Automobile Patents (Class 307/10.1)
  • Patent number: 11355939
    Abstract: A device discharges an intermediate circuit capacitor. The device includes a power converter for supplying electricity to an electrical machine powering a vehicle, having the intermediate circuit capacitor and a discharge device with a series circuit of a controllable switching element and a load resistor, and a high-voltage battery feeding the power converter on the input side. The power converter has a control equipment to control the switching element, depending on a signal state at an input of the control equipment, to perform a fixed predefined number of switching operations, in which the switching element conducts, with a fixed predefined duration and a fixed predefined delay between two successive switching operations. The load resistor and its heat transfer to the power converter are set so that the load resistor is not damaged if a maximum constant voltage of the high-voltage battery is applied during a respective switching operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Rainer Edelhäuser, Thomas Götze
  • Patent number: 11345415
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant detection system and method for using the same. The vehicle occupant detection system includes: a controller; a plurality of life detection sensors, wherein the plurality of life detection sensors are installed within an interior cabin of a mass-transit vehicle and are each associated with a life detection zone; a local warning system having at least one human-machine interface (HMI) output device; and a vehicle interface that communicatively couples the controller to a vehicle electrical system of the mass-transit vehicle. The vehicle occupant detection system is configured to: (i) acquire sensor data by scanning the life detection zone using the plurality of life detection sensors; (ii) determine whether an occupant is present based on the sensor data; and (iii) provide an indication to a user that an occupant is present using the HMI output device when it is determined that an occupant is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: lEE INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONICS & ENGINEERING S.A.
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Funyak, Bjorn M. Hansson, Oliver Diekmann, Russ Holland
  • Patent number: 11345257
    Abstract: A power supply device for a vehicle seat, including: a power receiving unit that is provided in a vehicle seat and is connected to a plurality of loads in the vehicle seat; a power transmitting unit that contactlessly transmits power to the power receiving unit; and a power storage unit that is provided in the vehicle seat, is connected to the loads, and is charged via a power supply path formed by the power receiving unit and the power transmitting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kota Oda, Takeshi Uraki, Satoshi Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11338697
    Abstract: A vehicle-mountable control device configured to control a vehicle including a charging port for DC power and an auxiliary device includes a determination unit and an information obtainment unit. The information obtainment unit is configured to obtain prescribed facility information about a power feeding facility. The determination unit is configured to permit an auxiliary device driving mode when it is determined that the power feeding facility corresponds to the auxiliary device driving mode based on the facility information, and not permit the auxiliary device driving mode when it is determined that the power feeding facility does not correspond to the auxiliary device driving mode based on the facility information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11336101
    Abstract: A system for use with a direct current fast-charging (DCFC) station includes a controller and battery system. The battery system includes first and second battery packs, and first, second, and third switches. The switches have ON/OFF conductive states commanded by the controller to connect the battery packs in a parallel-connected (P-connected) or series-connected (S-connected) configuration. An electric powertrain with one or more electric machines is powered via the battery system. First and second charge ports of the system are connectable to the station via a corresponding charging cable. The first charge port receives a low or high charging voltage from the station. The second charge port receives a low charging voltage. When the station can supply the high charging voltage to the first charge port, the controller establishes the S-connected configuration via the switches, and thereafter charges the battery system solely via the first charge port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Lei Hao, Yue-Yun Wang, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Chandra S. Namuduri, Rashmi Prasad, Madhusudan Raghavan
  • Patent number: 11327901
    Abstract: A modular dynamically allocated capacity storage system (MODACS) is provided and includes a housing and a control module. The housing includes source terminals, switches, cells, and sensing module. The source terminals supplying power at a first voltage potential to a first plurality of loads and power at a second voltage potential to a second plurality of loads. The cells are configured to supply power to each of the source terminals based on states of the switches. The sensing modules are configured to determine parameters of each of the cells and generate corresponding status signals. The control module is configured to receive a power request signal, and based on the power request signal and the parameters of each of the cells, determine a connected configuration for the cells relative to each other and the plurality of source terminals and set states of the switches according to the connected configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Chandra S. Namuduri, Lyall K. Winger, Dave G. Rich
  • Patent number: 11318852
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a controller configured to receive sensor feedback from a high voltage storage device and from a low voltage storage device, compare the sensor feedback to operating limits of the respective high and low voltage storage device, determine, based on the comparison a total charging current to the high voltage storage device and to the low voltage storage device and a power split factor of the total charging current to the high voltage device and to the low voltage device, and regulate the total power to the low voltage storage device and the high voltage storage device based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ruediger Soeren Kusch, Robert Dean King, Robert Louis Steigerwald
  • Patent number: 11322968
    Abstract: A bidirectional DC charging station is provided for wall mounting (DC wallbox) for a private sphere, to which a plurality of electric vehicles can be connected in parallel. A method for operating the DC wallbox is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Daniel Ruppert
  • Patent number: 11322930
    Abstract: An electrical system may include an ECU and a power distribution circuit that may include a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be configured to combine a first power input and a second power input into a power output. The second portion may be configured to provide the combined power output to a plurality of loads. The first portion may include a first section, a second section, and an output section. The output section may be connected to the second portion. The first section and the second section may be connected in parallel to the output section. The first section may include a first semiconductor device and a first switch disposed in series. The second section may include a second semiconductor device and a second switch disposed in series. The ECU may be configured to detect and mitigate a thermal hazard in the power distribution circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Antoni Ferré Fàbregas, Anas Chib, Ali Enaji, Carlos Fernandez Pueyo, Ignacio Molinero Horno, Cristina Sole Bundo
  • Patent number: 11312255
    Abstract: A method of controlling a low voltage DC-DC converter of a hybrid vehicle includes determining whether cold cranking of the hybrid vehicle occurs based on a size and a rate of change of a detection value obtained by detecting a voltage of the auxiliary battery, a first adjusting operation of setting an output voltage command of the low voltage DC-DC converter to substantially the same value as the detection value and adjusting an output voltage of the low voltage DC-DC converter when determining that cold cranking occurs in the determining, and a second adjusting operation of adjusting the output voltage command and adjusting an output voltage of the low voltage DC-DC converter based on whether the detection value is increased or reduced and a comparison result between the detection value and a size of the output voltage command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Young Jin Jang, Jeong Hye Choi
  • Patent number: 11294780
    Abstract: A memory controller capable of detecting a code having an error among codes stored in a Read Only Memory (ROM) controls a memory device. The memory controller includes: a code memory for storing codes used to perform an operation; a code executor for executing the codes stored in the code memory to perform the operation; a debug controller for setting a suspend code address for suspending the execution of the codes used to perform the operation; an initialization controller for controlling an initialization operation of at least one of the debug controller and the code executor; and an interfacing component for receiving a suspend code setting request corresponding to an operation of setting the suspend code address and providing the received suspend code setting request to the debug controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Moon Soo Choi
  • Patent number: 11292357
    Abstract: An intelligent current control apparatus provides a current control for a power supply branch and a load. The intelligent current control apparatus includes at least one power conversion unit and a control unit. The control unit controls a total phase current, which is composed of a single-phase current and a household phase current in the same phase, to be less than or equal to a rated phase current of the power supply branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Tsung-Yuan Wu
  • Patent number: 11292359
    Abstract: A vehicle-mountable control device configured to control a vehicle including a charging port for DC power and an auxiliary device includes a determination unit and an information obtainment unit. The information obtainment unit is configured to obtain prescribed facility information about a power feeding facility. The determination unit is configured to permit an auxiliary device driving mode when it is determined that the power feeding facility corresponds to the auxiliary device driving mode based on the facility information, and not permit the auxiliary device driving mode when it is determined that the power feeding facility does not correspond to the auxiliary device driving mode based on the facility information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11288219
    Abstract: A USB switching circuit includes a first multiplexer, a second multiplexer coupled with the first multiplexer through transmission paths, and a voltage regulation circuit coupled with the first and second multiplexers. The first multiplexer distributes first data signals to the transmission paths according to first control signals. The second multiplexer distributes a second data signal to the transmission paths according to second control signals. The voltage regulation circuit sets a maximum voltage and a minimum voltage of the first data signals to corresponding to a common voltage. The maximum voltage of the first data signals is not higher than a maximum voltage of the second control signals, or the minimum voltage of the first data signals is not lower than a minimum voltage of the second control signals. The first data signals and the second data signal are generated according to different communication protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kai-Yuan Yin, Wen-Bin Wu, Leaf Chen, Bo-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 11285841
    Abstract: A motor vehicle multi-voltage battery device includes a first output current terminal and a ground terminal providing a first rated voltage; a second output current terminal and the ground terminal providing a second rated voltage; a first battery cell group, electrically connected to the first output current terminal and to the ground terminal; a second battery cell group, electrically connected to the second output current terminal and to the first output current terminal and switchably connected in series with the first battery cell group; a charging current terminal connecting the multi-voltage battery device to an external current source; a first DC voltage converter electrically connected on the input voltage side to the charging current terminal and on an output voltage side to a first positive pole, and configured to convert an input voltage at the charging current terminal to a first charging voltage for charging the first battery cell group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Tobias Aschenbrenner, Stefan Lauer
  • Patent number: 11288156
    Abstract: A control apparatus that communicates with a plurality of on-vehicle control devices through in-vehicle communication lines, and includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire electric energy of a battery supplying electric power to the plurality of on-vehicle control devices, and a control unit configured to instruct, in a case where predicted electric energy of the battery at a time when a process by a target device that is one of the plurality of on-vehicle control devices is completed is lower than a first threshold, other on-vehicle control devices to stop respective processes by the other on-vehicle control devices executed in parallel with the process by the target device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Ogawa, Hirofumi Urayama
  • Patent number: 11279286
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an actuator assembly for a mirror head. The actuator includes a tubular member, an inner carriage, an outer carriage, a helix drive shaft and a motor drive. The inner carriage includes one or more inner magnets. The outer carriage is coupled to the mirror head. The outer carriage includes one or more outer magnets magnetically coupled to the one or more inner magnets of the inner carriage. The helix drive shaft is drivably coupled to the inner carriage. The motor drive is configured to rotate the helix drive shaft relative to the tubular member. Upon rotation of the helix drive shaft by the motor drive, the inner carriage translates. The outer carriage also translates along with the inner carriage due to magnetic coupling between the one or more inner magnets and the one or more outer magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Motherson Innovations Company Limited
    Inventors: Douglas James Wilson, Kenneth Gira
  • Patent number: 11283287
    Abstract: In a vehicle power-supply system, a backup power-supply device includes a low-voltage DC/DC converter, a backup battery, and switching mechanisms. A bidirectional switch unit is provided between a high-voltage DC/DC converter and a connecting point on a connecting wire and passes or interrupts a current flowing between the high-voltage DC/DC converter and the connecting point. A bidirectional switch unit is provided between the connecting point and a connecting point on a connecting wire and passes or interrupts a current flowing between the connecting point and the connecting point. A unidirectional switch unit is provided between the connecting point and the low-voltage DC/DC converter on the connecting wire and passes or interrupts a current flowing from the connecting point to the low-voltage DC/DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Izawa, Masataka Komiyama, Yuta Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11271470
    Abstract: The invention relates to the controlling of a multi-phase rectifier for adapting the temperature distribution in the rectifier. According to the invention, the phase currents in the individual phases are adjusted on the output-side of the rectifier with a different amplitude. Correspondingly, the respective half bridges in the rectifier are loaded to a differing degree. In this way, an uneven temperature distribution can be compensated in the rectifier. Alternatively, an uneven temperature distribution can also be adjusted in the rectifier in a targeted manner, in order to take further parameters into account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michele Hirsch, Florian Malchow, Tino Merkel
  • Patent number: 11271387
    Abstract: A storage system includes a power supply circuit, a backup circuit and a switch circuit. The power supply circuit supplies power to a semiconductor storage element. The backup circuit has a condenser capable of being charged by using the power from the power supply circuit and supplies the power charged on the condenser to the semiconductor storage element when a voltage of the power supply circuit declines to be equal to or smaller than a threshold value set in advance. The switch circuit monitors a value of a leakage current of the condenser and performs an operation related to deterioration of the condenser when the value of the leakage current fulfills a deterioration condition set in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Teruyuki Narita
  • Patent number: 11264917
    Abstract: A system and method for an interleaved inverter including a set of module circuits and an inverter controller. The module circuits include multiple switches. The inverter controller is configured to assign a first phase shift value to each of the module circuits during a normal mode of operation and assign a second phase shift value to at least one of the module circuits during a failure mode of operation. The second phase shift value is greater than the first phase shift value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Kohler Co.
    Inventors: Isaac S. Frampton, Adam Larson
  • Patent number: 11260810
    Abstract: A distributor configured to be connected to a power supply wire laid in a vehicle, a load for the vehicle to be supplied with power from the power supply wire, and configured to be connected to an operation signal line through which operation information serving as a reference for determining whether to operate or stop the load is transmitted, the distributor including: an electronic control unit configured to distribute power that is supplied from the power supply wire to the load, based on the operation information, wherein the electronic control unit is disposed at a corner of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiromichi Yasunori
  • Patent number: 11260770
    Abstract: A movable power generating system for a vehicle may include an inverter for receiving power from a battery in a vehicle to generate AC power, a motor for receiving the AC power from the inverter, a switch block connected to the output terminal of the inverter and for branching the AC power, and an external power supply unit connected to the switch block and for outputting the AC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jin-Hyung Lee, Deok-Hwan Seo, Jong-Chan Jun, Kwon-Hyoung Choi
  • Patent number: 11262252
    Abstract: The wireless capacitive load cell features a two-component strain member has a spring body and force transduction plate, which deforms when a load is applied to the structure. During loading, the force transduction plate moves the cantilever spring body out of a position of rest, which results in an indenter, located within the force transduction plate, contacting a capacitive transducer. The capacitive transducer converts deformation of the strain member into an electrical signal which is correlated to a specific load value. The microelectromechanical system that accompanies the capacitive transducer processes and prepares the signal for wireless transmission. The microelectromechanical system has a capacitive transducer, signal conditioner, microcontroller unit, and telemetry system. Additional embodiments of the wireless load cell may include acceleration and temperature sensors embedded within the microelectromechanical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventors: David Wayne Holdsworth, William Douglas Anderson, Sydney Lauren Molloy Wilson
  • Patent number: 11258291
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply circuit for energy transfer between a battery and a smoothing capacitor, a battery management system and a battery pack. The power supply circuit includes a transformer including a first winding and a second winding, a first switching circuit including a first switch connected in series to the first winding, and connected in parallel to the battery together with the first winding, a second switching circuit including a second switch connected in series to the second winding, and connected in parallel to the smoothing capacitor together with the second winding, and a switch controller. To pre-charge the smoothing capacitor, the switch controller is configured to perform a first operation of turning on the first switch and turning off the second switch, and subsequently perform a second operation of turning off the first switch and turning on the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Hyeon-Jin Song, Seon-Uk Yu
  • Patent number: 11237081
    Abstract: A vehicle sensor system includes a fluid sensor configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system and at least partially extend into a gearbox of a traction motor of the vehicle system. The fluid sensor is configured to output data representative of an amount of a lubricating fluid in the gearbox. The system also includes a positioning system configured to output data representative of movement or an absence of movement of the vehicle system, and one or more processors configured to determine the amount of the lubricating fluid in the gearbox based on the data that is output by the fluid sensor responsive to the data output by the positioning system indicating that the vehicle system has not moved or has moved by less than a designated distance for at least a designated, non-instantaneous period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Bret Worden, Jingjun Zhang, David Petersen
  • Patent number: 11238720
    Abstract: A vehicle state presentation system includes a terminal device including an ear mounting unit that is mounted on an ear of a user, and a vehicle. The vehicle includes a first communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the terminal device, and a first controller that causes the first communication unit to transmit a notification signal indicating that the vehicle detects a state of the vehicle other than a predetermined state to the terminal device, and the terminal device includes a second communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the vehicle, and a second controller that causes an output unit to perform a notification to the user based on the notification signal received by the second communication unit when the terminal device moves out of a predetermined distance range in which the vehicle is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Okada, Ryuta Atsumi, Satoshi Fujisaki, Daisuke Hiroki, Shinpei Asai
  • Patent number: 11235639
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a start-stop system configured to stop and restart operation of the engine in response to predetermined triggers, and an auxiliary air conditioning AC system including a controller communicably coupled to the start-stop system. The start-stop system is configured to provide a first indication to the auxiliary AC system indicating ignition of the engine and a second indication to the auxiliary AC system after stopping the engine. The auxiliary AC system is configured to turn off the auxiliary AC system in response to receiving the first indication and restart the auxiliary AC system in response to receiving the second indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Phillips & Temro Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey James Martell, Eric Graham Ruggles, John David Sweazey
  • Patent number: 11233258
    Abstract: In a control device for a power converter converting electric power of a fuel cell stack, the power converter includes first and second reactors, a first switching element connected to the first reactor, and a second switching element connected to the second reactor. The second reactor is located closer to a cooling water discharge manifold than the first reactor. The control device configured to: set first and second duty cycles of the first and second switching element; and execute limit control in which, by controlling the setting of the first and second duty cycles, a second amount of heat generated by the second reactor due to a second current is limited to a value smaller than a first amount of heat generated by the first reactor due to a first current within a period of at least multiple ON-OFF cycles of the first and second switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Itou
  • Patent number: 11230871
    Abstract: An opening/closing body control device may include an actuator, a drive device configured to drive the actuator configured to at least one of open and close an opening/closing body of a vehicle, an operation switch, and a signal output device. The signal output device may be configured to drive the actuator via outputting a signal to the drive device when the operation switch is operated. The signal output device may include a signal line, a submergence detection circuit configured to detect submergence of the vehicle in water, a switch, and a pullup resistance connected via the switch to a power source. The switch may be configured to turn on when submergence of the vehicle in water is detected and the operation switch is not operated. The pullup resistance may be connected electrically to the signal line when the switch turns on to output a signal to the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventors: Toaki Yagihara, Kenji Amimoto
  • Patent number: 11225150
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising an onboard energy storage device, an onboard power conversion device configured to be electrically coupled to an external power source for receiving electrical power therefrom, and at least one drive system electrically coupled to the onboard energy storage device and the onboard power conversion device, wherein the onboard energy storage device and the onboard power conversion device cooperatively provide electrical power for the at least one drive system. A vehicle and a method for managing power supply are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Fei Li, Xi Lu, Jian Zhou, Pengju Kang, Ronghui Zhou, Xiangming Shen, Fengchen Sun, Hai Qiu
  • Patent number: 11225147
    Abstract: In a drive unit for four-wheel drive vehicle that allows a motor for driving front wheels to be easily installed, a torque of an engine is transmitted to a rear wheel axle via a transmission and a rear propeller shaft, and a torque of a front drive motor is transmitted to a front wheel axle via a front propeller shaft. A front drive unit is disposed between the transmission and the rear wheel axle. A case of the front drive unit houses: a main shaft that transmits to the rear propeller shaft an output torque of the transmission; the front drive motor; and a sub-shaft that is disposed in a position shifted in a vehicle width direction with respect to the main shaft and transmits to the front propeller shaft an output torque of the front drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Kuwahara, Norifumi Takada
  • Patent number: 11214148
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a distributed high-frequency AC electrical system for the electric vehicle. The system divides all loads of the electric vehicle into four load areas according to their spatial positions. Four high-frequency inverters and four DC input interfaces are contained in the system, with each of the four load areas being configured with one of the four high-frequency inverters, and each of the four high-frequency inverters being configured with one of the four DC input interfaces. One end of each DC input interface is connected to the DC side of the corresponding high-frequency inverter, and the other end is connected to the storage battery of the electric vehicle. Each high-frequency inverter outputs a high-frequency AC bus to supply power for the loads in the corresponding load area, and the four high-frequency inverters are in a parallel operation state through a high-frequency connection point that connects the four high-frequency AC buses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SOUTH CHINA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Junfeng Liu, Jialei Wu, Jun Zeng, Fei Luo
  • Patent number: 11214169
    Abstract: A battery system including: a plurality of battery modules; a plurality of switches arranged in a circuit including the plurality of the battery modules, the plurality of the switches being configured to switch connection of the battery modules between a series state and a parallel state; a storage device that stores at least one abnormality pattern; and a control device configured to: i) control switching of each of the plurality of the switches; and ii) control switching of the switches other than the predetermined switch such that the battery modules rue not in a short-circuited state using the abnormality pattern when the predetermined switch is unable to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoya Ono
  • Patent number: 11208063
    Abstract: The present invention includes one or more adjustment units configured to house one or more electric components that affect impedance in an output of power supply parts in a unit housing in which at least a connection portion has a predetermined shape and size; and a unit support part that is disposed inside the power supply part or between the output of the power supply part and loads and that detachably supports the adjustment unit. When impedance of a wire harness on the output side and the loads changes depending on a difference in a vehicle type, sufficient noise reduction is realized only by replacing the adjustment unit to be mounted without changing a configuration of a main body of the power supply part. Since a component and a component number can be used in common regardless of the difference in the vehicle type, cost can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Masui
  • Patent number: 11205920
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an emergency starting power supply, which comprises an energy storage module, an output interface, a first detection module, a switch module and a control module. The first detection module is electrically connected to the output interface, and detects a voltage of an automotive battery through the output interface when the output interface is connected to the automotive battery. The switch module is electrically connected between the energy storage module and the output interface. The control module is electrically connected to the first detection module and the switch module, respectively. The control module is used to determine whether a voltage drop of the battery within a first preset time is greater than a preset voltage drop based on the voltage detected by the first detection module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CARKU TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Yun Lei, Mingxing Ouyang, Zhifeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 11205916
    Abstract: A system comprising a high voltage (HV) bank section using capacitors arranged into two banks, a multifilar inductor coupling the HV bank to a service voltage (SV) bank section and load through a charging circuit charging the SV bank from a more fully charged bank until the charging bank is depleted, and a switch switching, from the depleted bank to the other bank of bank to charge the SV bank. The charging circuit then charging the depleted bank by a power supply as the other HV bank charges the SV bank. A supervisory controller controls the switch to repeat switching and charging between the two banks for a defined period. The capacitors may be supercapacitors having a capacitance on the order of 1 to 10 MegaJoules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Richard H. Sherratt and Susan B. Sherratt Revocable Trust Fund
    Inventor: Brian Elfman
  • Patent number: 11196299
    Abstract: A primary unit for an inductive charging system includes a primary coil, which is configured to generate a magnetic field in response to a coil current through the primary coil; a first inverter, which is coupled to the primary coil via a first capacitor and which is configured to charge and/or discharge the first capacitor based on a first input voltage; and a second inverter, which is coupled to the primary coil via a second capacitor and which is configured to charge and/or discharge the second capacitor based on a second input voltage. The primary unit has a control unit, which is configured to identify capacitance information with respect to an effective capacitance of a primary resonant circuit of the primary unit, and to actuate the first inverter and the second inverter depending on the capacitance information in order to effect the coil current through the primary coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marius Hassler, Josef Krammer, Florian Niedermeier
  • Patent number: 11193429
    Abstract: A driving control device for a fuel pump may include a valve-opening-rate calculating unit and a driving control unit. The valve-opening-rate calculating unit may be configured to calculate an injector valve opening rate. The injector valve opening rate may be an injection time of an injector per unit time. The driving control unit may be configured to set a voltage duty ratio of a driving voltage that should be applied to the fuel pump that supplies fuel in a fuel tank to a fuel pipe communicating with the injector. The driving control unit may be further configured to set the voltage duty ratio to a value that is proportional to the injector valve opening rate calculated via the valve-opening-rate calculating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventor: Tomoaki Sekita
  • Patent number: 11192525
    Abstract: An access arrangement for a vehicle comprises a vehicle-side unlocking device for unlocking a locking mechanism. Furthermore, it comprises a vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device which is set up to supply the unlocking device with energy independently of the on-board power supply of the vehicle. Moreover, the access arrangement has a vehicle-side energy supply device comprising a first section for receiving wirelessly transmitted energy and for converting the transmitted energy into electrical energy, and a second section for charging the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device. In particular, the access arrangement also comprises a vehicle-side authentication device for checking access authorization, which is supplied with energy independently of the on-board power supply by means of the vehicle-side rechargeable electrical energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Emmerling, Annette Hebling, Christine Igl, Georg Käufl, Stefan Hermann, Alexander Heinrich
  • Patent number: 11194375
    Abstract: An apparatus to transfer data via a communication link comprises a power bus interface to a power bus of the communication link; at least one data lane transmitter and receiver pair configured to transfer data via a data lane of the communication link; and a power bus data transmitter and receiver pair configured to transfer data via the power bus using pulse width modulation of a data signal on the power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Huimin Chen, Abdul Ismail, Karthi Vadivelu, Yong Yang
  • Patent number: 11186180
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a motor vehicle including remote terminals connected to battery so as to prevent electronic tampering, and a corresponding method. An example vehicle includes a battery with battery terminals. The vehicle further includes remote terminals electronically connected to the battery terminals so as to prevent electronic tampering with the battery via the remote terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Peter Phung, Zeljko Deljevic
  • Patent number: 11183798
    Abstract: A connector device is provided, including a vehicle connector and a charging connector which are detachably connected to each other. The vehicle connector has electric power line terminals substantially coplanar with a flat connection surface and a plurality of signal line terminals which are arranged on a radial outside of the electric power line terminals The charging connector has electric power line terminals and a plurality of signal line terminals which are arranged substantially coplanar with a flat connection surface and are respectively in surface contact with the electric power line terminals and the plurality of signal line terminals during the connection with the vehicle connector. The connector connection determination device determines whether a connection state between the two connectors according to a detection result of whether the signal line terminals are in contact with each other when the charging connector is attached to the vehicle connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Kitamoto
  • Patent number: 11180032
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes a first detection block, a second detection block, and a monitoring unit. Each of the first detection block and the second detection block includes one or more voltage detectors that detect voltages across power storage cells. The monitoring unit includes a complement processor that, when a circuit in the first detection block breaks down and the first detection block fails to transmit the states of the power storage cells to the monitoring unit, complements the states of the power storage cells that have not been acquired from the first detection block, based on the states of the power storage cells detected in the second detection block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Nishikawa, Kimihiko Furukawa, Hidetsugu Mukae, Shinya Inui, Tomonori Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 11180073
    Abstract: A lighting device is provided for controlling the photometric distribution of light emitted by two or more LEDs. The lighting device may be integrated with a control system of the vehicle and may be controlled by a remote controller. The lighting device may be capable of being operated in one or more modes of operation based on operating conditions, user input, or both. Operating conditions may include vehicle conditions, environmental conditions, and user conditions. The controller may operate a software application to enable the user to modify, control, or otherwise regulate any mode of operation or other feature of the lighting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: JST Performance, LLC
    Inventors: Edgar A. Madril, Pete D. Sibitzky, Bradley J. LaMarche, Eric G. Lokken, Adam P. Boucher
  • Patent number: 11183727
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a container including a first conductive material, a plurality of battery racks including a second conductive material, a plurality of electricity storage modules mounted on the battery racks and having grounded portions connected to the battery racks, and a grounding means configured to connect the battery racks to a ground outside the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Kazumi Sato, Masami Okada, Yasuhiro Watanabe, Ryo Tanabe
  • Patent number: 11171458
    Abstract: A method for producing a contact element includes producing a shaped body having a rectangular main body, a current tapping lug, and an intermediate lug, wherein the main body has first and second longitudinal sides opposite one another in a vertical direction and which respectively extend with a first length in a first horizontal direction, wherein the current tapping lug protrudes away from the first longitudinal side in the vertical direction and extends in the first horizontal direction over a second length which is less than the first length, and wherein the intermediate lug protrudes away from the first longitudinal side in the vertical direction and extends in the first horizontal direction over a third length less than the first length. The intermediate lug is bent over such that at least one portion of the lug comes to lie offset parallel to the main body in a second horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Juergen Esch
  • Patent number: 11171505
    Abstract: An electric power control device includes: an ECU; a DC power supply; a backup power supply which has a control power supply as an operation source, supplies electric power to the ECU when an electric power supply from a battery to the ECU is stopped, and supplies electric power to the DC power supply when an electric power supply from the battery to the DC power supply is stopped; a first ground line connected to a ground terminal of the DC power supply; a second ground line connected to a ground terminal of the backup power supply; a current path formation unit which electrically connects the first ground line to the second ground line and forms a path in which a current flows from the first ground line to the second ground line in one direction; and a noise minimizing component connected to the current path formation unit in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignees: KEIHIN CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Sugano, Kazutaka Senoo, Koji Suzuki, Yasuhiko Kondo, Yasushi Hori
  • Patent number: 11164411
    Abstract: A method of advertisement filtering including receiving advertisements from a multiple of access controls; filtering the received advertisements based on a credential on the mobile device; comparing the filtered received advertisements and determining a user intent to access a particular access control in response to the comparing and to a destination intent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Kuenzi, Jonah J. Harkema, Steve Switzer, Kim Vertner
  • Patent number: 11161478
    Abstract: A start switch device includes a start button configured to send a command to start or stop a vehicle drive device, a biometric sensor arranged on the start button for reading a biometric information of an operator to operate an operating surface of the start button, a light source configured to emit an illuminating light from an inside of the start button toward the operating surface, and a design part arranged around the biometric sensor on the operating surface and configured to define a design on the operating surface by the illuminating light transmitted therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yo Ikeda, Tomoyuki Funayama, Yuya Goto, Naoyuki Takada