Patents Examined by Tarikh Rankine
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Patent number: 10279696Abstract: A structure is provided. The structure may include an alignment mechanism used to align an electric vehicle in a parking lane of an electric vehicle charging station, and a coupler assembly including an arm and a charging coupler located in the parking lane and positioned beneath the electric vehicle, the charging coupler is positioned at one end of the arm, and is moveable in a vertical direction relative to the parking lane, and another end of the arm is pivotally mounted in the parking lane, where the charging coupler includes one or more electrical contacts in a shape of a right conical frustum extending from the charging coupler in the vertical direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2015Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Eli M. Dow, James P. Gilchrist, Brendan C. Lewis, Khaalid P. McMillan, Christopher J. Nycz
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Patent number: 10186912Abstract: Systems and methods for wireless power transmission are described herein. In one aspect, a charging pad to transfer power wirelessly comprises a power antenna assembly configured to receive wireless power. The power antenna assembly is configured to charge the battery based on the received wireless power. The charging pad further comprises a ferrite layer assembly. The charging pad further a shielding layer defining a shape configured to receive a part of the host device and/or conform to a shape of a host device. The shielding layer can define a notch or can define a concave shape.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2013Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Milenko Stamenic, Edward L. Van Boheemen, Simon Islinger, Wojciech Adam Chlebosz, Stefan Raabe, Alberto Garcia Briz
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Patent number: 10166873Abstract: A battery charger for electric vehicles includes at least three identical current controlled AC-DC converter modules having reverse current protected outputs connected in parallel to a charge terminal of the battery.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: ABB B.V.Inventors: Menno Kardolus, Jos Schijffelen, Mark Gröninger, Dolf Van Casteren
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Patent number: 10135292Abstract: A system for simultaneously charging an energy storage device from multiple energy input devices includes energy input devices in the form of solar and non-solar modules and an energy storage device in the form of a rechargeable battery, which is part of an energy storage module. A first solar module is able to generate solar power and delivers this power to the energy storage module, while the non-solar module delivers, for example, electrochemically generated electricity to the energy storage module via the first solar module, which acts as a backplane. The system may also include additional solar modules that can be connected to the first solar module in collapsed or expanded states to adjust the amount of electricity generated from solar power.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2015Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Neah Power Systems, Inc.Inventors: Derek Reiman, Chris D'Couto, Saroj Sahu
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Patent number: 10069459Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar cell having internal storage capacity includes a working electrode, a counter electrode, an electrolyte provided between the electrodes, and a composite layer of material applied to an inner side of the working electrode, the layer comprising a photosensitive dye and a conducting polymer, wherein the conducting polymer is capable of storing energy generated within the cell.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2014Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: University of South FloridaInventor: Arash Takshi
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Patent number: 10059216Abstract: An accumulator battery, comprising at least: first and second stages electrically connected in series, each stage including at least first to third accumulators electrically connected in parallel. There are at least first and second current limiters via which the first to third accumulators of said first stage are connected in parallel and via which the first to third accumulators of said second stage are connected in parallel.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2012Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternativesInventors: Sebastien Carcouet, Bruno Beranger, Daniel Chatroux
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Patent number: 10044069Abstract: The invention relates to a battery comprising a plurality of modules arranged in series, characterized in that a module comprises a cell and a cell switch arranged in series with the cell, and in that a circuit for controlling the cell switch is electrically fed directly by at least one cell of a module of the battery.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESInventor: Ghislain Despesse
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Patent number: 10020665Abstract: An electronic apparatus may include a charger device to obtain information relating to a first battery, and to set a limit of a battery charge current of a second battery based on the obtained information.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: INTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Alexander B. Uan-Zo-Li, Patrick K. Leung, Tod F. Schiff, Scot Lester
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Patent number: 9969290Abstract: A charging system for an electric vehicle and an electric vehicle including the same are provided. The charging system includes: a power battery; a first charging interface and a second charging interface connected with an external power source respectively; a first charging control branch connected between the power battery and the first charging interface, and a second charging control branch connected between the power battery and the second charging interface; and a controller connected with the first charging interface and the second charging interface respectively.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2012Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignees: SHENZHEN BYD AUTO R&D COMPANY LIMITED, BYD COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Zheqing Tang, Zhiyong Du, Fu Tang
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Patent number: 9947972Abstract: A battery pack and a method of inspecting a storage state of a secondary battery in the battery pack are provided. In the method of inspecting a storage state of a secondary battery in the battery pack, the battery pack includes (A) a plurality of secondary batteries and (B) a housing, the housing having a plurality of storage sections and containing the secondary batteries in the respective storage sections; a conductive member 30 is attached to an outer surface of each of the secondary batteries made of a non-conductive material; each of the storage sections is provided with at least two detection sections; and depending on a storage state of each of the secondary batteries in each of the storage sections, two detection sections are in contact with the conductive member, or at least one detection section is not in contact with the conductive member.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2011Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Inc.Inventors: Atsushi Ozawa, Shin Hotta, Kentaro Marutani, Shinichi Uesaka
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Patent number: 9948127Abstract: A power supply circuit can be configured to generate a supply voltage that provides power to the apparatus. A signal generation circuit can be configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) charging signal. An amplification circuit can be configured to amplify the RF charging signal using the supply voltage and to present the amplified charging signal to a power transmitting coil for transmission of wireless power to a remote device. A communication circuit can be configured to detect amplitude variations in the RF charging signal; detect variations in a voltage level of the supply voltage; adjust the detected amplitude variations in the RF charging signal to compensate for detected variations in a voltage level; and decode data represented by the amplitude variations in the RF charging signal based upon the adjusted amplitude variations.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Klaas Brink, Rene Geraets, Oswald Moonen
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Patent number: 9937805Abstract: Disclosed are a battery charging system and method. The battery charging system according to the present invention includes a first connector connected to both ends of a battery of a charging providing car; a second connector connected to both ends of a battery of a charging target car; a converter configured to convert a voltage transmitted from the battery of the charging providing car through the first connector and transmit the converted voltage to the battery of the charging target car through the second connector; and a controller connected to each of a battery management system (BMS) of the charging providing car and a BMS of the charging target car to control a voltage conversion ratio of the converter based on a state information on each of the batteries transmitted from each of the BMSs.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2013Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.Inventor: Sun Jong Lee
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Patent number: 9921270Abstract: A battery system with at least one module includes a plurality of battery cells. A cell voltage detecting circuit is associated with each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells. The cell voltage detecting circuits of the at least one module are connected to a multiplexer. An output of the multiplexer is connected to a communication bus via an analog-digital converter. The communication bus is connected to an evaluating unit. The multiplexer is additionally connected to at least one auxiliary voltage source that is known to the evaluating unit. In a method for monitoring a battery system with at least one module including a plurality of battery cells, a voltage of each of the battery cells is detected and fed to an evaluating unit via a cell voltage detecting unit. An output signal of the cell voltage detecting unit is tested for plausibility.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.Inventor: Stefan Butzmann
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Patent number: 9885758Abstract: There is provided a voltage monitoring apparatus for monitoring an output voltage of an assembled battery. The voltage monitoring apparatus comprises: voltage monitoring sections, each section monitoring a voltage of each block of the plurality of blocks into which the plurality of unit cells are divided, wherein the voltage monitoring sections are connected one another through communication lines; and a control unit which is connected to the voltage monitoring section through the communication lines. The voltage monitoring section compares the respective detected voltages of the unit cells with the threshold voltage to determine a result of the comparison, and transmits the comparison result to the control unit. In a case where the threshold voltage is changed, the control unit transmits a registration signal indicating the changed threshold voltage, and when received the registration signal, the voltage monitoring section changes the stored threshold voltage to the changed threshold voltage.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATIONInventors: Masashi Sekizaki, Satoshi Ishikawa, Kimihiro Matsuura
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Patent number: 9884561Abstract: A system includes a vehicle with a charge socket and a contactor switching unit, and a charger for charging an electrical energy accumulator of the vehicle at a vehicle-external AC power system. The charger is a vehicle-external charger device. The charger is a portable charger. The charger has a DC-DC converter, and includes first and second charging cables. The first charging cable has an AC power system plug, and the second charging cable has a charge plug.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2014Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Josef Krammer, Jens Berger
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Patent number: 9878630Abstract: A device for transmitting data between a data transmission device of a vehicle and a data transmission device of a communications network, as part of a charging process of an electrical energy store of the vehicle, is disclosed. The vehicle data transmission device is based on a first communications protocol with a first signal level, while the communications network data transmission device is based on a second communications protocol with a second signal level. The device includes a signal-matching device having at least one first coupling transformer, which couples a data transmission device of a charging station to the data transmission devices of the vehicle and of the communications network via respective coils. The signal-matching device is configured to match the first signal level to the second signal level and vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Michael Kaindl, Michael Schwaiger, Christian Jahn, Harald Thierauf
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Patent number: 9882243Abstract: An improved electrolyte including a strontium additive suitable for lithium-sulfur batteries, a battery including the electrolyte, and a battery including a separator containing a strontium additive are disclosed. The presence of the strontium additive reduces sulfur-containing deposits on the battery anode, thereby providing a battery with relatively high energy density and good partial discharge performance.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: EAGLEPICHER Technologies, LLCInventors: Ramanathan Thillaiyan, Wujun Fu, Mario Destephen, Greg Miller
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Patent number: 9882248Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling access to one or more memories in a rechargeable battery includes a switching circuit that connects the memory to a device data contact, and disconnects the memory from a charger data contact, when the rechargeable battery is connected only to a device powered by a battery. The switching circuit, however, connects the memory to the charger data contact and disconnects it from the device data contact. In some embodiments a second memory that contains a subset of the data in the first memory is connected to the device data contact when the first memory is connected to the charger data contact.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2014Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Roy L Kerfoot, Jr., John E Herrmann, Mark C Taraboulos
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Patent number: 9876376Abstract: A multiple battery charger is provided. The multiple battery charger includes an input unit configured to receive or block power from a power supply unit, an output unit including a plurality of output terminals, wherein the plurality of output terminals are commonly connected to the input unit and charge a plurality of batteries, and wherein each of the plurality of output terminals includes at least one of a plurality of second switches for a selective receipt of the power from the input unit and the plurality of output terminals are controlled in a time division multiple control manner, and a switching control unit configured to transmit a pulse width modulation signal to the input unit and the output unit so as to independently control the power applied to the plurality of batteries. Accordingly, a plurality of different kinds of batteries and the same kind of batteries in which charge states are different can be simultaneously charged.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2014Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: FOUNDATION OF SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATIONInventors: Woojin Choi, Long Tran Van
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Patent number: 9866055Abstract: Techniques are described herein for detecting one of multiple (e.g., at least three) charger types that may be connected to a portable device. In response to detecting a charging device (e.g., a charger) of a particular charger type, the portable device is configured to charge its battery by drawing the maximum voltage and/or current that is/are allowed by the particular charger type. In an example embodiment, a portable device detects a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection to a charging device and determines whether the charging device conforms to a first, second, or third charger type based on voltages on data lines of the USB connection. The portable device then charges its battery at maximum charging power available from the charging device according to the third charger type.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Rishi Agarwal, Nicholas Bodnaruk