Patents by Inventor Theodore Soong

Theodore Soong 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: 12249856
    Abstract: A module (100) for use in an energy storage system is provided, including a first terminal (110) and a second terminal (112); a supercapacitor branch (120) including an arrangement (122) of one or more supercapacitors (124), and a resistive bypass branch (130) including at least a first bypass switch (132) and a resistance (134) connected in series. The supercapacitor branch and the resistive bypass branch are connected in parallel between the first terminal and the second terminal. The module may further include a direct bypass branch (140) having a second bypass switch (142), the direct bypass branch being also connected in parallel with the supercapacitor branch (120) between the first and second terminals. A control method of such a module and an energy storage system including several such modules, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Hasler, Juergen Steinke, Gunnar Ingeström, Jan Svensson, Lexuan Meng, Haofeng Bai, Tong Wu, Theodore Soong
  • Patent number: 12170493
    Abstract: An innovative power electronic control system suitable for various applications, such as for electric vehicles is provided. The system, in some embodiments, is configured for the purposes of on-board AC fast charging (e.g., single phase or multi-phase) when an object is not in use (e.g., a vehicle is stationary) and use as a drive (e.g., for a vehicle, an EV drivetrain) when in motion. The innovative power electronic control system enables, among others, the ability to obtain fast-charging from existing grid infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: THE GOVERNINING COUNCI OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ELEAPPOWER LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Lehn, Ruoyun Shi, Theodore Soong
  • Publication number: 20240266847
    Abstract: A module (100) for use in an energy storage system is provided, including a first terminal (110) and a second terminal (112); a supercapacitor branch (120) including an arrangement (122) of one or more supercapacitors (124), and a resistive bypass branch (130) including at least a first bypass switch (132) and a resistance (134) connected in series. The supercapacitor branch and the resistive bypass branch are connected in parallel between the first terminal and the second terminal. The module may further include a direct bypass branch (140) having a second bypass switch (142), the direct bypass branch being also connected in parallel with the supercapacitor branch (120) between the first and second terminals. A control method of such a module and an energy storage system including several such modules, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe HASLER, Juergen STEINKE, Gunnar INGESTRÖM, Jan SVENSSON, Lexuan MENG, Haofeng BAI, Tong WU, Theodore SOONG
  • Publication number: 20240246428
    Abstract: A DC charging circuit includes a first inverter module corresponding to a first battery; a second inverter module corresponding to second battery; and DC terminals tapping off a high-side of the first inverter module and a low-side of the second inverter module. A front-end switching circuit is also described. The front-end switching circuit controls charging input from a DC source to at least one inverter circuit, each inverter circuit corresponding to at least one respective battery. The front-end switching circuit is an add-on for interfacing to high voltage DC inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: Peter Waldemar LEHN, Ruoyun SHI, Theodore SOONG
  • Patent number: 11996696
    Abstract: A power supporting arrangement for a power grid includes a first and a second voltage source converter with an AC side and a DC side. A DC link interconnects the DC sides of the voltage source converters. A first switching arrangement includes a number of settable positions. The AC side of the second voltage source converter is connected to the power grid and the first switching arrangement is connected between a first synchronous machine. The AC side of the first voltage source converter and the power grid and operable to selectively connect the first synchronous machine to the power grid or to the AC side of the first voltage source converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ENERGY, LTD
    Inventors: Lexuan Meng, Jean-Philippe Hasler, Gunnar Ingeström, Jan Kheir, Tong Wu, Theodore Soong
  • Patent number: 11970067
    Abstract: A switching circuit for controlling charging input from a DC source to at least one inverter circuit, each inverter circuit corresponding to at least one respective battery, the switching circuit is provided with a switching device which when positioned in series with the inverter circuit and the DC source, the switching device configured to control the charging input provided to the at least one respective battery, the switching device controllable in conjunction with switches in the at least one inverter circuit based on at least one voltage of the at least one respective battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ELEAPPOWER LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Waldemar Lehn, Ruoyun Shi, Theodore Soong
  • Patent number: 11855454
    Abstract: A method can be used to control a voltage source converter of a power supporting arrangement to act as a virtual synchronous machine. The method includes obtaining a measured power level of the converter, processing the measured power level using a differential equation of an angular velocity of the virtual synchronous machine in order to obtain a control contribution, providing a phase angle of a physical quantity used to control the converter based on the control contribution, monitoring the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine, determining that the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine is deemed insufficient, and adjusting the control contribution by increasing the damping term and/or decreasing the moment of inertia term in response to determining that the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine is deemed insufficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Theodore Soong, Jean-Philippe Hasler
  • Patent number: 11799292
    Abstract: An electric vehicle fast charger and methods thereof are described, adapted for re-use of magnetic components of an electric vehicle having traction converters when the electric vehicle is stationary and connected to a power grid. A switching stage provided by one or more sets of switches is controlled complementarily with the switches of the traction converters to (i) provide inversion of a grid voltage and (ii) shape current of the grid current between the electric vehicle and the power grid to track a waveshape of the grid voltage. A single switching stage and a dual switching stage circuit are contemplated, along with switch controller circuits, and instruction sets for switch control. Variants provide for energy transfer to accommodate for energy imbalances between storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ELEAPPOWER LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Lehn, Theodore Soong, Philippe Gray, Sepehr Semsar
  • Publication number: 20230223756
    Abstract: A power supporting arrangement includes a DC network having a first DC line with a first DC potential, a second DC line with a second DC potential, and an energy storage system that includes a first energy storage unit connected in a branch between the first and the second DC lines. A first group of phase arms is connected in a wye-configuration between the power grid and the first DC line and a second group of phase arms connected in a wye-configuration between the power grid and the second DC line. The first and second groups of phase arms are controllable as a voltage source converter. A third group of phase arms is connected to the power grid in a wye-configuration. The third group of phase arms have a neutral point and being controllable to support the power grid with reactive power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2020
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Theodore Soong, Lexuan Meng, Jan Kheir, Tong Wu, Jean-Philippe Hasler, Gunnar Ingestrom, Yuhei Okazaki, Kalle Ilves, Alexandre Christe
  • Publication number: 20230178996
    Abstract: A method can be used to control a voltage source converter of a power supporting arrangement to act as a virtual synchronous machine. The method includes obtaining a measured power level of the converter, processing the measured power level using a differential equation of an angular velocity of the virtual synchronous machine in order to obtain a control contribution, providing a phase angle of a physical quantity used to control the converter based on the control contribution, monitoring the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine, determining that the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine is deemed insufficient, and adjusting the control contribution by increasing the damping term and/or decreasing the moment of inertia term in response to determining that the ability of the converter to act as a virtual synchronous machine is deemed insufficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Theodore Soong, Jean-Philippe Hasler
  • Publication number: 20230119359
    Abstract: A power supporting arrangement for a power grid includes a first and a second voltage source converter with an AC side and a DC side. A DC link interconnects the DC sides of the voltage source converters. A first switching arrangement includes a number of settable positions. The AC side of the second voltage source converter is connected to the power grid and the first switching arrangement is connected between a first synchronous machine. The AC side of the first voltage source converter and the power grid and operable to selectively connect the first synchronous machine to the power grid or to the AC side of the first voltage source converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Lexuan Meng, Jean-Philippe Hasler, Gunnar Ingeström, Jan Kheir, Tong Wu, Theodore Soong
  • Publication number: 20230047524
    Abstract: An innovative power electronic control system suitable for various applications, such as for electric vehicles is provided. The system, in some embodiments, is configured for the purposes of on-board AC fast charging (e.g., single phase or multi-phase) when an object is not in use (e.g., a vehicle is stationary) and use as a drive (e.g., for a vehicle, an EV drivetrain) when in motion. The innovative power electronic control system enables, among others, the ability to obtain fast-charging from existing grid infrastructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Peter LEHN, Ruoyun SHI, Theodore SOONG
  • Patent number: 11482948
    Abstract: A system for providing both driving and charging functionality by using a plurality of traction inverters and a plurality of energy storage devices coupled to one another across the electric motor; an AC/DC converter front-end circuit interfacing the first/second traction inverters and the power source; a controller circuit configured to control operating characteristics of the AC/DC converter front-end circuit, wherein the first/second traction inverters are provided gating signals to one or more switching gates of the first/second traction inverters to shape power characteristics of power delivered to the first/second energy storage devices, from the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ELEAPPOWER LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Lehn, Ruoyun Shi, Theodore Soong
  • Publication number: 20220173595
    Abstract: An electric vehicle fast charger and methods thereof are described, adapted for re-use of magnetic components of an electric vehicle having traction converters when the electric vehicle is stationary and connected to a power grid. A switching stage provided by one or more sets of switches is controlled complementarily with the switches of the traction converters to (i) provide inversion of a grid voltage and (ii) shape current of the grid current between the electric vehicle and the power grid to track a waveshape of the grid voltage. A single switching stage and a dual switching stage circuit are contemplated, along with switch controller circuits, and instruction sets for switch control. Variants provide for energy transfer to accommodate for energy imbalances between storage devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Peter LEHN, Theodore SOONG, Philippe GRAY, Sepehr SEMSAR
  • Patent number: 11217996
    Abstract: An electric vehicle fast charger and methods thereof are described, adapted for re-use of magnetic components of an electric vehicle having traction converters when the electric vehicle is stationary and connected to a power grid. A switching stage provided by one or more sets of switches is controlled complementarily with the switches of the traction converters to (i) provide inversion of a grid voltage and (ii) shape current of the grid current between the electric vehicle and the power grid to track a waveshape of the grid voltage. A single switching stage and a dual switching stage circuit are contemplated, along with switch controller circuits, and instruction sets for switch control. Variants provide for energy transfer to accommodate for energy imbalances between storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignees: THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, ELEAPPOWER LTD.
    Inventors: Peter Lehn, Theodore Soong, Philippe Gray, Sepehr Semsar
  • Patent number: 11190009
    Abstract: A protection arrangement for a multiphase uninterruptible power supply system including a vacuum circuit breaker connected in series with an inductive element, where the inductive element includes, for every phase, two series-connected magnetically coupled windings separated by a tap point. The protection arrangement includes one first group of protective components per phase, each first group including a first protective component having a first end connected to a link between the vacuum circuit breaker and the inductive element and a second end connected to a corresponding tap point, where at least one protective component in each first group is a surge arrester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Jan Svensson, Kalle Ilves, Minos Beniakar, Theodore Soong
  • Publication number: 20210146782
    Abstract: A system for providing both driving and charging functionality by using a plurality of traction inverters and a plurality of energy storage devices coupled to one another across the electric motor; an AC/DC converter front-end circuit interfacing the first/second traction inverters and the power source; a controller circuit configured to control operating characteristics of the AC/DC converter front-end circuit, wherein the first/second traction inverters are provided gating signals to one or more switching gates of the first/second traction inverters to shape power characteristics of power delivered to the first/second energy storage devices, from the power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Peter LEHN, Ruoyun SHI, Theodore SOONG
  • Publication number: 20210146792
    Abstract: A switching circuit for controlling charging input from a DC source to at least one inverter circuit, each inverter circuit corresponding to at least one respective battery, the switching circuit is provided with a switching device which when positioned in series with the inverter circuit and the DC source, the switching device configured to control the charging input provided to the at least one respective battery, the switching device controllable in conjunction with switches in the at least one inverter circuit based on at least one voltage of the at least one respective battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Waldemar LEHN, Ruoyun SHI, Theodore SOONG
  • Publication number: 20200280190
    Abstract: An electric vehicle fast charger and methods thereof are described, adapted for re-use of magnetic components of an electric vehicle having traction converters when the electric vehicle is stationary and connected to a power grid. A switching stage provided by one or more sets of switches is controlled complementarily with the switches of the traction converters to (i) provide inversion of a grid voltage and (ii) shape current of the grid current between the electric vehicle and the power grid to track a waveshape of the grid voltage. A single switching stage and a dual switching stage circuit are contemplated, along with switch controller circuits, and instruction sets for switch control. Variants provide for energy transfer to accommodate for energy imbalances between storage devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Peter LEHN, Theodore SOONG, Philippe GRAY, Sepehr SEMSAR
  • Patent number: 10666088
    Abstract: A protection arrangement for an uninterruptible power supply system including at least one vacuum circuit breaker connected in series with an inductive element, the protection arrangement including a first bypass branch and a first grounding branch, the first bypass branch being connected in parallel with the inductive element and including two series-connected protective components of a first type and a bypass branch midpoint between them, where the first grounding branch is connected between the bypass branch midpoint and ground and includes a first grounding surge arrester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Jan Svensson, Kalle Ilves, Minos Beniakar, Theodore Soong, Nick Elliott