Patents Examined by Swarna N Chowdhuri
  • Patent number: 10355535
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a power transmitter, data receiver, and an antenna operatively coupled to the power transmitter and data receiver. The antenna being configured to switchably transmit energy from the power transmitter to power a sensor, and receive data to the data receiver from the sensor in which a frequency being used by the antenna is the same for both transmission of the energy and reception of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Stoufer, Thomas Josefsson
  • Patent number: 10348126
    Abstract: A battery switching method applicable to an electronic device is provided. The electronic device comprises a first battery and a second battery. The method comprises: (a) switching the electronic device to a sleep mode from a normal mode; (b) switching a power supply of the electronic device to the second battery according to a removing signal triggered by removing the first battery; (c) switching the power supply of the electronic device to the first battery according to an inserting signal triggered by inserting the first battery; (d) updating parameters of the first battery; and (e) switching the electronic device to the normal mode from the sleep mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Chiun Mai Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wen-Hann Tsai, Pi-Feng Shih, Chin-Kun Lai
  • Patent number: 10338540
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for optimized global management of a power network of an aircraft comprising a plurality of items of power equipment, characterized in that it comprises a module 40 for selecting at least one optimization objective (19) from a plurality of predetermined objectives, a module (42) for receiving equipment data, a module (41) for receiving aircraft data, and a module (43) for determining operating setpoints (22) of the power equipment from equipment data (21) and aircraft data (20) which is suitable for achieving at least one selected optimization objective (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Fabien Mercier-Calvairac, Antoine Drachsler, Romain Thiriet
  • Patent number: 10270286
    Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) smart control circuit and the related LED lighting device are provided. The LED smart control circuit includes a microprocessor, a bridge rectifier, a transformer circuit, a power grid detection unit, a voltage detection unit, a battery charging controller, a first sampling circuit, a second sampling circuit, a constant current controller, and an external rechargeable battery. The LED smart control circuit is configured for controlling LED light source components to emit light. An LED lighting device includes the LED light source components, a smart control circuit board, a rechargeable battery, a shell, and a lamp head. The smart control circuit board is integrated with the disclosed LED smart control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG SHENGHUI LIGHTING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yehua Wan, Lifeng Ling, Songan Ye
  • Patent number: 10250134
    Abstract: An improved power manager includes a power bus (410) and multiple device ports (1-5), with at least one device port configured as a universal port (3 and 4) to be selectively connected to the power bus over an input power channel that includes an input power converter (510) or over a output or universal power channel (412, 416) that includes an output power converter (440, 442). The universal power channel (412) allows the input port (4) to be selected as an output power channel instead of an input power channel (i.e. operated as a universal port) for outputting power to device port (4) over power converter (440). The improved power manager (500) includes operating modes for altering an operating voltage of the power bus (505), to minimize overall power conversion losses due to DC to DC power conversions used to connect non-bus voltage compatible power devices to the power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Revision Military Ltd.
    Inventors: David N. Long, Seth M. Dziengeleski, James D. Kazmierczak, Benjamin Apollonio, Michael J. Grennan, My H. Lac
  • Patent number: 10250076
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter that supplies power to a load. The wireless power transmitter includes an inverter, a voltage phase detector, a current phase detector, a phase difference counter, a controller and an impedance tuning circuit. The phase difference counter counts a phase difference between the voltage phase and the current phase at the output port of the inverter. The controller receives the phase difference from the phase difference counter and generates a control signal that changes an output impedance of the inverter in response to changes of a varying impedance of the load that is coupled with the output port of the inverter wirelessly. The impedance tuning circuit receives the control signal from the controller and tunes an imaginary part of the output impedance of the inverter to zero in order to maximize a power transfer efficiency from the wireless power transmitter to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Chen, Yan Liu
  • Patent number: 10230238
    Abstract: A system includes a boost converter configured to amplify input voltage received from one or more power sources into output voltage. The system also includes a current sensor configured to sense a current of the input voltage for example, by induction. The system further includes a controller configured to adjust an amplification of the boost converter in response to the current sensed by the current sensor. When utilized in each of a plurality of power source modules coupled to a common load, the power source modules adjust the amplifications of their boost converters towards equalization of their output voltages and their currents in response to sensed currents of the input voltages changing through demand of the common load. Associated systems and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: NANTENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Mark Naden, Ramkumar Krishnan
  • Patent number: 10224722
    Abstract: A device for switching a semiconductor-based switch includes a terminal that is configured to be connected to a control terminal of the semiconductor-based switch. A controllable activation voltage source is configured to provide a time-varying activation voltage potential. A controllable resistive circuit includes at least two ohmic resistances connected in parallel that are controllable such that at least three resistance values of the parallel connection result. A control device is configured to control the controllable activation voltage source and the controllable resistive circuit independently of one another. The controllable activation voltage source and the controllable resistive circuit are connected to a series connection connected to the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: René Hopperdietzel
  • Patent number: 10218185
    Abstract: A device for switching a semiconductor-based switch includes a terminal that is configured to be connected to a control terminal of the semiconductor-based switch. A controllable deactivation voltage source connected to the terminal is configured to provide, at least temporarily, a switching potential at a potential node. A control device is configured to control the controllable deactivation voltage source in a time-varying manner, such that the controllable deactivation voltage source provides the switching potential at the potential node during a switching interval. The switching potential is galvanically coupled to a supply node to which a supply potential of the control device is applied and has a lower potential value than a threshold voltage of the semiconductor-based switch. The control device is configured to control the controllable deactivation voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: René Hopperdietzel
  • Patent number: 10211677
    Abstract: A mobile device includes a housing having a conductive region and a wireless power receiver having a receive coil configured to receive wireless power through the conductive region. The thickness of the conductive region is less than ?/10, wherein ? is a skin depth of the conductive region at a primary frequency of an electromagnetic signal that provides the wireless power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Stanley Riehl, Vladimir A. Muratov
  • Patent number: 10158226
    Abstract: A line switching system is a line switching system which switches line of a power supply system including: a plurality of PV panels which generate power using renewable energy; at least one PCS which conditions supplied power to output the conditioned power to a power system; and a first switch which connects any one of the PV panels and the PCS, wherein the line switching system includes a display device which displays an image corresponding to the power supply system and receives an operation on the image from the user, and a control unit which is configured to switch between conduction and non-conduction between a plurality of PV panels and the PCS by controlling the first switch according to the operation received by the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoichi Toya, Motoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 10116167
    Abstract: A power transmission device for inductive energy transfer. The power transmission device comprises a first stage adapted to be connected to a supply input voltage and adapted to convert the supply input voltage to an operating voltage. The power transmission device further includes a second stage comprising a resonant circuit connected to the first stage and adapted to generate an oscillating voltage from the operating voltage so as to generate a magnetic field for inductive transfer of energy from the power transmission device to a target device. A control circuit is connected to the second stage. The control circuit is adapted to detect a parameter value of the second stage and is adapted to start or stop amplification of the resonant circuit based on the detected parameter value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: FRIWO Gerätebau GmbH
    Inventor: Tobias Pomp-Melchers
  • Patent number: 10116156
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid battery. The hybrid battery has a housing, a first energy storage device, a second energy storage device, a detection control circuit, an stabilizer circuit, and a charging circuit connected between the first energy storage device and the second energy storage device. Negative terminals of the first energy storage device and of the second energy storage device are coupled to a negative pole. A positive terminal of the first energy storage device is connected to a first fixed contact of a relay. A positive terminal of the second energy storage device is connected to a second fixed contact of the relay. The detection control circuit is connected to a coil of the relay. An input terminal of the relay is coupled to a positive pole. The first energy storage energy, the second energy storage energy, the detection control circuit, the stabilizer circuit, the charging circuit, the relay are disposed within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CARKU TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Xingliang Lei
  • Patent number: 10110011
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system (100) comprises a plurality of UPS units (UPS-1, UPS-2) connected in parallel. Each UPS unit comprises a power converter (124) for supplying a share (i load 1, i_load_2) of a total load current (i_tot). The total load is shared automatically between UPS units of power ratings, in a proportionate manner. A controller 130 of each converter is arranged to establish real-time feedback control of a current supplied by the power converter. An exchange current (i_exch) for each converter represents an imbalance between an output current of the converter in question and output currents of the parallel converters. Exchange current sensing circuits of the parallel-connected UPS units are connected together. The controller steers the exchange current of each converter toward a value (i_exc_c) that is a non-zero proportion of a current (i_mut) sensed within the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Rozand, Patrick Chambon, Stefano De Cesaris
  • Patent number: 10110066
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter transmitting a power signal to a wireless power receiver, includes: a transmission antenna; an inverter circuit applying an AC driving signal to the transmission antenna; and a control circuit controlling the inverter circuit. The control circuit includes: a demodulator demodulating a control signal received by the transmission antenna from the wireless power receiver; a transmission power measurement part measuring transmission power to generate transmission power data; and a logic circuit that controls the inverter circuit based on power control data included in the control signal to change the transmission power, control the inverter circuit based on the control signal to be transmitted to the wireless power receiver to modulate the power signal, and perform foreign object detection by a power loss method based on transmission power data and reception power data included in the control signal. The logic circuit is configured to perform a calibration sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Watanabe, Tomoya Morinaga
  • Patent number: 10110010
    Abstract: A method for determining when a connection of a power system to a grid has been disconnected. The method includes the power system supplying a first amount of reactive power to the grid to which the power system is connected, and the power system determining if there is a frequency change within the grid. This includes if the frequency change does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the power system supplying a second amount of reactive power to the grid, and if the frequency exceeds a predetermined threshold, the power system supplying a first amount of reactive power to the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Donald J. Lucas, Christopher L. Barber, Xiaorong Xia
  • Patent number: 10103551
    Abstract: An electric circuit includes a semiconductor-based switch with a first terminal and a second terminal for conducting a power current. Further, the electric circuit includes a sensor for detecting a current change velocity of the power current flowing through the semiconductor-based switch. The sensor includes an insulating foil configured to be connected to the first or second terminal of the semiconductor-based switch and an inductance arranged on the insulating foil on a side of the same that is arranged opposite to a side facing the semiconductor-based switch during a measurement operation of the sensor in order to detect a magnetic field generated by the power current to provide a measurement voltage based on the detected magnetic field. The inductance is spaced apart from the semiconductor-based switch at least by the insulating foil, such that contactless measurement is enabled. The insulating foil includes a mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: René Hopperdietzel
  • Patent number: 10084379
    Abstract: The present invention minimizes system loss during execution of intermittent boosting. A boost converter control apparatus has: a target value setting device for setting a target value of output voltage that minimizes a loss of a power supply system including a DC power supply, a boost converter, and a loading apparatus; an intermittent controlling device for executing an intermittent process of boost control in such a manner that the output voltage is maintained in a range including the set target value; an average value calculating device for calculating an average value of the output voltage in an execution period of the intermittent process; and a target value correcting device for correcting the set target value to reduce a deviation between the calculated average value and the set target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Hideto Hanada, Kenji Yamada, Kosuke Hirano
  • Patent number: 10040410
    Abstract: A vehicular starter battery management system includes a detection unit, a processing unit, a control unit, a discharging circuit and a communication unit. The detection unit, the control unit, and the communication unit are coupled respectively with the processing unit. The discharging circuit is coupled with the control unit. The detection unit includes a static detection circuit and a dynamic detection circuit. The static detection circuit includes a micro current detection circuit, an anti-theft detection circuit and a static voltage detection circuit. The dynamic detection circuit includes a dynamic voltage detection circuit, a dynamic current detection circuit and a temperature detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Inventor: Fu-Chieh Chen
  • Patent number: 10027126
    Abstract: The modulation methods for quasi-Z-source cascade multilevel inverters relate to control and signal modulation of quasi-Z-source cascade multilevel inverters, such as those used with photovoltaic power systems. The modulation methods for quasi-Z-source cascade multilevel inverters include a modular multilevel space vector modulation method for a photovoltaic quasi-Z-source cascade multilevel inverter for compensating for unequal voltages of separate photovoltaic modules, a pulse-width-amplitude modulation method for multilevel inverters for use in solar panel arrays attached to a three phase power grid, and a grid-connected control method for quasi-Z-source cascade multilevel inverter-based photovoltaic power generation for extracting maximum power from each Z-source cascade multilevel inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Inventors: Yushan Liu, Haitham A. Abu-Rub, Baoming Ge