Patents by Inventor Brian F. Butler
Brian F. Butler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240128785Abstract: A portable power pack having a housing, a rechargeable lithium battery positioned in the housing, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a wireless charging coil, a light emitting diode (LED) flash light, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a direct current (DC) port, and a power management circuit. The LCD can be positioned on the housing and configured to display a status of the portable power pack. The wireless charging coil can be positioned in or on the housing and configured to wirelessly couple with an external wireless charging coil of an external device through electromagnetic induction in accordance with, for example, the Qi wireless power transfer standard. The USB port supplies a charging current to charge a portable electronic device, while the DC port supplies a starting current to jump start an engine of a vehicle that is electrically coupled with an external battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Patent number: 11870294Abstract: A portable power pack having a housing, a rechargeable lithium battery positioned in the housing, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a wireless charging coil, a light emitting diode (LED) flash light, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a direct current (DC) port, and a power management circuit. The LCD can be positioned on the housing and configured to display a status of the portable power pack. The wireless charging coil can be positioned in or on the housing and configured to wirelessly couple with an external wireless charging coil of an external device through electromagnetic induction in accordance with, for example, the Qi wireless power transfer standard. The USB port supplies a charging current to charge a portable electronic device, while the DC port supplies a starting current to jump start an engine of a vehicle that is electrically coupled with an external battery.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Publication number: 20230323847Abstract: A battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery. The battery booster may include a processor, a set of terminal connectors, a power supply, and a power-management circuit. The set of terminal connectors may be configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery. The power supply may include a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine. The external battery may have a first nominal voltage, while the lithium battery may have a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage. The power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply. The processor is configured to perform a pre-charge function and/or a back-feed function via the power-management circuit, which may employ a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Patrick J. Clarke, John S. Whiting, Brian F. Butler
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Patent number: 11674490Abstract: A battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery. The battery booster may include a processor, a set of terminal connectors, a power supply, and a power-management circuit. The set of terminal connectors may be configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery. The power supply may include a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine. The external battery may have a first nominal voltage, while the lithium battery may have a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage. The power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply. The processor is configured to perform a pre-charge function and/or a back-feed function via the power-management circuit, which may employ a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2019Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Patrick J. Clarke, John S. Whiting, Brian F. Butler
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Publication number: 20230009406Abstract: A portable power pack having a housing, a rechargeable lithium battery positioned in the housing, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a wireless charging coil, a light emitting diode (LED) flash light, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a direct current (DC) port, and a power management circuit. The LCD can be positioned on the housing and configured to display a status of the portable power pack. The wireless charging coil can be positioned in or on the housing and configured to wirelessly couple with an external wireless charging coil of an external device through electromagnetic induction in accordance with, for example, the Qi wireless power transfer standard. The USB port supplies a charging current to charge a portable electronic device, while the DC port supplies a starting current to jump start an engine of a vehicle that is electrically coupled with an external battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2022Publication date: January 12, 2023Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Patent number: 11448176Abstract: A portable power pack having a housing, a rechargeable lithium battery positioned in the housing, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a wireless charging coil, a light emitting diode (LED) flash light, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a direct current (DC) port, and a power management circuit. The LCD can be positioned on the housing and configured to display a status of the portable power pack. The wireless charging coil can be positioned in or on the housing and configured to wirelessly couple with an external wireless charging coil of an external device through electromagnetic induction in accordance with, for example, the Qi wireless power transfer standard. The USB port supplies a charging current to charge a portable electronic device, while the DC port supplies a starting current to jump start an engine of a vehicle that is electrically coupled with an external battery.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Publication number: 20220123581Abstract: Describes is a battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery. The battery booster comprising a set of electrical conductors, a power supply configured to supply a starting current to jump start the vehicle via the set of electrical conductors, a boost switch positioned in-line between the power supply and a set of battery clamps on one of the set of electrical conductors; and at least one processor configured to output a control signal to close the boost switch as a function of one or more parameters of the power supply, the external battery, or the vehicle. The set of electrical conductors are configured to couple with the external battery or with an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery via the set of battery clamps. The set of electrical conductors comprises a positive electrical conductor and a negative electrical conductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: Patrick J. Clarke, Brian F. Butler, Xiao Ping Chen, Barry O'Dell, Ronald Walkup, John S. Whiting
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Publication number: 20210354582Abstract: A compact battery monitoring system for monitoring a vehicle battery in a vehicle having an engine is described. The compact battery monitoring system may comprise a housing, a processor positioned within the housing, one or more sensors operatively coupled with said processor, a data port, a wireless data transceiver, and rechargeable lithium ion battery. The data port may be configured to removeably couple with a second data port positioned outside the housing to provide an electrical connection between the one or more sensors and the vehicle battery, wherein said processor is configured to monitor a parameter of the vehicle battery using said one or more sensors, yielding a monitored battery parameter. The wireless data transceiver within the housing is configured to wirelessly communicate the monitored battery parameter to a remotely situated, portable user device using, for example, ultra high frequency radio waves.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2021Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
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Patent number: 11072256Abstract: A battery charging system comprising a battery charger configured to deliver power to a rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charger comprises a wireless data transceiver; and a remote server communicatively coupled to the battery charger through a network via said wireless data transceiver and configured to communicate one or more battery charge parameters or battery charger control commands between the battery charger and a remotely situated portable user device.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
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Publication number: 20200386200Abstract: A portable power pack having a housing, a rechargeable lithium battery positioned in the housing, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a wireless charging coil, a light emitting diode (LED) flash light, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a direct current (DC) port, and a power management circuit. The LCD can be positioned on the housing and configured to display a status of the portable power pack. The wireless charging coil can be positioned in or on the housing and configured to wirelessly couple with an external wireless charging coil of an external device through electromagnetic induction in accordance with, for example, the Qi wireless power transfer standard. The USB port supplies a charging current to charge a portable electronic device, while the DC port supplies a starting current to jump start an engine of a vehicle that is electrically coupled with an external battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Patent number: 10801460Abstract: A connected compact battery charger for charging a battery comprising: a microprocessor; a set of terminals operatively coupled to said microprocessor and configured to electrically couple with an automotive battery; and an internal lithium ion battery, wherein the internal lithium ion battery is a lithium ion battery, wherein a single-ended primary-inductor converter may be configured to receive an input voltage of 5 VDC to 20 VDC and output a predetermined DC charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2017Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Publication number: 20200072177Abstract: A battery booster for jumpstarting a vehicle having an external battery. The battery booster may include a processor, a set of terminal connectors, a power supply, and a power-management circuit. The set of terminal connectors may be configured to couple with the external battery or an engine that is electrically coupled with the external battery. The power supply may include a lithium battery configured to supply a starting current to jump start an engine. The external battery may have a first nominal voltage, while the lithium battery may have a second nominal voltage that is greater than the first nominal voltage. The power-management circuit operatively coupled with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to transfer power selectively between the external battery and the power supply. The processor is configured to perform a pre-charge function and/or a back-feed function via the power-management circuit, which may employ a pulse width modulation (PWM) driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Inventors: Patrick J. Clarke, John S. Whiting, Brian F. Butler
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Patent number: 10125531Abstract: A movable barrier system allows for varying a linear actuator speed to account for speed variances caused by the physical configuration of the system. An example system includes a processor configured to variably control an operation speed of the linear actuator as the linear actuator moves the movable barrier between a first position of the movable barrier and a second position of the movable barrier as a function of a location of a movable barrier pivot connection relative to a linear actuator pivot connection. The function may be a function of a ratio of a distance from the linear actuator pivot connection to a fixed point and a distance from the movable barrier pivot connection to the fixed point. The function may be calculated by the processor or accessed by the processor according to information about the physical configuration of the system.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.Inventors: Robert Daniel-Wayman, Brian F. Butler, Patrick B. Evans
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Patent number: 10087904Abstract: A compact battery charger for charging a battery comprising: a microprocessor; a set of terminals operatively coupled to said microprocessor and configured to electrically couple with an automotive battery; and an internal lithium ion battery, wherein the internal lithium ion battery is a lithium ion battery, wherein a single-ended primary-inductor converter may be configured to receive an input voltage of 5 VDC to 20 VDC and output a predetermined DC charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2016Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Publication number: 20170314315Abstract: A movable barrier system allows for varying the linear actuator speed to account for speed variances caused by the physical configuration of the system. An example system includes a processor configured to variably control operation speed of the linear actuator when it moves a movable barrier between a first position of the movable barrier and a second position of the movable barrier as a function of location of the movable barrier pivot connection relative to the linear actuator pivot connection. The function may be a function of a ratio of a distance from the linear actuator pivot connection to a fixed point and a distance from the movable barrier pivot connection to the fixed point. The function may be calculated by the processor or accessed by the processor according to information about the physical configuration of the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2017Publication date: November 2, 2017Inventors: Robert Daniel-Wayman, Brian F. Butler, Patrick B. Evans
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Publication number: 20170226980Abstract: A connected compact battery charger for charging a battery comprising: a microprocessor; a set of terminals operatively coupled to said microprocessor and configured to electrically couple with an automotive battery; and an internal lithium ion battery, wherein the internal lithium ion battery is a lithium ion battery, wherein a single-ended primary-inductor converter may be configured to receive an input voltage of 5 VDC to 20 VDC and output a predetermined DC charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2017Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
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Patent number: 9677317Abstract: A movable barrier system allows for varying the linear actuator speed to account for speed variances caused by the physical configuration of the system. An example system includes a processor configured to variably control operation speed of the linear actuator when it moves a movable barrier between a first position of the movable barrier and a second position of the movable barrier as a function of location of the movable barrier pivot connection relative to the linear actuator pivot connection. The function may be a function of a ratio of a distance from the linear actuator pivot connection to a fixed point and a distance from the movable barrier pivot connection to the fixed point. The function may be calculated by the processor or accessed by the processor according to information about the physical configuration of the system.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2009Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.Inventors: Robert Daniel-Wayman, Brian F. Butler, Patrick B. Evans
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Publication number: 20170066342Abstract: A battery charging system comprising a battery charger configured to deliver power to a rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charger comprises a wireless data transceiver; and a remote server communicatively coupled to the battery charger through a network via said wireless data transceiver and configured to communicate one or more battery charge parameters or battery charger control commands between the battery charger and a remotely situated portable user device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2016Publication date: March 9, 2017Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
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Patent number: 9579990Abstract: A battery charging system comprising a battery charger configured to deliver power to a rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charger comprises a wireless data transceiver; and a remote server communicatively coupled to the battery charger through a network via said wireless data transceiver and configured to communicate one or more battery charge parameters or battery charger control commands between the battery charger and a remotely situated portable user device.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2015Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Schumacher Electric CorporationInventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
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Publication number: 20160297311Abstract: A compact battery charger for charging a battery comprising: a microprocessor; a set of terminals operatively coupled to said microprocessor and configured to electrically couple with an automotive battery; and an internal lithium ion battery, wherein the internal lithium ion battery is a lithium ion battery, wherein a single-ended primary-inductor converter may be configured to receive an input voltage of 5 VDC to 20 VDC and output a predetermined DC charge voltage to said internal lithium ion battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2016Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen