Patents Examined by Terrence R. Willoughby
  • Patent number: 11831167
    Abstract: A persistent DC circuit breaker provides a persistent single or dual DC voltage for a power distribution circuit coupled to a power panel. A control mechanism ensures a constant and consistent DC power output from the persistent DC circuit breaker. The persistent DC circuit breaker can replace an AC circuit breaker to convert an AC power panel into a co-existing AC and DC power panel or an entire DC power panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Entrantech Inc.
    Inventor: Kong-Chen Chen
  • Patent number: 11817720
    Abstract: Transmitter assemblies and methods for making and using the same. The transmitter assembly can be used for magnetic power transfer. The transmitter assembly can include a primary inductor configured to produce an electromagnetic field. The transmitter assembly can include a back shield unit including a primary back shield that has a first surface proximal to the primary inductor and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The primary back shield is at least partially made of a ferromagnetic material and has a property that is non-uniformly distributed from a center region of the primary back shield to an outer perimeter region of the primary back shield. The property includes a thickness, a magnetic property, or a combination thereof. When used in wireless charging, the transmitter assembly results in improved coupling factor, misalignment tolerance, efficiency, magnetic emissions and z-height coupling distance of a magnetic power transfer profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: HEVO INC.
    Inventors: Urner Anwer, Kerim Colak, Jeremy McCool, Firat Uner, Dhaval Palsana, Seunghoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 11801387
    Abstract: A system for omni-orientational wireless energy transfer is described. A transmitter unit has a transmitter resonator with a coil that is configured to be coupled to a power supply to wirelessly transmit power to a receiver unit. A receiver unit has a receiver resonator with a coil coupled to a device load. At least one of the resonators is a non-planar resonator that spans a non-degenerate two-dimensional surface having at least one concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: TC1 LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Stark, Edward Burke
  • Patent number: 11777331
    Abstract: This application provides a motor control unit, an electric drive system, a powertrain. A first terminal of a power transmission interface of the motor control unit is connected to a first input terminal of an inverter circuit by using a first direct current switch, and a second terminal of the power transmission interface is connected to a first terminal of a switch circuit. The switch circuit includes three switch branches, where first terminals of the three switch branches are connected to the first terminal of the switch circuit, second terminals of the three switch branches are respectively connected to one-phase output terminals of the inverter circuit, and each switch branch includes a controllable switch. The input terminal of the inverter circuit is connected to a power battery pack by using a second direct current switch. Using the motor control unit reduces a volume and hardware costs, and improves applicability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: HUAWEI DIGITAL POWER TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xueliang Zhang, Yang Cheng
  • Patent number: 11770017
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improved wireless recharging efficiency and decreased processing requirements are described. A plurality of duty cycle/input voltage pairs are stored in a recharger, corresponding to three subsets: a first subset corresponding to a constant minimum input voltage and an increasing duty cycle; a second subset corresponding to a constant duty cycle and an increasing input voltage; and a third subset corresponding to a maximum input voltage and an increasing duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Otteson, Charles M. Nowell, Jr., Michael J. Hage
  • Patent number: 11750136
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus for furnishing short-term peak loads for an electrical drive system, encompassing an AC voltage source and a DC voltage source; a rectifier and a DC voltage conductor section being arranged between the AC voltage source and a connector configuration for electrical connection of the electrical drive system; the rectifier being connected on the input side to the AC voltage source and on the output side to the DC voltage conductor section; the DC voltage source being connected to the DC voltage conductor section in order to transfer electrical energy wherein the DC voltage source is a battery reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Intrasys Gmbh Innovative Transportsysteme
    Inventors: Tobias Hollmer, Robert Sterff
  • Patent number: 11735962
    Abstract: A wireless charging system having a power transmitter may wirelessly transfer power to a power receiver. Shield saturation, such as saturation of a ferrite structure, in the wireless power receiver may occur under some operating conditions. Saturation can lead to disruptive oscillations in power transfer. The power transmitting may include control circuitry for detecting and mitigating saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam L. Schwartz, Alireza Safaee, Stephen C. Terry, Zhiyuan Hu
  • Patent number: 11728738
    Abstract: An electrical power distribution system includes a first high side sub-module including a high side converter and a high side energy storage device. The first high side sub-module is electrically coupled to a high side load that requires a high voltage or medium voltage DC, the high voltage DC being higher than the medium voltage DC. The system also includes a first low side sub-module including a low side converter and a low side energy storage device. The first high side sub-module and the first low side sub-module are configured to be inductively coupled. The first high side sub-module and the first low side sub-module form a first module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Baljit Singh Riar, Suman Dwari
  • Patent number: 11728690
    Abstract: A wireless power transmitter pulses the transmit power level unresponsively to the wireless power receiver's power requests in order to perform foreign object detection (FOD). The FOD is performed by the transmitter analyzing the receiver's responses to the pulsed power. Some embodiments avoid mistaking FOD for coil misalignment. Other features are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics America Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholaus Smith, Gustavo Mehas, Tao Qi
  • Patent number: 11715978
    Abstract: A coil arrangement for the wireless electromagnetic transmission of energy includes a carrier which forms a main direction of extent. On the carrier element, are attached in succession in the main direction of extent and connected to one another. The carrier element comprises a ferrite material and at least one desired parting location which is designed as a perforation and/or notch arrangement. The coil arrangement can be easily adapted in a flexible way to a rotatable component and attached thereto. This makes easy wireless electromagnetic transmission of energy possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Cem Som, Christopher Schaffelhofer
  • Patent number: 11711225
    Abstract: An apparatus for filtering an electrical power signal in an Ethernet communication system includes a link interface, a power interface, and a filter connected between the link interface and the power interface. The link interface is configured to connect to an Ethernet link. The power interface is configured to connect to one or both of (i) a power-supply that supplies the electrical power signal for transfer over the Ethernet link, and (ii) a circuit that consumes the electrical power signal transferred over the Ethernet link. The filter includes at least (i) a primary inductor configured to filter the electrical power signal transferred to or from the Ethernet link, and (ii) one or more complementary inductors connected in series with the primary inductor, the one or more complementary inductors configured to reduce a parasitic capacitance of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD
    Inventors: Shaowu Huang, Dance Wu
  • Patent number: 11699923
    Abstract: A power receiver apparatus is movable under water. The power receiver apparatus includes: a power receiver device configured to receive power wirelessly transmitted from a power transmitter apparatus; a power supply device including a storage battery and configured to charge the storage battery based on received power received by the power receiver device; a first sensor configured to detect a rectified voltage value rectified based on the received power; a second sensor configured to detect a charging current value to the storage battery charged by the power supply device; a processor configured to determine a power transmission voltage value corresponding to the power wirelessly transmitted from the power transmitter apparatus based on the rectified voltage value and the charging current value; and a communication device configured to transmit the power transmission voltage value determined by the processor to the power transmitter apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuo Yagi, Shuichiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11691578
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a power-supply control unit that sets a power supply to an off state when either a first power-off condition in which a user performs a power-off operation or a second power-off condition in which a first predetermined time elapses from the time when the user U gets off the vehicle with the power supply in an on state is satisfied; and a power-on-condition setting unit that: sets a power-on condition to a first power-on condition, when the power supply is set to the off state because the first power off condition is satisfied; and sets the power-on condition to a second power-on condition that is different from the first power-on condition, when the power supply is set to the off state because the second power off condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yujiro Koda, Masashi Sugita, Shinichi Ueda, Seonghun Lee, Katsuyasu Yamane, Takayuki Furui
  • Patent number: 11689058
    Abstract: A method includes applying an excitation including a voltage step to a resonant tank comprising a first coil and a capacitor, comparing a damped sinusoidal waveform having a resonant attenuation envelope with a predetermined threshold voltage and detecting a last time instant at which a value of the damped sinusoidal waveform is equal to the predetermined threshold voltage, calculating a quality factor of the resonant tank based on a plurality of parameters derived from the last time instant, and determining whether a foreign object is magnetically coupled to the first coil based on the quality factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: NuVolta Technologies (Hefei) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhijun Luo, Yingying Yang
  • Patent number: 11681312
    Abstract: Aircraft power distribution systems and methods for regulating a system voltage in aircraft power distribution systems are described. An example system includes a first generator, a first power feeder, a second power feeder, a first load, a second load, and a plurality of contactors. The first power feeder and the second power feeder are coupled in parallel between the first generator and a power panel. The first load is coupled to the first power feeder, and the second load is coupled to the second power feeder. The plurality of contactors is configurable to transfer power in a first direction from the first generator to both the first load and the second load during a first mode of operation, and configurable to transfer power in a second direction from the power panel to the first load or the second load during a second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. White
  • Patent number: 11682798
    Abstract: A vehicular battery control device controls an electric storage amount of a battery as which a lithium-ion battery is employed. The vehicular battery control device includes a control unit that reduces the electric storage amount of the battery until the electric storage amount of the battery assumes a second state, before the lapse of a first time, when the electric storage amount of the battery assumes a first state and it is predicted that a charge current will flow in the first time. The first state is a state where lithium metal is precipitated by charging the battery with a predetermined amount of electric power, and the second state is a state where no lithium metal is precipitated even when the charge current flows through the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Akaishi
  • Patent number: 11664797
    Abstract: A small cell networking device mountable to a streetlight fixture includes circuitry for converting alternating current power into direct current (DC) power and providing a digitally stable ground for operation of the small cell device. The circuitry includes a transformer isolating a primary side from a secondary side of the circuitry. A switching controller on the primary side directs a switching circuit to selectively permit current flow through a primary side of the transformer to a first ground node on the primary side. A secondary winding of the transformer sources a rectified DC output relative to a second ground node that is isolated from the first ground node. In some cases, compensation on the secondary winding side provides isolated feedback to the controller, such as via an optical isolator. The controller directs the switching circuit based at least on the feedback and input from an auxiliary winding of the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Ubicquia, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradford Brian Hutson, Ronald B. Zimmerman, III, Ian B. Aaron, Yevgeny Frenkel
  • Patent number: 11643217
    Abstract: A method of operating an aircraft electrical power distribution system comprises determining a measure of ambient pressure; and setting a target operating voltage in accordance with the measure of ambient pressure. The method further comprises controlling the operating voltage in accordance with the set target operating voltage. The target operating voltage may refer to a distribution voltage of the aircraft. An aircraft electrical power distribution system is also disclosed, comprising: a sensor configured to determine a measure of ambient pressure; a controller configured to set a target operating voltage in accordance with the measure of ambient pressure, and a voltage regulator configured to regulate the operating voltage in accordance with the set target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Matthew S. Cartwright
  • Patent number: 11637443
    Abstract: An operation method for a backup power supply of an electronic system is provided. The backup power supply includes a fuse. The operation method includes: estimating a reading voltage error and a resistance of the fuse; reading a real-time battery discharging current; reading and calculating a voltage difference between two terminals of the fuse; and determining whether to send a fuse replacement message to the electronic system according to the voltage difference between the two terminals of the fuse, the reading voltage error, the resistance of the fuse and the real-time battery discharging current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventor: Shang-Hui Chen
  • Patent number: 11626740
    Abstract: A resonant transformer connected between a ground terminal and elevated terminal draws current from the earth's electric field through a primary winding of the transformer. An impulse generator applies a high voltage impulse to the primary winding of the resonant transformer to cause current to flow from the ground terminal through the primary winding. The flow of current through the primary winding of the resonant transformer induces a current in the secondary winding, which may be converted and filtered to a usable form, e.g. 60 Hz AC or DC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: EARTH ENERGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John Dinwiddie, Terry L. Wright, David R. Ames