Patents by Inventor Philip David Cole

Philip David Cole 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: 8765276
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for these embodiments of the present invention, useful in manufacturing for example, includes a plurality of battery modules serially intercoupled together, each module including a housing with an anode connector and a cathode connector, each housing including a memory for storing a module identifier and wherein an anode connector of a first module is coupled to a cathode connector of a second module; and a processing system, coupled to each the module, for determining a plurality of positional attributes of each the module, one positional attribute associated with each the module of the plurality of modules, the processing system writing an ID into the memory of each particular module responsive to the associated positional attribute for the particular module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Baglino, Philip David Cole
  • Patent number: 8659270
    Abstract: An overcharge protection device (OPD) is provided that may be used alone, or in combination with conventional charging protection systems, to protect a battery pack from the occurrence of a potentially damaging overcharging event. The OPD is designed to be coupled to, and interposed between, the terminals of the battery pack. During normal system operation, the OPD has no effect on the operation of the charging system or the battery pack. During an overcharging event, if overcharging is not prevented by another conventional system, the OPD of the invention creates a short across the terminals of the battery pack causing a battery pack fuse designed to provide battery pack short circuit protection to blow, thereby interrupting the current path from the charger to the battery pack and preventing the battery pack from being overcharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Weston Arthur Hermann, Scott Ira Kohn, Philip David Cole, Nicholas Robert Kalayjian
  • Publication number: 20120105015
    Abstract: An overcharge protection device (OPD) is provided that may be used alone, or in combination with conventional charging protection systems, to protect a battery pack from the occurrence of a potentially damaging overcharging event. The OPD is designed to be coupled to, and interposed between, the terminals of the battery pack. During normal system operation, the OPD has no effect on the operation of the charging system or the battery pack. During an overcharging event, if overcharging is not prevented by another conventional system, the OPD of the invention creates a short across the terminals of the battery pack causing a battery pack fuse designed to provide battery pack short circuit protection to blow, thereby interrupting the current path from the charger to the battery pack and preventing the battery pack from being overcharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Weston Arthur Hermann, Scott Ira Kohn, Philip David Cole, Nicholas Robert Kalayjian
  • Patent number: 8076016
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for these embodiments of the present invention, useful in manufacturing for example, includes a plurality of battery modules serially intercoupled together, each module including a housing with an anode connector and a cathode connector, each housing including a memory for storing a module identifier and wherein an anode connector of a first module is coupled to a cathode connector of a second module; and a processing system, coupled to each the module, for determining a plurality of positional attributes of each the module, one positional attribute associated with each the module of the plurality of modules, the processing system writing an ID into the memory of each particular module responsive to the associated positional attribute for the particular module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Baglino, Philip David Cole
  • Patent number: 8044786
    Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing battery voltage misreporting is described. According to various embodiments, battery voltage may be monitored with respect to a state of charge and/or time. Based on this monitored information, battery charge state data may be generated by computing time derivatives of the monitored battery voltage across a voltage range. This battery charge state data may be compared with an expected set of charge state data if substantial differences exist, an error may be generated. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Michael Berdichevsky, Philip David Cole, James Jay Dunlay
  • Publication number: 20110003183
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for these embodiments of the present invention, useful in manufacturing for example, includes a plurality of battery modules serially intercoupled together, each module including a housing with an anode connector and a cathode connector, each housing including a memory for storing a module identifier and wherein an anode connector of a first module is coupled to a cathode connector of a second module; and a processing system, coupled to each the module, for determining a plurality of positional attributes of each the module, one positional attribute associated with each the module of the plurality of modules, the processing system writing an ID into the memory of each particular module responsive to the associated positional attribute for the particular module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Baglino, Philip David Cole
  • Publication number: 20110004438
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for these embodiments of the present invention, useful in manufacturing for example, includes a plurality of battery modules serially intercoupled together, each module including a housing with an anode connector and a cathode connector, each housing including a memory for storing a module identifier and wherein an anode connector of a first module is coupled to a cathode connector of a second module; and a processing system, coupled to each the module, for determining a plurality of positional attributes of each the module, one positional attribute associated with each the module of the plurality of modules, the processing system writing an ID into the memory of each particular module responsive to the associated positional attribute for the particular module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Baglino, Philip David Cole
  • Publication number: 20090315698
    Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing battery voltage misreporting is described. According to various embodiments, battery voltage may be monitored with respect to a state of charge and/or time. Based on this monitored information, battery charge state data may be generated by computing time derivatives of the monitored battery voltage across a voltage range. This battery charge state data may be compared with an expected set of charge state data if substantial differences exist, an error may be generated. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Eugene Michael Berdichevsky, Philip David Cole, James Jay Dunlay
  • Patent number: 7433794
    Abstract: A method of mitigating propagation of a thermal event in an energy storage system having a plurality of cells is disclosed. The method includes the steps of identifying the heat sources within the energy storage system and plurality of cells. The method then controls a temperature of the energy storage system and plurality of cells and also detects predetermined conditions within the energy storage system. The method then performs a predetermined action based on when one of the predetermined conditions is detected. A plurality of sensors and switches along with associated hardware or software will be used to control the temperature of the energy storage system upon detection of predetermined conditions involving overheating, over current, over voltage of the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Michael Berdichevsky, Philip David Cole, Arthur Joseph Hebert, Weston Arthur Hermann, Kurt Russell Kelty, Scott Ira Kohn, David Frederick Lyons, Jeffrey Brian Straubel, Noel Jason Mendez