Patents by Inventor Lihua Chen

Lihua Chen 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).

  • Patent number: 11724611
    Abstract: A power converter includes a plurality of switches, a transformer electrically connected between some and other of the switches, and a plurality of series connected capacitors electrically connected between the switches and an output of the power converter. A controller operates the switches such that a voltage at an input of the power converter and across each of the capacitors is same and a voltage at the output is double the voltage at the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Baoming Ge, Yantao Song, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Patent number: 11722129
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an electric machine, a traction battery, and a power converter. The power converter transfers power between the electric machine and traction battery. The power convert includes a switch that defines a portion of a phase leg, a gate driver circuit that provides provide power to a gate of the switch, and a clamping circuit. The clamping circuit includes a clamping switch that, responsive to the gate driver circuit being de-energized and a voltage of the gate exceeding a predetermined threshold value, conducts current from the gate to dissipate the voltage and clamp the gate to an emitter of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yantao Song, Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Publication number: 20230223853
    Abstract: A power system includes a DC/AC converter, a traction battery, an AC/DC converter electrically connected between the DC/AC converter and traction battery, and a transformer electrically connected between the DC/AC converter and AC/DC converter. The AC/DC converter includes a plurality of semiconductor devices and a plurality of capacitors such that during power transfer from the DC/AC converter to the traction battery, a voltage across each of the capacitors is half of a battery voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Yantao Song, Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Publication number: 20230212505
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dried fish fermentation process and a starter culture development technology. A mixed starter culture including Bifidobacterium species, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Streptococcus thermophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis is prepared for the mixed fermentation of a dried fish; and salt content in the dried fish is controlled to control a proportional relation of flora in the mixed starter culture and to optimize the fermentation process, thereby preparing more fresh and delicious, fishy-free, more soft and delicate dried fish. Therefore, the dried fish is more popular with consumers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Renyao JIN, Jiacheng YANG, Lihua CHEN, Yanling SONG, Xiaoxia LIU
  • Publication number: 20230191946
    Abstract: A power system, responsive to a detected change in an onboard charger or a generator, switches a converter from a first conversion setting, in which a first low voltage value of a medium-voltage bus port is converted to a first high voltage value of a high-voltage bus port, to a second conversion setting, in which a second low voltage value of the medium-voltage bus port is converted to the first high voltage value of the high-voltage bus port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Yantao Song, Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Publication number: 20230182594
    Abstract: A power converter includes a plurality of switches, a transformer electrically connected between some and other of the switches, and a plurality of series connected capacitors electrically connected between the switches and an output of the power converter. A controller operates the switches such that a voltage at an input of the power converter and across each of the capacitors is same and a voltage at the output is double the voltage at the input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Baoming GE, Yantao SONG, Lihua CHEN, Serdar Hakki YONAK
  • Patent number: 11670443
    Abstract: A vehicle, a vehicle power electronics assembly, and a method of packaging and cooling an inductor assembly are provided. The vehicle has a vehicle electrical system with a variable voltage converter (VVC) and an inductor assembly. The inductor assembly has a core and a winding. A bobbin is connected to and surrounds an outer perimeter of the inductor assembly. The bobbin defines an inlet, an internal fluid passage, and a series of nozzles. The nozzles in the series of nozzles are spaced apart from one another about the bobbin and are positioned to spray fluid directly onto the winding. A fluid system is connected to the inlet to provide pressurized fluid to the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fan Wang, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak, John P. Casci, Abdullahi M. Hajiabdi
  • Publication number: 20230170137
    Abstract: A power inductor such as a variable voltage converter power inductor having a temperature sensor embedded therein is disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the sensor may be disposed between the core and the coil or winding. The sensor may be positioned in the cavity of a bobbin or the core itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Lihua Chen, Boris Curuvija, Baoming Ge, Moon Young Lee, Fan Wang, Serdar H. Yonak
  • Publication number: 20230170811
    Abstract: A power system for a vehicle includes a traction battery having an output voltage, a transformer including a coil, and a power converter including a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of switches arranged such that when a first subset of the switches are ON, two of the capacitors are in parallel, an AC voltage across the coil is in a positive half cycle, and a voltage across each of the two of the capacitors is half the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Yantao Song, Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Patent number: 11607968
    Abstract: A vehicle power system has a DC to AC converter, a pair of AC to DC converters, a transformer including a core, a primary winding wound about the core and electrically connected to an output of the DC to AC converter, and a pair of secondary windings wound about the core, a traction battery electrically connected to a collective output of the AC to DC converters, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Baoming Ge, Yantao Song, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak, Boris Curuvija
  • Publication number: 20230066024
    Abstract: A curve fitting method, apparatus and device based on a drawing tool for improving the accuracy of curve fitting. The method includes: determining a fitting area containing the original curve, in the fitting area, performing at least one sub-fitting operation on the original curve until the end condition of the curve fitting is satisfied, and generating a fitting curve corresponding to the original curve based on the fitting curve corresponding to each sub-fitting operation. This method can fit the original curve segments in the fitting area, which improves the accuracy of the obtained fitting curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Zuo XU, Tao TIAN, Ning WANG, Shaobing Huang, Lihua CHEN
  • Publication number: 20230060298
    Abstract: A hub image retrieval method and a device thereof for improving the retrieval accuracy of an image containing a hub. The method includes: performing feature extraction on a hub image to be processed containing a target hub, and obtaining a hub feature to be processed containing N sub-hub features, wherein the N sub-hub features at least include information characterizing the features of a hub window of the target hub; determining similarities between candidate hub features of each candidate hub image and the hub features to be processed; and selecting a candidate hub image matching the hub image to be processed from the plurality of candidate hub images based on the determined respective similarities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Zuo XU, Ning WANG, Tao TIAN, Xi LI, Lihua CHEN
  • Publication number: 20220415556
    Abstract: A vehicle, an inductor assembly for power electronics in a vehicle, and a method of providing and cooling an inductor assembly are provided. According to one example, the vehicle is provided with an inductor assembly in a vehicle electrical system with a variable voltage converter (VVC). The inductor assembly includes a core formed from a plurality of core segments spaced apart from one another to define gaps therebetween, with each of the plurality of core segments forming an internal fluid passage extending therethrough. The inductor assembly has a winding surrounding at least one of the plurality of core segments. A fluid system is connected to the core to provide pressurized fluid to the fluid passages of the plurality of core segments to circulate fluid through the core of the inductor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Boris CURUVIJA, Baoming GE, Lihua CHEN, Serdar Hakki YONAK
  • Patent number: 11508508
    Abstract: A vehicle, an inductor assembly for power electronics in a vehicle, and a method of providing and cooling an inductor assembly are provided. According to one example, the vehicle is provided with an inductor assembly in a vehicle electrical system with a variable voltage converter (VVC). The inductor assembly includes a core formed from a plurality of core segments spaced apart from one another to define gaps therebetween, with each of the plurality of core segments forming an internal fluid passage extending therethrough. The inductor assembly has a winding surrounding at least one of the plurality of core segments. A fluid system is connected to the core to provide pressurized fluid to the fluid passages of the plurality of core segments to circulate fluid through the core of the inductor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Boris Curuvija, Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Publication number: 20220337234
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle includes an electric machine, a traction battery, and a power converter. The power converter transfers power between the electric machine and traction battery. The power convert includes a switch that defines a portion of a phase leg, a gate driver circuit that provides provide power to a gate of the switch, and a clamping circuit. The clamping circuit includes a clamping switch that, responsive to the gate driver circuit being de-energized and a voltage of the gate exceeding a predetermined threshold value, conducts current from the gate to dissipate the voltage and clamp the gate to an emitter of the switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Yantao Song, Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Patent number: 11476044
    Abstract: An exemplary electrified vehicle assembly includes a cable connected to an electrified vehicle battery. The cable has a coiled portion providing an inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Brian Rogers, Lihua Chen
  • Patent number: 11413983
    Abstract: A unitary on-board charger and generator (OBCG) for an electric vehicle system and method is disclosed. The OBCG includes a charging circuit with a diode bridge rectifier connected to an AC power source, a power factor correction converter, and a bi-directional DC/DC converter. The OBCG also includes a generating circuit with a a three-phase inverting circuit, three inductive coils connected to each leg of the three-phase inverting circuit, and a plurality of output capacitors connected to the outputs of the three inductive coils. The OBCG also includes a bridge capacitor and a control switching element connected between the charging circuit and the generating circuit for changing between a charging and generating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Baoming Ge, Yantao Song, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Patent number: 11398337
    Abstract: An inductor includes a pair of core portions having tapered legs and windings wound around the tapered legs. Each of the core portions are arranged adjacent to each other such that the tapered legs define a gap between the core portions that extends diagonally from one end of the inductor towards another end of the inductor relative to outer surfaces of the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen, Serdar Hakki Yonak
  • Publication number: 20220223331
    Abstract: A closed ferromagnetic housing has a pair of access ports and a center ferromagnetic post extending from and between opposite ends thereof. At least one conductor, contained within and completely surrounded by the closed ferromagnetic housing, is wound around the center ferromagnetic post such that the closed ferromagnetic housing, center ferromagnetic post, and at least one conductor form an inductor in which the ferromagnetic housing and the center ferromagnetic post define a core of the inductor and the at least one conductor defines a coil of the inductor. The access ports are configured to permit flow of coolant into the closed ferromagnetic housing and around the center ferromagnetic post to cool the at least one conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Lihua Chen, Baoming Ge, Fan Wang
  • Patent number: D984830
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Inventor: Lihua Chen