Patents by Inventor Xiaohong Nina Duan

Xiaohong Nina Duan 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: 10759303
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes an electric powertrain having an electric machine and a traction battery. A vehicle controller is programmed to command power to the electric machine to propel the vehicle along a segment of a route according to a predetermined speed profile that is derived from a predicted heat generation of the battery for the segment such that actual temperatures of the battery remain below a temperature threshold for the segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina Duan, Yanan Zhao, Mark Steven Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20200269704
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery comprising a plurality of cells. The vehicle also includes a plurality of power converters each electrically coupled between a corresponding group of cells and an electrical bus. A controller is programmed to allocate current demand to the power converters and operate the power converters to minimize energy consumption and losses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina DUAN, Richard Dyche ANDERSON
  • Patent number: 10703218
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery comprising a plurality of cells. The vehicle also includes a plurality of power converters each electrically coupled between a corresponding group of cells and an electrical bus. A controller is programmed to satisfy a current demand of the electrical bus by operating a subset of the power converters to each draw a current that exceeds a threshold corresponding to a power converter efficiency exceeding a predetermined efficiency. Power converters not assigned to the subset are operated at zero current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina Duan
  • Patent number: 10625627
    Abstract: A method for a vehicle comprises, by a controller, responsive to charge current for a battery exceeding a threshold, inhibiting further charging of the battery. The method further includes, responsive to the vehicle achieving a predefined state following the charge current exceeding the threshold, discharging the battery for a predetermined time at a predetermined current both defined by an amount and duration that the charge current exceeded the threshold to deplate lithium from an anode of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina Duan, Chi Paik, Jianrong Huang
  • Publication number: 20200062126
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle includes an electric powertrain having an electric machine and a traction battery. A vehicle controller is programmed to command power to the electric machine to propel the vehicle along a segment of a route according to a predetermined speed profile that is derived from a predicted heat generation of the battery for the segment such that actual temperatures of the battery remain below a temperature threshold for the segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina DUAN, Yanan ZHAO, Mark Steven YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20200039358
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery comprising a plurality of cells. The vehicle also includes a plurality of power converters each electrically coupled between a corresponding group of cells and an electrical bus. A controller is programmed to satisfy a current demand of the electrical bus by operating a subset of the power converters to each draw a current that exceeds a threshold corresponding to a power converter efficiency exceeding a predetermined efficiency. Power converters not assigned to the subset are operated at zero current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina DUAN
  • Publication number: 20190389452
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electric machine, a battery, a cooler, and a controller. The electric machine is configured to propel the vehicle. The battery is configured to power the electric machine. The cooler is configured to cool the battery. The controller is programmed to, responsive to the vehicle traveling from first to second locations on a predetermined route, operate the electric machine such that battery charge is depleted from an initial charge at the first location to a minimum battery charge limit upon arrival at the second location. The controller is also programmed to, responsive to the vehicle traveling from first to second locations on a predetermined route, operate the cooler such that battery temperature increases from an initial temperature at the first location to a battery shutdown temperature limit at the second location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina DUAN, Yanan ZHAO
  • Publication number: 20190359066
    Abstract: A method for a vehicle comprises, by a controller, responsive to charge current for a battery exceeding a threshold, inhibiting further charging of the battery. The method further includes, responsive to the vehicle achieving a predefined state following the charge current exceeding the threshold, discharging the battery for a predetermined time at a predetermined current both defined by an amount and duration that the charge current exceeded the threshold to deplate lithium from an anode of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: XIAOHONG NINA DUAN, CHI PAIK, JIANRONG HUANG
  • Patent number: 10388993
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery subject to alternating cycling and storage modes and a controller. The controller is programmed to calculate an accumulated degradation for the traction battery based on a degradation profile for the traction battery. The degradation profile defines degradation accumulated over time and may differ based on the mode and temperature. The initial degradation value includes the accumulated degradation for the present mode and at least a portion of the accumulated degradation for the other mode. Degradation is then accumulated according to the degradation profile starting from the initial degradation value. The amount of accumulated degradation from the other mode that is included may vary based on the mode and the accumulated degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina Duan
  • Patent number: 10114079
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery. A controller is configured to operate the traction battery according to a capacity estimate. The capacity estimate is based on a difference between a current-based estimation and a voltage-based estimation of a change in battery state of charge over a time interval. The difference is evaluated over a predetermined number of time intervals. When more than a predetermined percentage of the differences exceed a threshold, the capacity estimate is updated based on an average of the differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina Duan, Xu Wang
  • Patent number: 9956887
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described to provide the user with information relating to status of vehicle and battery status based on environment and vehicle use. The user can be educated on the effects of vehicle use and environmental factors on the vehicle battery's status and ability to store charge. This is intended to alter the user's behavior to improve battery performance. A display can provide data representing at least one display image presenting information related to battery status, including capacity decay. A display generator can generate visual data for display in the at least one display image to provide visual stimulation, representing the battery state, which is based on the state of charge (SOC), temperature, and vehicle off time, and user selected options to reduce possible battery capacity decay, to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina Duan, Dawn Bernardi
  • Publication number: 20170242079
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery. A controller is configured to operate the traction battery according to a capacity estimate. The capacity estimate is based on a difference between a current-based estimation and a voltage-based estimation of a change in battery state of charge over a time interval. The difference is evaluated over a predetermined number of time intervals. When more than a predetermined percentage of the differences exceed a threshold, the capacity estimate is updated based on an average of the differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina DUAN, Xu WANG
  • Publication number: 20170106766
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery and a controller. The controller is programmed to output an age value of the traction battery based on a ratio of a reference capacity value to an initial reference capacity. The reference capacity value is derived from a mean and a standard deviation of a plurality of historical battery capacity values and has a predetermined probability of being less than an actual battery capacity. The controller is programmed to adjust a battery control strategy based on the age value. The vehicle includes an instrument cluster that is configured to display the age value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina DUAN, Xu WANG
  • Publication number: 20170092992
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery subject to alternating cycling and storage modes and a controller. The controller is programmed to calculate an accumulated degradation for the traction battery based on a degradation profile for the traction battery. The degradation profile defines degradation accumulated over time and may differ based on the mode and temperature. The initial degradation value includes the accumulated degradation for the present mode and at least a portion of the accumulated degradation for the other mode. Degradation is then accumulated according to the degradation profile starting from the initial degradation value. The amount of accumulated degradation from the other mode that is included may vary based on the mode and the accumulated degradation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina DUAN
  • Patent number: 9559390
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery subject to alternating cycling and storage modes and a controller. The controller is programmed to calculate an accumulated degradation for the traction battery based on a degradation profile for the traction battery. The degradation profile defines degradation accumulated over time and may differ based on the mode and temperature. The initial degradation value includes the accumulated degradation for the present mode and at least a portion of the accumulated degradation for the other mode. Degradation is then accumulated according to the degradation profile starting from the initial degradation value. The amount of accumulated degradation from the other mode that is included may vary based on the mode and the accumulated degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina Duan
  • Publication number: 20150360578
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described to provide the user with information relating to status of vehicle and battery status based on environment and vehicle use. The user can be educated on the effects of vehicle use and environmental factors on the vehicle battery's status and ability to store charge. This is intended to alter the user's behavior to improve battery performance. A display can provide data representing at least one display image presenting information related to battery status, including capacity decay. A display generator can generate visual data for display in the at least one display image to provide visual stimulation, representing the battery state, which is based on the state of charge (SOC), temperature, and vehicle off time, and user selected options to reduce possible battery capacity decay, to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina DUAN, Dawn Bernardi
  • Publication number: 20150291054
    Abstract: A vehicle traction battery system may include a battery pack, a fan configured to direct air flow to the pack, and a controller. The controller may be programmed to, in response to a predicted pack temperature being greater than a first predefined temperature, direct the fan to operate at a predefined generally constant speed that does not change with vehicle speed or engine on/off state until the predicted battery pack temperature falls below a second predefined temperature. A method is also provided for cooling the vehicle traction battery system based on a predicted battery pack temperature and a heat generation rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaohong Nina Duan, Chuan He
  • Publication number: 20150180090
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery subject to alternating cycling and storage modes and a controller. The controller is programmed to calculate an accumulated degradation for the traction battery based on a degradation profile for the traction battery. The degradation profile defines degradation accumulated over time and may differ based on the mode and temperature. The initial degradation value includes the accumulated degradation for the present mode and at least a portion of the accumulated degradation for the other mode. Degradation is then accumulated according to the degradation profile starting from the initial degradation value. The amount of accumulated degradation from the other mode that is included may vary based on the mode and the accumulated degradation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina Duan
  • Patent number: 6544137
    Abstract: A differential device for coupling an input shaft, a first output shaft, and a second output shaft is provided. The differential device preferably includes a differential case with a first side gear, a second side gear, a pinion gear, and a hydraulic conduit. The differential device preferably includes a first rotary pump, which preferably functions to pump hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic conduit upon the relative rotational movement of the differential case and the first output shaft and to resist relative rotational movement of the differential case and the first output shaft upon a restriction of the transmittal of hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic conduit. The differential device also preferably includes a valve system, which functions to selectively restrict the transmittal of hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina Duan
  • Patent number: 6544136
    Abstract: A differential device for transferring torque and rotation from an input shaft to a first output shaft and a second output shaft of a vehicle is provided. The differential device includes a carrier coupled to an input shaft, a first pump/motor coupled to the carrier and to the first output shaft, and a second pump/motor coupled to the carrier and to the second output shaft. The first pump/motor preferably functions to pump a hydraulic fluid upon a rotation of the first output shaft at a different speed than the carrier, and to rotate the first output shaft at a different speed than the carrier upon a sufficient pressurization of the hydraulic fluid. Similarly, the second pump/motor preferably functions to pump a hydraulic fluid upon a rotation of the second output shaft at a different speed than the carrier, and to rotate the second output shaft at a different speed than the carrier upon a sufficient pressurization of the hydraulic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaohong Nina Duan