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: 10340707
    Abstract: A method for the adjustment of states of charge of battery cells that are operated electrically in parallel connection, with the following steps: determination of the states of charge of the battery cells; selection of those battery cells whose states of charge are to be adjusted in accordance with a predeterminable selection rule; activation of those battery cells that are adjusted by means of a respective semiconductor switch of the battery cells, and deactivation of the remaining battery cells by means of the semiconductor switches of the respective remaining battery cells; carrying out the adjustment of the states of charge and monitoring of the states of charge; and termination of the adjustment of the states of charge when a predetermined state of charge has been attained by the activated battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Patent number: 10236539
    Abstract: A battery cell for a battery of a motor vehicle having a galvanic element, a battery cell housing for accommodating the galvanic element, and at least two microelectronic circuits for monitoring the battery cell, wherein a first microelectronic circuit of the at least two microelectronic circuits is attached to a first carrier and a second microelectronic circuit of the at least two microelectronic circuits is attached to a second carrier, wherein the two carriers are arranged on top of one another and thus form a stack such that a top side of the first carrier is facing toward a bottom side of the second carrier. Embodiments of the invention further relates to a battery and a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Publication number: 20190071033
    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: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL, André BLUM, Markus FEST
  • Patent number: 10116019
    Abstract: An energy storage assembly includes a plurality of electrical energy stores. Arranged between at least two electrical energy stores is at least one thermally conductive spacer element which has at least one area to separate the at least two electrical energy stores. The at least one spacer element is thermally coupled to at least one heat pipe of a first heat pipe assembly and to at least one heat pipe of a second heat pipe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Joshua Smith, Michael Hinterberger, Christian Allmann, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Patent number: 10110061
    Abstract: An energy storage device for storing energy for a stationary AC voltage grid includes a control device; and at least two switching units. Each switching unit includes multiple storage elements for storing a part of the energy, a converter having an AC voltage connection for connection to the AC voltage grid and a DC voltage connection, and a multiplexer switching device electrically connected with the DC voltage connection of the converter and with one of the storage elements via a respective storage connection. The multiplexer switching device is configured to select one of the storage connections in dependence on a selection signal generated by the control device and to electrically connect only the one storage connection selected by multiplexer switching device with the DC voltage connection of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Uwe Opitz
  • Publication number: 20180241094
    Abstract: A battery for a motor vehicle with a plurality of battery cells, wherein the respective battery cell include a battery cell housing, in which a galvanic element is accommodated. Via two electrical connection terminals, the battery cell is electrically connected to at least one further battery cell of the battery. A control device of the respective battery cell is coupled to at least one communications device. Here, the at least one communications device of the battery cell is designed for the purpose of communicating with at least one adjacent battery cell of the respective battery cell in a first mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180126858
    Abstract: An energy supply vehicle for supplying an electrically drivable motor vehicle with electrical energy. A drive unit for moving the energy supply vehicle, an electrical energy source for supplying electrical energy for the electrically drivable motor vehicle, and an electrical coupling device for the electrical coupling of the electrical energy source to the electrically drivable motor vehicle in order to transfer the electrical energy from the electrical energy source to the electrically drivable motor vehicle having a control unit including a communication device and is designed to guide the energy supply vehicle as a self-driving and remotely controlled vehicle and to control the coupling device for the automatic electrical coupling of the electrically drivable motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: André Blum, Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Markus Fest
  • Patent number: 9902283
    Abstract: A battery for a motor vehicle with at least two adjacently arranged battery cells. A boundary surface of a first one of the at least two battery cells has a first electrically conductive surface coupled to a first actuating device and a boundary surface of a second one of the at least two battery cells has a second electrically conductive surface coupled to a second actuating device. The two electrically conductive surfaces are arranged electrically insulated from one another and form a capacitor element. The actuating devices are designed to transfer energy between the first of the at least two battery cells and the second of the at least two battery cells by generating an alternating electric field in the capacitor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Publication number: 20180048030
    Abstract: A battery cell for a battery of a motor vehicle having a galvanic element, a battery cell housing for accommodating the galvanic element, and at least two microelectronic circuits for monitoring the battery cell, wherein a first microelectronic circuit of the at least two microelectronic circuits is attached to a first carrier and a second microelectronic circuit of the at least two microelectronic circuits is attached to a second carrier, wherein the two carriers are arranged on top of one another and thus form a stack such that a top side of the first carrier is facing toward a bottom side of the second carrier. Embodiments of the invention further relates to a battery and a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180040924
    Abstract: A battery cell with a monitoring device comprising a data processing unit for processing state data of the battery cell as a function of a trigger pulse and a triggering unit, which is connected to the data processing unit, to generate the trigger pulse and to provide the trigger pulse to the data processing unit. The triggering unit is designed to evaluate a measurement signal, which correlates with an electrical energy of the battery cell in order to generate the trigger pulse as a function of the measurement signal. The invention further relates to a battery having such a battery cell as well as to a motor vehicle having such a battery. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for monitoring at least one such battery cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Berthold HELLENTHAL, Michael HINTERBERGER
  • Publication number: 20180034111
    Abstract: A battery cell for a battery of a motor vehicle having a galvanic element with a first electrode and a second electrode, a battery cell housing with a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal, at least one sensor device for detecting a physical and/or chemical property of the battery cell, and a control device. The galvanic element is disposed in the battery cell housing, wherein the battery cell has a switching means, by means of which the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal, can be electrically connected, and the control device closes the switching means to bridge over or bypass the battery cell as a function of the physical and/or chemical property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180034114
    Abstract: A battery cell for a battery of a motor vehicle with a battery cell housing, in which a galvanic element is housed. The battery cell can be electrically connected by way of two electrical connection terminals, to at least one other battery cell of the battery. The battery cell has an indicator device, on the basis of which a state of the battery cell can be identified from outside of the battery cell housing. The state depends on at least one parameter of the battery cell that can be detected or recorded by measurement technology, and the indicator device is designed for the purpose of indicating a change in the state of the battery cell. Furthermore, the invention relates to a battery having a plurality of such battery cells and to a motor vehicle having a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180034035
    Abstract: A battery for a motor vehicle, in which electrical connections of a plurality of battery cells, are connected by at least one electrically conducting connection element. The battery cells have a galvanic element. The battery cells are connected so that a rated voltage is provided by the battery which is greater than the rated voltage of one of the battery cells. After connecting the electrical connection terminals of at least two battery cells, a switching element of one of the battery cells, arranged between an arrester of the galvanic element and one of the electrical connection terminals, is brought into a switching state in which an electrically conducting connection between an arrester of the galvanic element and at least one of the electrical connection terminals of the battery cell is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180034290
    Abstract: A method for the adjustment of states of charge of battery cells that are operated electrically in parallel connection, with the following steps: determination of the states of charge of the battery cells; selection of those battery cells whose states of charge are to be adjusted in accordance with a predeterminable selection rule; activation of those battery cells that are adjusted by means of a respective semiconductor switch of the battery cells, and deactivation of the remaining battery cells by means of the semiconductor switches of the respective remaining battery cells; carrying out the adjustment of the states of charge and monitoring of the states of charge; and termination of the adjustment of the states of charge when a predetermined state of charge has been attained by the activated battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180029494
    Abstract: A battery for a motor vehicle with at least two adjacently arranged battery cells. A boundary surface of a first one of the at least two battery cells has a first electrically conductive surface coupled to a first actuating device and a boundary surface of a second one of the at least two battery cells has a second electrically conductive surface coupled to a second actuating device. The two electrically conductive surfaces are arranged electrically insulated from one another and form a capacitor element. The actuating devices are designed to transfer energy between the first of the at least two battery cells and the second of the at least two battery cells by generating an alternating electric field in the capacitor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180031640
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a state variable of at least one battery cell of a battery. The battery has at least two battery cells that are arranged adjacent to one another. A first electrically conductive surface is provided at a boundary surface of a first battery cell and a second electrically conductive surface is provided at a boundary surface of a second battery cell. The electrically conductive surfaces are arranged electrically insulated from each other. An electrical voltage is applied between the two electrically conductive surfaces. An electrical variable produced due to an effect of the electrical voltage is analyzed. The state variable on the basis of the analysis is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180026255
    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: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Berthold HELLENTHAL, Michael HINTERBERGER
  • Publication number: 20180026312
    Abstract: A battery cell for a battery of a motor vehicle with a battery cell housing in which is accommodated a galvanic element. The battery cell has two electric connections by means of which the battery cell can be electrically connected to at least one other battery cell of the battery. At least one switching element can be transferred by means of a control unit into a switching state in which an electrically conductive connection between an arrester of the galvanic element and of at least one of the electric connections is interrupted. In addition, the invention relates to a battery with a plurality of such battery cells as well as to a motor vehicle with a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180026311
    Abstract: A method for operating at least two battery cells, which are electrically connected in parallel, of a battery for a motor vehicle. Each of the battery cells is provided with a galvanic element with two electrodes and a battery cell housing for accepting the galvanic element with two connections, and each of the electrodes is electrically coupled to a respective connection of the battery cell. A value of a state variable of each of the battery cells is measured, the values are compared to one another, and when there is a deviation of the values from each other which is outside of a predetermined tolerance range, an electric resistance is adjusted so that the deviation is within the predetermined tolerance range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL
  • Publication number: 20180026251
    Abstract: An electrical bus bar for conveying an electric current from a first electrical device to a second electrical device, with a base body, which is formed from an electrically conductive material, and which has a first terminal for connection to the first electrical device and a second terminal for connection to the second electrical device. A sensor unit with a fastening surface has at least one sensor element for detecting or recording a physical parameter of the bus bar. The base body has a support surface, to which the sensor unit is fastened by its fastening surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL