christopher P. Ricci
  • Patent number: 11163928
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and a computer readable medium storing executable instructions for optimizing a quantum circuit are disclosed. The computer-implemented method includes receiving one or more parameters for simulation of evolution of at least one quantum state of a chemical entity to be simulated; generating a quantum circuit for the simulation; performing one or more operations to minimize quantum resources to be used for the generated quantum circuit based on the one or more parameters; and placing quantum resources among one or more elementary logical units (ELUs) based on any one or more of: frequency of occurrence of the quantum resources in the generated quantum circuit, order of occurrence of the quantum resources in the generated quantum circuit, connectivity parameters between one or more quantum resources, efficiency of gates between specific quantum resources, quality of gates between specific quantum resources or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: IonQ, Inc, Duke University
    Inventors: Conor Delaney, Jungsang Kim, Yunseong Nam
  • Patent number: 11163926
    Abstract: A method for compensation network design in a power converter design system is provided that includes computing optimal values for compensation components in a compensation network based on a plurality of loop specifications comprising crossover frequency (Fco), phase margin (PM), Gain Margin (GM), and low frequency gain (LFG), and applying changes to a power converter design comprising the compensation network based on the optimal values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Srikanth Pam, Yudhister Satija, Pradeep Kumar Chawda, Makram Mounzer Mansour, Robert Mason Hanrahan, Jeffrey Robert Perry
  • Patent number: 11165263
    Abstract: Disclosed are a wireless battery management system and a method for protecting a battery pack using the same. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules and at least one relay. The wireless battery management system includes a plurality of slave controllers electrically coupled to the plurality of battery modules one-to-one, and a master controller wirelessly coupled to each slave controller so as to be able to communicate with each slave controller. Each slave controller measures an operational parameter of the battery module electrically coupled thereto. Each slave controller wirelessly transmits a fault signal to the master controller when the measured operational parameter is outside of a predetermined normal range. The master controller turns off the at least one relay when the fault signal is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventors: Chang-Hyun Sung, Jae-Dong Park, Sang-Hoon Lee, Yean-Sik Choi
  • Patent number: 11152809
    Abstract: In some examples, an electronic device can include a battery, a power adapter, a processing resource, and a memory resource storing machine-readable instructions to cause the processing resource to determine monitored user behavior data exceeds a predetermined threshold, and responsive to the predetermined threshold being exceeded, provide a notification including a recommended threshold charge level, where the recommended threshold charge level is a percentage of an overall possible charge percentage of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Yi-Fan Hsia, Pi-Fang Lai, Jen-Hao Tai, Hung Lung Chen
  • Patent number: 11142086
    Abstract: A non-contact power supply device 1 supplying power in a non-contacting manner to a battery 51 provided in an electric vehicle 5, includes a guide 20 that defines a stopping position of the electric vehicle 5 when the electric vehicle 5 is supplied with power in the non-contacting manner; and a power transmitter 10 that includes a power transmission coil Lt and a housing 110 accommodating the power transmission coil Lt and that transmits power to the electric vehicle 5 stopped at the stopping position from the power transmission coil Lt, wherein the guide 20 includes two guide parts 21, 21 disposed apart from each other in a width direction of the electric vehicle 5 with a space greater than a width of the electric vehicle 5, and a vehicle stopper 22 that is disposed at a far side in a moving direction of the electric vehicle 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: DAIHEN Corporation
    Inventor: Ryouhei Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11144704
    Abstract: A method includes operation below: extracting layout patterns that include interconnection layers between a first terminal and a second terminal coupled to the first terminal, in a layout design of a circuit; comparing a first portion of the layout patterns with a first coding portion that specifies a first layout constraint, in which the first portion of the layout patterns is extracted in a sequence starting from the first terminal or to the first terminal; comparing a second portion of the layout patterns with a second coding portion that specifies a second layout constraint, in which the second portion of the layout patterns is extracted in a sequence from the second terminal or to the second terminal; in response to comparisons, initiating fabrication of at least one element of the circuit according to the layout design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yao-Jen Hsieh, Kai-Ming Liu
  • Patent number: 11146078
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for balancing a battery pack (5) comprising a plurality of battery cells (5a, 5b, 5c) for an electric vehicle. The method comprises: determining the state of charge (SOC) for each of said battery cells (5a, 5b, 5c); receiving information related to the expected use of the electric vehicle to a prediction horizon; and determining a state of balance value (SOBc) at the current time and an expected state of balance value (SOBp) at the end of the prediction horizon. Furthermore, the method comprises balancing the battery cells (5a, 5b, 5c) based on the state of balance value (SOBc) at the current time and the expected state of balance value (SOBp) at the end of said prediction horizon, such that the state of balance (SOB) and the use of the cell balancing process is optimized so as to minimize the energy usage of the battery pack (5). The invention also relates to an arrangement for balancing a battery pack (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Esteban Gelso
  • Patent number: 11131715
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a vehicle battery management system comprising a battery arranged in a vehicle, the battery being controlled by a battery control unit comprising a battery model describing a relation between a battery state and a time varying battery property. The method comprises, in the battery control unit: measuring at least one time varying battery sensor output of the battery; determining a battery state based on the measured battery sensor output; updating the battery model based on the determined battery state, thereby forming an updated battery model, receiving a second battery model; and combining the received second model with the existing battery model. The invention also relates to a battery management system and to a vehicle comprising such a battery management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jonas Hellgren