Patents Examined by Vincent Q. Nguyen
-
Patent number: 11467212Abstract: A battery pack including first and second battery contactors respectively having first ends electrically connected to positive and negative electrode terminals of a battery; first and second charging contactors respectively having first ends electrically connected to second ends of the first and second battery contactors; a second power connector of a charger having first and second output terminals respectively electrically connected to the first and second input terminals being connected to the first power connector; and a control unit configured to, when a charger is connected and a charging request is received, control the first and second charging contactors to both be in a turn-on state or a turn-off state at the same time, and diagnosing a fault of each of the first charging contactor and the second charging contactor.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2018Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Inventor: Sang-Hyeok Ham
-
Patent number: 11460503Abstract: An electrical system comprising a battery system and a control system is disclosed. The battery system may comprise a first switching device, a first battery electrically coupled in series with the first switching device, a second battery electrically coupled in parallel with the first switching device and the first battery when the first switching device is in a closed position, and a second switching device coupled in series with a load. The control system may be configured to perform diagnostics on the battery system.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: CPS Technology Holdings LLCInventors: Mark R. Johnson, Michael R. Blemberg, Ronald J. Dulle, Steven G. Rinaldo, Zhihong Jin, Douglas G. Grimsley
-
Patent number: 11460512Abstract: Testing of a battery module can be conducted using monitoring electronics attached to the battery module. Stimulus can be applied to the battery module and removed. After removal of the stimulus, the monitoring electronics can collect signals from the monitoring electronics reflecting parameters of the battery module as it relaxes back to a non-stimulated state. The stimulus can be provided by test equipment or by components of a system in which the battery module, having attached monitoring electronics, is implemented. The monitoring electronics attached to the battery module can provide autonomous recording of signals associated with the battery module that can provide data regarding the status of the battery module or one or more batteries contained in the battery module.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited CompanyInventor: Shane O'Mahony
-
Patent number: 11448683Abstract: A circuit includes: an isolation power module, a first and second sampling modules, a first and second sampling points, a processor. A first terminal of the first sampling module is connected to a positive electrode of a battery pack and first terminal of a positive switch module, a second terminal of the first sampling module is connected to a negative electrode of the battery pack and a first terminal of the negative switch module, a third terminal of the first sampling module is connected to a first reference voltage end; a first terminal of the second sampling module is connected to a second terminal of the positive switch module and a positive electrode of the isolation power module, a second terminal of the second sampling module is connected to a second terminal of the negative switch module and a negative electrode of the isolation power module.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., LimitedInventors: Baohai Du, Le Chu, Jiayu Yu, Qiandeng Li
-
Patent number: 11451182Abstract: A power conversion device includes an AC conversion unit; a detector that detects an output current, a DC voltage, and a temperature; an I/O unit; and a control unit. The control unit includes a motor control unit that controls the AC conversion unit; an operation instruction/parameter setting unit that converts an operation instruction and a parameter; an information management unit; an I/O control unit; and a detection unit that acquires data of the detector. The operation instruction/parameter setting unit outputs the set parameter and characteristic data to the information management unit, which acquires parameter information associated with the operation instruction and parameter information for an operation instruction change quantity required for adjustment from an information server.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2017Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yusuke Arao
-
Patent number: 11448639Abstract: A DNA or genome sequencing structure is disclosed. The structure includes an electrode pair, each electrode having a tip-shaped end, the electrodes separated by a nanogap defined by facing tip-shaped ends; at least one conductive island deposited at or near each tip-shaped end; and a biomolecule having two ends, each end attached to the conductive islands in the electrode pair such that one biomolecule bridges over the nanogap in the electrode pair, wherein nucleotide interactions with the biomolecule provides electronic monitoring of DNA or genome sequencing without the use of a fluorescing element.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Roswell Biotechnologies, Inc.Inventors: Chulmin Choi, Sungho Jin, Paul W. Mola, Barry L. Merriman
-
Patent number: 11442121Abstract: Magnetic field sensors and sensing methods are provided. A magnetic sensor module is configured to measure a magnetic field whose magnitude oscillates between a first extrema and a second extrema. The magnetic sensor module includes a magnetic sensor configured to generate measurement values in response to sensing the magnetic field, and a sensor circuit. The sensor circuit is configured to generate a measurement signal based on the measurement values, adjust an offset of the measurement signal according to an offset update algorithm and a first characteristic of the measurement signal, generate a pulsed output signal having pulses that are generated based on the adjusted measurement signal crossing the switching threshold, and selectively enable and disable the offset update algorithm based on a second characteristic of the measurement signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Inventors: Simone Fontanesi, Klaus Grambichler, Tobias Werth
-
Patent number: 11435380Abstract: A signal measurement apparatus and signal measurement method are provided. The measurement apparatus includes a compensation signal generating circuit configured to generate a target compensation signal that reduces a carrier frequency component in a voltage signal that is input into an amplifier based on an output signal of the amplifier, and the amplifier amplifies the voltage signal to which the target compensation signal is applied, wherein the compensation signal generating circuit is configured to determine a signal value of a subsequent compensation signal based on a signal value of the output signal of the amplifier amplified by applying a previous compensation signal, when determining the target compensation signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jongpal Kim
-
Patent number: 11435404Abstract: Techniques for controlling a current of a battery cell during formation and/or testing are described. A current sensor is used to measure the current of the battery cell, which is used as a feedback signal for controlling the current to achieve a target current. The transfer function of the current sensor is used to improve the accuracy of the current measurement. Because the transfer function can be regularly determined during formation/testing, a lower-cost current sensor with relatively poor temperature coefficient may be used. Any change in the gain of the current sensor may be detected by the transfer function determination and corrected for. Therefore, high current control accuracy may be achieved at lower cost.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited CompanyInventors: Shaoli Ye, Gina M Kelso, David J. Lath, William Michael James Holland, John Jude O'Donnell
-
Patent number: 11424490Abstract: A battery control device that controls a connection between a battery and a load includes a first switch inserted between the battery and the load, a bypass circuit between the battery and the load, which is connected in parallel to the first switch and includes a second switch on the battery side, a diode unit composed of two diodes, and a third switch that are connected in series, an instruction unit that instructs the first, second, and third switches to open or close, an acquisition unit that acquires voltages of both ends of the second and third switches, respectively, and a diagnosis unit that diagnoses whether the first switch operates normally based on open or closed states of the switches and the voltages.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kohei Takahashi, Haruyuki Onoda
-
Patent number: 11422193Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to a method and system for detecting failures in a cell measuring circuit for a vehicle battery including a plurality of battery cells. First the method includes determining a cell voltage of each of the plurality of cells by the respective cell measuring circuit. Next, the method includes performing cell balancing to balance a cell voltage for the plurality of cells and the cell balancing times are compared to determine if there are deviating cell balancing times, and if there is an identifiable pattern in the cell balancing times which can provide an indication of a failure in any of the cell measuring circuits.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Sören Hansen, Nicklas Leuchovius, Louise Almquist, Pierre-Marie Heussaff
-
Patent number: 11422104Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an internal volume and a pressure sensor assembly disposed in the internal volume and in communication with an ambient environment. The pressure sensor assembly can include a structure at least partially enclosing a sensor volume, a pressure sensor affixed to a die disposed in the sensor volume, and an exposed moisture detection conductor positioned in the sensor volume.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Caleb C. Han, Brad G. Boozer, David MacNeil, Gregory B. Arndt, Patrick E. O'Brien, Roham Solasi, Tongbi T. Jiang, Ashwin Balasubramanian, William S. Lee, Manoj K. Bhattacharyya, Jiahui Liang, James G. Horiuchi, Savas Gider
-
Patent number: 11415538Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a sensor assembly. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly comprises a sensor module and a housing assembly. In an embodiment, the sensor module comprises a substrate, a capacitor with a first electrode and a second electrode on the substrate, and a capacitive-to-digital converter (CDC) electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. In an embodiment, the housing assembly is attached to the sensor module and comprises a shaft, wherein the shaft is hollow, and a cap over a first end of the shaft, wherein the cap has an opening to expose the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yaoling Pan, Patrick John Tae, Leonard Tedeschi, Michael D. Willwerth, Daniel Thomas McCormick
-
Patent number: 11395886Abstract: A single plate capacitive bubble detection sensor. The detector may employ a single active plate. A parasitic capacitance of the active plate relative to the environment may be monitored without reference to any particular ground source. In this regard, highly sensitive measurements may be made of a tube disposed adjacent to the active plate to detect, for example, the presence of air, liquid, or a change between liquid and air in the tube.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: BAXTER CORPORATION ENGLEWOODInventors: Yuriy Konstantinovich Umanskiy, David Lee Holien, Brian William Ward
-
Patent number: 11385293Abstract: A battery state estimating apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention includes a state estimator, a power estimator, and a determiner. The state estimator estimates a state of a battery. The power estimator estimates first power amount charged/discharged by the battery within a charging/discharging period, based on the state. The determiner compares the first power amount with second power amount inputted/outputted to/from the battery within the charging/discharging period and thereby determines validity of the state.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2020Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Yumi Fujita, Tomokazu Morita, Nobukatsu Sugiyama
-
Patent number: 11376459Abstract: Devices and methods for the detection of streams of water or other extinguishants. A device has a substrate, an array including a plurality of capacitance sensors disposed on the substrate, and a controller operatively connected to each of the plurality of capacitance sensors to measure a capacitance of each respective sensor. The controller is configured to analyze a time-varying component of a series of measured capacitances for each sensor and to output a signal representing how closely that time-varying component matches a stored reference component of a reference signal in which a sensor is proximate to a stream of an extinguishant. A corresponding method obtains a series of measured capacitances from each of a plurality of capacitance sensors disposed upon a substrate, analyzes a time-varying component of the each of the series, and outputs a signal representing a degree of similarity between that series and such a reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: LION GROUP, INC.Inventor: Brian P. Bradley
-
Patent number: 11378415Abstract: A method of detecting conditions indicative of energy meter tampering, meter faults or energy loss (e.g. due to energy theft) is disclosed. The method includes receiving energy consumption data from an energy meter indicating consumption of energy at a location served by the energy meter. Event data is also received from the meter comprising one or more events generated by the energy meter. The consumption data is analysed to detect a predetermined consumption condition. The event data is analysed to detect a predetermined event or event pattern in the event data. An alert condition is generated in response to detecting both the consumption condition and the event or event pattern.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: GB GAS HOLDINGS LIMITEDInventors: Jane Chang, Laura Shemilt, Timothy Wong, Andrew Woods
-
Patent number: 11372030Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to electrical overstress protection devices, and more particularly to electrical overstress monitoring devices for detecting electrical overstress events in semiconductor devices. In one aspect, a device configured to monitor electrical overstress (EOS) events includes a pair of spaced conductive structures configured to electrically arc in response to an EOS event, wherein the spaced conductive structures are formed of a material and have a shape such that arcing causes a detectable change in shape of the spaced conductive structures, and wherein the device is configured such that the change in shape of the spaced conductive structures is detectable to serve as an EOS monitor.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited CompanyInventors: David J. Clarke, Stephen Denis Heffernan, Alan J. O'Donnell, Patrick M. McGuinness
-
Patent number: 11372036Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensor unit that generates a detection signal having the same detection frequency as an entered sinusoidal analog signal and matching a physical quantity to be detected; a reference signal generating unit that generates a reference signal having the detection frequency, according to the entered analog signal; converting units that convert the detection signal and reference signal to digital signals in synchronization with a clock signal; a demodulating unit that multiplies the digital detection signal by each of two sinusoidal synchronization signals having the detection frequency, the phases of the two synchronization signals being shifted from each other by one-fourth of a cycle, and generates two demodulated signals free from a harmonic component; and a correcting unit that corrects the demodulated signals according to the digital reference signal so as to suppress variations, in the demodulated signals, caused by variations in the clock signal phase.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyoshi Sasai, Masahiro Kimura
-
Patent number: 11374561Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit having a loopback path electrically coupled to an inverter and a test circuit having a controller and a counter. The test circuit is electrically coupled to the first circuit, and the controller is configured to select the loopback path. The first circuit is configured to receive a first voltage signal and to generate an oscillating signal from the received first voltage signal. The first voltage signal is either a substantially low logic level signal or a substantially high logic level signal. The counter is configured to count oscillations of the oscillating signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Jinn-Yeh Chien