Patents Issued in May 2, 2017
  • Patent number: 9640969
    Abstract: An arc fault circuit interrupter includes: an insulating casing, electrical input terminals and electrical output terminals, first and second electrical path connected between the electrical input terminals and electrical output terminals, and a movement mechanism. The movement mechanism includes: first and second moving contact arms, electrically coupled to the first and second electrical paths, respectively; a control circuit board; an arc detection mechanism, electrically coupled to the control circuit board, for detecting an arc signal and causing the control circuit board to generate a trip signal; a tripping mechanism, electrically coupled to the control circuit board, for receiving the trip signal to disconnect the electrical coupling between the first moving contact arm and the first electrical path and/or the electrical coupling between the second moving contact arm and the second electrical path. The device can immediately cut off the power when detecting an arc signal to prevent fire hazard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Chengli LI
    Inventor: Chengli LI
  • Patent number: 9640970
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an overvoltage-protection device for protecting a high-frequency terminal from overvoltage. Overvoltages can be compensated by a coil arrangement, which includes coils electrically in series with different, increasing inductances. The end of the relatively thinner coil is connected to the high-frequency terminal of a circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ROHDE & SCHWARZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Fluhrer, Thomas Gutsche
  • Patent number: 9640971
    Abstract: A circuit interrupter includes phase and neutral conductive paths between a line side and a load side of the circuit interrupter. Differential and ground/neutral transformers are coupled to the phase and neutral paths. A circuit interrupter chip is coupled to the phase and neutral conductive paths, and to respective fault inputs from the transformers. A calibration circuit including a calibration resistor is coupled to a circuit interrupter controller. An interrupter circuit is configured to open the phase and neutral paths when a predetermined ground fault current condition is sensed. The circuit interrupter controller is configured to perform a self-calibration function to adjust a ground fault current trip-time response to maintain the ground fault current trip-time response within a predetermined range. Methods for using the self-calibrating circuit interrupter are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Mario Angelides
  • Patent number: 9640972
    Abstract: A power circuit is described that includes a switch coupled to a resistive-inductive-capacitive load and a driver coupled to the switch. The driver is configured to detect an emergency event within the power circuit. After detecting the emergency event within the power circuit, the driver is further configured to perform a controlled emergency switch-off operation of the switch to minimize the maximum temperature of the switch during the detected emergency event and switch-off operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Kreuter, Christian Djelassi, Markus Ladurner, Robert Illing
  • Patent number: 9640973
    Abstract: A hybrid high-voltage DC breaker, consists of a plurality of completely identical breaker modules connected in series. Each of the breaker modules comprises a main current circuit, a transfer current circuit, an over-voltage limiting circuit and a control system, wherein a high-speed mechanical switch, the transfer current circuit and the over-voltage limiting circuit are connected in parallel. The transfer current circuit consists of circuits 1-4, wherein the circuit 1 and the circuit 4 are connected in series at first and then connected with the main current circuit in parallel; a pre-charged capacitor is connected with the circuit 4 in parallel after being connected with the circuit 3 in series; and, one end of the circuit 2 is connected with the left end of the main current circuit while the other end thereof is connected with a connection point of the pre-charged capacitor and the circuit 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Mingzhe Rong, Yi Wu, Chunping Niu, Yifei Wu, Hao Sun, Fei Yang
  • Patent number: 9640974
    Abstract: A DC circuit breaker including a pair of arcing contact members for holding an arc, an interaction element, adapted for interacting with the arc in dependence of whether the arc is in a first or second state such that the arc voltage drop in the first state is lower than the drop in the second state, a resonance branch coupled in parallel to the contact members thereby forming a resonance circuit adapted for letting a resonance branch current Ir oscillate thereby inducing oscillations of an arc current Ia, wherein the resonance branch includes a coupling element for coupling the resonance branch with the arc, such that the arc is brought to the first state when the current Ir in the resonance branch has a first direction, and that the arc is brought to the second state when the current Ir in the resonance branch has a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Markus Abplanalp, Rudolf Gati
  • Patent number: 9640975
    Abstract: A circuit interrupting device having an auto-monitoring circuit for periodically testing various functions and structures of the device. The auto-monitoring circuit initiates an auto-monitoring routine which, among other things, generates a self-test fault condition and determines whether the detection mechanisms within the device properly detect the self-test fault. A test fault circuit is configured to generate one or more test pulses that cause the self-test fault condition and the test pulses are generated to occur outside of an active region of the fault detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen Simonin
  • Patent number: 9640976
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer overvoltage protection system is provided. The system includes a resonant receiving circuit. The resonant receiving circuit includes an inductor, a resonant capacitor and a first switching device. The first switching device is connected the ends of the inductor. The first switching device has a first state in which the ends of the inductor are electrically coupled to each other through the first switching device, and a second state in which the inductor and resonant capacitor are capable of resonating. The system further includes a control module configured to control the first switching device to switching between the first state and the second state when the resonant receiving circuit is charging a load and a preset condition is satisfied and otherwise, the first switching device is maintained in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Paul H. Chambon, Perry T. Jones, John M. Miller, Omer C. Onar, Lixin Tang, Clifford P. White
  • Patent number: 9640977
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a leakage current detecting circuit-breaker with a flexible shield cord, which comprises a detection circuit, a trigger circuit and a tripping mechanism. The detection circuit comprises a flexible shield cord, a zero sequence current transformer and diodes connected in series. The flexible shield cord comprises a foil wrapped around outer insulating layers of a live line and a neutral line and a tinned copper wire between the outer insulating layers and the foil. The flexible shield cord senses an abnormal or fault signal of a power line, and the zero sequence current transformer amplifies the abnormal or fault signal to such an extent as to trigger the trigger circuit. The diodes comprise a fifth diode and a sixth diode; anodes of the fifth diode and the sixth diode are connected to each other, and cathodes of the fifth diode and the sixth diode are respectively connected to the live line and the neutral line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Hunan Xiangyi Railroad Locomotive Electric Equip
    Inventors: Suhong Li, Yunxiang Wu
  • Patent number: 9640978
    Abstract: A protective circuit for an inverter is disclosed, the protective circuit comprising a safety element, a switching arrangement, and a control circuit, with the safety element being arranged in a feed line to the power element, and the switching device being switched to the safety element such that the switching arrangement bridges the safety element when the switching arrangement is in a conducting state. The control circuit is embodied such that it, upon receipt of one control pulse or several successive control pulses, emits a switching signal to a switching arrangement for a predetermined period of time, with the switching arrangement being switched through in case of periodic receipt of the control pulses and with the absence of the control pulse opening the switching arrangement after a predetermined period of time, and triggering a protection of the inverter by the safety element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ZIEHL-ABEGG SE
    Inventors: Marco Schnell, Samuel Werner, Dirk Nowosad
  • Patent number: 9640979
    Abstract: A superconducting element (1) has a metallic substrate (2), an insulating layer (3), a superconductor layer (5) and a metallic protective layer (6), wherein the insulating layer (3) is arranged between the substrate (2) and the superconductor layer (5). In cross-section of the superconducting element (1), the insulating layer (3) extends at both ends past the area (BSL) of the substrate (2) covered by the superconductor layer (5) to galvanically separate the superconductor layer (5) and the metallic protective layer (6) from the substrate (2). The thickness D of the insulating layer (3) is selected in such a fashion that the superconducting element (1) has a transverse breakdown voltage between the metallic substrate (2) and both the superconductor layer (5) as well as the metallic protective layer (6) of at least 25 V. The superconducting element has a reduced risk of being damaged in case of a quench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Bruker H I S GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Usoskin
  • Patent number: 9640980
    Abstract: A power interrupting device has: an output terminal connected to a load; interruption circuits connected in parallel between a power source and the output terminal; and a control device controlling each interruption circuit. Each interruption circuit has: a switch element connected between the power source and an intermediate node, and ON/OFF controlled by an interruption signal output from the control device; and a rectifier connected such that a forward direction thereof is from the intermediate node to the output terminal. The control device sets the interruption circuits as a diagnosis target circuit in turn. The control device sets the interruption signal output to each interruption circuit such that the switch element of the diagnosis target circuit is OFF. Moreover, the control device determines, based on a voltage of the intermediate node of the diagnosis target circuit, whether an abnormality occurs in the diagnosis target circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masataka Ieda, Shuya Sano
  • Patent number: 9640981
    Abstract: A frequency-conversion differential protection method for an output transformer of a static frequency convertor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: NR Electric Co., Ltd., NR Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Chen, Quanrong Shen, Wei Yan, Huimin Wang, Kai Wang, Huazhong Li
  • Patent number: 9640982
    Abstract: An over-voltage protection system includes an electronic valve connected across two terminals of a circuit and an over-voltage detection circuit connected across one of the plurality of semiconductor devices for detecting an over-voltage across the circuit. The electronic valve includes a plurality of semiconductor devices connected in series. The over-voltage detection circuit includes a voltage divider circuit connected to a break-over diode in a way to provide a representative low voltage to the break-over diode and an optocoupler configured to receive a current from the break-over diode when the representative low voltage exceeds a threshold voltage of the break-over diode indicating an over-voltage condition. The representative low voltage provided to the break-over diode represents a voltage across the one semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Song Chi, Dong Dong, Rixin Lai
  • Patent number: 9640983
    Abstract: A bidirectional hybrid breaker comprises a main current circuit, a transfer current circuit, an over-voltage limiting circuit and a control system, wherein the main current circuit, the transfer current circuit and the over-voltage limiting circuit are connected in parallel. The transfer current circuit consists of circuits 1-4, wherein the circuit 1 and the circuit 4 are connected in series at first and then connected with the main current circuit in parallel; a pre-charged capacitor is connected with the circuit 4 in parallel after being connected with the circuit 3 in series; and, one end of the circuit 2 is connected with the left end of the main current circuit while the other end thereof is connected with a connection point of the pre-charged capacitor and the circuit 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Fei Yang, Mingzhe Rong, Yi Wu, Yifei Wu, Hao Sun, Chunping Niu
  • Patent number: 9640984
    Abstract: A current limiting device for a power grid includes a first current limiting reactor; a first smart fast switch connected with the first current limiting reactor in parallel; a current transformer sleeved on a bus bar located on one side of a circuit resulting from the parallel connection of the first current limiting reactor with the first smart fast switch to monitor the current in the bus bar in real time; and a controller connected with the current transformer to control the switch-off of the first smart fast switch when the current in the bus bar is higher than a first preset value and the switch-on of the first smart fast switch when the current in the bus bar is smaller than a second preset value, wherein the first preset value is higher than the second preset value. The current limiting device improves the operational reliability of a power grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: STATE GRID NINGXIA ELECTRIC POWER TECHNICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ANHUI HUIDIAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shaogui Al, Chuan Wang, Yongning Huang, Yiping Fan, Guoyong Zhang, Yanjun Li, Ning Pan, Shuang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9640985
    Abstract: A circuit breaker comprising a superconducting fault current limiter and a circuit breaker module, wherein the superconducting fault current limiter and the circuit breaker module are connected in series. The circuit breaker module includes a disconnector, a first semiconductor switch unit, and a second semiconductor switch unit, wherein the disconnector is connected in series with the first semiconductor switch unit, and also connected in series with the superconducting fault current limiter, and the second semiconductor switch unit is connected in parallel with the disconnector and first semiconductor switch unit that are connected in series. The circuit breaker can quickly and securely interrupt a circuit when an overcurrent fault occurs on the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Fei Xu, Wenqiang Yang
  • Patent number: 9640986
    Abstract: A telecommunications system uses a breakout device to connect a primary power cable to different secondary power cables that connect to different remote radio units (RRUs). For example, the breakout device may include a power distribution terminal that connects ?48 VDC and return power lines in the primary power cable to different ?48 VDC and return power lines in the secondary power cables. In another example, the breakout device may connect a hybrid cable that includes both power lines and fiber optic lines. A surge protection system may be located in the breakout device to protect the RRUs and other electrical device from power surges. Alternatively, the surge protection system may be located in jumper power cables connected between the breakout device and the RRUs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: RAYCAP INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LTD.
    Inventors: Zafiris Politis, Fani Asimakopoulou, Kostas Bakatsias, Charis Coletti
  • Patent number: 9640987
    Abstract: A discharge circuit for an electronic device includes an energy storage element, a plurality of switches and a plurality of discharge paths coupled to the energy storage element and the switches. If a system power of the electronic device is turned off, a first switch of the switches conducts a first discharge path of the discharge paths, and the energy storage element is discharged through the first discharge path. In response that a voltage of the energy storage element drops to a first threshold, a second switch of the switches conducts a second discharge path of the discharge paths, and the energy storage element is discharged through the first discharge path and the second discharge path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Hsing-Lu Chen
  • Patent number: 9640988
    Abstract: Approaches for a comparative ESD protection scheme are provided. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamping circuit includes: a discharge field effect transistor (FET) connected between a power supply node and ground; and a comparator that receives a divided power supply voltage at a first input and a reference voltage at a second input. The comparator outputs a first value that turns the discharge FET on when the divided power supply voltage is greater than the reference voltage. The comparator outputs a second value that turns the discharge FET off when the divided power supply voltage is less than or equal to the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: John J. Ellis-Monaghan, Alain Loiseau
  • Patent number: 9640989
    Abstract: A system for controlling the operation of isolation transistors in high power Power over Ethernet (PoE) networks to achieve greater power delivery to a load is disclosed. In one or more implementations, the system includes a first power over Ethernet (PoE) powered device controller configured to control power supply to a load, and a second PoE powered device controller coupled to the load and to the first PoE powered device controller. The second PoE powered device controller is connected to the first PoE powered device controller using a shared connection interface and is configured to control power supply to the load. The shared connection interface is configured to synchronize the first PoE powered device controller and the second PoE powered device controller to deliver power at least substantially contemporaneously to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Mauro Ranzato, Andrea Vigna, Gaoling Zou, Thong A. Huynh, Gianluca Mariano
  • Patent number: 9640990
    Abstract: An exemplary power supply module for distribution automation includes a manner of connecting an input power source to a power supply module and connecting an output of the power supply module to external devices, a manner of regulating, a rectification module generating output DC voltage, a transformer having a primary side connected with the regulating component and one or more power input power sources, and a secondary side connected to the rectification module, a manner of voltage feedback means for providing a voltage feedback signal to the regulating component to regulate the output DC voltage, and a load share control module having a load share signal for controlling load sharing for the power supply module. The power supply module includes a filter amplifier for conditioning the voltage feedback signal, where the filter amplifier is connected in the secondary side of the transformer for reducing noise in the power supply module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Patel B. Hardik
  • Patent number: 9640991
    Abstract: A method and device for generating a power supply voltage (Vf), referenced to a first reference potential (4), in an electronic system including an energizing source (3) connected to the first and second reference potentials (4, 5) so as to impart an AC voltage differential between the reference potentials (4, 5), wherein the device includes: (i) a source (10) for supplying AC voltage, which is referenced to the second reference potential (5), connected to the first reference potential (4), and encompasses the energizing source (3); and (ii) rectifying and filtering elements (1) connected, at the input thereof, to the first reference potential (4) and to the source (10) for supplying AC voltage, respectively, so as to generate, at an output (8), a power supply voltage (Vf) referenced to the first reference potential (4) by rectifying a voltage at the terminals of the source (10) for supplying AC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: QUICKSTEP TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Christophe Blondin, Christian Neel, Didier Roziere
  • Patent number: 9640992
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for initializing electrical devices based on a voltage level. The voltage level may be modified to a particular setting based on the availability of power supply components, such as AC to DC rectifiers. Depending upon the availability of the power supply components, a control system may alter output voltage to a particular level. The components receiving power may be coupled to voltage dividers, where the voltage dividers are configured to modify an input voltage to cause or prevent the input voltage from rising above an initialization level for the particular component. The output voltage may be set by the control system such that a number of components that experience a voltage rise above an initialization threshold correspond to the number of available power supply components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Shane R. Nay, Maire Mahony
  • Patent number: 9640993
    Abstract: A control unit with data analyzer is connected to database and configured to receive user inputs such as time driven mode, supply driven mode and automatic mode and operate the system with respect to the selected mode, tariff opted and user input commands, and signals the storage unit to get charged from the input source or to supply power to all the lines or to the selected lines from storage unit. The control unit during the time when energy prices are less, signals to charge the storage unit and supplies power to all appliances through the input source and during the time when energy prices are more, signals to shut off the non critical loads and utilize the charged power from storage unit to selected lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS
    Inventor: Rohit Pai
  • Patent number: 9640994
    Abstract: Three phase power flow analysis of an unbalanced power distribution system decouples voltage changes resulting from nodal admittance matrix into one contribution from a real part, conductance matrix, and other contribution from an imaginary part, and a susceptance matrix. A first voltage change and second voltage change resulting from conductance and susceptance matrices are determined respectively. The voltages of a node of the power distribution system are determined as a combination of first and second voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongbo Sun, Anamika Dubey
  • Patent number: 9640995
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a converter having an AC side and a DC side, a switch adapted to be connected to a transmission line on a first side and connected to a load on a second side connected to the AC side, an energy storage device, connected to the DC side. In a first operating mode, the switch is closed, such that an energy storage current flows to/from the energy storage device to charge/discharge the energy storage device, respectively. In a second operating mode, the switch is open, preventing current from flowing from the transmission line to the converter, and the energy storage device supplies a direct current which is converted to an alternating current by the converter. In the first operating mode, the apparatus is configured such that power transfer on the transmission line corresponds to a surge impedance loading of the transmission line, by affecting the energy storage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventor: Stefan Thorburn
  • Patent number: 9640996
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric power supply system which has: a common power source which stores and supplies a power via a local power grid; and a distributed power source which supplies a power to buildings and a surplus to the common power source. The electric power supply system further includes a first power meter measuring the amount of power supplied from a commercial power source, a second power meter measuring the amount of power received from and supplied to the common power source via the local power grid, and a distribution control device which distributes a power from the common power source to the area based on the amounts of power as measured by the first power meter and the second power meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Takehara, Kenji Nakakita
  • Patent number: 9640997
    Abstract: A power grid of renewable sources is stabilized. Inverters for connecting power sources, such as wind turbines, batteries, or photovoltaics, to a grid are used to damp grid oscillations. The damping is distributed to the inverters, but based on measurements for the grid rather than local measurements. The control of the damping is based on grid wide analysis, and the damping is performed proportionately by already existing inverters distributed throughout the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Corporation
    Inventors: Divya Kurthakoti Chandrashekhara, Yaosuo Xue
  • Patent number: 9640998
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer readable media for providing AC power over a computer network (e.g., Ethernet) are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Dawson
  • Patent number: 9640999
    Abstract: A technique with which a change in power frequency can be suppressed. A power system stabilizer issues a control command to a first storage battery among a plurality of first power generators and the first storage battery that are connected to an isolated island system via a first tie-line. The power system stabilizer includes a parameter determination unit and a control block unit. The parameter determination unit obtains, on the basis of operation information, a rate-of-change limit value that indicates a limit to be imposed on a total value of changes in the overall output of first power generators in operation. The control block unit generates a command value to be given to the first storage battery on the basis of an interconnection point power flow value measured on the first tie-line and the rate-of-change limit value obtained by the parameter determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kojima, Yusuke Takaguchi, Masanobu Koshio, Marta Marmiroli
  • Patent number: 9641000
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first nonlinear element, an differential amplifier that generates a differential signal from a signal output by the first nonlinear element; a first and second insulating elements that are connected to a non-inverting signal output terminal and an inverting signal output terminal of the differential amplifier, respectively; first to third nonlinear elements each outputting a first logic level if the received signal is equal to or larger than a given threshold value, and outputting a second logic level if the received signal is smaller than the given threshold value; and a logic circuit that outputs the logic level output by the second nonlinear element if the logic levels output by the second and third nonlinear elements are different from each other, and makes the logic level of the output signal unchangeable when the second and third nonlinear elements output the same logic level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Moribayashi
  • Patent number: 9641001
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes a power receiving means for wirelessly receiving power, a detection means for detecting whether the electronic apparatus is in a predetermined state, a load means supplied with power from the power receiving means, and a control means that performs control so a second power is supplied from the power receiving means to the load means if the detection means detects that the electronic apparatus is in the predetermined state and a first power is supplied from the power receiving means to the load means, wherein the second power is lower than the first power, and the control means further performs control so the first power is supplied from the power receiving means to the load means if the detection means detects the electronic apparatus is in a state different from the predetermined state and the supplied power is reduced to a predetermined power value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Iori Aikawa
  • Patent number: 9641002
    Abstract: A battery management system includes a master control unit coupled to a plurality of batteries, at least one battery status unit providing data on the status the batteries and a power determination unit providing a measure of the power draw required from the batteries. The master control unit controls the batteries to activate only the number to meet the required power draw. The power determination unit can determine the maximum safe power to a device coupled to the batteries, the master control unit then activating a number of batteries having a combined power capacity not exceeding the safe maximum power. The system allows for a large number of batteries to be coupled to an electrical device and for these to be controlled so as not to produce a current which is too high for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: PAG LTD.
    Inventor: John Paul Lavender
  • Patent number: 9641003
    Abstract: A method of controlling a switch circuit which includes n (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 3) switching units configured to respectively connect n storage batteries, which are connected in series, with n coils, wherein the n storage batteries have respective potential differences between opposite ends thereof, the method includes the step of: controlling the switching units corresponding to k (k is a natural number wherein 1<k<n) storage batteries, which are secondary batteries other than a secondary battery having the largest potential difference among the potential differences of the n storage batteries, to connect the k storage batteries with respective k coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masami Takai
  • Patent number: 9641004
    Abstract: Systems and methods for balancing charge of battery cells of a battery pack are disclosed. In one example, battery cell balancing may be improved by balancing battery cells of a battery cell stack simultaneously. The system and method may be particularly useful battery packs that may be constructed with battery cell stacks that vary in a number of series battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: John H. Floros, Paul W. Firehammer
  • Patent number: 9641005
    Abstract: An electric power supply system is provided. The electric power supply system includes charge and discharge devices capable of performing a system interconnection to charge and discharge a power system. At least one of the charge and discharge devices is capable of performing a simulated system operation of supplying electric power of constant power and constant frequency to the power system when an abnormality occurs in a commercial power supply. According to a check result on a state of charge of an electricity storage, electric power supplied from a distributed power supply, and consumption power in a load, the electric power supply system can simultaneously charge or discharge electricity storages of the charge and discharge devices, and preferentially charges the electricity storage of the charge and discharge device performing the simulated system operation, and preferentially discharges the electricity storage of the charge and discharge device performing the system interconnection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shizuo Tsuchiya, Atsushi Mise
  • Patent number: 9641006
    Abstract: A battery pack (10) includes a plurality of battery cells (100), a measurement unit (measurement unit (200)), and a battery control unit (battery control unit (400)). The plurality of battery cells 100 are connected in series to each other. The measurement unit (200) measures voltages of the battery cells (100). The battery control unit (400) controls discharge of the battery cells (100) on the basis of the voltages measured by the measurement unit (200). In addition, when the battery cells (100) perform the discharge, the battery control unit (400) specifies a minimum voltage cell in which the voltage is lowest on the basis of the voltages measured by the measurement unit (200). Further, before the minimum voltage cell is over-discharged, the battery control unit (400) outputs a first signal for reducing a discharge current in the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: NEC ENERGY DEVICES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tadahiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9641007
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes detecting insertion of a mobile device into a cradle of a computer. The mobile device includes one or more device edges each having device coupling hardware. The cradle includes one or more cradle edges each having cradle coupling hardware. Each of the one or more device edges is configured to couple to a corresponding cradle edge of the one or more cradle edges, through connecting the device coupling hardware of the device edge with the cradle coupling hardware of the cradle edge. Communications are transmitted between a first device edge, of the one or more device edges, and a first cradle edge, of the one or more cradle edges, responsive to detecting the insertion. The communications are interpreted, by a computer processor, to utilize a touchscreen of the mobile device as a trackpad for the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eli M. Dow, James P. Gilchrist, Steven K. Schmidt, Charles J. Stocker
  • Patent number: 9641008
    Abstract: A rapid charging device for a battery includes a filtering stage of resistive-inductive-capacitive type to be connected to a three-phase network, a buck stage, a boost stage to be connected to the battery, an induction winding interposed between the buck stage and the boost stage, and a regulating unit capable of imposing chopping duty cycles on the buck stage and on the boost stage. The regulating unit compensates the phase shift induced by the filtering stage between the currents and the voltages taken from each phase of the three-phase network and also maintains the value of the current amplitude passing through the winding above a non-zero predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventors: Mehdi Gati, Ahmed Ketfi-Cherif
  • Patent number: 9641009
    Abstract: A charging device includes charging power detection unit and full charge determination unit. The charging device further includes charging control unit adapted to repeatedly execute a additional charging control until the number of times of the full charge determination reaches a predetermined full charge determination count. The charging device further includes unit adapted to detect the temperature of the secondary battery, and full charge determination count setting unit adapted to set a larger full charge determination count as the temperature decreases at least based on the temperature of the secondary battery when the full charge determination is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Takano, Tsutomu Soga
  • Patent number: 9641010
    Abstract: A charger includes a power obtaining unit and a power transfer unit. The power obtaining unit charges a first power storage device with a voltage supplied from outside. The power transfer unit transfers power stored in the first power storage device to a second power storage device so as to store the power in the second power storage device. The power transfer unit includes a voltage decrease reduction unit. The voltage decrease reduction unit reduces voltage decrease of the first power storage device per transfer of the power from the first power storage device to the second power storage device. The second power storage device has a capacitance larger than the first power storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masami Yuyama
  • Patent number: 9641011
    Abstract: A battery control device capable of carrying out current limitation in consideration of constraints on other components than a battery main body is provided. A battery control device according to the invention has an average current table describing an average current allowed for each of plural time window widths, and limits a battery current in accordance with the description.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keiichiro Ohkawa, Ryouhei Nakao, Youhei Kawahara
  • Patent number: 9641012
    Abstract: High voltage charging is aborted when it is detected that a transformer providing the high voltage charge is impaired and is providing an impedance that is too low. In one instance, a voltage for a battery that provides power to the transformer is measured when the battery is substantially unloaded and a voltage is later measured when the battery is loaded during the high voltage charge. A dynamic threshold voltage is computed based on a chosen threshold impedance representing the impedance of the transformer and based the substantially unloaded voltage and on an internal resistance of the battery. When the loaded voltage is less than the threshold voltage, then the high voltage charging is aborted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Lonny Cabelka, Yanina Grinberg, Troy Jenison
  • Patent number: 9641013
    Abstract: A method of balancing rack voltages of a battery pack having a plurality of racks includes (a) a voltage measurement step of measuring voltages of the racks, (b) a sorting step of sorting the racks in ascending powers based on the voltage values of the racks, (c) a comparison step of comparing a difference between a maximum voltage value and a minimum voltage value with a set voltage, (d) a charging/discharging count step of comparing the voltage values of the racks with a reference voltage to increase a charging or discharging count, and (e) a charging/discharging step of charging or discharging the racks according to the charging or discharging count. In a case in which, at step (c), the difference between the maximum voltage value and the minimum voltage value is lower than the set voltage, the racks are charged with the maximum voltage value without steps (d) and (c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Jongkook Lee, Hyunchul Lee, Jongmin Park
  • Patent number: 9641014
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes circuits and methods for controlling skin temperature of an electronic device. In one embodiment, a thermal sensor is configured on a case of a handheld electronic device. The thermal sensor is coupled to a battery charger having a current limit circuit. If the sensed temperature of the case increases above a threshold, a current limit is reduced to reduce current in the battery charger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Christian G Sporck, Giovanni Garcea, Shadi Hawawini, Todd R Sutton
  • Patent number: 9641015
    Abstract: A charging structure including a power supply device, a rechargeable battery and a charging management device is provided. The power supply device is configured to provide a system voltage. The charging management device is configured to switch a corresponding charging mode according to the voltage level of the positive end of the rechargeable battery. The charging management device stops charging action when a charging current for charging the rechargeable battery drops down to a pre-set current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chung-Chih Hung, Yi-An Chen
  • Patent number: 9641016
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission apparatus for high efficiency energy charging, includes a resonator configured to transmit power, and a power supply unit configured to supply power to the resonator. The apparatus further includes a first switching unit configured to connect the resonator to the power supply unit, and disconnect the resonator from the power supply unit, and a controller configured to control the first switching unit based on an amount of current flowing into the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Dankook University
    Inventors: Ui Kun Kwon, Sang Joon Kim, Seung Keun Yoon, Yeong Seok Ko, Shi Hong Park
  • Patent number: 9641017
    Abstract: A method of operating a wireless power transmission apparatus includes receiving, from a wireless power reception apparatus, information on an operating power of a micro control unit (MCU) of the wireless power reception apparatus and information on an output of a direct current-to-direct current (DC/DC) converter of the wireless power reception apparatus; determining whether a charging power is to be transmitted to the wireless power reception apparatus based on the received information on the output of DC/DC converter; and transmitting, to the wireless power reception apparatus, an MCU operating power calculated based on the received information on the operating power of the MCU in response to a determination that the charging power is not to be transmitted to the wireless power reception apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nam Yun Kim, Sang Wook Kwon, Hyuk Choon Kwon, Bong Chul Kim, Yun Kwon Park, Jae Hyun Park
  • Patent number: 9641018
    Abstract: A power receiving apparatus receives power wirelessly transmitted by a power transmission apparatus, and stores the received power. The power receiving apparatus includes a communication unit configured to transmit and receive a control signal in a wireless power transmission system. The power receiving apparatus switches a supply source of power to the communication unit when a power storage capacity is less than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Shichino