Patents Issued in February 18, 2014
  • Patent number: 8653760
    Abstract: A programmable electric tea light device. The device features a light component mounted on a base. The brightness of the light component is adjustable via a potentiometer. A brightness adjustment control button is operatively connected to the potentiometer. The brightness adjustment control button functions to adjust brightness of the light component. Circuitry and a power source are both operatively connected to the light component. The circuitry comprises a timer and a memory component. The device also features a one-button programming interface for programming the timer to cause the light component to turn on and off at one or more times during a 24-hour period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventors: Tim C. Pearce, Tracy A. Pearce
  • Patent number: 8653761
    Abstract: A cascade accelerator (1), with two sets (2, 4) of capacitors (26, 28) which are each connected in series, interconnected by diodes (24, 30) in the form of a Greinacher cascade (20), is to have in a compact construction a particularly high attainable particle energy. Therefore, the cascade accelerator has an acceleration channel (8) which is formed through openings in the electrodes of the capacitors of a set (2), directed to a particle source (6) arranged in the region of the electrode with the highest voltage (12), wherein the electrodes are insulated to each other apart from the acceleration channel (8) with a solid or liquid insulation material (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Oliver Heid
  • Patent number: 8653762
    Abstract: A particle accelerator including an electrical field system and a magnetic field system that are configured to direct charged particles along a desired path within an acceleration chamber. The particle accelerator also includes a mechanical device that is located within the acceleration chamber. The mechanical device is configured to be selectively moved to different positions within the acceleration chamber. The particle accelerator also includes an electromechanical (EM) motor having a connector component and piezoelectric elements that are operatively coupled to the connector component. The connector component is operatively attached to the mechanical device. The EM motor drives the connector component when the piezoelectric elements are activated thereby moving the mechanical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tomas Eriksson, Bert Holmgren
  • Patent number: 8653763
    Abstract: A ventilator includes a base, a drive device disposed on the base, an impeller coupled to the drive device and driven by the drive device, and a cover assembled with the base to define a closed area between the cover and the base for receiving a first circuit board therein, wherein when an AC power source is input to the first circuit board to be converted, a DC power source is output to drive the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Hua Lin, Yan-Lin Chen, Te-Chung Liu, Shih-Tzung Hsu, Pei-Chang Kuo
  • Patent number: 8653764
    Abstract: A power saw having a reciprocating blade, including a housing having a handle portion for holding the saw; a variable speed motor in the housing for driving the reciprocating blade; a mechanism configured to move the reciprocating blade in a non-linear path; an electronic controller for controlling the operation of the motor; a trigger switch configured to provide an electrical signal to the controller that is proportional to the amount of travel that the switch is moved, wherein the signal causes the controller to operate the motor through a range of operating speeds; and a mode switch operatively connected to the controller and including a first mode providing normal operating speeds responsive to the trigger switch being selectively moved through its range of travel, and a second mode wherein the operating speeds are within the range of about 50% to about 80% of the normal operating speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Stephen C. Oberheim
  • Patent number: 8653765
    Abstract: In a method and module for controlling rotation of a motorized spindle driven by a driving unit, a sensing unit senses vibration of the spindle and generates a voltage signal corresponding to the vibration of the spindle. A processing unit receives the voltage signal from the sensing unit, generates an adjusting ratio equal to a reference voltage corresponding to a predetermined vibration level of the spindle by the voltage signal upon detecting that the voltage signal is greater than the reference voltage and is less than a predetermined threshold voltage that is greater than the reference voltage, and outputs a control signal corresponding to the adjusting ratio to the driving unit such that the driving unit reduces a rotation speed of the spindle by the adjusting ratio in response to the control signal from the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: Buffalo Machinery Co., Ltd, The Department of Electrical Engineering National Chang-Hua University of Education
    Inventors: Paul Chang, Tsair-Rong Chen, Jeen-Sheen Row, Chin-Sheng Lu
  • Patent number: 8653766
    Abstract: In a linear motor, a driving device calculates a deviation between a position command from a controller and a position detected by a position sensor, a position controlling is performed calculating speed command to be utilized for speed controlling of the movable member based on the deviation and a position gain, a deviation is calculated at a time when the movable member enters a control area in which at least a part of the magnet portion opposes to the coil of the stator within an area of which position is detected by the position sensor, and the position of the movable member is back-calculated from deviation from the position command and the position command, and the position detected by the position sensor is corrected with the calculated position being as the position of the movable member at a time when the movable member enters the control area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 8653767
    Abstract: The embodiment relates to a method for controlling a refrigerator. The method for controlling a refrigerator including: inputting an opening signal to open a selected door of a plurality of doors; rotating a driving motor to open a selected door; and opening the selected door by pushing the selected door of the plurality of doors by one of a plurality of push members by the rotation of the driving motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Myung Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 8653768
    Abstract: A method is provided for compensating the flux drift caused by measurement and/or calculation errors when controlling a rotating electrical machine. The flux drift of the estimated flux vector may be compensated for by comparing the length of the flux vector with a reference flux magnitude which already has been determined for controlling the inverter. Depending on the comparison, the length of the estimated flux vector may be lengthened or shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Christian Stulz, Halina Burzanowska
  • Patent number: 8653769
    Abstract: A method of calculating a control parameter for a component in an HVAC system includes receiving a plurality of input signals, and calculating a value of the control parameter using a control parameter equation having a plurality of predetermined coefficients and a plurality of variables, each variable corresponding to one of the input signals. This equation is stored in and subsequently fetched from memory associated with a component of the HVAC system, such as a blower motor controller or a system controller. In some embodiments, the equation is stored in a device for interfacing a system controller with a blower motor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Charles E. B. Green
  • Patent number: 8653770
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a power supply to supply current to a motor, a shunt resistor provided at one side of the motor to measure the magnitude of current supplied to the motor, a differential amplifier to receive a voltage applied to both ends of the shunt resistor as an input signal and amplify the input signal, an Analog/Digital Converter (ADC) to convert an analog signal generated from the differential amplifier into a digital signal, a switch to switch current applied to the motor by the power supply, and a microcontroller to generate a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control signal so as to control ON or OFF of the switch and generate an operation start signal of the ADC by considering the PWM control signal and a hardware delay value of the differential amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong Owan Kim
  • Patent number: 8653771
    Abstract: A controller for use with a motor including a stator, around which three-phase coils are wound, and a rotor, which includes a magnet functioning as a first magnetic pole and a salient pole of a core functioning as a second magnetic pole. The controller supplies the three-phase coils with excitation currents having a predetermined phase difference from one another to drive and rotate the rotor. The controller includes a current adjustment unit that adjusts a fundamental wave current using high-order currents for third order and ninth order components in a q-axis to reduce torque ripple. The excitation current is generated based on the fundamental wave current adjusted by the current adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Santo, Seiya Yokoyama, Yoji Yamada, Yoshiaki Takemoto, Shigemasa Kato, Kenta Goto
  • Patent number: 8653772
    Abstract: In a voltage conversion device of a motor drive control device, switching-control is performed so as to enlarge an output allowable voltage range of the voltage conversion device restricted by a dead time in a switching operation for an upper arm and a lower arm performing power conversion by a switching operation. Accordingly, restriction in the output voltage from the voltage conversion device, caused by the dead time, can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Masaki Okamura, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 8653773
    Abstract: In an imaging apparatus having a toner container, a method of periodically calibrating a back EMF constant Ke used in a speed control circuit of a DC motor used for driving for a toner metering device. To adjust the value of the back EMF constant Ke, the method uses a plurality of sampled back EMF measurements together with a calculated actual speed of rotation of the toner metering device as measured using motion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lexmark Internatonal, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Leo Brown, Totsuka Kenji
  • Patent number: 8653774
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit may include a Hall sensor configured to generate a Hall signal according to the position of a rotor of a motor to be driven; a Hall bias circuit; an analog amplifier configured to amplify the Hall signal; an A/D converter configured to convert the Hall signal into a digital signal; an amplitude control circuit configured to adjust the amplitude of the digital signal; a control signal generating unit configured to generate a control signal to be used to drive the motor; and a driver circuit configured to drive the motor according to the control signal. The components may be monolithically integrated on a single semiconductor substrate. The amplitude control circuit may include an amplitude correction circuit; and a target amplitude judgment circuit configured to adjust the gain of the analog amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Shimizu, Hiroyuki Ishii, Nobuo Komura, Toshiya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8653775
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling and/or regulating an electric motor. Such electric motors are used for example in motor vehicles in the form of pump motors. In general, the electric motor is supplied with electrical energy from a battery and/or using a generator. The controlling and regulation take place using a high-frequency pulse width modulation (PWM). When the electric motor is started, the PWM is used to continuously increase the motor current required for the operation of the electric motor, e.g. beginning from 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Schanzenbach, Juergen Hachtel, Markus Baumert
  • Patent number: 8653776
    Abstract: Provided is an inverter control device that can detect momentary abnormality in a power-supply voltage for sure, and return quickly to regular state when the abnormality in the power-supply voltage has been settled. The inverter control device consists of a main power-supply (31); a sub power-supply (22) that converts electric power distributed from the main-power supply (31); a controller (21) that operates with a control power-supply supplied from the sub power-supply (22); a transistor (4) that makes the input signal of the controller (21) turn ON/OFF, by having the current between the emitter and collector made to turn ON/OFF; and a power-supply monitoring circuit (3) that is connected to the main power-supply (31) via at least a resistor (rD), and monitors the voltage of the main power-supply (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Kei Kurosaki
  • Patent number: 8653777
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus includes: a threshold providing circuit that provides a plurality of power failure detection thresholds determined according to an installation environment of the motor driving apparatus, a selection circuit that selects a specified power failure detection threshold from the power failure detection thresholds, and a comparison and determination circuit that determines presence or absence of an occurrence of power failure by comparing a detected voltage of an alternating-current power input to a motor driving circuit and the selected power failure detection threshold. Consequently, it is possible to select the power failure detection threshold, which determines a detection reference of power failure in which alternating-current power input is interrupted, according to an installation environment, so that the abnormal end process in the case of an occurrence of power failure in which alternating-current power input is interrupted can be surely performed in any installation environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyasu Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8653778
    Abstract: Provided is an inverter-integrated electric compressor having high heat resistance, which is capable of suppressing thermal interference among a plurality of power devices. Specifically provided is an inverter-integrated electric compressor which comprises a built-in motor and a substrate provided with a motor drive circuit including an inverter, an electric component including the substrate being affixed in a housing space surrounded by a compressor housing, wherein a plurality of power semiconductor elements which constitute the motor drive circuit are disposed radially around a drive shaft of the motor in a plane crossing the drive shaft. For example, the planar shape of the power semiconductor element is formed into a rectangle, and a gap having a sectorial planar shape is formed between the power semiconductor elements adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Saito, Makoto Shibuya, Kouki Yoshizawa, Hideo Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8653779
    Abstract: A rotating electrical-machine control system is provided with: a rotating electrical-machine comprising a rotor further comprising permanent magnets that are divided into a dividing-number of sections; an inverter circuit that drives the rotating electrical-machine by PWM control, using a carrier wave having a carrier frequency; a storage unit that has stored therein a relationship file that indicates the relationship between the dividing-number of the magnets, the magnet temperature, and the carrier frequency; and a control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahisa Yashiro, Hiroki Kato, Kentaro Haruno
  • Patent number: 8653780
    Abstract: Presented is a system and method for controlling an actuator in a multirate control system using an integrated upsampler and filter, comprising an incremental command limiter for changing a command from a first control system into a limited incremental command in a second control system, a lead-lag filter for filtering the limited incremental command to attenuate high frequencies, and a feed forward path for reducing phase loss in rate output signal at low frequencies. In embodiments, a command position signal received at the sampling rate of the first control system is interpolated into incremental command position signals at the sampling rate of the second control system. Position error signals and rate error signals from the devices being controlled are used as feedback to further stability the control loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Douglas C. Cameron
  • Patent number: 8653781
    Abstract: Provided is a variable frequency drive and a rotation speed searching apparatus for an induction motor incorporated therein. The rotation speed searching apparatus is featured by scanning the rotor frequency of the induction motor and determining either the error between a detected DC-bus voltage and a set DC-bus voltage or the error between a detected output current and a set output current, so that the rotation speed of the induction motor can be searched out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui-Chung Hsieh, Chi-Lung Hsiao
  • Patent number: 8653782
    Abstract: In a motor driving device, a driving switching element is connected in series with a motor between a power source and a ground, and operated by a PWM signal outputted from a control circuit. A return current path forming unit is connected in parallel with the motor to allow a return current when the driving switching element is turned off. A series circuit of a current flow restriction element and a switch is connected in parallel with the return current path forming unit. A disconnection determination unit prohibits output of the PWM signal and closes the switch of the series circuit when a voltage applied to the motor does not fluctuate according to the PWM signal, and determines the disconnection of the motor on condition that the voltage detected in that state indicates a change across a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hironori Iwamiya
  • Patent number: 8653783
    Abstract: A circuit switching element is provided that switches a step-up/step-down bidirectional chopper circuit, arranged between a DC bus and a power storage element, to a first chopper circuit or to a second chopper circuit, whose step-up and step-down characteristics are in a complementary relation. The first and second chopper circuits are used together at a time of charge and discharge. Accordingly, an AC motor drive device having mounted therein a power storage system is obtained, in which the power storage system can perform charge and discharge to and from the power storage element, regardless of a bus voltage and can increase energy use efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Ohashi, Kazuya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8653784
    Abstract: A method and system for solar powered charging of an electronic device is provided. Solar concentrators direct solar energy onto photovoltaic cells on an orbiting space station or a satellite in a geostationary orbit. The photovoltaic cells convert the solar energy to direct current (DC) electrical power. Energy generators convert the DC electrical power to generate energy waves, for example, microwaves. A space transmitter relays the energy waves to one or more earth stations. The electronic device transmits a locator beam indicating its current location. On receiving the locator beam, an earth station transmits the energy waves to the electronic device. A rectenna, in electronic communication with the electronic device, converts the energy waves to DC electrical power and directs the DC electrical power to a charger in electric communication with the electronic device. The charger receives the energy waves or the DC electrical power and charges the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: Todd Allen Bland
  • Patent number: 8653785
    Abstract: A method of managing power distribution between a portable computing device (PCD) and a PCD docking station is disclosed and may include determining that the PCD is docked with the PCD docking station, switching a power supply to the PCD from a PCD battery to a PCD docking station battery, and powering the PCD and the PCD docking station from the PCD docking station battery. Further, the method may include determining whether a PCD battery power equals a charge condition and charging the PCD battery when the PCD battery power equals the charge condition. The method may also include monitoring a PCD docking station battery power, determining whether the PCD docking station battery power equals a warning condition, and transmitting a first warning when the PCD docking station battery power equals the warning condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas Kevin Collopy, Manjit Singh Gill, Ronald J. Tessitore, Luis Pineda
  • Patent number: 8653786
    Abstract: A battery-powered lawn mower includes a deck, a latch assembly, a battery, a motor and a blade. The deck is supported by wheels and defines a pocket. The latch assembly is coupled to the deck and is movable between a locked position and a fully opened position. The battery is secured within the pocket by the latch assembly in a first configuration and is removable from the pocket in a second configuration. The motor is supported by the deck and electrically coupled to the battery in the first configuration. The blade is coupled to the deck and driven by the motor. During operation, the battery powers the motor to drive the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Florin Baetica, Richard P. Rosa, P. Wade Mooney
  • Patent number: 8653787
    Abstract: A method is provided for identifying a battery pack that is operably coupled to a battery charger. The method comprises: measuring voltage at a plurality of designated terminals of a first battery pack while the battery pack is coupled to the battery charger; determining how many of the designated terminals are connected to a reference voltage, such as battery positive; and identifying an attribute of the battery pack based on how many of the designated terminals are connected to the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Black & Decker, Inc.
    Inventors: Regina G. C. Cunanan, Frank J. Delose, Bhanuprasad V. Gorti, Geoffrey S. Howard, Aziz Iqbal, Matt J. Velderman, Daniel J. White
  • Patent number: 8653788
    Abstract: A charging cable includes a charging connector configured to be connectable to a vehicular inlet. The charging connector includes a lock button for locking the charging connector onto the charging inlet; a limit switch configured to be switchable, according to an operation onto the lock button, between a first state in which a control pilot wire and a ground wire are connected to each other and a second state in which a cable connection signal wire and the ground wire are connected to each other; and a lighting device configured to be capable of being driven according to a signal in a signal wire connected via a limit switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomokazu Masuda
  • Patent number: 8653789
    Abstract: A battery charger including a converter unit, a terminal adaptor, a cable, a battery, and/or multiple power connectors. A terminal, such as an electronic device, can be connected to the converter unit using the cable or directly to the converter unit without the cable. The converter unit determines when to draw power from an external power and when to cease drawing power from the external power source by detecting a power enablement condition or a power disablement condition. The power disablement condition occurs when the terminal is fully charged, the terminal is disconnected from the converter unit, and/or a charge time of the terminal exceeds the predetermined charge time threshold. The power enablement condition occurs when the terminal is initially connected to the converter unit and/or the terminal needs to be charged. The battery supplies power to components of the converter unit and/or the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Superior Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: George Chen, Harry Mkhitarian, Samuel Sentosa, David P. Su
  • Patent number: 8653790
    Abstract: An electrical combination. The electrical combination comprises a battery pack configured to be interfaced with a hand held power tool, a control component, and a semiconducting switch. The transfer of power from the battery pack to the hand held power tool is controlled by the control component and the switch based on one of a battery pack state of charge and a respective state of charge of one of a plurality of battery cells. A discharge current of the battery pack is regulated based on the switch being controlled into one of a first state and a second state by the control component to selectively enable the transfer power from the plurality of battery cells to the hand held power tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Todd W. Johnson, Dennis J. Grzybowski, Mark A. Kubale, Jay J. Rosenbecker, Karl F. Scheucher, Gary D. Meyer, Jeffrey M. Zeiler, Kevin L. Glasgow
  • Patent number: 8653791
    Abstract: A charging cradle for an electronic game device incorporating a rechargeable battery includes a housing having first and second surfaces with a peripheral edge wall therebetween, the housing forming a substantially closed interior chamber. At least one port is provided in the peripheral edge wall adapted to receive a charging wire connector, the port electrically connected to charging contacts supported within the closed interior chamber and movable from a normal retracted position to a use extended position where tips of the contacts project from the housing. An actuator button on the first surface is operatively connected to the pair of charging ports, such that upon engaging the electronic game device with the first surface, the button is depressed, causing the pair of charging contacts to move to the extended position to engage corresponding charging ports on a peripheral edge of the electronic game device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Yoneyama, Hideki Arita, Yuko Zenri, Kumpei Fujita, Hideaki Kamata
  • Patent number: 8653792
    Abstract: An object is to reliably conduct cell balancing operation while suppressing deterioration of batteries and maintaining operating efficiency. When the cell balance control by the cell balancing circuit 3 is started, the system control device 30 sets an on/off device corresponding to the arm where the cell balance control is conducted to the open state; and when the cell balance control is completed, and the difference between the terminal voltage of a battery pack of the arm where the cell balance control has been conducted and the terminal voltages of the battery packs of the other arms falls within a preset allowable range, sets the on/off device, which has been in the open state, to the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Takehiko Nishida, Tetsuro Shigemizu, Katsuo Hashizaki, Kazuyuki Adachi, Shinji Murakami, Yoshihiro Wada, Kouji Kurayama, Hirofumi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8653793
    Abstract: A secondary battery system includes a secondary battery containing a positive electrode active material configured from lithium manganate having a spinel crystal structure and a negative electrode active material which undergoes a phase change when charging or discharging. The secondary battery system includes a dQ/dV calculation means (battery controller) for calculating dQ/dV, which is the ratio of the change (dQ) in the accumulated energy (Q) in the secondary battery with respect to the change (dV) in the voltage (V) of the secondary battery when charging or discharging the secondary battery, so as to determine the state of the secondary battery system on the basis of the peaks appearing on the V?dQ/dV curve, which expresses the relationship between the voltage (V) and dQ/dV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyoshi Ueki, Yasuyuki Tamane
  • Patent number: 8653794
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for estimating a voltage of a secondary battery which includes a cathode comprising a first cathode material and a second cathode material with different operating voltage ranges, an anode comprising an anode material and a separator for separating the cathode from the anode. The apparatus comprises a control unit configured to estimate a voltage of a secondary battery based on a circuit model including a first cathode material circuit, a second cathode material circuit and an anode material circuit, each circuit modeled to change its voltage according to State Of Charge (SOC) of the electrode material corresponding the circuit and a current flowing through the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Won-Tae Joe, Geun-Chang Chung, Sun-Young Cha
  • Patent number: 8653795
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a charger circuit. The charger circuit comprises a control circuit and at least two charging paths. The control circuit determines to activate or inactivate each charging path according to a battery feedback signal representing the charging status. Accordingly, the battery is charged by input power in an optimal way so that the charging efficiency is improved and the overheating problem is solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation, R.O.C.
    Inventors: Hsuan-Kai Wang, Nien-Hui Kung, Wei-I Li
  • Patent number: 8653796
    Abstract: A portable electronic device has a battery to provide power to operate the device, a connector including a power supply pin to be coupled to an external power supply, and a power manager having a battery charger circuit that draws power through the power supply pin to charge the battery. The power manager has a current limit feedback control loop that limits the drawn current in accordance with a predetermined output current rating of the external power supply. The power manager automatically changes the behavior of its control loop to stabilize operation of the coupled external power supply. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Ching Yu John Tam
  • Patent number: 8653797
    Abstract: A synchronous electrical machine comprises a plurality of phases and detecting means arranged to detect an open-circuit fault in at least one of the phases of the synchronous electrical machine. Isolating means is arranged to isolate the at least one phase of the synchronous electrical machine with the fault. Phase shift means are arranged to produce a controlled phase shift between the voltage and the current within the remaining phases of the synchronous electrical machine so as to adjust the phase angle of the second harmonic powers produced by the remaining phases of the synchronous electrical machine such that the vector sum of the second harmonic power vectors of the remaining phases of the synchronous electrical machine is zero to eliminate torque ripple. The phase shift means is arranged to adjust the phase angle of all the remaining phases by the same predetermined angle to maximize the torque ripple-free power output of the synchronous electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: John J. A. Cullen, David R. Trainer, Stephen A. Long, Angus G. L. Moodie
  • Patent number: 8653798
    Abstract: A generator includes a rotor structure has a rotor frame that supports a rotor circuit. The rotor frame is electrically connected to the rotor circuit via a resistive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan A. Berry, Philip Gillingwater
  • Patent number: 8653799
    Abstract: A multilevel converter has a plurality of converter strands, which are connected to the phases of a three-phase-network in a star or delta connection. From phase voltage values and phase current values, an active component characteristic of the overall active current and two asymmetrical components characteristic of a distribution of the overall flowing active and reactive currents are determined. The active and the two asymmetrical components are each filtered and multiplied with the phase voltage values and the two filtered asymmetrical components. The multiplied values are then weighed and added to the phase current values. From the asymmetrical components and the phase voltage values, a zero current is determined and added to the phase current values such that it symmetrizes a potential asymmetrical active current flow that would occur without the zero current. From the modified phase current values, a control state for the converter strands is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hörger, Wolfgang Meusel
  • Patent number: 8653800
    Abstract: The step-up DC/DC converter (30) of the present invention has a synchronous rectifier transistor (M1); an output transistor (M2); a first back-gate control transistor (M3) connected between an external terminal (T2) and a back gate of the synchronous rectifier transistor (M1); a discharge transistor (M6) connected between the external terminal (T2) and a ground terminal; and a control unit (X1) for controlling the on/off state of the components described above. The control unit (X1) switches off the first back-gate control transistor (M3) and switches on the discharge transistor (M6) when stopping the switching operation of the output transistor (M2) and the synchronous rectifier transistor (M1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takatsugu Wachi, Masashi Nagasato, Yuki Iwata
  • Patent number: 8653801
    Abstract: A boost circuit is used for power factor correction (PFC). In a low power application, transition mode control is utilized. However, switching frequency varies with different input voltages, and over a wide input voltage range, the switching frequency can become too high to be practical. To address this issue, a boost circuit is provided whose effective inductance changes as a function of input voltage. By changing the inductance, control is exercised over switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianwen Shao, Thomas L. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 8653802
    Abstract: A chopper circuit includes an input unit that inputs a main turn-on signal for turning on a main switching element and an auxiliary turn-on signal for turning on an auxiliary switching element; and a prohibiting unit that prohibits the main switching element from turning on unless the auxiliary turn-on signal is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiko Hasegawa, Kota Manabe, Toshihiko Minamii
  • Patent number: 8653803
    Abstract: A voltage generation circuit includes a voltage detection circuit that generates a detection voltage according to an output voltage, a reference voltage generation circuit that generates a reference voltage which changes periodically, a comparison circuit that generates a control signal according to a result of a comparison between the detection voltage and the reference voltage, wherein control pulses each having a pulse width according to the detection voltage are sequentially appeared in the control signal, and a driving pulse generation circuit that generates a driving pulse corresponding to the control pulse and supplies the generated driving pulse to a transistor connected to a DC power source when the pulse width of the control pulse exceeds a predetermined width, and stops generating the driving pulse when the pulse width of the control pulse becomes smaller than the predetermined width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiro Kawagishi, Nobuaki Tsuji, Toshio Maejima
  • Patent number: 8653804
    Abstract: A discontinuous conduction current mode maximum power limitation photovoltaic converter connects to a ground and a solar cell having a temperature compensation signal and an output power and being solarized and includes a direct current/direct current voltage converter and a maximum power control circuit. The direct current/direct current voltage converter connects to the solar cell, includes an input terminal and an output terminal, offers a stable voltage and has an output voltage signal and an inner current. The maximum power control circuit connects to the direct current/direct current voltage converter and the solar cell, controls the direct current/direct current voltage converter to limit the output power of the solar cell to maximum and includes a temperature compensation feedback circuit, an output voltage feedback circuit, a current detection circuit and a main control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: National Cheng-Kung University
    Inventors: Ray-Lee Lin, Hong-Zhi Jhou
  • Patent number: 8653805
    Abstract: A duty ratio/voltage conversion circuit that converts the duty ratio of an input signal into voltage level and outputs the voltage level includes: an input terminal to which the input signal is input; a first CR integrating circuit that integrates the input signal; a load resistor a first end of which is connected to an output point of the first CR integrating circuit, and a second end of which is grounded; and an output terminal connected to the load resistor. The first CR integrating circuit includes a first pathway that has a first resistor, and a second pathway in which a phase inversion portion, a second resistor and a first capacitor are connected in series, and is a parallel circuit in which first and second ends of the first pathway are connected to first and second ends, respectively, of the second pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Koichi Mizutani, Shoji Abo, Kouichi Yamanoue
  • Patent number: 8653806
    Abstract: In accordance with a bandgap circuit and a method of starting the bandgap circuit, a start signal is continuously supplied to a differential amplifier circuit to start up the differential amplifier circuit that controls a bandgap core circuit until the differential amplifier circuit has started up, and then the supply of the start signal to the differential amplifier circuit is discontinued after the differential amplifier circuit has started up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: Akira Ide
  • Patent number: 8653807
    Abstract: Techniques for ion beam current measurement, especially for measuring low energy ion beam current, are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an ion beam current measurement apparatus has at least a planar Faraday cup and a magnet device. The planar Faraday cup is close to an inner surface of a chamber wall, and may be non-parallel to or parallel to the inner surface. The magnet device is located close to the planar Faraday cup. Therefore, by properly adjusting the magnetic field, secondary electrons, incoming electrons and low energy ions may be adequately suppressed. Further, the planar Faraday cup may surround an opening of an additional Faraday cup being any conventional Faraday cup. Therefore, the whole ion beam may be received and measured well by the larger cross-section area of at least the planar Faraday cup on the ion beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Ion Beam Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter M Kopalidis, Zhimin Wan
  • Patent number: 8653808
    Abstract: Method for frequency detection and detecting variation of frequency is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. First of all, a pointer is provided over an electromagnetic position detection apparatus, wherein the pointer emits an electromagnetic signal with a frequency f1. Next a base integration signal is generated according to the integration of the electromagnetic signal with the frequency f1 for a current integration period x. Then a current integration signal is generated according to the integration of the electromagnetic signal with the frequency f1 for the current integration period x and a predetermined electromagnetic signal with a predetermined frequency f0 for the predetermined integration period y. Finally, a frequency variation value ?f between the frequency f1 and a current frequency fc is calculated and obtained according to the current integration signal and the base integration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Waltop International Corporation
    Inventors: Yun-Hsiang Yeh, Chang-Sian Chen
  • Patent number: 8653809
    Abstract: A multi-state indicator comprises a voltage generator, for generating M voltages, with M being an integer larger than 3; and a multi-state detector, coupled to the voltage generator, for receiving M voltages, having a voltage input end for receiving an input voltage to generate an indication signal whereby the indication signal is capable of indicating the input voltage with reference to the M voltages. Unlike the prior art, a multi-state detector having level shifters according to the present invention alleviates problems of static currents and over-large areas for circuits implementing typical differential comparators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Chun Wen Yeh