With Electronic Devices (logic Gates, Semi-conductors, Vacuum Tubes, Etc.) In Control Circuit Patents (Class 180/65.8)
  • 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
  • Patent number: 10074876
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for balancing out states of charge of a battery which has a number of N battery cells. In order to balance out the individual states of charge (SOCn) of the n=1 to N cells, the state of charge of at least one cell is changed to a target state of charge (SOCtarget,n) which depends on the discharge depth (DODk) of the cell having the lowest capacity (Capk) according to the equation SOCtarget,n=1?DODk/Capn, Capn being the capacity of the nth cell to be changed. Advantageously, the method is suitable for optimizing the voltage or the energy content of a battery that is constituted of a plurality of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Andre Boehm, Frank Schindler
  • Patent number: 10019853
    Abstract: The fuel replenishment amount to a vehicle at each time is collected by a support server 10 through a smartphone 20. Then, information corresponding to calculation results such as the fuel remaining amount based on the information collected by the support server 10 is transmitted to a user through the smartphone 20. Thus, even when a terminal for transmitting the fuel replenishment amount to the smartphone 20 is not installed at a fuel supply station, information meaningful to the user in making a driving plan for the vehicle, such as the fuel remaining amount of the vehicle, can be provided to the user through this smartphone 20 at an appropriate timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ayako Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10011323
    Abstract: An electric vehicle comprises an electric motor which generates a driving power for driving a wheel; and a battery case accommodating a plurality of batteries storing DC power to be supplied to the electric motor, in a battery space in an interior of the battery case, wherein the battery case has a shape which covers the electric motor above and forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masafumi Inoue
  • Patent number: 9997964
    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: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Maekawa, Motonao Niizuma
  • Patent number: 9950632
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes a bridge circuit 10 having a plurality of legs with switch elements 101 in upper and lower arms. High frequency AC voltage output from the bridge circuit 10, when it is connected to an AC power supply 1, is converted into a DC voltage via a transformer 21 and an AC/DC conversion circuit 11, thus charging the battery 2. Also, the DC voltage of the battery 2 is converted into an AC voltage by the bridge circuit 10 when the AC power supply 1 is cut off from the bridge circuit 10, and supplied to the alternating current motor 3. Because of this, the isolating transformer 21 can be driven at high frequency while the motor driving power conversion circuit is also used for battery charging, and a reduction in size and reduction in cost of the overall device are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Katsumata, Masakazu Gekinozu
  • Patent number: 9946267
    Abstract: A flight vehicle control and stabilization process detects and measures an orientation of a non-fixed portion relative to a fixed frame or portion of a flight vehicle, following a perturbation in the non-fixed portion from one or both of tilt and rotation thereof. A pilot or rider tilts or rotates the non-fixed portion, or both, to intentionally adjust the orientation and effect a change in the flight vehicle's direction. The flight vehicle control and stabilization process calculates a directional adjustment of the rest of the flight vehicle from this perturbation and induces the fixed portion to re-orient itself with the non-fixed portion to effect control and stability of the flight vehicle. The flight vehicle control and stabilization process also detects changes in speed and altitude, and includes stabilization components to adjust flight vehicle operation from unintentional payload movement on the non-fixed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas A. Youmans
  • Patent number: 9947462
    Abstract: This wireless power transmission system includes: a power transmitting antenna and a power receiving antenna arranged to face each other and not to be in contact with each other; and an electromagnetic shield structure that includes a first shield and a second shield to house, in its inner space, the power transmitting and power receiving antennas facing each other. The first and second shields are configured to make first and second spaces to house the power transmitting and power receiving antennas, respectively. At least one of the first and second shields includes a protruding portion that is parallel to at least one of the power transmitting and power receiving antennas and that protrudes out of the shield sidewalls. Power is transmitted by a non-contact method through a radio frequency magnetic field from the power transmitting antenna to the power receiving antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kanno
  • Patent number: 9908430
    Abstract: A vehicle with an N-phase electric motor, with a first onboard electrical subsystem and with a second onboard electrical subsystem, wherein the electric motor includes a rotor and a stator system, and the first onboard electrical subsystem includes an inverter. The stator system is associated with the inverter and the electric motor is operable with an inverter controller according to the principle of field-oriented control such that the stator system is embodied in a star circuit in which the star point can be connected to the second onboard electrical subsystem directly or via a star point switch. The inverter controller includes a current controller and a star point controller, wherein the current controller controls phase currents of the stator system and the star point controller controls a star point current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthias Gorka, Joerg Reuss, Daniel Findeisen, Michael Steinberger
  • Patent number: 9906189
    Abstract: A method for increasing the power extraction capability out of Differential Power Processor (DPP) system, which consists of a chain of N serially connected PV elements and an array of N?1 gyrator-type converters which are current sourcing resonant Switched Capacitor Converters (SCCs), each of which being connected in parallel with two adjacent PV elements. Accordingly, local MPPT is continuously performed, by each gyrator-type converter, to one of its two connected PV elements by sinking or sourcing current to/from the neighboring PV element. Whenever a mismatch in the MPPs is detected, the gyrator-type converters are used to provide the difference in current that is required for each of the PV elements to operate at its MPP, such that the amount of power processed by each gyrator-type converter in the chain is linearly proportional to its location in the chain, with respect to the mismatched PV element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
    Inventors: Shmuel Ben-Yaakov, Alon Cervera, Alon Blumenfeld, Mor Mordechai Peretz
  • Patent number: 9902283
    Abstract: A battery for a motor vehicle with at least two adjacently arranged battery cells. A boundary surface of a first one of the at least two battery cells has a first electrically conductive surface coupled to a first actuating device and a boundary surface of a second one of the at least two battery cells has a second electrically conductive surface coupled to a second actuating device. The two electrically conductive surfaces are arranged electrically insulated from one another and form a capacitor element. The actuating devices are designed to transfer energy between the first of the at least two battery cells and the second of the at least two battery cells by generating an alternating electric field in the capacitor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal
  • Patent number: 9824816
    Abstract: A wireless power receiving device and a wireless power transmission apparatus are provided. The wireless power receiver may include a resonator configured to emit an electromagnetic field, a blocker configured to surround a portion of an exterior of the resonator, and a spacer disposed between the resonator and the blocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University
    Inventors: Keum Su Song, Sang Wook Kwon, Ki Young Kim, Dong Zo Kim, Bong Chul Kim, Yun Kwon Park, Jae Hyun Park, Chi Hyung Ahn, Young Ho Ryu, Byoung Hee Lee, Jun Seok Lee, Jae Hoon Choi, Kyung Young Jung, Sang Gyu Ha
  • Patent number: 9802318
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a status of a component of a device are provided. An example method includes triggering an action of a component of a device, and responsively receiving information associated with the action of the component from a sensor. The method further includes a computing system having a processor and a memory comparing the information with calibration data and determining a status of the component based on the comparison. In some examples, the calibration data may include information derived from data received from a pool of one or more devices utilizing same or similar components as the component. The determined status may include information associated with a performance of the component with respect to performances of same or similar components of the pool of devices. In one example, the device may self-calibrate the component based on the status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, Jr., Ryan Hickman
  • Patent number: 9791878
    Abstract: A high-efficiency digital voltage controller capable of providing monotonically-varying stepwise voltage, said controller comprises of a plurality of two-terminal voltage modules connected in series; within each module one or more two-terminal voltage cells of identical voltage each and connected in series; within each module a plurality of switches controllable to connect any number of the voltage cells in series to the output terminals of the voltage module; the ratios of the magnitudes of voltage of any one voltage cell between the voltage modules being substantially equal to integer values uniquely defined by present invention, according to the numbers of voltage cells in each of the voltage modules; said plurality of switches being controlled by a control module implemented in any suitable logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Inventor: King Kuen Hau
  • Patent number: 9774210
    Abstract: An electronic module includes wireless data transmission circuitry configured to receive from a base station a signal corresponding uniquely to a battery device, wireless charging circuitry coupled with the wireless data transmission circuitry and configured to receive energy wirelessly transmitted from the base station, and a controller configured to, in response to the wireless data transmission circuitry receiving the signal, cause the wireless charging circuitry to charge a battery module of the battery device corresponding to the signal using the received wirelessly transmitted energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventor: David G. Wright
  • Patent number: 9768479
    Abstract: A hybrid system for producing electricity by a metal-air cell and for utilizing hydrogen released during the operation of the metal-air cell for producing energy in the form of electricity, mechanical power or heat energy. The hybrid electric energy system includes at least one metal-air cell and at least one hydrogen conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: PHINERGY LTD.
    Inventors: Dekel Tzidon, Avraham Yadgar
  • Patent number: 9718454
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods and systems for hybrid powertrain control are disclosed. Certain example embodiments control an internal combustion engine and a motor/generator of a hybrid electric powertrain. Example controls may determine a total output demanded of a powertrain based at least in part upon an operator input, a battery output target based upon a battery state of charge and independent of the operator input, and an engine output target based upon the total output demanded and the battery output target. Such example controls may further determine a constrained engine output target, a modified battery output target based upon the total output demanded and the constrained engine output target, and a constrained battery output target based upon the modified battery output target and a battery constraint. Further embodiments, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects, and benefits shall become apparent from the following description and figures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. Books, Vincent Freyermuth, Tung-Ming Hsieh, Praveen Muralidhar, Lining Zhou
  • Patent number: 9698720
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical drive system having: an energy storage device for generating a supply voltage and having at least one energy supply line, with one or more energy storage modules connected in series in the energy supply line, each module comprising an energy storage cell module with at least one energy storage cell and a coupling device with a plurality of coupling elements which is designed to selectively connect the energy storage cell module into the respective energy supply line or to bypass the same in the respective energy supply line; a fuel cell system which is coupled to the output terminals of the energy storage device and connected in parallel to the energy storage device; and a control device which is coupled to the energy storage device and is designed to control the coupling devices of the energy storage modules in order to adjust a supply voltage at the output terminals of the energy storage device which corresponds to an output voltage of the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Hawliczek, Peter Feuerstack
  • Patent number: 9647467
    Abstract: A system for balancing a series connection of energy storage devices having: an intermediate storage element coupled between a pair of sections of one or a number of adjacent energy storage devices of a series connection of energy storage devices, sections each having a more positive terminal (A) at one end and a more negative terminal (B) at its other end; and a switching device for switching sequentially between coupling terminals (A) to each other via intermediate storage element and coupling terminals (B) to each other via intermediate storage element wherein the sections are non-adjacent. A method for balancing a series connection between energy storage devices is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: 4ESYS NV
    Inventors: Eric Verhaeven, Jeroen Van Den Keybus, Rudolf Vidael, Johan Coosemans
  • Patent number: 9623756
    Abstract: This power control unit, which stores a power conversion module and a rapid charging device used when charging a battery, is provided with a power conversion chamber, which houses the power conversion module, and a charging device chamber, which houses the charging device, the power conversion chamber and the charging device chamber have a bottom surface in common with each other, the power conversion module and the charging device are affixed to the bottom surface in the respectively corresponding chambers, and an ECU that controls the power conversion module is disposed at a position that is above the charging device and enclosed by a peripheral wall that includes the partition wall that partitions the charging device chamber and the power conversion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Suzuki, Tomoyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9583264
    Abstract: A capacitor device includes: a film capacitor element that has a coiled body in which an insulating layer and an electrification layer are laminated and wound together, and a pair of collector electrodes that are formed upon two opposite end faces of the coiled body; a case that has a capacitor housing portion within which the film capacitor element is received; a pair of inserts having insulation properties, one of which is inserted between one of the pair of collector electrodes and one of inner walls of the capacitor housing portion; and a mass of sealing and insulating material that is charged between the film capacitor element and the one of the inner walls of the capacitor housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kamizuma, Kinya Nakatsu, Junpei Kusukawa, Takeshi Tokuyama
  • Patent number: 9583794
    Abstract: A modular battery pack system including a plurality of battery sub-modules operably connected in parallel and an isolation system configured to discretely isolate any one of the battery sub-modules from the remaining battery sub-module(s). The isolation system, in one embodiment, may utilize an ORing FET for each of the battery sub-modules, with each ORing FET operably connected at its input with an output of a corresponding battery sub-module and operably connected at its output with the output of the other ORing FETs. The modular battery pack system may further include a conditioning system for conditioning a battery sub-module by discharging at least a portion of the battery sub-module. Each battery sub-module may be operably and discretely connected to the conditioning system, such that conditioning is selectively applicable to any one or more of the battery sub-modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Dell International L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jason D. Adrian, Douglas L. Farley
  • Patent number: 9573478
    Abstract: An add-on adapter 110 enables a single charging port 102 of an electric vehicle charging station 100 to simultaneously charge two electric vehicles. An adapter controller 120 determines the available charging rate offered by the charging station. Electric vehicle charging handles 150A, 150B are determined to be connected to the electric vehicles. A charge sharing control circuit 300 in the adapter controller, determines modified available charging rates to be offered for simultaneously charging the electric vehicles. The modified available charging rates are based on the connection states of the electric vehicles and the available charging rate offered by the charging station. The adapter controller controls two contactors 130A, 130B to switchably connect a charging station power socket to the electric vehicle charging handles, to provide shared power at the determined modified available charging rate to the electric vehicles, for simultaneous charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Jefferies, Benjamin W. Edwards, Matthew L. White, Konstantin A. Filippenko, Richard K. Weiler
  • Patent number: 9527489
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle control sub-system includes first and second brake control modules that are communicatively and electrically connected to one another and a plurality of wheel-speed sensors communicatively connected to the first brake control module. The first module is programmed to receive wheel-speed data from the wheel-speed sensors. The second module is programmed to process the wheel-speed data in the event of a failure in the first module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John P. Joyce, Scott J. Lauffer, Peter Francis Worrel
  • Patent number: 9520748
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a wireless power distribution system is disclosed. The wireless power distribution system includes a routing module having at least one processor configured to determine a route for a power-receiving device to travel responsive to receiving input about one or more characteristics associated with the power-receiving device or one or more wireless power transmitters for delivering power to the power-receiving device. The wireless power distribution system further includes the one or more wireless power transmitters operably coupled to the routing module. The one or more wireless power transmitters are configured to wirelessly transmit the power to the device at one or more locations along the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: EL WHA LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9496730
    Abstract: A battery management system includes several subsystem blocks, an Energy Storage Master unit, and several battery pack systems. The Energy Storage Master may interface with the Vehicle Master Controller by way of CAN or other communication method to an External Charger. Each battery module within a battery pack may include a Local Module Unit which may communicate with a Pack Master. The Pack Master may communicate with and may be controlled by the Energy Storage Master. Thus, there is a processor to monitor groups of battery cells, a second processor to collect further information about the cell groups, and a third module that takes high-level information from each cell group processor to process and pass on to other vehicle controllers or charger controllers. An integrated BMS may enable cell monitoring, temperature monitoring, cell balancing, string current monitoring, and charger control integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventors: Nicky G. Gallegos, Michael Walker
  • Patent number: 9493168
    Abstract: A powertrain system is described, including a method for controlling a control variable for an element thereof. The method includes determining an initial state transition threshold and an associated hysteresis band for an operating parameter related to the control variable. The hysteresis band is decayed based upon operation in a present state of the control variable for powertrain element, and a preferred control variable for the powertrain element is selected based upon a comparison of the operating parameter and the initial state transition threshold accounting for the decayed hysteresis band for the operating parameter. The element of the powertrain system is controlled to the preferred state for the control variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kee Yong Kim, Anthony H. Heap, Jeremy Wise
  • Patent number: 9469210
    Abstract: An ECU is mounted on a vehicle that is able to carry out external charging for charging an in-vehicle battery with electric power from an outside of the vehicle and external discharging for discharging electric power inside the vehicle to the outside of the vehicle. The ECU sets a control mode of the vehicle to any one of a charging mode for carrying out the external charging, a discharging mode for carrying out the external discharging, and a traveling mode for propelling the vehicle. The ECU determines which one of the charging mode and the discharging mode is given a higher priority in accordance with a state of the vehicle when a user has carried out operation to require the external discharging during the charging mode or when the user has carried out operation to require the external charging during the discharging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoya Ono
  • Patent number: 9356467
    Abstract: There is disclosed a charge balancing circuit (CBC) and method (10, 20) for balancing charge storage elements (CSE1_1, CSE1_2, CSE2_2) of a charge storage device (CSD). The charge storage device comprises at least two series connected chains (CHN1, CHN2) of charge storage elements. The charge balancing circuit (CBC) connects a first charge storage element (CSE1_1) of a first chain (CHN1) in parallel with a first charge storage element (CSE1_2) of a second chain (CHN2) during a first period of time (?1), and connects the first charge storage element (CSE1_1) of the first chain (CHN1) in parallel with a second charge storage element (CSE2_2) of the second chain (CHN2) during a second period of time (?2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: DATANG NXP SEMICONDUCTORS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Johannes Petrus Maria Van Lammeren
  • Patent number: 9327605
    Abstract: The present method relates to a method of charging a traction battery of a vehicle from an external AC power supply system. The traction battery is coupled, via an inverter, to an electric alternating-field machine such that the AC power supply can be connected to the phase windings of the alternating-field machine. The method includes a step of synchronizing the rotational speed of the alternating-field machine with the frequency of the AC power supply. Then the AC power supply is connected to the phase windings of the alternating-field machine and the inverter, which is electrically coupled to the alternating-field machine, is operated as a step-up converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Robert Januschevski, Juergen Kett
  • Patent number: 9312692
    Abstract: An energy supply network has an n-phase electrical machine where n?1 and a controllable first energy reservoir which serves to control and supply electrical energy to the electrical machine. The first energy reservoir has n parallel energy supply branches that each have at least two energy reservoir modules, connected in series, that each encompass at least one electrical energy reservoir cell having an associated controllable coupling unit and are connected on the one hand to a reference bus, and on the other hand to a respective phase of the electrical machine. As a function of control signals, the coupling units either bypass the respectively associated energy reservoir cells or switch the respectively associated energy reservoir cells into the energy supply branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Feuerstack, Erik Weissenborn, Martin Kessler
  • Patent number: 9242636
    Abstract: The invention relates to a clutch device having an actuating device for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, the drivetrain having an internal combustion engine, an electric machine with a stator and a rotor, and a transmission device, wherein the clutch device can be arranged in the drivetrain between the internal combustion engine at one side and the electric machine and the transmission device at the other side, the clutch device and the actuating device are integrated into the rotor of the electric machine, and the actuating device has a rotatable ramp device with first ramps and second ramps, wherein the clutch device has an electric actuator for actively rotating the ramp device, in order to structurally and/or functionally improve the clutch device, and to an electric machine having a stator, a rotor and a clutch device of this type integrated into the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Daniel Helmer, Florian Vogel
  • Patent number: 9233622
    Abstract: A system is provided for managing an amount of stored energy in a powered system. The powered system is configured to complete a mission from an initial stage to a final stage. The system includes a controller including a memory configured to store a plurality of handling stages. The controller is configured to determine the stored energy at the initial stage based upon the initial stage and a handling stage positioned between the initial stage and the final stage, and selected from among the plurality of handling stages stored in memory. The stored energy is necessary to propagate the powered system from the initial stage to the handling stage upon the occurrence of an anomaly in the powered system. Additionally, a method and computer readable media are provided for managing an amount of stored energy in a powered system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Wolfgang Daum, Steven Gray, John Dineen
  • Patent number: 9221450
    Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle having an electric machine for driving the vehicle and a brake system. Electric energy can be recovered from a movement of the vehicle by the electric machine. In the method, a state of the brake system of the vehicle is determined, and an actuation of a brake pedal of the vehicle is detected. A brake pressure of the brake system and an energy recovery by the electric machine are adjusted dependent on the state of the brake system and the actuation of the brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AG
    Inventors: Frank Borchers, Frank Stebner
  • Patent number: 9219381
    Abstract: A power generating unit generates electric power using natural energy, plural secondary battery packs are charged with the electric power generated by the power generating unit, and the secondary battery pack as a power source to be used for an operation control of a control unit controlling the operation of a charging system is selected on the basis of a state of charge of the corresponding secondary battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsufumi Goto, Masami Miura
  • Patent number: 9214893
    Abstract: A string monitor comprises a modular base unit and one or more sensor modules which may include sensor modules for measuring DC voltage and current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Veris Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Cook, Aaron Parker
  • Patent number: 9181915
    Abstract: An inventive system and method for managing vehicle power is presented. The novel technology provides a means to automatically shutdown a vehicle's engine when conditions are such that engine power is not needed, reducing fuel consumption as well as lowering noise and emissions. A series of conditions are examined to determine whether engine power is needed and hence whether shutdown can be safely performed. The inventive system and method can also determine when power is again needed by the engine and can re-start the engine automatically at such times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS CONTROLS INC.
    Inventor: James A. Dupuy
  • Patent number: 9169027
    Abstract: An electrified propulsion system for a rotary wing aircraft includes a flight control computer that receives a signal indicative of a power demand on an engine; an engine control system that is in communication with the engine and is configured to control operation of the engine at a selected operating point; a generator that is in mechanical communication with the engine and is configured to receive mechanical power from the engine and convert the mechanical power to electrical power; an electric motor that is in electrical communication with the generator and is configured to receive the electric power; and a rotor that is in mechanical communication with the electric motor; wherein the electric motor is configured to control rotation and provide the mechanical power demand of the rotor at the selected operating point in response to the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Peter Strauss, Mark Denton Bystry, Jr., Michael Joseph DeVita
  • Patent number: 9160330
    Abstract: An apparatus includes multiple first channels configured to be coupled to a first boost capacitor and multiple second channels configured to be coupled to a second boost capacitor. Each channel includes a transistor switch and a gate driver configured to drive the transistor switch. The gate drivers in the first channels include switch sub-arrays configured to control which transistor switch in the first channels is driven using a voltage from the first boost capacitor. The gate drivers in the second channels include switch sub-arrays configured to control which transistor switch in the second channels is driven using a voltage from the second boost capacitor. The transistor switch in each channel may include first and second transistors having their sources coupled together, and each of the channels may further include a pull-down switch configured to pull the sources of the first and second transistors to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Jian-Yi Wu
  • Patent number: 9145067
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a system is provided for safely conveying passengers indoors using a steerable motorized passenger cart, the maximum speed of which is limited based on its location within the interior space. In particular embodiments, the present invention further includes an interchangeable vehicle skin affixed to the motorized passenger cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Inventor: Shane J Dahlen
  • Patent number: 9132838
    Abstract: An assembly for acquiring operational data from a machine including a power generating device and a rotating component interconnected with the power generating device for transmitting power from the power generating device. The assembly comprises a sensor assembly for being interconnected with the rotating component for sensing the operational data of the vehicle that includes at least one accelerometer for measuring the rotational speed of the rotating component, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the rotating component, a pressure sensor for measuring the fluid pressure adjacent to the joint, a strain gauge for being interconnected with the rotating component for detecting the strain on the rotating component. The assembly further comprises an energy harvesting assembly for harvesting energy from the rotating component to provide electric power to the sensor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Inventor: Douglas M. Baker
  • Patent number: 9115675
    Abstract: An evaporative emission control system for a vehicle includes a fuel tank, a vapor collection canister in communication with the fuel tank so as to receive hydrocarbons, a fuel cell in communication with the canister, and a pump constructed and arranged to pump hydrocarbons from the canister to the fuel cell so that the fuel cell can purge the canister by converting the hydrocarbons to water, carbon dioxide and electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Gordon Woods, David William Balsdon
  • Patent number: 9112359
    Abstract: A system for charging at least one energy reservoir cell in a controllable energy reservoir which serves to control and supply electrical energy to an n-phase electrical machine where n?1. The controllable energy reservoir has n parallel energy supply branches that each have at least two energy reservoir modules, connected in series, that each encompass at least one electrical energy reservoir cell having an associated controllable coupling unit, and are connected to a reference bus and to a respective phase of the electrical machine. As a function of control signals, the coupling units interrupt the respective energy supply branch, bypass the respectively associated energy reservoir cells, or switch the respectively associated energy reservoir cells into the respective energy supply branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Feuerstack, Erik Weissenborn
  • Patent number: 9086693
    Abstract: A safety brake device for moving machine elements to prevent injury to the extremities of the operator of a machine if the distance of said operator from the moving machine element is less than a defined safety area. The device is characterized by an arrangement for detecting the operator position, in order to permit operation of the machine only if the operator remains within the defined working area, an arrangement for detecting the position of the extremities of the operator within a predefined safety zone, which enables the required work activities to be performed, and a brake device, by means of which the moving machine element can be immediately stopped if the extremities of the operator go beyond the safety area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Inventor: Umberto Calliari
  • Patent number: 9050976
    Abstract: A method for operating a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric machine, wherein the hybrid vehicle can be driven purely electrically if the internal combustion engine fails because, for example, a fuel tank for supplying the internal combustion engine with fuel is empty. In the event of failure of the internal combustion engine, continued purely electric travel of the hybrid vehicle is made possible only on condition that a restart of the hybrid vehicle is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Krauss, Thomas Rauner, Marcos Remedios Marques
  • Patent number: 9037332
    Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle having an obstacle detection device capable of improving the control accuracy of a motor and preventing the influence of noise on a sensor. A vehicle includes motors 31 and 32 which are AC motors, an inverter 2 that drives the motors, an ultrasonic sonar 1 which is, for example, a detector for detecting an obstacle around the vehicle, a frequency determining device 6 which determines whether noise generated from the inverter 2 is likely to interfere with a detection frequency of the detector, and a sonar ECU 5 which changes the carrier frequency of the inverter 2 when it is determined that the noise is likely to interfere with the detection frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuji Okamura, Yuka Sobue, Chika Yoshioka, Yu Hiei
  • Publication number: 20150129333
    Abstract: A selectively powered transport device such as an ambulatory stretcher-chair is presented. The stretcher-chair has a spring-biased Hall-effect mechanism controlled by an operator to command a desired direction and speed of mobility of the device. A power drive control unit senses a target direction and speed of movement and incrementally closes on that target. The power drive control unit senses the presence of ramps or inclines by monitoring instantaneous current to a drive motor and adjusts the motor operation accordingly. The power drive control unit further monitors thermal operational conditions of the drive motor by monitoring motor winding current and assessing energy dissipated as heat in the motor winding as a function thereof. The net accumulated heat energy associated with the motor is monitored and corrective action with respect to the current applied to the motor is taken accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: TransMotion Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Morris, Nathan E. Yensho, Dustin J. Sadler, Robert E. Herchick
  • Publication number: 20150060163
    Abstract: A hyper-flux flywheel motor system includes a rotor assembly and a number of permanent magnets coupled to the rotor assembly. A stator assembly is rotatably coupled to the rotor assembly and has a core, a number of teeth extending radially from the core, and one or more winding sets, each winding set comprising coils wound on the teeth to interact with the of permanent magnets. A flywheel housing including a frame, and one or more gimbals, houses a flywheel. This flywheel is disposed adjacent to the stator and rotator assembly, rotates about a spin axis, and precesses via the one or more gimbals, in response to rotation of the rotor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventor: Daniel Kee Young Kim
  • Publication number: 20150034400
    Abstract: An electric automobile in which a power control unit is disposed in a motor room formed at a front section of a vehicle: wherein a charging port or a power supply port is provided on a lateral surface of the front section of the vehicle; a charging connector or a power supply connector for connection to a charging power supply or an external device is attached to the charging port or the power supply port; the charging connector or the power supply connector is disposed in a manner so that a forward end thereof is located rearward of a forward end of a front wheel, and a rearward end thereof is located forward of a dash panel that partitions the motor room and a vehicle cabin; the charging connector or the power supply connector and the power control unit are connected by a cable; and a connection section between the cable and the power control unit is provided forward of the charging connector or the power supply connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Amano, Ryoji Tomokage
  • Patent number: 8930022
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a status of a component of a robotic device are provided. An example method includes triggering an action of a component of a robotic device, and responsively receiving information associated with the action of the component from a sensor. The method further includes a computing system having a processor and a memory comparing the information with calibration data and determining a status of the component based on the comparison. In some examples, the calibration data may include information derived from data received from a pool of one or more robotic devices utilizing same or similar components as the component. The determined status may include information associated with a performance of the component with respect to performances of same or similar components of the pool of robotic devices. In one example, the robotic device may self-calibrate the component based on the status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Kuffner, Jr., Ryan Hickman