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: 11031793
    Abstract: A battery and a method for operating a battery, in particular for a motor vehicle, including multiple battery cells, which have respective battery cell housings with electric terminals via which the battery cells are electrically interconnected, wherein a respective cell branch connecting the terminals and having a galvanic cell is arranged in the battery cell housings, a respective bypass branch for bypassing the respective galvanic cell is arranged in the battery cell housings; each cell branch has a first switching element for opening and closing the cell branch, and each bypass branch has a second switching element for opening and closing the bypass branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Publication number: 20210151726
    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: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Christoph TERBRACK, Christian ENDISCH, Julia STÖTTNER
  • Publication number: 20210151727
    Abstract: A cell having a galvanic cell. The galvanic cell has a first and a second electrode connection. The first electrode connection is connected to a first cell connection and the second electrode connection is connected to a second cell connection. The battery cell has a third and a fourth cell connection and at least four semiconductor switching elements, by which the electrode connections, depending on a respective switching state of the semiconductor switching elements, can each be electrically coupled to the third or the fourth of the cell connections. These are primarily used to remove and add individual battery cells from or to the system and/or to connect cells in parallel, independently of the (activation or deactivation) state of the preceding and following cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Julia STÖTTNER, Christoph TERBRACK, Christian ENDISCH
  • Publication number: 20210151998
    Abstract: A battery system, including multiple battery cells which have respective battery cell housings having electrical terminals via which the battery cells are electrically connected to one another, wherein a cell branch connecting the terminals to a galvanic cell is arranged in each of the battery cell housings, wherein a bypass branch for bridging the respective galvanic cell is arranged in each of the battery cell housings; each cell branch has a switching element for opening and closing the cell branch and each bypass branch has a bridging switching element for opening and closing the bypass branch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20210151728
    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: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Christoph TERBRACK, Christian ENDISCH, Julia STÖTTNER
  • Publication number: 20210146791
    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: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Christoph TERBRACK, Christian ENDISCH, Julia STÖTTNER
  • Patent number: 10998739
    Abstract: Electrical battery device having at least one module string, in which multiple module units each including at least one battery module are electrically interconnected one after another in a series, wherein one end of the series is electrically connected to a respective battery terminal of the battery device. A respective bridging circuit is provided in the at least one module string in each case for each of its module units, which is configured to alternately bridge the respective module unit and interrupt the bridging again in dependence on a switching signal, wherein a control unit is configured to bridge at least some of the module units in chronological succession and chronologically thereafter to interrupt the bridgings again by setting the switching signal in periodically successive switching sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum
  • Patent number: 10991995
    Abstract: A method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated/driven functional device, a corresponding battery, and a corresponding functional device. A control unit of the battery receives measurement signals relating to a respective parameter of the battery cells from a plurality of switchable battery cells of the battery. The control unit prepares a location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter within the battery on the basis of the measurement signals. By activating the switching elements of the switchable battery cells according to a predetermined switching rule, the control unit produces a pattern of battery cells switched to active and passive. A predetermined location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter is fulfilled and at least one predetermined secondary condition relating to an operation of the functional device and/or the battery is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Tamas Gyulai
  • Publication number: 20210083339
    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: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Patent number: 10942224
    Abstract: A battery cell for a vehicle battery. A cell housing which encloses electrochemical substances of a galvanic cell arrangement in a hermetically sealed manner, and an acquisition device in the cell housing, which acquires status data of the battery cell in the cell housing, and/or a control device which switches at least one switching element in the cell housing as a function of control data. A wall of the cell housing has a window region in which a window material is arranged, which has a predetermined attenuation value for a predetermined radiation spectrum, and a communication device arranged in the cell housing is configured to transmit the status data from the window region out of the cell housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Publication number: 20200408843
    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: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Bernhard LIEBHART, Christian ENDISCH
  • Publication number: 20200269855
    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: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Bernhard LIEBHART, Christoph TERBRACK, Christian ENDISCH
  • Publication number: 20200266637
    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: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL, Peter PILGRAM
  • Publication number: 20200266500
    Abstract: A method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated/driven functional device, a corresponding battery, and a corresponding functional device. A control unit of the battery receives measurement signals relating to a respective parameter of the battery cells from a plurality of switchable battery cells of the battery. The control unit prepares a location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter within the battery on the basis of the measurement signals. By activating the switching elements of the switchable battery cells according to a predetermined switching rule, the control unit produces a pattern of battery cells switched to active and passive. A predetermined location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter is fulfilled and at least one predetermined secondary condition relating to an operation of the functional device and/or the battery is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL, Tamas GYULAI
  • Publication number: 20200266417
    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: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL, Peter PILGRAM
  • Patent number: 10730456
    Abstract: A method for operating an energy coupling device electrically coupling a high-voltage on-board electrical system designed for d.c. voltage to a low-voltage on-board electrical system designed for d.c. voltage, having a high-voltage energy converter connected to the high-voltage on-board electrical system and a low-voltage energy converter connected to the low-voltage on-board electrical system, which are electrically coupled by means of a d.c. voltage intermediate circuit. The energy converters are controlled by a control unit. The degrees of conversion efficiency of the energy converters are ascertained and an intermediate circuit d.c. voltage of the d.c. voltage intermediate circuit is set as a function of a total degree of efficiency produced by the sum of the degrees of conversion efficiency in order to maximize the total degree of efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, André Blum, Markus Fest
  • Publication number: 20200225291
    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: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Christian ENDISCH, Christoph TERBRACK, Bernhard LIEBHART
  • Publication number: 20200220127
    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: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Uwe OPITZ, Michael HINTERBERGER, Bernhard RIEGER
  • Patent number: 10707473
    Abstract: A battery cell for a battery of a motor vehicle with a battery cell housing, in which a galvanic element is accommodated. The battery cell can be electrically connected to at least one other battery cell by way of two electrical connection terminals. A control device of the battery cell is operatively connected to at least one functional unit of the battery cell. The control device of the battery cell is designed for the purpose of receiving a command issued by an external control device. The control device includes a verification unit, which is designed for the purpose of verifying an authorization of the external control device to issue the command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Berthold Hellenthal, Michael Hinterberger
  • Publication number: 20200212687
    Abstract: Electrical battery device having at least one module string, in which multiple module units each including at least one battery module are electrically interconnected one after another in a series, wherein one end of the series is electrically connected to a respective battery terminal of the battery device. A respective bridging circuit is provided in the at least one module string in each case for each of its module units, which is configured to alternately bridge the respective module unit and interrupt the bridging again in dependence on a switching signal, wherein a control unit is configured to bridge at least some of the module units in chronological succession and chronologically thereafter to interrupt the bridgings again by setting the switching signal in periodically successive switching sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL, André BLUM