Patents Examined by Thai H Tran
  • Patent number: 11179559
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for wireless power transfer and communications are provided. In one embodiment, a wireless power transfer system comprises an external transmit resonator configured to transmit wireless power, an implantable receive resonator configured to receive the transmitted wireless power from the transmit resonator, and a user interface device comprising a resonant coil circuit, the resonant coil circuit being configured to receive magnetic communication signals from the transmit resonator or the receive resonator and to display information relating to the magnetic communication signals to a user of the user interface device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TC1 LLC
    Inventor: John Freddy Hansen
  • Patent number: 11171490
    Abstract: A cascading regulation system connected to a number of serially connected power sources and uses multiple regulators having different cutoff voltages to provide an output for the local power consumption unit. Each of the regulators is connected to a subset of serially connected power sources and so configured that if the voltage generated at the lowest tap is no longer sufficient for a stable supply to the local power consumption unit, the next higher regulator takes over, and the output voltage drops in small steps reflective of that takeover of the next higher tap. When the voltage generated across a subsection grows, a lower connected tap may take over again, producing a slightly higher output voltage for the local power consumption unit. The cutover steps are chosen such that the output voltage range matches the range given as the acceptable input range for the local power consumption unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Tigo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Arditi, Daniel Eizips, Mordechay Avrutsky
  • Patent number: 11170931
    Abstract: In a system for an inductive energy transmission from a primary-conductor system, in particular a stationary primary conductor system, to a vehicle having a secondary winding, the secondary winding is inductively coupled with the primary-conductor system. The primary conductor is installed as a primary-conductor loop installed in elongated form, which has a feed conductor and a return conductor in a line section, in particular a return conductor that is installed parallel thereto, and the return conductor is electrically grounded in that at least one inductance is disposed between the return conductor and the electrical ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Leobald Podbielski, Jochen Mahlein, Thomas Uhl, Andreas Böser
  • Patent number: 11165279
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus is connectable to a common communication line together with at least one other apparatus. The power supply apparatus includes a communication interface and a controller. The communication interface is configured to transmit a signal indicating the presence of the power supply apparatus to a first apparatus connected to the power supply apparatus among the at least one other apparatus and to receive a signal indicating the presence of a second apparatus from the second apparatus connected to the power supply apparatus among the at least one other apparatus. The controller is configured to determine whether the power supply apparatus is connected to an end portion of the common communication line, based on whether the communication interface has received the signal indicating the presence of the second apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Baba, Shusuke Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11148531
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a pair of power converters. The vehicle includes a socket having an array of power terminals arranged to accept outlets of different power terminal configurations to interconnect the pair therewith. The vehicle includes a panel having an outlet engaged with the socket. The panel includes a controller configured to communicate an electrical rating of the outlet via the socket to define a switching scheme for the pair. The communication is responsive to detecting panel and socket engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jacek Brauner, Theodore Joseph Filippi, Allan Roy Gale, Ke Zou, Krishna Prasad Bhat, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 11142082
    Abstract: A linear transmission device with capability of wireless power supply includes a transmission mechanism and a wireless power supply module. The transmission mechanism includes a long shaft part and a moving part. The long shaft part defines an axis. The moving part is disposed on the long shaft part in a manner that the moving part is movable along the axis. The wireless power supply module includes a magnet-providing part disposed on the long shaft part for providing a magnetic field and an induction coil disposed on the moving part. A direction of the magnetic field is parallel to the axis. A normal vector of the induction coil is parallel to the direction of the magnetic field. When the moving part is moved along the axis, a current is induced in the induction coil through variation of the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: HIWIN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Keng-Ming Chang, Yu-Wei Chuang, Meng-Ying Lin, Chun-Yen Wu
  • Patent number: 11142148
    Abstract: The invention pertains to an electrical connection bar configured to electrically connect a first electrical equipment and a second electrical equipment, notably in a vehicle, the electrical connection bar comprising an electrical connection module configured so as to supply the first electrical equipment with an electrical energy controlled by the second electrical equipment. The electrical connection bar further comprises a transmission module configured to transmit into the second electrical equipment an electrical signal representative of a physical property of the first electrical equipment, the transmission module being integrated with the electrical connection module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Siemens eAutomotive France SAS
    Inventors: Aurélien Pouilly, Bruno Condamin, Alexandre Legendre
  • Patent number: 11139697
    Abstract: A power system capable of detecting a foreign object includes a power supplier side, a power receiver side and a cable. The power supplier side includes a power control switch, a power control circuit and a pull-up circuit. The power control circuit controls the power control switch to provide a supply voltage to the power receiver side. The pull-up circuit provides a supplier transmission current to generate a supplier transmission voltage for determining whether the power supplier side and the power receiver side are coupled properly. The power control circuit determines whether a foreign object exists between the power supplier side and the power receiver side according to a voltage difference of the supplier transmission voltage before and after the supply voltage VBUS is provided. The power control circuit adaptively controls the power control switch and adjusts the transmission current according to whether a foreign object exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wei-Hsu Chang, Shang-Hung Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11128159
    Abstract: A multiple wired input/output device provides generated battery or regulated voltage outputs with adjustable turn-on and turn-off timing with sequence priority to engine running status. Separate aftermarket audio components, or a combination of aftermarket audio and non-audio related components are activated and deactivated in appropriate order for a variety of installation applications. One or more switched battery voltage inputs override the sequence priority of generated battery or regulated voltage output(s) in relation to engine running status, order or duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Wavtech, LLC
    Inventor: Jason Kemmerer
  • Patent number: 11114892
    Abstract: Systems and methods including improving availability of protection of an electric power delivery system even upon unavailability of power system signals. Such protection relays may provide protection using signals from the power system and provide the signals to an integrator or another device. Upon unavailability of power system signals to a protection relay, the integrator sends substitute power system signals may be provided to the protection relay. The protection relay may continue to provide protection using the substitute power system signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Daqing Hou, David E. Whitehead, Tony J. Lee, Krishnanjan Gubba Ravikumar
  • Patent number: 11114862
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar cell installation includes several groups of solar cells. Each group of solar cells has a local power point optimizer configured to control power generation of the group. The local power point optimizer may be configured to determine an optimum operating condition for a corresponding group of solar cells. The local power point optimizer may adjust the operating condition of the group to the optimum operating condition by modulating a transistor, such as by pulse width modulation, to electrically connect and disconnect the group from the installation. The local power point optimizer may be used in conjunction with a global maximum power point tracking module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Klein, Jan Mark Noworolski
  • Patent number: 11114858
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to controlling a capacitor bank using current measurements from different current sensors depending on the power flow direction. For example, the system may perform capacitor bank control operations using current measurements from a first current sensor coupled to the power line between an initial source and the capacitor bank when power is flowing in a first power flow direction on the power line. The system may determine that power flow on the power line has changed from flowing in the first power flow direction to flowing in a second power flow direction from an updated source, different from the initial source. The system may, upon detecting the change in the power flow direction perform control operations of the capacitor bank using current measurements from a second current sensor between an updated source and the capacitor bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Kei Hao, Mark W. Feltis, Naresh Malla
  • Patent number: 11108244
    Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for a power receiver circuit. A power generating mechanism may include power generating elements that may generate alternating current signals. Rectifier circuit may include rectifiers that may generate a direct current signal from an alternating current signal, and diodes. Group circuits that may connect groups of rectifier circuits in electrical circuits to combine the direct current signals from the rectifier circuits in a group into a single direct current signal. A step down converter may be connected to the group circuits. The step down converter may convert a direct current signal to a direct current signal of a target voltage level. An output switch may be connected to the step down converter. A linear regulator may be connected to the step down converter. A microcontroller may be connected to the linear regulator and the output switch and may control the output switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: uBeam Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Gao, Jonathan Bolus
  • Patent number: 11101671
    Abstract: A vehicle electrical system including a battery, the terminals of which supply positive and negative power rails, the battery being connected to one or more vehicle devices to supply power or charging thereto. The devices include capacitors. The system also includes at least one heating device and a switch to allow capacitor discharge to flow through the heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joseph A. Engel, Scott Gerber, Alexandre M. Reis
  • Patent number: 11101659
    Abstract: A detection device includes a first detection unit that detects whether a power source may be in an islanding operation based on a frequency of an power supplied from a power source connected to a system, a power processing unit that changes the amount of power supplied from the power supply to the system in response to that the first detection unit detects that the power source may be in the islanding operation, a second detection unit that detects a voltage of a system with the power supply amount having been changed, and a disconnection processing unit that determines whether to disconnect a power source from a system in response to a change in a voltage of a system with the power supply amount having been changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takayuki Nagakura
  • Patent number: 11090481
    Abstract: An adaptive system for efficient and long-range wireless power delivery using magnetically coupled resonators responds to changes in a dynamic environment, and maintains high efficiency over a narrow or fixed frequency range. The system uses adaptive impedance matching to maintain high efficiency. The wireless power transfer system includes a drive inductor coupled to a high-Q transmitter coil, and a load inductor coupled to a high-Q receiver coil. The transmitter coil and receiver coil for a magnetically coupled resonator. A first matching network is (i) operably coupled to the drive inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the drive inductor and the transmitter coil, or (ii) is operably coupled to the load inductor and configured to selectively adjust the impedance between the load inductor and the receiver coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Joshua R. Smith, Benjamin H. Waters, Scott Wisdom, Alanson P. Sample
  • Patent number: 11095158
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first switch and a second switch connected in series between a first voltage bus and a second voltage bus, wherein a common node of the first switch and the second switch is connected to a first terminal of a first coil magnetically coupled to a second coil, and a third switch and a fourth switch connected in series between the first voltage bus and the second voltage bus, wherein a common node of the third switch and the fourth switch is coupled to a second terminal of the first coil, and wherein a gate of the first switch is controlled by a first signal derived from a signal on the common node of the third switch and the fourth switch, and a gate of the third switch is controlled by a second signal derived from a signal on the common node of the first switch and the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: NuVolta Technologies (Hefei) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junxiao Chen, Gang Dai, Jinbiao Huang
  • Patent number: 11075541
    Abstract: A signal transmission system comprises: a power supply, a power sourcing device and a powered device connected to each other through a coaxial cable; the power sourcing device comprises a first active inductor module for receiving a DC signal transmitted by the power supply, and transmitting the DC signal to the powered device through the coaxial cable, a first capacitor module for receiving a superposed signal transmitted through the coaxial cable, and transmitting the superposed signal to a signal processing module; and the powered device comprises a second active inductor module for receiving, through the coaxial cable, the DC signal, and transmitting the DC signal to a signal acquiring module for acquiring a superposed signal, a second capacitor module for transmitting the superposed signal to the power sourcing device through the coaxial cable, and the signal acquiring module is for transmitting the superposed signal to the second capacitor module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: HANGZHOU HIKVISION DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Ye, Mingling Luo, Si'en Zhang, Liang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11063556
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for improved bifacial solar modeling. A method may comprise measuring an albedo of a surface on which an array of bifacial solar modules is disposed and setting an albedo parameter of a bifacial gain model. The method may further comprise measuring a backside irradiance of the array and setting a backside irradiance parameter. The method may further comprise setting a shed transparency parameter using the measured backside irradiance and a geometric model of the array. The method may further comprise setting a rear shading parameter using a shading model of the array. The method may further comprise computing an expected bifacial gain of the array. The method may further comprise determining an actual bifacial gain of the array. The method may further comprise setting a rear mismatch parameter to minimize a loss function of the expected bifacial gain and the actual bifacial gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: 8me Nova, LLC
    Inventors: Clayton Gregory Piatt, Tirumalai Tejas
  • Patent number: 11031822
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to wireless communication and wireless power transmission. In some implementations, the disclosed technology is directed to an integrated circuit having a transmitter that transmits radio frequency (RF) based wireless power and receives signals for detecting the location of a client device. The disclosed technology is also directed to an integrated circuit for a client device that receives power from the transmitter and transmits beacon signals, which the transmitter can use to locate the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Ossia Inc.
    Inventors: Hatem Zeine, Prithvi Shylendra, Anthony L. Johnson, Douglas Wayne Williams, Dale Mayes