Patents by Inventor Thomas Joseph Wand
Thomas Joseph Wand 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).
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Publication number: 20240145194Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for releasing welded-shut contactors of a contactor system. An exemplary contactor system may include a contactor and a controller. The controller may be programmed to command a vibration across portions of the contactor as part of a weld release control strategy when the contactor is welded closed. The vibration may be achieved by repeatedly alternating between energizing and de-energizing a coil of the contactor in order to mechanically shock/vibrate a welded contact of the contactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2022Publication date: May 2, 2024Inventor: Thomas Joseph WAND
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Patent number: 11590860Abstract: An automotive control module includes a microcontroller having an access port, and that permits reprogramming of its functions responsive to a voltage at the access port being greater than a first predefined threshold upon power-up or reset thereof. The automotive control module also includes a boot assist control circuit lacking logical elements and including a pair of input ports, an output port directly electrically connected to the access port, and a plurality of capacitors, resistors, and transistors electrically connected between the pair and output port. The plurality outputs a voltage to the output port at least equal to the first predefined threshold responsive to voltages at both the input ports being greater than a second predefined threshold, and outputs a voltage to the output port less than the first predefined threshold responsive to the voltage at either one of the input ports being less than the second predefined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Patent number: 11529875Abstract: This disclosure relates to an electrified vehicle configured to disconnect a battery from a load, and a corresponding method. An example electrified vehicle includes an array of battery cells and an electrical conductor connecting the array to a load. A disconnect is arranged along the electrical conductor. Further, the electrified vehicle includes an electronic circuit with a switch and an igniter. When a voltage drop across the electrical conductor exceeds a threshold, the switch is configured to permit current to flow from at least one of the battery cells through the igniter to trigger the disconnect thereby disconnecting the array of battery cells from the load.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2021Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Wesley Edward Burkman, Thomas Joseph Wand
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Patent number: 11400831Abstract: A power control arrangement for a vehicle includes a bi-directional DC/DC converter and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers, after a request to activate the vehicle, command the bi-directional DC/DC converter to charge a DC link capacitor electrically between main contactors and the bi-directional DC/DC converter to target value without connecting a resistor in parallel with one of the main contactors and before closing all of the main contactors.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2021Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Thomas Joseph Wand, Baojin Wang, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush
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Publication number: 20220227257Abstract: A power control arrangement for a vehicle includes a bi-directional DC/DC converter and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers, after a request to activate the vehicle, command the bi-directional DC/DC converter to charge a DC link capacitor electrically between main contactors and the bi-directional DC/DC converter to a target value without connecting a resistor in parallel with one of the main contactors and before closing all of the main contactors.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2021Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Thomas Joseph Wand, Baojin Wang, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush
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Publication number: 20210354589Abstract: An automotive control module includes a microcontroller having an access port, and that permits reprogramming of its functions responsive to a voltage at the access port being greater than a first predefined threshold upon power-up or reset thereof. The automotive control module also includes a boot assist control circuit lacking logical elements and including a pair of input ports, an output port directly electrically connected to the access port, and a plurality of capacitors, resistors, and transistors electrically connected between the pair and output port. The plurality outputs a voltage to the output port at least equal to the first predefined threshold responsive to voltages at both the input ports being greater than a second predefined threshold, and outputs a voltage to the output port less than the first predefined threshold responsive to the voltage at either one of the input ports being less than the second predefined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2020Publication date: November 18, 2021Inventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Patent number: 11173807Abstract: A battery system includes a traction battery, a traction battery controller, and a backup controller. The traction battery powers a high-voltage domain. The traction battery controller may be powered by a low-voltage domain that is separated from the high-voltage domain. The traction battery may be configured to disable cell balancing of the traction battery after expiration of a main timer. The backup controller may be powered by and within the high-voltage domain. The backup controller implements a backup timer, that includes a non-processor logic circuit, and is configured to disable cell balancing after expiration of the backup timer.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2017Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Patent number: 10752115Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter. The vehicle includes a contactor power bus configured to supply power to latching mechanisms of main and precharge contactors that are associated with the inverter. The vehicle includes a controller configured to maintain operation of the inverter and generate a sensor fault. The operation of the inverter may be maintained responsive to sensor output indicating that different portions of the contactor power bus are energized and deenergized.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2017Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Publication number: 20190084424Abstract: A vehicle includes an inverter. The vehicle includes a contactor power bus configured to supply power to latching mechanisms of main and precharge contactors that are associated with the inverter. The vehicle includes a controller configured to maintain operation of the inverter and generate a sensor fault. The operation of the inverter may be maintained responsive to sensor output indicating that different portions of the contactor power bus are energized and deenergized.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2017Publication date: March 21, 2019Inventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Publication number: 20180354387Abstract: A battery system includes a traction battery, a traction battery controller, and a backup controller. The traction battery powers a high-voltage domain. The traction battery controller may be powered by a low-voltage domain that is separated from the high-voltage domain. The traction battery may be configured to disable cell balancing of the traction battery after expiration of a main timer. The backup controller may be powered by and within the high-voltage domain. The backup controller implements a backup timer, that includes a non-processor logic circuit, and is configured to disable cell balancing after expiration of the backup timer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2017Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Patent number: 10128546Abstract: A battery pack according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery monitoring integrated circuit (BMIC) associated with a grouping of battery cells, a calibration microcontroller configured to store battery data associated with the grouping of battery cells, a main microcontroller; and a data transmission node establishing a shared path for communicating both a status signal from the BMIC and the battery data from the calibration microcontroller.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Thomas Joseph Wand, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Richard Mo, Graham L. Briggs
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Patent number: 10071635Abstract: A controller includes a tracking regulator having a reference voltage input and a voltage output and configured to regulate the voltage output to the reference voltage input. The controller is configured to, in response to a short to ground of the voltage output, electrically couple the reference voltage input to the voltage output.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Publication number: 20170352925Abstract: A battery pack according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery monitoring integrated circuit (BMIC) associated with a grouping of battery cells, a calibration microcontroller configured to store battery data associated with the grouping of battery cells, a main microcontroller; and a data transmission node establishing a shared path for communicating both a status signal from the BMIC and the battery data from the calibration microcontroller.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2016Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Thomas Joseph WAND, Benjamin A. TABATOWSKI-BUSH, Richard MO, Graham L. BRIGGS
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Publication number: 20170297435Abstract: A controller includes a tracking regulator having a reference voltage input and a voltage output and configured to regulate the voltage output to the reference voltage input. The controller is configured to, in response to a short to ground of the voltage output, electrically couple the reference voltage input to the voltage output.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2016Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventor: Thomas Joseph WAND
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Patent number: 9488676Abstract: An example electric vehicle component includes a current sensor shield that blocks magnetic fields of a contactor from influencing a current sensor. An example method of improving current sensor measurements includes blocking magnetic fields moving from a contactor toward the current sensor.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2014Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Thomas Joseph Wand
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Publication number: 20150293150Abstract: An example electric vehicle component includes a current sensor shield that blocks magnetic fields of a contactor from influencing a current sensor. An example method of improving current sensor measurements includes blocking magnetic fields moving from a contactor toward the current sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2014Publication date: October 15, 2015Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Thomas Joseph Wand