With Electronic Devices (logic Gates, Semi-conductors, Vacuum Tubes, Etc.) In Control Circuit Patents (Class 180/65.8)
  • Patent number: 11919571
    Abstract: An electric vehicle may include: a cowl; a charging lid disposed outward of the cowl in a vehicle width direction, and a charging cable disposed between the cowl and the charging lid. A drain hole is defined in a bottom wall of the cowl, the bottom wall of the cowl may include a first bottom wall portion and a second bottom wall portion, the first bottom wall portion is located more proximate to a central portion of the cowl than the second bottom wall portion, the second bottom wall portion is located between the first bottom wall portion and the drain hole and is adjacent to the drain hole, and an inclination angle of a surface of the second bottom wall portion is greater than an inclination angle of a surface of the first bottom wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Ryuno
  • Patent number: 11572060
    Abstract: A method may include distributing target torque to target engine torque of an engine and target motor torque of a motor according to a predetermined control logic according to driver demand torque, comparing torques which determines whether actual torques of the engine and the motor are smaller than the target engine torque and the target motor torque, comparing whether a time period during which a state where a state where the torque of the engine or the motor is insufficient is maintained is a predetermined reference time or more, determining that any one of the engine and the motor is failed, when the time during which a state where the state where the torque of the engine or the motor is insufficient is maintained is the reference time or more, and controlling limp-home which limits the target engine torque of the engine, the target motor torque of the motor, and the regenerative braking amount of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jin-Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 11437936
    Abstract: An outdoor power equipment includes multiple motors and a controller module. The motors include a first motor and a second motor. The first motor is structured to operate a first component of the outdoor power equipment and the second motor is structured to operate a second component of the outdoor power equipment. The controller module includes multiple motor controllers structured to communicate via a network communication bus with each other and operate the first motor and the second motor to operate the first component and the second component based on the communication via the network communication bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton, LLC
    Inventors: David Schulenberg, Jacob Schmalz
  • Patent number: 11433771
    Abstract: An electric travelling vehicle including: a motor controller configured to control an electric motor based on displacement of a steering operation part to a forward travel position, a neutral position, and a rearward travel position, a brake controller configured to bring an electromagnetic power-off brake into a released state or a braking state; and a travel state detector configured to detect a travelling state that is accompanied with the released state, a stopped state that is accompanied with the braking state, and a transit stopped state that is accompanied with the braking state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Matsuda, Hirokazu Ito, Yasuhiro Manji
  • Patent number: 11358486
    Abstract: A multi-pack battery system having at least first and second battery packs each with positive and negative terminals, and each with upper and lower switches respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals. The battery packs have a first voltage level, and are connectable in either series or parallel. A controller controls an ON/OFF state of the switches in response to input signals to select between two series charging modes, three parallel charging modes, and one or more propulsion modes. Some embodiments have a series propulsion mode. An electric powertrain system includes first and second power inverter modules (“PIMs”), an electrical load, front and rear electric machines connected to a respective one of the first and second PIMs, and the battery system. The powertrain system may selectively provide all-wheel, front-wheel, or rear-wheel drive capabilities in each of the various propulsion modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shifang Li, William T. Ivan, Brendan M. Conlon, Yue Fan
  • Patent number: 11358583
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, electric motors, an electric supercharger, a battery, and a controller. The controller determines whether to increase a total electric power supply amount to the electric motor and the electric supercharger from the battery based on a state of charge of the battery. When so determined, electric power supply promotion control is performed to increase the total electric power supply amount from the battery. In the electric power supply promotion control, the controller controls the electric power supply amount to the electric motors and the electric supercharger so as to maximize fuel save rate, which is the percentage of decrease of the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine relative to an increase in the total electric power supply amount from the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Takasu, Hiroshi Oyagi
  • Patent number: 11331981
    Abstract: This on-board air conditioner control device comprises: a PTC heater which is contained in a high-voltage circuit and generates heat by means of power supplied from a high-voltage battery; a micro-controller which is contained in a low-voltage circuit and controls the power supplied to the PTC heater from the high-voltage battery; a current detection sensor which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and outputs a voltage signal indicating a value for the current flowing through the PTC heater; a V/f conversion unit which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and converts the voltage signal outputted by the current detection sensor to a frequency signal; and a digital isolator which transmits the frequency signal to the micro-controller while preserving electrical insulation between the V/f conversion unit and the micro-controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Sato, Tomoyasu Osaki, Keiji Nagasaka, Ryota Kojima
  • Patent number: 11285784
    Abstract: This on-board air conditioner control device comprises: a PTC heater which is contained in a high-voltage circuit and generates heat by means of power supplied from a high-voltage battery; a micro-controller which is contained in a low-voltage circuit and controls the power supplied to the PTC heater from the high-voltage battery; a current detection sensor which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and outputs a voltage signal indicating a value for the current flowing through the PTC heater; a V/f conversion unit which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and converts the voltage signal outputted by the current detection sensor to a frequency signal; and a digital isolator which transmits the frequency signal to the micro-controller while preserving electrical insulation between the V/f conversion unit and the micro-controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Sato, Tomoyasu Osaki, Keiji Nagasaka, Ryota Kojima
  • Patent number: 11183856
    Abstract: A battery system includes a plurality of converters wherein each converter converts an electric power between a corresponding block of a plurality of blocks and an auxiliary battery. A first equalization control is a control for, when a vehicle is in a ReadyON state, operating a converter corresponding to a lower-voltage block, of at least one pair of blocks of the plurality of blocks having voltage variations exceeding a threshold value, such that the lower-voltage block is charged with an electric power supplied from the auxiliary battery. A second equalization control is a control for, when the vehicle is in a ReadyOFF state, operating a converter corresponding to a higher-voltage block, of at least one pair of blocks of the plurality of blocks having the voltage variations exceeding another threshold value, such that the auxiliary battery is charged with an electric power supplied from the higher-voltage block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiromasa Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11161424
    Abstract: A method and a vehicle electrical system having an inverter, an electrical energy store, an electrical machine and an AC transmission terminal. The inverter has first and second sides and is configured to transmit power between these sides. Two output terminals of the inverter are connected or connectable to the energy store on the first side of the inverter. At least two phase current terminals of the inverter are connected or connectable to the electrical machine on the second side of the inverter. At least one of the charging inputs of the vehicle electrical system is connectable to a respective inner motor phase of the electrical machine by a switching device controlled by a controller. The vehicle electrical system initially charges the electrical energy store with a first voltage, and then charges the electrical energy store with a second voltage, which second voltage is higher than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventors: Franz Pfeilschifter, Philip Brockerhoff, Martin Brüll, Matthias Töns, Edmund Schirmer, Paul-Markus Schweizer-Berberich
  • Patent number: 11159108
    Abstract: An electrical drive system for a vehicle. The system includes a plurality of electric propulsion motors and a plurality of corresponding inverter circuits. The system also includes an auxiliary motor for driving an auxiliary device located in the vehicle. The auxiliary motor is connected to the propulsion motors and is driven by the inverter circuits. The system does not include a separate inverter for driving the auxiliary motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: KARMA AUTOMOTIVE LLC
    Inventors: Lixin Tang, Geng Niu
  • Patent number: 11087924
    Abstract: The invention relates to a capacitor (1), particularly an intermediate circuit capacitor for a multiphase system, with a first voltage layer (11) and a second voltage layer (21), the first voltage layer (11) and the second voltage layer (21) forming an overlapping region (4) in which the first voltage layer (11) and the second voltage layer (21) are parallel to each other and arranged directly one above the other, at a distance from each other by means of a gap (5), on a base side (6) of the capacitor (1), with at least one capacitor structure (3) comprising at least one dielectric (2), arranged on an upper side (13) of the first voltage layer (11), facing away from the second voltage layer (21), the first voltage layer (11) being in electroconductive contact with a first terminal (15) of the capacitor structure (3) and the second voltage layer (21) being in electroconductive contact with a second terminal (25) of the capacitor structure (3) by means of a contacting element (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Kessler
  • Patent number: 11059472
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle includes a motor controller. The motor controller is capable of controlling a motor configured to generate a driving force of the vehicle, and switching between a first driving mode for driving the motor while using a continuous rated torque as an upper limit and a second driving mode for driving the motor while using a maximum rated torque as an upper limit, the continuous rated torque being lower than the maximum rated torque generatable by the motor. The motor controller drives the motor in the first driving mode in a case where a driver does not specify a driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Inventors: Fumiya Sato, Takeshi Yoneda
  • Patent number: 11046374
    Abstract: A method for operating a rotating-mass device and a rotating mass device of a two-wheeled vehicle are provided. The rotating-mass device includes first and second gyroscopic instruments, each with a cardanically mounted rotating-mass device suitable for generating torque about their respective rotation axes. Pivoting of the rotating-mass devices is coordinated to influence motion of the two-wheeled vehicle about three orthogonal vehicle axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Achim Gordner, Stephan Fischer, Josef Seidl
  • Patent number: 11037917
    Abstract: A semiconductor device module. The semiconductor device module may include a first substrate; and a semiconductor die assembly, disposed on the first substrate. The semiconductor die assembly may include a first semiconductor die, bonded to the first substrate; a second semiconductor die, disposed over the first semiconductor die; and an electrical connector, disposed between the first semiconductor die and the second semiconductor die, wherein the semiconductor die assembly comprises an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) die and a freewheeling diode die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Littelfuse, Inc.
    Inventor: Elmar Wisotzki
  • Patent number: 10974582
    Abstract: There is provided an electric vehicle including: a battery that is accommodated beneath a floor of an in-vehicle space portion; a temperature-adjustable storage unit that is accommodated in the in-vehicle space portion; a driving unit that is provided at a vehicle longitudinal direction one side of the battery; an electric power converter for driving that is disposed, in a vehicle longitudinal direction, disposed within a range that extends from the battery to an end portion of a vehicle longitudinal direction outer side of the driving unit, and that is electrically connected to the battery and the driving unit; an electric power converter for the storage unit that is disposed within the range and that is electrically connected to the storage unit; and a control unit that controls autonomous driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 10938222
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for battery cell balancing comprising a cell monitoring block (16) configured to monitor the voltage or a related quantity across individual cells (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, . . . C.sub.N) in a battery cell module; a microcontroller (18) configured for monitoring the positive terminal voltage (12) and the negative terminal voltage (13) of said battery cell module, and for monitoring (11) the output current I.sub.mod of said module, and monitored cell voltage of said individual cells (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, . . . C.sub.N), where the microcontroller (18) is configured to provide a control signal (20) based at least said positive terminal voltage (12), said negative terminal voltage (13), said output current I.sub.mod of said module, and said monitored cell voltage of said individual cells; and a hybrid module balancing block configured to provide either an active or a passive cell balancing or a combination of active and passive cell balancing of the cells (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, . . . C.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Lithium Balance A/S
    Inventors: Alfredo Quijano López, Vincente Gavara Padilla, José Manuel Torrelo Ponce, Carlos Blasco Llopis, Javier Monreal Tolmo, Karl Ragnar Vestin
  • Patent number: 10906634
    Abstract: An air vehicle control system is described that includes a computer-implemented controller. The controller is configured to control an air vehicle, where the air vehicle is logically divided into four sections of electrical and mechanical devices that are operatively connected to the controller via a control data bus and an actuation bus. The four sections include a forward sector, a left engine sector, a right engine sector, and an aft sector. The controller controls all four sections of electrical and mechanical devices of the air vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: William E. Rhoden, Peter J. Padykula
  • Patent number: 10864902
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device (1) for a vehicle having at least two drive units, comprising a first interface (3) which is designed to record a target torque (4), and comprising a computer device (5) which is designed to cyclically minimise an evaluation function (6) for the operation of the at least two drive units, in order to determine a torque distribution (11) between the at least two drive units, wherein a boundary condition (7) of the evaluation function (6) is the generation of the target torque (4), wherein the evaluation function (6) has a penalty term (8), which evidences a change in the torque of one of the at least two drive units with an evaluation penalty. The invention also relates to a corresponding drive train and a corresponding method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Huber, Andreas Greis, Juergen Biester, Rajendra Prasad Bandi
  • Patent number: 10851879
    Abstract: A method of shifting gears including providing a driveline for a vehicle. The driveline has an electric drive motor and a powershift transmission. The transmission has a first transmission stage and a second transmission stage. The method includes performing a range shift including handing over torque transmission from a range clutch of the first or second transmission to the other range clutch. The method also includes, simultaneously with the range shift, engaging one of the direction clutches of one transmission or keeping one of the direction clutches engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: DANA BELGIUM N.V.
    Inventors: Jan A. Bedert, Koen B. Seynaeve, Dries C. T'Hooft
  • Patent number: 10804792
    Abstract: A control device of a rotary electric machine capable of preventing occurrence of electrical resonance when a conversion operation abnormality of a DC voltage converter occurs is provided. In a case that the DC voltage converter stops a conversion operation and the conversion operation abnormality that input/output voltages become equal occurs, when a vehicle speed proportional to an electric motor rotation number exceeds a torque limit start vehicle speed, i.e., when the electric motor rotation number exceeds a torque limit start rotation number, a torque limit control for limiting an output torque of the electric motor is executed. The torque limit start vehicle speed is set to a vehicle speed corresponding to a lower limit frequency of a predetermined frequency range where there is a high likelihood of an electrical resonance occurring in the DC voltage converter when the conversion operation abnormality occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Saito, Yasuhiko Kondo
  • Patent number: 10725593
    Abstract: The display device includes: a cover glass including a screen that can be pressed; a liquid crystal panel arranged on a back side of the cover glass in a thickness direction (Z direction); a drive electrode arranged in a region corresponding to the screen in the liquid crystal panel; a base electrode arranged in the region corresponding to the screen at a position spaced apart from the drive electrode on the back side in the thickness direction; a cushion layer arranged between the liquid crystal panel and the base electrode; and a circuit that detects an electric signal representing the amount of change in capacitance between the drive electrode and the base electrode as a signal which enables calculation of a pressing force of the press. The cushion layer has such a characteristic that an elastic modulus decreases as approaching a periphery from a center in the region corresponding to the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Ken Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 10710469
    Abstract: A dual voltage power supply having at least one battery with multiple battery modules and a first set of switches for connecting the battery modules in series to thereby provide a first voltage to a first circuit in case the first switches are closed and to disconnect the series connection case the first switches are open. At least one connection tap is connected to one of the battery modules to provide its voltage to a second circuit operating at a lower voltage than the first circuit and being connected in parallel by a second set of switches to other battery modules. The other battery modules are connected in parallel to each other and one of the battery modules, in case the second set of switches is closed and are not connected in parallel in case the second set of switches is open, can be charged with off the shelf generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: André Koerner, Sebastian Kahnt
  • Patent number: 10668824
    Abstract: A method that calculates a setpoint for managing the fuel and electricity consumption of a hybrid motor vehicle includes: a) acquiring, by a navigation system on board the hybrid motor vehicle, a route to be traveled; b) dividing the route into consecutive portions; c) assigning attributes that characterize each portion; d) determining, for each of the portions, a curve or a map that links each fuel consumption value of the hybrid motor vehicle over the portion to a charge or discharge value of the traction battery; e) determining an optimal point of each curve or map, which makes it possible to minimize the fuel consumption of the hybrid motor vehicle over the entire route and to completely discharge the traction battery by the end of the route; and f) producing an energy management setpoint in accordance with the coordinates of the optimal points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s
    Inventors: Abdel-Djalil Ourabah, Xavier Jaffrezic, Atef Gayed, Benjamin Quost, Thierry Denoeux
  • Patent number: 10661671
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a charging apparatus for an electric vehicle. The charging apparatus includes a motor generating a power for vehicle driving. An inverter supplies a power to the motor. An alternating current (AC) power input stage receives an AC input power from among a single-phase AC power and a multi-phase AC power. A power factor corrector includes full bridge circuits receiving the AC input power through the AC power input stage. A link capacitor is charged through a combination of the power factor corrector, the motor, and the inverter. A switch network has a first switch connecting one of an AC power input line and a neutral line of the AC power input stage to the power factor corrector and a second switch selectively connecting the AC power input stage to the power factor corrector or the link capacitor. A controller operates the power factor corrector and the switch network based on a received AC input power condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jongpil Kim, Sihun Yang, Woo Young Lee
  • Patent number: 10654371
    Abstract: A charging apparatus for an electric vehicle has a small-sized simple structure, and charges a battery of the electric vehicle upon receiving electricity from various kinds of power sources. The charging apparatus includes a motor, an inverter, an AC power input stage, a power factor, a link capacitor, a switch network, and a controller. The AC power input stage receives an AC input power from a single-phase AC power or a multi-phase AC power. The power factor corrector has a single three-leg half bridge circuit receiving the AC input power through the AC power input stage, and the link capacitor is charged through at least one of combinations of the power factor corrector, the motor, and the inverter. The controller controls the power factor corrector and the switch network based on a condition of AC input power received through the AC power input stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jongpil Kim, Sihun Yang, JaeEun Cha, Woo Young Lee
  • Patent number: 10658965
    Abstract: The motor vehicle comprises an overcurrent detector configured to detect overcurrent in each of a plurality of second switching elements included in the second inverter. When the motor vehicle has an abnormality and is driven by the emergency drive with output of a torque from the first motor to the one wheels, the motor vehicle performs zero torque control that controls the second inverter such that a torque of the second motor becomes equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinichiro Minegishi
  • Patent number: 10632863
    Abstract: A converter includes a plurality of switching elements, at least one capacitance, and a resonant circuit. The plurality of switching elements include a first switching element coupled to a first control signal line that controls switching of the first switching element, a second switching element coupled to a second control signal line that controls switching of the second switching element, a third switching element coupled to a third control signal line that controls switching of the third switching element, and a fourth switching element coupled to a fourth control signal line that controls switching of the fourth switching element. The plurality of switching elements, the resonant circuit, and the at least one capacitance operate to convert a first voltage into a second voltage that charges a first battery and a second battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Miaosen Shen, Feng Guo
  • Patent number: 10625626
    Abstract: Embodiments include a converter including a plurality of switching elements connected in series and coupled between power signal lines that receive a first voltage from an external power source. The converter includes at least one capacitance coupled between the power signal lines and coupled to the plurality of switching elements, a first battery and a second battery. The converter includes a resonant circuit coupled to the plurality of switching elements. A switching frequency of the plurality of switching elements is matched to a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit being such that, during a charging mode, the plurality of switching elements, the resonant circuit and the at least one capacitance operate to convert the first voltage into a second voltage that charges the first battery and the second battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Miaosen Shen, Peng Chen, Feng Guo
  • Patent number: 10606268
    Abstract: A vehicle control device that includes a communication unit that is configured to (i) communicate with a mobile device and (ii) receive data including user input that is received at the mobile device; and a processor that is configured to: based on receipt of the data including the user input, determine whether a vehicle with which the mobile device is associated operates in a manual driving mode or an autonomous driving mode and whether the user input received at the mobile device satisfies a preset condition; and based on determinations that the vehicle is in the manual driving mode and that the user input received at the mobile device satisfies the preset condition, switch the vehicle from the manual driving mode to the autonomous driving mode is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Seonghwan Kim, Eunkyung Noh, Minah Han
  • Patent number: 10549748
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electric motor and an engine selectively coupled to the electric motor. The vehicle has an electric motor controller configured to, in response to (i) an absence of receiving a motor command signal within a predetermined time, (ii) a battery voltage being below a first threshold and (iii) a motor speed exceeding a second threshold, restrict operation of the electric motor to a limited operating mode and control the electric motor to generate a charging torque for a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Andrew Butcher, Francis Thomas Connolly
  • Patent number: 10532665
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for the battery management of a battery which comprises a plurality of battery cells and which is fitted with a battery management system for monitoring battery functionality and with a charge state compensation system, wherein the battery management system comprises a plurality of sensor control devices and a main control device, said control devices being connected with one another via a communication channel, and wherein the charge state compensation system has a number of charge state compensation resistors being put into operation via the sensor control devices for a charge state compensation of battery cells. The sensor control devices save information about performed charge state compensations in non-volatile memory. A computer program, a battery management system, a battery system and a motor vehicle, which are designed to carry out the method, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Christoph Brochhaus
  • Patent number: 10464547
    Abstract: A vehicle includes drive wheels, an energy source having an available energy, a torque-generating device powered by the energy source to provide an input torque, a transmission configured to receive the input torque and deliver an output torque to the set of drive wheels, and a controller. The controller, as part of a programmed method, predicts consumption of the available energy along a predetermined travel route using onboard data, offboard data, and a first logic block, and also corrects the predicted energy consumption using the onboard data, offboard data, and an error correction loop between a second logic block and the first logic block. The controller also executes a control action with respect to the vehicle using the corrected energy consumption, including changing a logic state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David S. Park, Kevin J. Smith, Terence L. Meehan, Todd P. Lindemann, Richard B. Weinberg, James B. Nicholson, Chia-Hsiang Liu, Andrew M. Zettel, Ramon A. Alonso
  • Patent number: 10464442
    Abstract: A non-contact power supply system includes a power receiving unit mounted on a vehicle, a power transmitting unit which is disposed on a plane and which transmits electric power to the power receiving unit in a non-contact manner, and a housing which projects in a vertical direction from the plane and which accommodates the power transmitting unit. The housing has a height in a vertical direction which satisfies a condition that a vertical height of at least part of a gap defined by a bottom surface of the vehicle and an upper surface of the housing is less than 15 cm and equal to or more than 5 cm. Therefore, the non-contact power supply system which satisfies a standard for exposure of a human body to electromagnetic field and which is free from an occurrence of a physical contact with a bottom surface of a vehicle is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Iwamoto, Tomoaki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10435866
    Abstract: A drive control system includes an electric motor, a capacitor, a revolution sensor, a driving device, and a control device. The driving device causes the capacitor to supply electric power to the electric motor to operate the electric motor and causes the capacitor to store the electric power, generated by the electric motor, to brake a turning body. The driving device configured as above is driven by driving electric power supplied from the capacitor. When a charging stop condition is satisfied, the control device stops the driving electric power supplied from the capacitor to the driving device. The charging stop condition is a condition that a turning speed detected by the revolution sensor is a predetermined speed or less while the turning body is decelerating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoji Yudate, Kazuya Iwabe, Hideyasu Muraoka
  • Patent number: 10421367
    Abstract: An adaptive and adjustable isolation fault testing of a multi-string battery of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The isolation fault testing can be performed in an adjustable or predetermined loop having dedicated time windows for respective battery strings in compliance with the system requirements, specification, and regulatory regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
    Inventors: John Alser, Douglas D. Chidester, Anil Paryani, Phillip John Weicker
  • Patent number: 10411306
    Abstract: A battery module for use with a controller includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) mounted to a plurality of battery cells. The PCBA includes a substrate, a radio frequency (RF) communications circuit, a cell sensing circuit, and a conductive interconnecting member. The cell sensing circuit is operable for measuring a respective cell voltage of each of the battery cells. The conductive interconnect member forms an electrical connection between the battery cells. The RF communications circuit is in wireless communication with the controller and is operable for wirelessly transmitting the measured cell voltages to the controller. A battery system includes a master battery controller and the battery pack. A vehicle includes an electric machine operable for generating output torque for propelling the vehicle, as well as the battery system noted above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Theodore T. Kim, Jeffrey Johnson, Tao Wang
  • Patent number: 10399458
    Abstract: A tethered charging and recharging (TCR) drone assembly system is provided. The TCR drone assembly system may be a nurse vehicle-based, a master/slave vehicle-based, a stationary structure and/or free standing TCR drone assembly system. The TCR drone assembly system is especially suitable for use on moving vehicles, for example, a self-propelled conventional type vehicle operated by an operator and/or autonomous or slave autonomous vehicle with no operator on board. The TRC drone assembly system may quickly couple and may deliver energy charges, recharges or other types of power propellants to vehicles while the vehicles are stationary or in motion. The assemblies are especially suitable for providing power to vehicles when only limited downtime of the vehicles is desired. The assemblies are suitable for use in, for example, the agricultural, construction, defense or other industries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: MEMES ASSOCIATES, LTD.
    Inventors: Lee C. Prunty, William M. Hoeg, Peter Zerillo, Stephen M. Faivre, Pinakin Desai
  • Patent number: 10404686
    Abstract: A security method and apparatus for an electric vehicle (EV) power transfer system can prevent abuse of privacy information or financial information which is stored in an in-vehicle controller, and block fee charging and authentication. A security method for the EV power transfer system, performed by a charging controller installed in an EV, includes steps of: receiving an authentication request from a communication controller installed in the EV; authenticating second key information included in the authentication request based on first key information which is learned or stored beforehand; and when the authentication succeeds, starting a charging process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Do Hoon Kim, Kang Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 10336199
    Abstract: An arrangement is provided for at least one induction coil for inductively charging an energy accumulator on an underbody of a motor vehicle. The induction coil is covered in the vertical direction of the vehicle, towards the base, at least partially by at least one cover element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torsten Herzog, Bernd Nurtsch, Andreas Birkholz
  • Patent number: 10328805
    Abstract: An electric vehicle system includes a battery management system that optimizes the performance and useful life of vehicle batteries by selecting the optimal batteries in an inventory for each electric vehicle mission based on the mission energy requirements, the energy storage capacities of batteries, and the predicted performance degradation of batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: ZIPLINE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Keenan Wyrobek, James Laird Martz, III, Keller Rinaudo
  • Patent number: 10312844
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the operating speed and the torque of an electric motor using an operational model are described. An operational model for the electric motor, including a plot of engine performance parameters, is used for reference, and a most efficient output path, which may pass through an optimal operation region in the operational model, is selected. The most efficient output path may be determined, for example, according to locations of a current output state and a to-be-reached target state in the operational model, enabling the operating state of the motor to reach the target state from the current operating state. By selecting a more efficient output path, the operating efficiency of the motor may be optimized, the life of a battery improved and/or the operating mileage of the vehicle may be increased, without significantly reducing the driving experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
    Inventor: Sheng-Fu Lai
  • Patent number: 10305330
    Abstract: A power transmission device, which is used for a contactless power transmission to a movable body moving on a travelling surface in a power transmission direction parallel to the travelling surface, including a power transmission coil and a shielding plate, wherein, the power transmission coil is installed so that a coil surface is approximately vertical to the travelling surface, and at least a part of the shielding plate is disposed inside the region on the travelling surface sandwiched between a plane surface defined by a coil surface of the power transmission coil and a plane surface defined by a coil surface of a power receiving coil mounted on the movable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Hanabusa, Masayuki Kobayashi, Takeshi Kamono
  • Patent number: 10305293
    Abstract: A device comprises a control entity configured to monitor an operation parameter of at least one battery cell of a battery. The device further comprises an interface coupled with a power line of the battery and configured to transceive control data via at least one of load modulation or load demodulation of a power line signal of the power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Guenter Hofer
  • Patent number: 10263478
    Abstract: A wireless power supply system includes a power supply coil installed on the ground, an inner balloon in which a power supply coil is mounted and configured to expand and contract to adjust a vertical position of the power supply coil, and an outer balloon provided to cover both the power supply coil and the inner balloon and configured to expand to occupy a space between the power supply coil and a power receiving coil, and wirelessly supplies power from the power supply coil to the power receiving coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Maekawa, Motonao Niizuma
  • Patent number: 10259446
    Abstract: During a predetermined drive in which a hybrid vehicle is driven with shutting off gates of a first inverter and a second inverter and operating an engine, the hybrid vehicle controls the engine and a step-up/down converter, such that a reverse voltage of a first motor is higher than a voltage of a high voltage-side power line. In the event of an increase in an operation amount of an accelerator during the predetermined drive, the hybrid vehicle controls the engine and the step-up/down converter to limit an increment of a difference between the reverse voltage of the first motor and the voltage of the high voltage-side power line when a temperature of the step-up/down converter is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, compared with an increment of the difference when the temperature of the step-up/down converter is lower than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10211750
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a DC-AC inverter comprising a DC-DC converter portion, an inverter portion, a clamp circuit, a controller configured to operate, in a first mode, the DC-DC converter portion to convert input DC power into DC power having a desired voltage level at a first polarity and the inverter portion to provide output power having the desired voltage level at the first polarity to the output, operate, in a second mode, the DC-DC converter portion to convert the input DC power into DC power having a desired voltage level at a second polarity and the inverter portion to provide output power having the desired voltage level at the second polarity to the output; and operate, in a third mode, the clamp circuit to drive voltage at the output to zero and to store energy discharged by a load capacitance in an energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hui-Jung Chen, Chaocheng Yen, Yen-Chih Hu
  • Patent number: 10158152
    Abstract: System are described that include an energy storage device adapted to store and release energy and an ultracapacitor. The systems include a switching device coupled to the energy storage device to selectively connect and disconnect the energy storage device to a load, and a second switching device coupled to the ultracapacitor and adapted to connect and disconnect the ultracapacitor to the load. The systems may include a sensor adapted to sense the current draw at the load. The first switching device is activated to connect the energy storage device to the load when a rate of change of the current draw at the load is below a threshold, and the second switching device is activated to connect the ultracapacitor to the load when the rate of change of the current draw at the load is greater than or equal to the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Thomas M. Watson, Junwei Jiang, Perry M. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 10136290
    Abstract: Aspects of the technology described herein identify a trusted group of devices that collaborate to minimize device limitations (e.g., data use, bandwidth, battery life, and the like). Personal assistant services or cloud-based services utilize user data (e.g., web browsing, calendar entries, communication data, social networks, and the like) and device data (e.g., location data, Bluetooth beacons, Wi-Fi, and the like) provided by user devices to identify devices in the trusted group of devices. A handshake between the devices establishes a means of communication and a selected topology. A hub device is selected from the trusted group of devices to upload or download relevant data based on the selected topology. The hub device shares the relevant data with the member devices via the established means of communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Dikla Dotan-Cohen, Sagi Hilleli, Jonathan Rabin
  • Patent number: 10128780
    Abstract: A method of and a system for controlling the regenerative braking of a vehicle includes initiating a regenerative braking mode in response to an initiating control input to an accelerator of the vehicle, the initiating control input comprising a reduction in the degree of actuation of the accelerator of the vehicle, modifying a level of regenerative braking in the regenerative braking mode in response to at least one of a further reduction in the degree of actuation of the accelerator, application of a brake of the vehicle, application of a clutch of the vehicle, and a change of gear of the vehicle, and maintaining a modified level of regenerative braking after the additional control input has been terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Dashwood Crisp, Anthemios Philemon Petridis, Rainer Busch, Urs Christen