Patents by Inventor Thomas Kristof

Thomas Kristof 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: 11299053
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus (100) use a charging cable (108) for charging an electric vehicle. The apparatus has a first voltage converter (110) to transform a charging voltage applied to the charging cable (108) to a high voltage for a high-voltage battery (104) of the electric vehicle. The apparatus (100) also has a second two-level voltage converter (112) to charge a low-voltage battery (106) of the electric vehicle by transforming the high voltage to an intermediate voltage for an intermediate circuit (118) and transforming the intermediate voltage to a low voltage for the low-voltage battery (106). The intermediate circuit (118) is designed to precharge the charging cable (108) using the intermediate voltage before the beginning of a charging process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Inventor: Thomas Kristof
  • Patent number: 11065975
    Abstract: A method for electrically charging an energy store. The method includes the following steps: starting an electrical charging process for the energy store in a first configuration; interrupting the charging process, changing the configuration of the energy store from the first configuration to a second configuration, and resuming the charging process in the second configuration. The energy store in the first configuration is designed to be charged with a higher electrical voltage than in the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Wolf-Georg Rampf
  • Publication number: 20200353828
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus (100) use a charging cable (108) for charging an electric vehicle. The apparatus has a first voltage converter (110) to transform a charging voltage applied to the charging cable (108) to a high voltage for a high-voltage battery (104) of the electric vehicle. The apparatus (100) also has a second two-level voltage converter (112) to charge a low-voltage battery (106) of the electric vehicle by transforming the high voltage to an intermediate voltage for an intermediate circuit (118) and transforming the intermediate voltage to a low voltage for the low-voltage battery (106). The intermediate circuit (118) is designed to precharge the charging cable (108) using the intermediate voltage before the beginning of a charging process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventor: Thomas Kristof
  • Patent number: 10651773
    Abstract: A method for controlling a three-phase AC motor, wherein the three-phase AC motor has a rotatably mounted rotor and a stator including a first group of coils and a second group of coils. Each of the coils generates an oscillating magnetic field upon actuation using an alternating current. The phases of the alternating currents are selected such that the superposition of the magnetic fields of the first group of coils generates a magnetic rotating field that rotates with a direction of rotation and the superposition of the magnetic fields of the second group of coils generates a magnetic rotating field that rotates counter to the direction of rotation. A system composed of a three-phase AC motor and an inverter for carrying out the control method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke
  • Patent number: 10615731
    Abstract: A method for controlling a three-phase AC motor, wherein the three-phase AC motor has a rotatably mounted rotor and a stator including a first group of coils and a second group of coils. Each of the coils generates an oscillating magnetic field upon actuation using an alternating current. The phases of the alternating currents are selected such that the superposition of the magnetic fields of the first group of coils generates a magnetic rotating field that rotates with a direction of rotation and the superposition of the magnetic fields of the second group of coils generates a magnetic rotating field that rotates counter to the direction of rotation. A system composed of a three-phase AC motor and an inverter for carrying out the control method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke
  • Patent number: 10421364
    Abstract: A vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, having a charging apparatus for charging a vehicle-integrated energy storage cell by means of an external voltage source, wherein the charging apparatus has a charge pump for setting a voltage ratio between an input voltage and an output voltage, wherein the charge pump provides at east two discrete voltage ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke
  • Publication number: 20190263284
    Abstract: A method for electrically charging an energy store. The method includes the following steps: starting an electrical charging process for the energy store in a first configuration; interrupting the charging process, changing the configuration of the energy store from the first configuration to a second configuration, and resuming the charging process in the second configuration. The energy store in the first configuration is designed to be charged with a higher electrical voltage than in the second configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Wolf-Georg Rampf
  • Patent number: 10239410
    Abstract: A method for charging a vehicle battery which stores electrical power for an electrical drive motor of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle battery is electrically connectable to a charging socket via a switch arrangement. The method includes: measuring a first electrical variable on the switch arrangement side facing the charging socket, by a first measuring device, measuring a second electrical variable on the switch arrangement side facing the vehicle battery, by a second measuring device, comparing the first and second electrical variables and closing the switch arrangement, if the first and second electrical variables substantially correspond, measuring the first and second electrical variables while the switch arrangement is closed, and adjusting the first measuring device and the second measuring device on the basis of a first measurement difference between measurement results of the first and second electrical variables while the switch arrangement is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Kristof
  • Publication number: 20190052215
    Abstract: A method for controlling a three-phase AC motor, wherein the three-phase AC motor has a rotatably mounted rotor and a stator including a first group of coils and a second group of coils. Each of the coils generates an oscillating magnetic field upon actuation using an alternating current. The phases of the alternating currents are selected such that the superposition of the magnetic fields of the first group of coils generates a magnetic rotating field that rotates with a direction of rotation and the superposition of the magnetic fields of the second group of coils generates a magnetic rotating field that rotates counter to the direction of rotation. A system composed of a three-phase AC motor and an inverter for carrying out the control method is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke
  • Patent number: 9994113
    Abstract: A device (1) for contactless charging of an electrical energy storage (2) of a motor vehicle that has a height adjustable chassis. A primary coil (3) is arranged in a bottom housing (4) on a surface on which the motor vehicle will be parked. The primary coil (3) is connected to an electrical power supply and will induce an alternating electrical voltage in a secondary coil (6) on the vehicle for charging the electrical energy storage (2). The primary coil (3) is connected to the bottom housing (4) by a spring (8, 9) that will compress under the effect of an external compressive force that may occur if the chassis is adjusted too low, thereby avoiding damage to either of the coils (3, 6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke, Marina Ueffing
  • Publication number: 20180134167
    Abstract: A vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, having a charging apparatus for charging a vehicle-integrated energy storage cell by means of an external voltage source, wherein the charging apparatus has a charge pump for setting a voltage ratio between an input voltage and an output voltage, wherein the charge pump provides at east two discrete voltage ratios.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke
  • Publication number: 20170334303
    Abstract: A method for charging a vehicle battery which stores electrical power for an electrical drive motor of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle battery is electrically connectable to a charging socket via a switch arrangement. The method includes: measuring a first electrical variable on the switch arrangement side facing the charging socket, by a first measuring device, measuring a second electrical variable on the switch arrangement side facing the vehicle battery, by a second measuring device, comparing the first and second electrical variables and closing the switch arrangement, if the first and second electrical variables substantially correspond, measuring the first and second electrical variables while the switch arrangement is closed, and adjusting the first measuring device and the second measuring device on the basis of a first measurement difference between measurement results of the first and second electrical variables while the switch arrangement is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Kristof
  • Publication number: 20170113559
    Abstract: A method for charging and/or discharging a vehicle battery using a multiphase transformer, in particular using a direct voltage transformer, wherein an input voltage is transformed into an output voltage with the multiphase transformer, wherein the multiphase transformer is operated with a permanently set transmission ratio, and the input voltage is varied in order to adapt the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke
  • Publication number: 20160288656
    Abstract: A device (1) for the contactless charging of an electrical energy storage (2) of a motor vehicle has at least one primary coil (3) arranged in a bottom housing (4) and connected to an electrical power supply. The device (1) is formed so that alternating current flowing in the primary coil (3) can generate an alternating magnetic field (10) to induce an alternating electrical voltage in a secondary coil (6) on the vehicle that is separated from the primary coil (3) by an air gap. Thus, a current flow that is variable over time and can be converted by a rectifier means on the vehicle into a direct current for charging the electrical energy storage connected to the rectifier means. The at least one primary coil (3) is connected to the bottom housing (4) in such a way to yield mechanically under the effect of an external compressive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas Kristof, Dirk Herke, Marina Ueffing