Patents by Inventor Richard W. Kautz

Richard W. Kautz 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: 11091039
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. A larger one of the estimated bus leakage resistances is selected as a balanced leakage resistance. Failure of a device connected to a bus (such as a wiring cable or a fuel cell) is predicted in response to predetermined decreases in the estimated balanced leakage resistance over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
  • Publication number: 20190351771
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. A larger one of the estimated bus leakage resistances is selected as a balanced leakage resistance. Failure of a device connected to a bus (such as a wiring cable or a fuel cell) is predicted in response to predetermined decreases in the estimated balanced leakage resistance over time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
  • Patent number: 10406921
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
  • Patent number: 10220707
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Richard W. Kautz
  • Publication number: 20170326986
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
  • Patent number: 9758044
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz
  • Publication number: 20170113553
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Richard W. Kautz
  • Patent number: 9579977
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Richard W. Kautz
  • Publication number: 20160214484
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: ALLAN R. GALE, BENJAMIN A. TABATOWSKI-BUSH, RICHARD W. KAUTZ
  • Publication number: 20160096433
    Abstract: Electrical bus isolation is detected for an electrified vehicle having a DC power source connected to positive and negative buses. The positive bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting first current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The negative bus is connected to chassis ground, and a resulting second current is sensed that flows through a negative bus leakage resistance and a balanced leakage resistance. The positive and negative bus leakage resistances are estimated in response to respective ratios of the first and second currents. An isolation value is compared to a threshold, wherein the isolation value is responsive to a voltage of the DC power source and a smaller one of the positive and negative bus leakage resistances. An atypical isolation is signaled when the isolation value is less than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Allan R. Gale, Richard W. Kautz