Patents by Inventor Luis De Sousa

Luis De Sousa 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: 10884444
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for distributing the total power of an energy conversion device between at least two converters in said energy conversion device, the sum of the conversion powers of the converters being the total power of the conversion device, the energy conversion device converting energy between a first electrical entity and a second electrical entity, characterised in that: said at least two converters correspond to at least two portions of a ring (29), the portions being proportional to a predetermined power value of the respective converters (1) thereof, the combination of the at least two portions forming the whole ring; and in that the total power of the conversion device corresponds to an arc of the ring between the positions of a first slider and a second slider that are movable around the ring, and the distribution of power between the converters is determined by the positions of the first slider and the second slider that are movable around the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Boris Bouchez, Luis De Sousa
  • Patent number: 10879809
    Abstract: The invention relates to a DC/DC voltage converter comprising an isolated circuit including inductors coupled to one another by a first magnetic circuit that is independent of a second magnetic circuit coupling inductors to one another, and wherein: —a first side of the electrically isolating barrier includes an electrical branch comprising an inductor that is coupled to the first magnetic circuit and is electrically connected in series with an inductor that is coupled to the second magnetic circuit; and —a second side of the electrically isolating barrier includes a first inductor that is coupled to the first magnetic circuit and a second inductor that is coupled to the second magnetic circuit; the second side of the electrically isolating barrier further comprising a third inductor and a fourth inductor, said third and fourth inductors of the second side being coupled by a respective magnetic circuit to at least one respective inductor that is located on the first side of the isolating barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Siemens eAutomotive France SAS
    Inventors: Larbi Bendani, Luis De Sousa, Reda Chelghoum
  • Publication number: 20200106367
    Abstract: The invention relates to a DC/DC voltage converter comprising an isolated circuit including inductors coupled to one another by a first magnetic circuit that is independent of a second magnetic circuit coupling inductors to one another, and wherein: —a first side of the electrically isolating barrier includes an electrical branch comprising an inductor that is coupled to the first magnetic circuit and is electrically connected in series with an inductor that is coupled to the second magnetic circuit; and —a second side of the electrically isolating barrier includes a first inductor that is coupled to the first magnetic circuit and a second inductor that is coupled to the second magnetic circuit; the second side of the electrically isolating barrier further comprising a third inductor and a fourth inductor, said third and fourth inductors of the second side being coupled by a respective magnetic circuit to at least one respective inductor that is located on the first side of the isolating barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Larbi Bendani, Luis De Sousa, Reda Chelghoum
  • Patent number: 10193463
    Abstract: The invention concerns an isolated DC/DC converter comprising an isolated circuit having: a first arm having a first switch, in series with a second switch; a magnetic component having two primary circuits and a secondary circuit that are separated by at least one electrical isolation barrier, said magnetic component being configured so as, during the conversion of an input voltage of the isolated DC/DC converter into an output voltage, to operate as a transformer from the primary circuits to the secondary circuit and as an impedance that stores energy in the primary circuits, and in which: the first arm comprises a first capacitance in series with the two switches and situated between the two switches, one of said primary circuits, called the second primary circuit, is connected between a first end terminal of the first arm and the connection point, called the second connection point, between the second switch of the first arm and the first capacitance, the first end terminal of the first arm correspondin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR
    Inventor: Luis De Sousa
  • Patent number: 10124753
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of managing a charge transfer between, on the one hand means of accumulation (9) of an electrical control device (1) of an electric motor of a motor vehicle (43) and, on the other hand, an external electrical circuit (41) outside said motor vehicle (43), said electrical control device (1) comprising: a voltage converter (21) connected to the accumulation means (9); an H-bridge voltage inverter (3) connected to the voltage converter (21) on the one hand and to the phases of the electric motor on the other hand, characterized in that the method comprises a step of controlling the voltage converter (21) and the voltage inverter (3) as a function of the charge transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Boris Bouchez, Luis De Sousa
  • Publication number: 20180309376
    Abstract: The invention concerns an isolated DC/DC converter (1) comprising an isolated circuit (3) having: a first arm (A) having a first switch (MA1), in series with a second switch (MA2); a magnetic component (100) having two primary circuits (101, 101?) and a secondary circuit (102) that are separated by at least one electrical isolation barrier, said magnetic component (100) being configured so as, during the conversion of an input voltage of the isolated DC/DC converter into an output voltage (Vo), to operate as a transformer from the primary circuits (101, 101?) to the secondary circuit (102) and as an impedance that stores energy in the primary circuits (101, 101?), and in which: the first arm (A) comprises a first capacitance (C1) in series with the two switches (MA1, MA2) and situated between the two switches (MA1, MA2), one of said primary circuits, called the second primary circuit (101?), is connected between a first end terminal of the first arm (A) and the connection point, called the second connectio
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR
    Inventor: Luis DE SOUSA
  • Patent number: 9937807
    Abstract: The battery charger comprises: two output terminals (BS1, BS2) between which a battery (102) is designed to be connected; two input terminals (BE1, BE2) designed to be connected to an electrical network (110); two inductors (L.A, L.C) respectively connected to the first input terminal (BE1) and to the second input terminal (BE2); two switching arms (BA, BC) for respectively connecting the inductors (LA, LC) selectively to the first output terminal (BS1) and to the second output terminal (BS2); a control device (120) designed for controlling the switching arms (BA, BC) so as to draw from the electrical network (110) a mains current (iR) in phase with the mains voltage (uR). The battery charger further comprises: a smoothing capacitor (C) connected to the second output terminal (BS2); and a connection device (112) for connecting the smoothing capacitor (C) to the second input terminal (BE2). The control device (120) is further designed to control at least the second switching arm (B.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Luis de Sousa, Bruno Condamin, Boris Bouchez, Pierre-Alexandre Chauvenet, Benedicte Silvestre
  • Patent number: 9873342
    Abstract: A combined power supply and charging method includes controlling switching from a motor power supply mode to an energy storage charging mode on an electrical network and vice versa, and compensating for magnetic fields during the energy storage charging mode in order to limit or eliminate movements of a rotor of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR
    Inventors: Luis De Sousa, Boris Bouchez
  • Patent number: 9793836
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power module (9) for converting an electric current flowing between an accumulator and an alternating-current motor, said module (9) comprising switching means (10) that can be controlled to authorize the powering of the motor and/or the charging of the accumulator, and an intrinsic control unit (13) connected to said switching means (10) and capable of delivering opening and/or closing signals to said switching means (10), said intrinsic control unit (13) being further capable of exchanging data with a remote control unit, with a potential barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Boris Bouchez, Luis De Sousa, Bénédicte Silvestre
  • Patent number: 9735721
    Abstract: A rotary drive system having a voltage source and an electric motor. The motor has a stator with independent phases and a rotor, an inverter designed to connect each phase to the voltage source in order to generate phase currents, and a device for controlling the inverter. The control device includes a unit for determining whether the fundamental frequency of the phase currents is lower than a frequency threshold equal to, at the most, 100 Hz, and a unit for generating a command, configured such that, when the fundamental frequency is determine as being lower than the frequency threshold, the command causes the appearance of a homopolar component in the phase currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventor: Luis De Sousa
  • Patent number: 9685853
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an absorption circuit (9) for absorbing a power ripple intended to be connected in parallel to a piece of electrical equipment powered by a power factor correction circuit (1), said absorption circuit (9) being a step down voltage circuit comprising: —a capacitor (19) mounted in series with an inductor (17) and at least one switch (15, 23), —a control module (25), —means (27) for measuring a first current (I3) intended to power said electrical equipment, the switch (15, 23) being controlled by the control module (25) to vary the charging of the capacitor on the basis of the ripple of the first current (I3) in order to attenuate the power ripple, and said circuit further comprising means (28) for measuring the voltage (Vc) at the terminals of the capacitor (19), and the control module (25) being configured to control a second current (Ic) flowing through the capacitor (19) in such a way that the voltage (Vc) at the terminals of the capacitor (19) remains within a predefined inter
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR
    Inventor: Luis De Sousa
  • Publication number: 20160303982
    Abstract: The battery charger comprises: two output terminals (BS1, BS2) between which a battery (102) is designed to be connected; two input terminals (BE1, BE2) designed to be connected to an electrical network (110); two inductors (LA, LC) respectively connected to the first input terminal (BE1) and to the second input terminal (BE2); two switching arms (BA, BC) for respectively connecting the inductors (LA, LC) selectively to the first output terminal (BS1) and to the second output terminal (BS2); a control device (120) designed for controlling the switching arms (BA, BC) so as to draw from the electrical network (110) a mains current (iR) in phase with the mains voltage (uR). The battery charger further comprises: a smoothing capacitor (C) connected to the second output terminal (BS2); and a connection device (112) for connecting the smoothing capacitor (C) to the second input terminal (BE2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Luis de Sousa, Bruno Condamin, Boris Bouchez, Pierre-Alexandre Chauvenet, Benedicte Silvestre
  • Patent number: 9248747
    Abstract: An electrical circuit for supplying electrical propulsion power on board a motor vehicle is disclosed. The electrical power is obtained from power delivered to the electrical circuit by a battery of the vehicle and converted by at least two cells. The circuit includes inductive elements connected to transistors for managing the current flowing in the inductive elements, and the inductive elements are coupled to form a magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit is alternatively controlled according to a common mode in which an apparent inductance of the said magnetic circuit is of the order of magnitude of the sum of the inductances specific to each inductive element, or according to a differential mode in which the apparent inductance of the said magnetic circuit is of the order of magnitude of the leakage inductance of the coupling between the said coupled inductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Luis de Sousa, Mame Fall, Stephane Fontaine
  • Publication number: 20150375629
    Abstract: A combined power supply and charging method includes controlling switching from a motor power supply mode to an energy storage charging mode on an electrical network and vice versa, and compensating for magnetic fields during the energy storage charging mode in order to limit or eliminate movements of a rotor of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Luis De Sousa, Boris Bouchez
  • Publication number: 20150316948
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for distributing the total power of an energy conversion device between at least two converters in said energy conversion device, the sum of the conversion powers of the converters being the total power of the conversion device, the energy conversion device converting energy between a first electrical entity and a second electrical entity, characterised in that: said at least two converters correspond to at least two portions of a ring (29), the portions being proportional to a predetermined power value of the respective converters (1) thereof, the combination of the at least two portions forming the whole ring; and in that the total power of the conversion device corresponds to an arc of the ring between the positions of a first slider and a second slider that are movable around the ring, and the distribution of power between the converters is determined by the positions of the first slider and the second slider that are movable around the ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: VALEO SYSTEMES DE CONTROLE MOTEUR
    Inventors: Boris Bouchez, Luis De Sousa
  • Patent number: 9157715
    Abstract: A marking projectile configured to be fired through the barrel of a firearm having rifling formed therein is provided. The marking projectile includes a polymeric base portion configured to engage the rifling of the barrel and a polymeric front shell portion coupled to the base portion. The polymeric front shell portion has a cavity formed therein for housing a marking compound and a structure configured to deform on impact and thereby release the marking compound. The marking projectile includes a metallic annular sealing component (e.g., a crimped metal ring) configured to seal the polymeric front shell portion to the polymeric base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems—Canada Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lafortune, Luis de Sousa
  • Patent number: 9153996
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combined device and method for powering and charging, that comprises an AC motor (6), a converter (2), storage means (5), and switching means (4) either for enabling the powering of the motor (6) or for enabling the charging of the storage means (5) by the converter. The device includes means for compensating the magnetic fields generated during the charge of the storage means (5) in order to limit or prevent the movements of the motor (6) rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Luis de Sousa, Boris Bouchez
  • Patent number: 9112380
    Abstract: A method for distributing the total power of an energy conversion device between at least two converters in the energy conversion device is disclosed. The sum of the conversion powers of the converters is the total power of the conversion device. The energy conversion device converts energy between a first electrical entity and a second electrical entity, where the two converters correspond to at least two portions of a ring, the portions being proportional to a predetermined power value of the respective converters thereof, the combination of the at least two portions forming the whole ring. The total power of the conversion device corresponds to an arc of the ring between the positions of a first slider and a second slider moveable around the ring, and the distribution of power between the converters is determined by the positions of the first and second sliders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes de Controle Moteur
    Inventors: Boris Bouchez, Luis De Sousa
  • Publication number: 20150180397
    Abstract: A rotary drive system having a voltage source and an electric motor. The motor has a stator with independent phases and a rotor, an inverter designed to connect each phase to the voltage source in order to generate phase currents, and a device for controlling the inverter. The control device includes a unit for determining whether the fundamental frequency of the phase currents is lower than a frequency threshold equal to, at the most, 100 Hz, and a unit for generating a command, configured such that, when the fundamental frequency is determine as being lower than the frequency threshold, the command causes the appearance of a homopolar component in the phase currents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventor: Luis De Sousa
  • Publication number: 20150155772
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an absorption circuit (9) for absorbing a power ripple intended to be connected in parallel to a piece of electrical equipment powered by a power factor correction circuit (1), said absorption circuit (9) being a step down voltage circuit comprising: —a capacitor (19) mounted in series with an inductor (17) and at least one switch (15, 23), —a control module (25), —means (27) for measuring a first current (I3) intended to power said electrical equipment, the switch (15, 23) being controlled by the control module (25) to vary the charging of the capacitor on the basis of the ripple of the first current (I3) in order to attenuate the power ripple, and said circuit further comprising means (28) for measuring the voltage (Vc) at the terminals of the capacitor (19), and the control module (25) being configured to control a second current (Ic) flowing through the capacitor (19) in such a way that the voltage (Vc) at the terminals of the capacitor (19) remains within a predefined inter
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventor: Luis De Sousa