Patents by Inventor Michael Hinterberger

Michael Hinterberger 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: 12087970
    Abstract: A battery cell having first cell connectors, a galvanic cell and a first switching unit electrically coupled to the first cell connectors and the galvanic cell for electrically coupling the galvanic cell to the first cell connectors depending on a switching state of the first switching unit. The battery cell has second cell connectors electrically separated from the first cell connectors and a second switching unit electrically coupled to the second cell connectors and the galvanic cell for electrically coupling the galvanic cell to the second cell connectors depending on a switching state of the second switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Christoph Terbrack, Christian Endisch, Julia Stöttner
  • Patent number: 11724704
    Abstract: A method for determining at least one characteristic value of a drivetrain, which drivetrain is located in the installed state in a motor vehicle that can be partially or fully electrically driven using the drivetrain and has an electrical part having electrical components and a mechanical part having mechanical components. The electrical part and the mechanical part are coupled via an electrical machine. A predetermined mechanical boundary condition for the electrical machine is set by actuating at least one of the mechanical components of the mechanical part and/or using at least one vehicle-external mechanical component. A control device generates an electrical excitation signal in the electrical part by actuating at least one of the electrical components of the electrical part and detects a response signal using a measuring device of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Bernhard Liebhart, Christoph Terbrack, Christian Endisch
  • Patent number: 11710876
    Abstract: A cell having a galvanic cell, a first semiconductor switching element, a first cell connection, which is directly electrically coupled to a first potential connection of the galvanic cell, and a second cell connection, which is electrically coupled via the first semiconductor switching element to a second potential connection of the galvanic cell. The battery cell includes a third cell connection electrically coupled to the second potential connection of the galvanic cell, a second semiconductor switching element, and a fourth cell connection, which is electrically coupled via the second semiconductor switching element to the first potential connection of the galvanic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Christoph Terbrack, Christian Endisch, Julia Stöttner
  • Patent number: 11685267
    Abstract: A battery cell with a galvanic cell, a first semiconductor switching element, a first cell connector electrically coupled directly to a first potential connector of the galvanic cell, and a second cell connector electrically coupled to a second potential connector of the galvanic cell via the first semiconductor switching element. The battery cell further has a third cell connector electrically coupled to the second potential connector of the galvanic cell, a second semiconductor switching element, and a fourth cell connector electrically coupled to the first potential connector of the galvanic cell via the second semiconductor switching element. A third semiconductor switching element is connected between the third cell connector and the fourth cell connector which primarily serves to switch individual battery cells out of the system regardless of the (activation or deactivation) state of the predecessor as well as successor cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Christoph Terbrack, Christian Endisch, Julia Stöttner
  • Patent number: 11621567
    Abstract: An electrical energy supply device having a plurality of usage units, each usage unit being adapted to generate or to buffer electrical energy. The usage units in the energy supply device are divided up into strands and each strand is adapted to generate a summed voltage by a series circuit of the usage units, and each strand end is connected across a respective switching unit to a busbar assembly and within each strand a bridging circuit is provided for each usage unit and a control device is adapted to identify a defective usage unit in one of the strands and to then galvanically separate the strand by its switching units from the busbar assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum
  • Patent number: 11621558
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical energy supply device having usage units, wherein each usage unit is designed to generate or to buffer electrical energy. The disclosure proposes that the energy supply device carries out an energy exchange through a busbar assembly, wherein busbars of the busbar assembly form a busbar matrix, and in the energy supply device the usage units are divided up into strands and in each strand the usage units are hooked up in a series circuit and the series circuit is connected across a DC voltage converter to one strand end of the strand and each strand end of the strand is connected across a respective galvanically separable switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum
  • Patent number: 11621446
    Abstract: A battery, particularly for a motor vehicle, including at least two battery cells, wherein at least one circuit branch is connected to a respective positive pole and negative pole of the respective battery cell, which includes a heating unit, which can be connected in parallel to the respective battery cell by a switching element of the circuit branch; and a control device, which is configured to switch the switching elements of the respective circuit branch between an electrically conductive and an electrically blocking state in order to heat the battery cells, perform active balancing of the battery cells, and/or discharge the battery cells. The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Patent number: 11616379
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical energy supply device having a plurality of usage units, each of which is adapted to generate or to buffer electrical energy. The disclosure proposes that the energy supply device carries out an energy exchange with multiple external components at the same time through a busbar assembly and in the energy supply device the usage units are divided up into strands and each strand end of the strand is connected across a respective galvanically separable switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum
  • Patent number: 11525865
    Abstract: An electric energy supply system having at least one cell element, which contains at least one galvanic cell, and having a measuring circuit, which is configured to ascertain at least one parameter of the at least one cell element by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The disclosure provides that the energy supply system comprises an electrochemical gas sensor and the gas sensor is connected to the measuring circuit via a toggle switch, wherein the measuring circuit is configured to apply an electric variable as the excitation variable in the gas sensor and to detect another electric variable as the measured variable at the gas sensor and to ascertain a gas concentration in the surroundings of the gas sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Bernhard Liebhart, Christian Endisch
  • Patent number: 11519968
    Abstract: A measurement arrangement for determining a complex impedance of a first electrical component, wherein the measurement arrangement comprises the first component and a measuring unit, which is coupled to the first component and adapted to determine the complex impedance of the first component. The measurement arrangement comprises at least one second electrical component, which is arranged with the first component in a parallel circuit, which is hooked up in parallel with the measuring unit, wherein the parallel circuit comprises at least one switching device by which an electrical connection between the first and second component can be broken, and wherein the measurement arrangement is designed to temporarily break the electrical connection between the first component and the second component by the associated switching device in order to determine the first complex impedance of the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Christian Endisch, Christoph Terbrack, Bernhard Liebhart
  • Patent number: 11444355
    Abstract: A battery device with a battery module that includes multiple secondary cells, and the battery module is provided with a positive pole and a negative pole. Moreover, the battery module is placed inside an insulating housing with a contact element, which is connected to the positive pole and to the negative pole and through which the positive pole and the negative pole may be connected to an electronics unit of a battery system. Moreover, the invention relates to a battery system and a method for assembling a battery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Uwe Opitz, Michael Hinterberger, Bernhard Rieger
  • Patent number: 11342763
    Abstract: A battery system, including multiple battery cells, each of which have respective battery cell housings with electrical terminals via which the multiple battery cells are electrically connected to one another, wherein a cell branch connecting the electrical terminals to a galvanic cell and a bypass branch for bridging the galvanic cell are arranged in each of the respective battery cell housings, each cell branch having a switching element for opening and closing the cell branch and each bypass branch having a bridging switching element for opening and closing the bypass branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Patent number: 11329484
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical energy-supply device including several usage units, wherein each usage unit is adapted to generate or temporarily store electrical energy, and wherein a control means is adapted to control an exchange of power (E) between the energy-supply device and at least one device, The invention provides that the usage units of the energy-supply device are divided into strands and the usage units of each strand are connected to a series connection and the series connection is connected via a DC converter and at least one galvanically isolable switching unit is connected to a busbar arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum
  • Patent number: 11309719
    Abstract: A battery for a motor vehicle, having multiple battery cells which include respective battery cell housings with electric terminals via which the battery cells are electrically connected to one another. In the battery cell housings, in each case a cell branch connecting the terminals, with a galvanic cell, is arranged, and in each case several of the battery cells are connected to one another in parallel connection to form respective cell blocks. Each cell branch includes a switching element for opening and closing the cell branch; the battery has a control device which is configured in order to actuate the switching elements of the cell branches for opening or closing the switching elements as a function of a performance requirement of an electric drive of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Patent number: 11303139
    Abstract: A protective device for shutting down at least one battery cell in a battery system of a motor vehicle in case of an electrical short circuit. The protective device is configured to conduct an electric current, which flows through the at least one battery cell, through a measurement element, in which the current generates an electrical measurement voltage in dependence on its amperage and/or its amperage gradient. The measurement element is coupled to an analog monitoring circuit, in which a comparison unit is configured to trigger a triggering signal for the case that the amperage rises at least by a predetermined delta value within a predetermined duration, and a switching unit is configured to receive the triggering signal and to interrupt the current upon receiving the triggering signal by switching at least one switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Peter Pilgram
  • Patent number: 11289741
    Abstract: A method for discharging a battery module, having at least two battery cells, of a battery having at least two battery modules, wherein the battery cells of each of the battery modules are arranged next to one another and are mechanically and electrically connected to one another, wherein, in each of the battery modules, the respective battery cells are individually activated and deactivated in terms of an energy storage function by a cell switch unit, wherein the battery cells of the battery module to be discharged are selectively electrically coupled successively to a discharge device by the cell switch unit and starting from one predefined battery cell, in order to individually successively electrically discharge the battery cells in order to discharge the battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Peter Pilgram
  • Patent number: 11233298
    Abstract: A protective device for switching off a battery cell of a motor vehicle battery in the event of an electrical short-circuit. The battery cell has two cell terminals and an energy storage unit for storing energy. The energy storage unit is connected to the cell terminals in an electrically conductive manner in order to provide cell voltage to the cell terminals. The protective device detects the short-circuit as a function of at least the cell voltage affecting the battery cell. In this case, the battery cell has the protective device and at least one switching device, which is arranged between the energy storage unit and at least one of the cell terminals. The protective device isolates the energy storage unit from the at least one of the cell terminals in order to switch off the battery cell by the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Peter Pilgram
  • Patent number: 11223207
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric energy supply device with a plurality of usage units. Each usage unit is designed to generate or buffer electric energy. A control device is designed to control an exchange of energy between the energy supply device on the one hand and at least one device that is connected to the energy supply device on the other hand. For each usage unit it sets a respective setpoint value for at least one electric operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum
  • Publication number: 20210359513
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electrical energy-supply device including several usage units, wherein each usage unit is adapted to generate or temporarily store electrical energy, and wherein a control means is adapted to control an exchange of power (E) between the energy-supply device and at least one device, The invention provides that the usage units of the energy-supply device are divided into strands and the usage units of each strand are connected to a series connection and the series connection is connected via a DC converter and at least one galvanically isolable switching unit is connected to a busbar arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL, André BLUM
  • Publication number: 20210328297
    Abstract: A battery for a motor vehicle, having multiple prismatic battery cells, which are arranged in a battery housing of the battery and each have two connections for electrically contacting the battery cell and a cell housing having an outflow opening, which is fluidically connected to an interior of the cell housing via a pressure relief valve and through which gas can be discharged from the interior. Each of the battery cells is overlapped by a separate formed plate part, which is arranged spaced apart from the respective outflow opening and, with the respective cell housing, encloses a flow space into which the outflow opening opens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Markus THURMEIER