Patents Examined by Thomas Skibinski
  • Methods and apparatus utilizing a bipolar double D vehicle coupler in wireless power transfer applications
    Patent number: 9876366
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses utilizing a bipolar double D vehicle coupler in wireless power transfer applications are described herein. Some implementations may include an apparatus for wireless power transfer. The apparatus comprises a first coil and a second coil connected in series to form a first circuit. The first coil does not overlap the second coil. The apparatus comprises a third coil and a fourth coil electrically connected in series to form a second circuit. The third coil does not overlap the fourth coil. At least a portion of the first circuit overlaps at least a portion of the second circuit. The first circuit is substantially magnetically decoupled from the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nicholas Athol Keeling, Mickel Bipin Budhia, Chang-Yu Huang
  • Reversible powering device
    Patent number: 9876392
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a reversible powering device for an electronic equipment including a first power input port and a second power input port. Said reversible powering device including: a power input determining module configured to determine whether the first power input port or the second power input port of the electronic equipment has a power input respectively, and send a control signal to a switch controlling module if it is determined that the first power input port has a power input and the second power input port has no power input; and the switch controlling module configured to control a switch device according to said control signal such that the power input into the first power input port is output from the second power input port in a reverse direction to power another electronic equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Zhejiang Uniview Technologies Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Haitao Li, Jianting Wang, Yifei Sun
  • Converter arrangement for power compensation and a method for controlling a power converter
    Patent number: 9876358
    Abstract: A converter arrangement and a method of controlling a three-phase converter arrangement connected to a transmission grid are provided. The converter arrangement includes three phase legs and an energy transfer circuit. The method includes providing a varying respective output phase voltage to the transmission grid by selecting energy storage elements of both the phase legs and the energy transfer circuit and connecting the selected energy storage elements to the transmission grid output. The method further includes selecting energy storage elements for performing a transfer of energy between the energy storage elements during the control period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Frans Dijkhuizen, Alireza Nami, Hector Zelaya De La Parra, Christopher Townsend
  • Level conversion device and method
    Patent number: 9866205
    Abstract: A device is disclosed that includes a level shifter and a selector. The level shifter includes a first current limiter. The level shifter is configured to generate a first output signal at a first terminal of the first current limiter, and to generate a second output signal at a second terminal of the first current limiter according to a first input signal. The selector configured to selectively transmit one of the first output signal and the second output signal according to the first input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Lun Ou, Wei-Chih Hsieh, Shang-Chih Hsieh
  • Voltage reference circuit
    Patent number: 9864393
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a resistive device and an amplifier. The first transistor includes a first drain and a first gate. The second transistor includes a second drain and a second gate. The resistive device is coupled between the first gate and the second gate. The amplifier includes a first input coupled to the first drain and a second input coupled to the second drain. The amplifier is configured to keep a voltage level at the first drain and that at the second drain equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD
    Inventors: Jaw-Juinn Horng, Amit Kundu
  • Power receiving device, wireless power-supplying system, and cover unit
    Patent number: 9866037
    Abstract: A wireless power-supplying system includes a power-supplying coil disposed on a ground contact surface side, a power-receiving coil mounted on a movable body and to which power is wirelessly supplied from the power-supplying coil, a cover member provided in the movable body and configured to be opened and closed and cover the power-receiving coil in a closed state, and a bag configured to expand and contract and to open and close the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Maekawa
  • Simultaneous multifrequency receive circuits
    Patent number: 9859707
    Abstract: Disclosed are various receive circuits by which to receive a plurality of guided surface waves transmitted by a plurality of guided surface waveguide probes over a surface of a terrestrial medium according to various embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: CPG Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James F. Corum, Kenneth L. Corum, Joseph F. Pinzone, James D. Lilly
  • Power plant and energy storage system for provision of grid ancillary services
    Patent number: 9859828
    Abstract: The present invention relates to method for operating a power plant, with at least one wind turbine generator arranged for supplying power to an electrical grid, at least one energy storage device arranged for supplying power to the electrical grid, and a power plant controller, the method comprises, measuring repetitively measurement sets of at least one electrical parameter from the electrical grid, and calculating, in respect the measurement sets of the at least one electrical parameter, a change in active and/or a required change in reactive power at a point of common coupling, and calculating and dispatching of a first control reference signal to the at least one wind turbine generator and a second control reference signal to the at least one energy storage device, for providing ancillary service functionalities to the electrical grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Germán Claudio Tarnowski, Philip Carne Kjær, Rasmus Lærke, Florin Iov, Remus Teodorescu, Andrzej Adamczyk
  • Method and apparatus for fast phase locked loop (PLL) settling with reduced frequency overshoot
    Patent number: 9859903
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for fast phase locked loop (PLL) settling with reduced frequency overshoot are provided. During acquisition, a first phase offset signal configured to drive a phase error signal to zero is provided at a first circuit of the PLL. The first circuit may be a time-to-digital converter (TDC) of the PLL. A second phase offset signal configured to offset the first phase offset signal is provided at a second circuit of the PLL. The second circuit of the PLL may be a loop filter at the PLL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Greg Alyn Unruh, Pin-En Su, Fazil Ahmad
  • Refrigerating device for containers
    Patent number: 9851136
    Abstract: In this container refrigerator, the permissible equivalent negative-phase-sequence current of a generator to be connected is calculated in Step S3 based on its capacitance. Next, in Step S4, the power consumption of an inverter device to generate the equivalent negative-phase-sequence current is calculated. Then, in Step S6, the equivalent negative-phase-sequence current generated by the container refrigerator is calculated based on the power consumption of this inverter device. Thereafter, in Step S9, It is compared to Itg. If It>Itg is satisfied, It is restricted until It?Itg is met by lowering the output frequency of the inverter device repeatedly in multiple stages. Consequently, even if the generator connected has small capacitance, the operation may be continued at a number of rotations appropriate for that small capacitance without causing the generator to overheat or be burned out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Uchida, Naoki Nakatani, Shuuhei Yamaguchi
  • Buffer circuit
    Patent number: 9843318
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a buffer circuit that reduces a reverse voltage applied to transistors being a complementary pair during turn-on and turn-off. A buffer circuit is a buffer circuit that turns on and turns off a switching element and includes a drive-side element that has an end connected to a base of a drive transistor and a sink-side element that has an end connected to a base of a sink transistor. The drive-side element and the sink-side element are respectively a drive-side diode and a sink-side diode, or a drive-side capacitor and a sink-side capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Hayashi, Kazuaki Hiyama, Kentaro Yoshida
  • Power supply device, and control method of power supply device
    Patent number: 9843227
    Abstract: A power supply device according to an embodiment comprises a plurality of power sources 10 each including an antenna and an AC/DC conversion unit, a plurality of consolidating units 13_1 to 13_i, and a power supply unit 15. The consolidating units 13_1 to 13_i respectively include consolidating circuits 14_1 to 14_i that selectively consolidate a plurality of DC signals 21_1 to 21_n supplied by the plurality of power sources 10. The power supply unit 15 includes a consolidating circuit 16 that selectively consolidates the DC signals 21_1 to 21_i output from the plurality of consolidating units 13_1 to 13_i, and a voltage conversion circuit 17 that converts a DC signal 23 resulting from consolidation in the consolidating circuit 16, to a predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Noguchi, Koichi Nose, Yoshifumi Ikenaga, Yoichi Yoshida
  • Clock grid for integrated circuit
    Patent number: 9843332
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for distributing clocks or other signals on an integrated circuit. In some aspects, one or more distributed deskewing objects are provisioned for reducing or eliminating skew while linking multiple clock distribution segments into one clock tree of an arbitrary shape and size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Ramanand Venkata, Dana How, Christopher Lane
  • Interlock arrangement for powered devices
    Patent number: 9840819
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an interlock arrangement with a blocking feature and a locking feature secured to an interlock member. The interlock member can move between first and second interlock orientations. With the interlock member in the first interlock orientation, the blocking feature can prevent attachment of a power conduit to a power connection, such that the motor is not enabled to power a powered device, and the first locking feature can allow a first gate to open in order to provide access to the powered device. With the interlock member in the second interlock orientation, the blocking feature can allow attachment of the power conduit to the power connection, such that the motor is enabled to power the powered device, and the first locking feature can prevent the first gate from opening such that the first gate obstructs access to the powered device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Monroe Truck Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Alex J. Hopfensperger, Andrew Holverson
  • Method for activating or deactivating functions and device for influencing functions in a motor vehicle
    Patent number: 9840228
    Abstract: A method for activating or deactivating functions in a motor vehicle is provided. A control signal for activating or deactivating at least one function can be input via at least one interface. At least one function includes timer programming and/or at least one function can be activated or deactivated in a remotely controllable manner from outside the motor vehicle via the communication interface. At least one control command is input via at least one interface, via which control command an activation or deactivation of the function is blocked via the timer programming and/or via the communication interface. A device for influencing functions in a motor vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heiner Bartoszewski, Mirko Vujasinovic
  • Half bridge driver circuits
    Patent number: 9831867
    Abstract: A half bridge GaN circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a low side circuit, which has a low side switch, a low side switch driver configured to drive the low side switch, a first level shift circuit configured to receive a first level shift signal, and a second level shift circuit configured to generate a second level shift signal. The half bridge GaN circuit also includes a high side circuit, which has a high side switch configured to be selectively conductive according to a voltage level of a received high side switch signal, and a high side switch driver configured to generate the high side switch signal in response to the level shift signals. A transition in the voltage of the high side switch signal causes the high side switch driver to prevent additional transitions of the voltage level of the high side switch signal for a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Navitas Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Marvin Kinzer, Santosh Sharma, Ju Zhang, Marco Giandalia, Thomas Ribarich
  • Vehicle and electric power supply device thereof
    Patent number: 9827928
    Abstract: A vehicle comprises first and second operation units operated to perform switching between an electric power supply state and an electric power cut-off state of respective first and second electric components and a retaining device which starts electric power supply to the second electric component in response to the operation of the first and operation units to form the first and second electric power supply states, and retains the electric power supply to the second electric component, until the second operation unit is operated to form the second electric power cut-off state, despite a rider's operation of the first operation unit to form the first electric power cut-off state, after the retaining device started the electric power supply to the second electric component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Amano, Takuya Sakamoto, Tadashi Miura
  • Electrostatic-coupling contactless power supply device
    Patent number: 9831720
    Abstract: An electrostatic-coupling contactless power supply device includes a power supply electrode and a high-frequency power source circuit that are provided on a fixing portion, and a power receiving electrode and a power receiving circuit that are provided on a movable portion. The power supply electrode is formed of a plurality of segment electrodes which are arranged in a line in a moving direction of the movable portion and to which power is individually supplied from the high-frequency power source circuit. A plurality of switches are connected between the high-frequency power source circuit and the segment electrodes, respectively, and are opened and closed independently of one another. A current detecting circuit individually detects segment currents flowing in the respective segment electrodes; and a switch controller controls the switches so that only a part of the plurality of switches are closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI MACHINE MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Takikawa, Takahiro Jindo, Naomichi Ishiura
  • Wireless power transmission device
    Patent number: 9831686
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission device includes a detection coil and a capacitor that configure a resonance circuit. An oscillation circuit generates high-frequency current corresponding to a detection frequency for performing presence detection of an electric appliance and metal. A presence detection circuit performs presence detection of the electric appliance and the metal based on an output voltage obtained by exciting the detection coil with the high-frequency current having the detection frequency. A detection condition changing circuit performs an initial value setting mode that changes a detection condition of the presence detection circuit in accordance with a resonance characteristic. The detection condition changing circuit includes a detection frequency changing circuit that changes the detection frequency in accordance with the resonance characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kohara, Mamoru Ozaki, Toyohiko Tsujimoto
  • Vehicle electrical system architecture
    Patent number: 9827930
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and a vehicle electrical system, which comprises a battery, a current distributor, a starter, a generator, and electrical loads, in such a way that the vehicle comprises a first supply line, the first supply line connects the current distributor to a starter terminal or to the starter, the vehicle comprises a second supply line, the second supply line connects the current distributor to a support point, and the electrical loads and the generator are electrically connected to the support point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Eduard Schoeberl, Martin Kaltenbrunner