Patents by Inventor Daniel William Shafer

Daniel William Shafer 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: 20220085723
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a bridge circuit, a resonant tank circuit coupled to an output of the bridge circuit; a rectifier circuit having an input coupled to the resonant tank circuit and an output, and an output filter coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit. A controller is coupled to the bridge circuit, the resonant tank circuit and the output of the DC-DC converter. The controller is configured to control a switching frequency of the bridge circuit to operate the DC-DC converter as a boost converter and a buck converter. When the DC-DC converter is operating as a buck converter, the controller controls the rectifier circuit to selectively block energy transfer from the rectifier circuit to the converter output based upon an output current of the DC-DC converter being greater than current demand thereof, thereby reducing output current of the DC-DC converter and extending an operating range thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel William Shafer
  • Patent number: 11277070
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a bridge circuit, a resonant tank circuit coupled to an output of the bridge circuit; a rectifier circuit having an input coupled to the resonant tank circuit and an output, and an output filter coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit. A controller is coupled to the bridge circuit, the resonant tank circuit and the output of the DC-DC converter. The controller is configured to control a switching frequency of the bridge circuit to operate the DC-DC converter as a boost converter and a buck converter. When the DC-DC converter is operating as a buck converter, the controller controls the rectifier circuit to selectively block energy transfer from the rectifier circuit to the converter output based upon an output current of the DC-DC converter being greater than current demand thereof, thereby reducing output current of the DC-DC converter and extending an operating range thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel William Shafer
  • Patent number: 10742024
    Abstract: An electrical system includes an input node electrically connectable to a power supply. The system includes a plurality of voltage suppressors, with at least one of the voltage suppressors electrically connected to the input node. A voltage selection switch is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of voltage suppressors. A controller in communication with the switch may selectively operate the switch based on a nominal operating voltage at the input node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lance Ronald Strayer, Daniel William Shafer
  • Publication number: 20190252876
    Abstract: An electrical system includes an input node electrically connectable to a power supply. The system includes a plurality of voltage suppressors, with at least one of the voltage suppressors electrically connected to the input node. A voltage selection switch is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of voltage suppressors. A controller in communication with the switch may selectively operate the switch based on a nominal operating voltage at the input node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Lance Ronald Strayer, Daniel William Shafer
  • Patent number: 10277028
    Abstract: An electrical system includes an input node electrically connectable to a power supply. The system includes a plurality of voltage suppressors, with at least one of the voltage suppressors electrically connected to the input node. A voltage selection switch is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of voltage suppressors. A controller in communication with the switch may selectively operate the switch based on a nominal operating voltage at the input node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lance Ronald Strayer, Daniel William Shafer
  • Patent number: 9880189
    Abstract: A sensor interface circuit for a vehicle includes a signal conditioning module having at least one raw sensor signal input, and at least one conditioned sensor signal output, and a differential comparator module including a differential comparator and an adaptable hysteresis module. The adaptable hysteresis module provides a first hysteresis magnitude to the differential comparator when a sensor signal is below a threshold and a second hysteresis magnitude to the differential comparator when the sensor signal is above the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel William Shafer
  • Publication number: 20170315575
    Abstract: An electrical system includes an input node electrically connectable to a power supply. The system includes a plurality of voltage suppressors, with at least one of the voltage suppressors electrically connected to the input node. A voltage selection switch is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of voltage suppressors. A controller in communication with the switch may selectively operate the switch based on a nominal operating voltage at the input node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Lance Ronald Strayer, Daniel William Shafer
  • Publication number: 20160084867
    Abstract: A sensor interface circuit for a vehicle includes a signal conditioning module having at least one raw sensor signal input, and at least one conditioned sensor signal output, and a differential comparator module including a differential comparator and an adaptable hysteresis module. The adaptable hysteresis module provides a first hysteresis magnitude to the differential comparator when a sensor signal is below a threshold and a second hysteresis magnitude to the differential comparator when the sensor signal is above the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventor: Daniel William Shafer