Patents by Inventor Manfred Malik

Manfred Malik 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: 8324862
    Abstract: A charge redistribution circuit (2) for an energy storage unit (1) with several storage elements (4) which are connected in series comprises several charge redistribution control units (5) for monitoring and redistributing the load, each of which is assigned an energy storage sub-group (3) of storage elements (4). The charge redistribution control units (5) take the energy used for their own supply in each case from the sub-group (3) assigned to them, and are thus supplied with a voltage which is higher than the voltage of the individual storage element (4) and lower than the voltage of the energy storage unit (1). The charge redistribution circuit (2) is established in such a manner that a monitoring and—when necessary a charge redistribution is achieved for each individual storage element (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Ridder, Andreas Schwendinger, Manfred Malik
  • Patent number: 8314592
    Abstract: An energy storage unit has several storage elements (2, 2?) which are switched in series and a charge redistribution circuit (6, 6?). The latter is installed in such a manner that the voltage of the storage element (UELn, UEln?) is measured and compared with a voltage threshold value (UTHRn, UTHR, UTHRn?, UTHR?). When the threshold value is exceeded by a storage element, it removes charge from said storage element, thus reducing its voltage. According to one aspect, a storage-related temperature determination is conducted, and the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the determined temperature (Tn, T) in such a manner that it is reduced as the temperature increases. According to a further aspect, the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the current vehicle operating state, in such a manner that it is set higher for relatively brief periods of time when the storage or removal requirement is relatively high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Rudorff, Manfred Malik
  • Patent number: 8294416
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the operating point (AP, AP1, AP2) of a battery (1), such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium polymer battery. The charging state (SoC1, SoC2) of the battery (1) is recorded as a state variable which determines the current operating point (AP1, AP2) of the battery (1). The current operating point (AP1, AP2) is set by a corresponding set value (SoCAP1, SoCAP2) for the charging state (SoC1, SoC2) which is continuously adjusted depending on the temperature (T) and/or on the age state (SoH) of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Birke, Michael Keller, Manfred Malik
  • Publication number: 20080284378
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the operating point (AP, AP1, AP2) of a battery (1), such as a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium polymer battery. The charging state (SoC1, SoC2) of the battery (1) is recorded as a state variable which determines the current operating point (AP1, AP2) of the battery (1). The current operating point (AP1, AP2) is set by a corresponding set value (SoCAP1, SoCAP2) for the charging state (SoC1, SoC2) which is continuously adjusted depending on the temperature (T) and/or on the age state (SoH) of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Peter Birke, Manfred Malik, Michael Keller
  • Publication number: 20080231284
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the ageing (SoH) of a battery (1, 2), such as a lead battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a lithium ion battery or a capacitor for a vehicle. Several parameters (5.1 to 5.n) of the battery (1, 2) are detected or determined and two parameters (5.1 to 5.n) are predefined as a pair of parameters (5.1 to 5.n, 5.1 to 5.n) and are correlated in such a way that the parameter ranges that form the basis of each parameter (5.1 to 5.n) and value pairs (X1, Y1 to Xn, Ym) of the predefined pair of parameters (5.1 to 5.n, 5.1 to 5.n) that result from said ranges are weighted in classes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Peter Birke, Michael Keller, Manfred Malik
  • Publication number: 20080211457
    Abstract: An energy storage unit has several storage elements (2, 2?) which are switched in series and a charge redistribution circuit (6, 6?). The latter is installed in such a manner that the voltage of the storage element (UELn, UEln?) is measured and compared with a voltage threshold value (UTHRn, UTHR, UTHRn?, UTHR?). When the threshold value is exceeded by a storage element, it removes charge from said storage element, thus reducing its voltage. According to one aspect, a storage-related temperature determination is conducted, and the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the determined temperature (Tn, T) in such a manner that it is reduced as the temperature increases. According to a further aspect, the threshold value is set variably in dependence on the current vehicle operating state, in such a manner that it is set higher for relatively brief periods of time when the storage or removal requirement is relatively high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Axel Rudorff, Manfred Malik
  • Publication number: 20080197806
    Abstract: A charge redistribution circuit (2) for an energy storage unit (1) with several storage elements (4) which are connected in series comprises several charge redistribution control units (5) for monitoring and redistributing the load, each of which is assigned an energy storage sub-group (3) of storage elements (4). The charge redistribution control units (5) take the energy used for their own supply in each case from the sub-group (3) assigned to them, and are thus supplied with a voltage which is higher than the voltage of the individual storage element (4) and lower than the voltage of the energy storage unit (1). The charge redistribution circuit (2) is established in such a manner that a monitoring and—when necessary a charge redistribution is achieved for each individual storage element (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Matthias Ridder, Andreas Schwendinger, Manfred Malik
  • Patent number: 6788027
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to store electrical energy in, for example, a vehicle. In an example system, a storage module is provided including one or more capacitors, a sensor to measure the temperature of the capacitor(s), and a control device that controls the voltage at the capacitor(s) so that the maximum voltage at the storage module and/or the individual capacitor(s) increases as the temperature decreases. The aging of the capacitor(s) and in particular electrochemical capacitors strongly depends on the temperature in addition to the operating voltage. Controlling the capacitor voltage based on temperature can, therefore, substantially reduce the aging of the capacitor(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Continental ISAD Electronic Systems GmbH & Co., oHG
    Inventor: Manfred Malik
  • Publication number: 20040140139
    Abstract: A hybrid drive system includes a combustion engine, an electric machine, a short-time storage device and a long-time storage device. The combustion engine and the electric machine are mechanically coupled. They jointly apply a drive torque to a drive when high performance is required. The long-time storage and the short-time storage are charged with different charging voltages, whereby the charging voltage of the long-time storage is lower than that of the short-time storage. Both storage devices are coupled by an electric valve in such a way that, upon a supply of power to the electric machine, the electric machine is initially only supplied from the short-time storage, thus reducing the voltage of the short-time storage. When the voltage of the short-time storage equals or drops below the voltage of the long-time storage, the electric valve connects the short-time storage in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventor: Manfred Malik
  • Publication number: 20020140405
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to store electrical energy in, for example, a vehicle. In an example system, a storage module is provided including one or more capacitors, a sensor to measure the temperature of the capacitor(s), and a control device that controls the voltage at the capacitor(s) so that the maximum voltage at the storage module and/or the individual capacitor(s) increases as the temperature decreases. The aging of the capacitor(s) and in particular electrochemical capacitors strongly depends on the temperature in addition to the operating voltage. Controlling the capacitor voltage based on temperature can, therefore, substantially reduce the aging of the capacitor(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventor: Manfred Malik