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).

  • Publication number: 20240128785
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 11870294
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Publication number: 20230323847
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick J. Clarke, John S. Whiting, Brian F. Butler
  • Patent number: 11674490
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick J. Clarke, John S. Whiting, Brian F. Butler
  • Publication number: 20230009406
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 11448176
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Publication number: 20220123581
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Patrick J. Clarke, Brian F. Butler, Xiao Ping Chen, Barry O'Dell, Ronald Walkup, John S. Whiting
  • Publication number: 20210354582
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
  • Patent number: 11072256
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
  • Publication number: 20200386200
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 10801460
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Publication number: 20200072177
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick J. Clarke, John S. Whiting, Brian F. Butler
  • Patent number: 10125531
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Daniel-Wayman, Brian F. Butler, Patrick B. Evans
  • Patent number: 10087904
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Publication number: 20170314315
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Daniel-Wayman, Brian F. Butler, Patrick B. Evans
  • Publication number: 20170226980
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 9677317
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Daniel-Wayman, Brian F. Butler, Patrick B. Evans
  • Publication number: 20170066342
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
  • Patent number: 9579990
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Schumacher Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, John Whiting
  • Publication number: 20160297311
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Brian F. Butler, Linh Nguyen, Patrick Clarke, Shenzhong Zhu, Xiao Ping Chen