Patents Examined by Terrence R. Willoughby
  • Patent number: 11394230
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an alternator, and a battery bank electrically connected to the alternator via a connection line. The connection line includes a current sensor configured to measure an electrical current through the connection line. The vehicle also includes a start-stop system configured to determine, during a time when the engine is off, that a voltage of the battery bank is below a first threshold value for a first predetermined period, provide a control signal to a starter to start the engine to initiate charging of battery bank, determine, by the current sensor, that the electrical current is below a second threshold value, and in response to the determination, provide a control signal to turn the engine off to terminate the charging of the battery bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Phillips & Temro Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey James Martell, Eric Graham Ruggles, John David Sweazey
  • Patent number: 11393648
    Abstract: An automatic configurable relay and a method for automatically configuring a relay. The relay comprises an input sampling module for coupling to a source to be monitored, the sampling module configured to detect a first value of a parameter of the source to be monitored; and a processing module configured to set a working condition based on the detected first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Logistics Asia PTE LTD.
    Inventors: Ya Chee Yeong, Liew Yew Loung
  • Patent number: 11381089
    Abstract: An electric power system includes electric energy sources and control equipment for controlling the electric energy sources in accordance with a target value of electric power produced by the electric power system. The control equipment activates and deactivates the electric energy sources based on a control value and on activation and deactivation limits. The control value can be the target value or the actual value of the electric power. The control equipment controls active electric energy sources according to the target value and according to power sharing defined for the active electric energy sources. The activation and deactivation limits as well as activation and deactivation order of the electric energy sources can be determined based on properties of the electric energy sources and on a prevailing operational situation of the electric power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DANFOSS EDITRON OY
    Inventors: Tommi Kankaanranta, Ville Naumanen
  • Patent number: 11370373
    Abstract: In a power source system, circuit units by the number of systems n or more are respectively connected correspondingly to power sources by the number of n (n is an integer of 2 or more). A common ground is all of the circuit units in common. A ground wiring portion establish node-to-node connection between (n+?) pieces of common ground nodes NC(1) to NC(n+?) provided in the common ground and (n+?) pieces of ground plane nodes NP(1) to NP(n+?) provided on a vehicle body in an independent manner, thereby enabling a simple configuration of redundant circuits that can withstand multipoint failures without separating the ground for each system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideki Kabune
  • Patent number: 11368026
    Abstract: A power distribution assembly that includes a planar substrate, a set of switchable elements arranged on the planar substrate, a conductive bus bar underlying the planar substrate and interconnected with the set of switchable elements, and a set of power connections. The power distribution assembly distributes power from a power source to one or more loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems Limited
    Inventors: Michael James Smith, Alexander James Rainbow, Christopher Andrew Leivers
  • Patent number: 11349158
    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: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Akaishi
  • Patent number: 11342912
    Abstract: A processor-based device includes a chassis having a chassis ground node that is arranged to electrically couple the chassis to an earth ground. The device also includes a connector accessible from an exterior of the chassis. The connector conforms to a standardized powerline interface having a hot power signal, a load power signal, and a neutral power signal. A processor-based apparatus housed at least in part within the chassis is arranged to operate using DC power derived from AC power present at the powerline interface. A stray voltage detector is arranged to detect a stray voltage potential existing between the neutral power signal of the standardized powerline interface and the chassis ground node, and the processor-based device is arranged to communicate at least one indication of the detected stray voltage potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Ubicquia, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradford Brian Hutson, Gustavo Dario Leizerovich
  • Patent number: 11336196
    Abstract: An arrangement for earthing a DC intermediate link connected to a converter on board a track-bound vehicle is configured to be permanently arranged on board the vehicle and comprises two conducting members (23, 24) permanently connected to a pole each of a DC intermediate link and to a first contact member (29, 30) each movably arranged with respect to second contact members (35, 36) permanently connected to a chassis part of the vehicle connected to earth. A handle (34) is connected to the first or second contact members while being electrically insulated with respect thereto to be manually operated for moving the contact members connected thereto between a position of not earthing and a position of earthing the DC intermediate link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportalion GmbH
    Inventors: Christer Holmberg, Tommy Carlsson
  • Patent number: 11316383
    Abstract: A wireless power system has a wireless power transmitting device and a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power transmitting device uses a wireless power transmitting coil to transmit wireless power signals to the wireless power receiving device during wireless power transmission periods. During alternating foreign object detection periods, the wireless power transmitting device gathers signals from the wireless power transmitting coil to detect foreign objects. Another wireless power transmitting device may transmit signals that can cause interference. To help reduce interference, the wireless power transmitting device gathers signals with a sensing coil that is separate from the wireless power transmitting coil and subtracts these signals from signals gathered with the wireless power transmitting coil. A signal quality metric may be used in adjusting the timing of the foreign object detection periods to help avoid interference from the other wireless power transmitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen C. Terry
  • Patent number: 11303149
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums include detecting and eliminating a three-phase without neutral short-circuit in a load supplied by a power converter. After detecting the short circuit, the current at an output conductor for one of the three-phases is stopped and then resumed after a sufficient amount of current causes a downstream protection device of the faulty load to trip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daniel Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 11299114
    Abstract: Disclosed is a motor vehicle electrical architecture comprising a supply switched by a relay. The architecture comprises a controllable resistive load (60) ensuring a consumption of, for example at least 500 mA, connected at the output of said relay and controlled by a computer (30) according to a control law. The controlled resistive load is only activated when the speed of said vehicle is zero, or very close to 0. This makes it possible to limit the duration of supply of the resistive load, and consequently the heat dissipation, electrical consumption and CO2 emissions over the duration of travel, while ensuring consumption at the switched supply voltage in the phases where the driver is likely to cut the ignition and thus cause the relay to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: PSA AUTOMOBILES SA
    Inventors: Jean Marc Dhainaut, Cyril Rapin
  • Patent number: 11303215
    Abstract: The present application discloses a system and method for providing a constant power source. The system includes: a main control module configured to receive a wake-up time and send the wake-up time to a timer device; a timer power supply module configured to supply power to the timer device according to electric energy in a high-voltage battery pack; a high-voltage power supply module configured to supply power to a power conversion module according to the electric energy in the high-voltage battery pack; the timer device configured to set a wake-up clock according to the wake-up time, start timing when a battery management system (BMS) enters into sleep, and send a discharge instruction to the high-voltage battery pack when the timing reaches the wake-up time; the power conversion module configured to convert high-voltage electric energy output from the high-voltage battery pack into low-voltage electric energy and supply power to the BMS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited
    Inventors: Liansong Wang, Zhimin Dan, Yizhen Hou, Fangjie Zhou, Changjian Liu
  • Patent number: 11285842
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell vehicle comprising a motor configured to perform a regenerative operation and to drive the fuel cell vehicle; a fuel cell; a secondary battery; and a control unit. The control unit comprises a weight acquirer configured to obtain a current weight of the fuel cell vehicle; and a charge discharge controller configured to set a higher value to an upper limit value and to set a lower value to a lower limit value when the current weight calculated by the weight acquirer is an increased weight that is larger than a reference value, compared with the upper limit value and the lower limit value set when the current weight is the reference weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Shunji Inoue, Kenji Tsubosaka, Kimihiko Teshima, Takanori Kito
  • Patent number: 11283299
    Abstract: A wireless power supply system includes a power receiving device disposed on a bottom surface of a cart, a guide rail extending along a first direction for guiding wheels of carts, and a plurality of power transmission devices configured to wirelessly transmit power to the power receiving device. The power transmission devices are arranged along the guide rail at predetermined intervals. The guide rail has a plurality of recesses arranged at the predetermined intervals such that one of the power transmission devices faces the power receiving device when a wheel of the cart fits into one of the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masakazu Kato, Sadatoshi Oishi, Takuya Ogishima
  • Patent number: 11283361
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system using a resonant rectifier circuit with capacitor sensing. A wireless power transfer system includes a power receiver resonant circuit and a synchronous rectifier. The power receiver resonant circuit includes an inductor and a capacitor connected in series with the inductor. The synchronous rectifier is configured to identify zero crossings of alternating current flowing through the inductor based on voltage across the capacitor, and control synchronous rectification of the alternating current based on timing of the zero crossings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Mustapha El Markhi, Erhan Ozalevli, Tuli Dake, Dingkun Du, Gianpaolo Lisi, Jingwei Xu
  • Patent number: 11273719
    Abstract: A marine vessel, system, and process provides for reducing or eliminating fuel consumption and emissions of marine vessels. System and method for charging an electricity storage element of an energy storage system of a floating marine vessel may include applying a power source from a marine platform to an electrical power bus of the floating vessel to charge the electricity storage element. A power generator of the marine vessel configured to supply electrical power to the power bus may be configured from an ON state to an OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: C-Innovation, LLC
    Inventor: Jan Mikalsen
  • Patent number: 11254214
    Abstract: A vehicle supplies stable and efficient power to a load of a vehicle during a failure or performance degradation of the vehicle by forming an isolated electrical network. The vehicle includes a power supply unit, an electrical network including at least one load configured to receive power from the power supply unit, and a sensor unit that acquires at least one of current flowing in a plurality of the electrical networks and a voltage supplied to the at least one load. A power distribution module determines an insolation required portion based on the current flowing in the electrical network and the voltage supplied to the at least one load, and connects or disconnects at least one point of the electrical network based on the isolation required portion to form an isolated electrical network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: JungHyeon Bae, Jin Kim, Young Il Lee
  • Patent number: 11223226
    Abstract: A covert smart solar power system for use with a covert data collection device, the covert smart solar power system having a power storage device, a power source coupled to the power storage device, and a power transmission interface configured to couple the covert data collection device to at least one of the power storage device and the power source. The power source includes a natural object enclosure, a power generation apparatus embedded in the natural object enclosure, and a failure mitigation aspect coupled to the power generation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: WilliamsRDM, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Stimek, Eduardo M. Hinojosa, Donald W. Murray
  • Patent number: 11207992
    Abstract: A power conversion system for vehicles is provided. The system includes a switching circuit having first input/output terminals, second input/output terminals and a plurality of switching elements connected between the first input/output terminals and the second input/output terminals. A first energy storage device is connected to the second input/output terminals and has a preset charging/discharging voltage. A first voltage conversion circuit converts power output from the first input/output terminals to output a voltage less than the voltage of the first energy storage device. A second energy storage device is charged/discharged with the output voltage of the first voltage conversion circuit. A controller controls open/short-circuit states of the switching elements based on whether the first energy storage device is being charged and whether the vehicle is traveling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: In Yong Yeo, Jin Myeong Yang, Woo Young Lee, Youn Sik Lee, Dae Woo Lee, Jong Pil Kim
  • Patent number: 11205896
    Abstract: A solar power system and method of operation includes a solar array, a plurality of loads electrically coupled in parallel to the solar array, and a control circuit electrically coupled to the solar array and in communication with the loads. The control circuit is configured to cause the solar array to operate at a maximum power point (MPP), prioritize power requirements of the loads, and variably allocate power from the solar array among the loads according to the prioritized power requirements of the loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Osborne, Dharmendra Rathod