Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Thibodeau
Thomas R. Thibodeau 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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Patent number: 11808819Abstract: A Battery Backup (BBU) device, method, and system is disclosed. A BBU cell includes a battery with an internal impedance. The BBU cell includes monitoring circuitry connected to the battery for monitoring a Status of Health (SOH) of the battery. The monitoring circuitry includes a MOSFET and a resistor connected in series and a master control unit connected to the MOSFET for controlling the MOSFET and determining the SOH of the battery.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.Inventors: Thomas R. Thibodeau, Haijin Zhang, Cui Xizhi
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Patent number: 11644880Abstract: A method, device, and system for balancing a supply current in a Power Supply Units (PSUs). The system includes a plurality of PSUs connected in parallel to a power bus. The method includes detecting a falling edge in a common Load Share (LS) signal and, in response to detecting the falling edge of the LS signal, enabling a field effect transistor (FET) and starting a timer. Prior to starting the timer, a time trigger is determined for the timer based on a current output level of a power source in the PSU. The method includes outputting a current at the current output level for the duration of the time trigger and, at the time trigger, releasing the FET and resetting the timer. The PSU includes a processor that monitors the LS signal. The LS signal determines a timing for outputting current by the PSU.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2021Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Thomas R. Thibodeau, Haijin Zhang, Cui Xizhi
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Publication number: 20230129347Abstract: A Battery Backup (BBU) device, method, and system is disclosed. A BBU cell includes a battery with an internal impedance. The BBU cell includes monitoring circuitry connected to the battery for monitoring a Status of Health (SOH) of the battery. The monitoring circuitry includes a MOSFET and a resistor connected in series and a master control unit connected to the MOSFET for controlling the MOSFET and determining the SOH of the battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2021Publication date: April 27, 2023Inventors: Thomas R. Thibodeau, Haijin Zhang, Cui Xizhi
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Patent number: 11126250Abstract: An information handling system includes first and second power supplies and a power assist unit. The power supplies are each configured to provide power to a power rail to power a load of the information handling system, to provide input power indications that indicates whether or not the power supplies are receiving good input power, and to provide a output power indications that indicates whether or not the power supplies are providing good power to the power rail. The power assist unit is coupled to the power rail and includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller receives a hold-up signal from the information handling system, and in response to receiving the hold-up signal, directs the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail. The hold-up signal is based upon the input power indications and upon the output power indications.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2018Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Mark A. Muccini, Guangyong Zhu, Thomas R. Thibodeau, Lei Wang
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Patent number: 10948959Abstract: An information handling system includes a power supply unit (PSU) and a power assist unit (PAU). The PSU provides a power rail to power a load, and a constant current indication that indicates whether the power supply unit is operating in a constant current mode. The PAU is coupled to the power rail, and includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller receives an enable signal when the constant current indication indicates that the first power supply unit is operating in the constant current mode, and in response, the controller directs the converter to convert a voltage from the power storage element and to a current to the power rail to meet an additional demand of the load for power.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.Inventors: Mark A. Muccini, Guangyong Zhu, Thomas R. Thibodeau, Lei Wang
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Patent number: 10951051Abstract: An information handling system includes a power supply unit (PSU) and a power assist unit (PAU). The PSU provides a power rail to power a load, and a constant current indication that indicates whether the power supply unit is operating in a constant current mode. The PAU is coupled to the power rail, and includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller receives an enable signal when the constant current indication indicates that the first power supply unit is operating in the constant current mode, and in response, the controller directs the converter to convert a voltage from the power storage element and to a current to the power rail to meet an additional demand of the load for power. When the controller does not receive the enable signal, the controller directs the converter to charge the power storage element from the power rail.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.Inventors: John E. Jenne, Thomas R. Thibodeau
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Publication number: 20200133379Abstract: An information handling system includes first and second power supplies and a power assist unit. The power supplies are each configured to provide power to a power rail to power a load of the information handling system, to provide input power indications that indicates whether or not the power supplies are receiving good input power, and to provide a output power indications that indicates whether or not the power supplies are providing good power to the power rail. The power assist unit is coupled to the power rail and includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller receives a hold-up signal from the information handling system, and in response to receiving the hold-up signal, directs the converter to provide power from the power storage element to the power rail. The hold-up signal is based upon the input power indications and upon the output power indications.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: Mark A. Muccini, Guangyong Zhu, Thomas R. Thibodeau, Lei Wang
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Publication number: 20200136418Abstract: An information handling system includes a power supply unit (PSU) and a power assist unit (PAU). The PSU provides a power rail to power a load, and a constant current indication that indicates whether the power supply unit is operating in a constant current mode. The PAU is coupled to the power rail, and includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller receives an enable signal when the constant current indication indicates that the first power supply unit is operating in the constant current mode, and in response, the controller directs the converter to convert a voltage from the power storage element and to a current to the power rail to meet an additional demand of the load for power. When the controller does not receive the enable signal, the controller directs the converter to charge the power storage element from the power rail.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: John E. Jenne, Thomas R. Thibodeau
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Publication number: 20200133364Abstract: An information handling system includes a power supply unit (PSU) and a power assist unit (PAU). The PSU provides a power rail to power a load, and a constant current indication that indicates whether the power supply unit is operating in a constant current mode. The PAU is coupled to the power rail, and includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller receives an enable signal when the constant current indication indicates that the first power supply unit is operating in the constant current mode, and in response, the controller directs the converter to convert a voltage from the power storage element and to a current to the power rail to meet an additional demand of the load for power.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2018Publication date: April 30, 2020Inventors: Mark A. Muccini, Guangyong Zhu, Thomas R. Thibodeau, Lei Wang
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Publication number: 20120229277Abstract: The present invention is directed to monitoring/alert systems, devices, and methods useable with animal housing units. Embodiments include a primary component, such as a system controller device, for monitoring maintenance and operational events in a housing unit and a secondary component, such as a environmental monitoring device for analyzing environmental conditions. For example, the system controller device monitors unit functions (e.g., relating to power, pre-filter(s), filter(s), fan(s), air pressure, air temperature, electrical connections, etc.) and causes alert(s) to be sent (e.g., via email or text message) if there is a malfunction or abnormal operational data. The environmental monitoring device collects environmental data (e.g., time, temperature, humidity, light, sound, carbon dioxide levels, or ammonia levels) and causes alert(s) to be sent if an abnormal environmental condition is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2011Publication date: September 13, 2012Inventors: George S. Gabriel, Neil E. Campbell, Edward K. Eldreth, Rodney E. Gerringer, Josh C. Tang, Adam Cohen, Thomas R. Thibodeau
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Patent number: 6904799Abstract: A system for measuring the velocity of a fluid can comprise a temperature sensor, for measuring the ambient temperature of the fluid, an RTD placed in the flow path of a fluid, the RTD being included as part of a Wheatstone bridge circuit, a digital potentiometer, the digital potentiometer also being included as part of a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and a controller coupled to the temperature sensor, the RTD and the digital potentiometer. In the system, the controller adjusts the digital potentiometer in response to an ambient fluid temperature signal from the temperature sensor such that the temperature of the RTD remains at a constant differential temperature above the ambient fluid temperature.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2003Date of Patent: June 14, 2005Assignee: Polar Controls, Inc.Inventors: Adam J. Cohen, Josh E. Tang, Thomas R. Thibodeau
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Publication number: 20040055374Abstract: A system for measuring the velocity of a fluid can comprise a temperature sensor, for measuring the ambient temperature of the fluid, an RTD placed in the flow path of a fluid, the RTD being included as part of a Wheatstone bridge circuit, a digital potentiometer, the digital potentiometer also being included as part of a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and a controller coupled to the temperature sensor, the RTD and the digital potentiometer. In the system, the controller adjusts the digital potentiometer in response to an ambient fluid temperature signal from the temperature sensor such that the temperature of the RTD remains at a constant differential temperature above the ambient fluid temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Inventors: Adam J. Cohen, Josh E. Tang, Thomas R. Thibodeau