Automobile Patents (Class 307/10.1)
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Patent number: 10900611Abstract: A system and a method for sensing hydrogen charge state of a fuel cell electric vehicle are provided. The system includes an infrared transmission unit that transmits a fuel door sensing infrared signal for sensing a fuel door opened while charging hydrogen and a nozzle sensing infrared signal for sensing a charging station-side hydrogen charging nozzle connected to a hydrogen charging inlet of a vehicle. An infrared reception unit receives the fuel door sensing infrared signal and thereafter, reflected on a fuel door and the nozzle sensing infrared signal transmitted from the infrared transmission unit and thereafter, reflected on the hydrogen charging nozzle. A controller determines that the vehicle is being charged with hydrogen when sensing an open state of the fuel door and a hydrogen charging inlet connection state of the hydrogen charging nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2017Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Ji Hyun Shim, Ki Ho Hwang, Hyung Ki Kim
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Patent number: 10903634Abstract: Provided is an electrical junction box 10 including: a box body 12; an electrical component block attachment portion 36 that is open to an upper side of the box body 12 and extends in an upper-lower direction of the box body 12; and a plurality of electrical component blocks 38a and 38b attached in multiple stages in the upper-lower direction to the electrical component block attachment portion 36. A partitioning portion 44 is arranged between a lower face 42 of the electrical component block 38a arranged on an upper side in the upper-lower direction and an upper face 81 of the electrical component block 38b arranged on the lower side thereof, with gaps 82a and 82b being interposed between the partitioning portion and the faces. An electric wire 50 extending from the lower face 42 of the upper electrical component block 38a is held on the partitioning portion 44.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2019Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventor: Yuji Miyamoto
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Patent number: 10899233Abstract: A vehicle having a high voltage power source for operating high voltage devices, such as in-wheel electric motors for propelling the vehicle. The high voltage in-wheel electric motors are controlled by dedicated controllers paired with the devices and requiring low voltage power. The vehicle includes one or more converters paired with the dedicated controller(s) and for converting high voltage power to low voltage power suitable for powering the controllers.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: E-TRACTION EUROPE B.V.Inventors: Jorrit Job Heusinkveld, Patrick Johannes Christiaan Hendriks
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Patent number: 10901003Abstract: The invention concerns a current measuring device for measuring an electric current (Ip, In) according to the four-wire technology with a low resistance current measuring resistor (RCu1, RCu, R0). The invention also provides for a compensating resistor (Rp) consisting of a fixed resistor connected in parallel with the resistor element (R0) of the low-resistance current measuring resistor (RCu1, RCu, R0) in order to at least partially compensate for the temperature dependence of the resistance value, so that the current measuring device has two current paths, namely a main current path through the resistor element (R0) on the one hand and a secondary current path through the compensating resistor (Rp) on the other hand.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2017Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Isabellenhuette Heusler GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Ullrich Hetzler
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Patent number: 10902727Abstract: A system and method for providing a parked vehicle warning infrastructure is described. In one embodiment, a method for providing a warning about parked vehicles includes receiving information associated with at least one of a parked vehicle or a personal transport device. The method also includes determining a location of one or more warning lights disposed in or near a roadway associated with the parked vehicle or the personal transport device. The method further includes sending an instruction to the one or more warning lights to illuminate. The illuminated one or more warning lights provide a warning to a user of the at least one of the parked vehicle or the personal transport device about a risk of a collision between the parked vehicle and the personal transport device.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Robert Uyeki, Matthew Staal
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Patent number: 10892635Abstract: A system includes a first and a second vehicle power distribution buses electrically isolated from one another, a first DC to DC converter electrically connected to the first power distribution bus, and a second DC to DC converter electrically connected to the second power distribution bus. The system includes a first battery electrically connected to the first power distribution bus, and a second battery electrically connected to the second power distribution bus.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, Prasad Venkiteswaran, Donatus Andreas Josephine Kees
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Patent number: 10886970Abstract: A load drive system for driving a load supplied with power from a power line includes a control unit which controls switching between the power line and the load and a communication unit which communicates using voltage and current of the power line. When performing the switching, the control unit controls, based on a width of a transition period of the power-line current, the transition period being attributable to the switching, timing of the switching so as to move the transition period away from a center of a period corresponding to a symbol communicated by the communication unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventors: Tomohiko Yano, Hiroki Yamashita, Taizo Yamawaki, Atsushi Arata, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Ryusuke Sahara, Kenichi Hoshino
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Patent number: 10875479Abstract: A vehicular circuit body provided in a vehicle includes a trunk line that extends in at least a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle and a plurality of control boxes that are provided in the trunk line. The trunk line includes a power source line having a predetermined current capacity and a communication line having a predetermined communication capacity. The communication line is routed so that at least a part of the plurality of control boxes are connected in a ring form.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro Takamatsu, Koichi Uezono, Kousuke Kinoshita, Atsushi Nakata, Yasuyuki Saito, Kazuyuki Oiwa, Terumitsu Sugimoto, Taku Furuta, Noriaki Sasaki, Yukinari Naganishi, Sadaharu Okuda, Kunihiko Yamada
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Patent number: 10871795Abstract: A power system includes a plurality of power conditioners, and a central management device that manages the plurality of power conditioners. The central management device includes a detector and an index calculator. The detector detects regulation subject power. The index calculator calculates an index for controlling individual output powers of the plurality of power conditioners such that the regulation subject power matches with target power. Each of the plurality of power conditioners includes a target power calculator and a controller. The target power calculator calculates the individual target power of the power conditioner based on an optimization problem using the index. The controller regulates the individual output power to the individual target power.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2017Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: DAIHEN CorporationInventors: Akihiro Ohori, Nobuyuki Hattori
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Patent number: 10868470Abstract: Provided is a vehicle power supply device that is capable of executing non-synchronous rectification control and synchronous rectification control while switching therebetween and can suppress, during switching from the non-synchronous rectification control to the synchronous rectification control, an output voltage value from significantly deviating from a target voltage value. If a determination unit determines, during the execution of the non-synchronous rectification control, that a current-increasing state arises, a driving unit performs switching to the synchronous rectification control in which a PWM signal with a duty cycle of a fixed value is supplied to a first switch unit, and then performs the synchronous rectification control in which a PWM signal with a duty cycle that is calculated by a feedback operation unit based on the target output voltage value and the detection result of the detecting unit is supplied to the first switch unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2018Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hisanori Kanbara, Naoya Koda
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Patent number: 10862148Abstract: Provided is a vehicle power source system including: a main battery configured to supply power to a drive motor of a vehicle; a fuel cell configured to supply power at least to the main battery; a main line connecting the main battery and the fuel cell; a first voltage translator placed on the main line and including a charging portion and a voltage transforming portion, the first voltage translator being configured to adjust an output voltage of the fuel cell; a relay provided between the charging portion and the fuel cell in the main line; and a sub-battery connected to an auxiliary machine power supply line via which power is supplied to an auxiliary machine of the vehicle or the fuel cell. The vehicle power source system includes a second voltage translator connected between the relay and the charging portion in the main line and configured to adjust power to be supplied from the sub-battery to the charging portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2017Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Hideo Yoshida
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Patent number: 10857909Abstract: An electrical assembly includes a seat, an electronic control unit, a seat sensor assembly, and a microphone. The electronic control unit may be configured to control movement of the seat. The microphone may be connected to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit may be configured to determine, via the seat sensor assembly, a position of an occupant of the seat and/or a distance between the occupant and the microphone. The electronic control unit may be configured to modify at least one of a gain and/or a sensitivity associated with the microphone according to the position and/or the distance. The distance may be the distance between a head of said occupant and the microphone. The seat may include a seat base, a seat back, and/or a head restraint. The seat sensor assembly may be configured to provide information about a position of the seat.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2019Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: Lear CorporationInventors: Arjun Yetukuri, Jasmine Pizana, David Gallagher
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Patent number: 10861663Abstract: A relay device wherein power can be supplied to a load from at least two power storage units and can detect when an abnormality such as an open-circuit failure occurs in a path of one of the power storage units, accurately. A control unit in a relay device functions as a switching control unit, if the current value becomes lower than a current threshold value in a first conduction path and a second conduction path, the control device switches a relay unit to an OFF state. Furthermore, the control unit functions as a determination unit and determines whether, if it switches one of the relay units to the OFF state, a voltage value detected by a voltage detection unit provided in the path in which the relay unit that was switched to the OFF state is lower than a predetermined voltage threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2017Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Takahiro Saito
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Patent number: 10850688Abstract: A vehicular circuit body provided in a vehicle includes a trunk line that extends in at least a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle, a plurality of control boxes that are provided in the trunk line, and a branch line that directly or indirectly connects a control box to an accessory. The trunk line includes a power source line having a predetermined current capacity and a communication line having a predetermined communication capacity. The branch line includes a communication line having a predetermined communication capacity. The communication line of the trunk line has a transmission path for an optical signal. The communication line of the branch line has a transmission path for an electric signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro Takamatsu, Koichi Uezono, Kousuke Kinoshita, Atsushi Nakata, Yasuyuki Saito, Kazuyuki Oiwa, Terumitsu Sugimoto, Taku Furuta, Noriaki Sasaki, Yukinari Naganishi, Sadaharu Okuda, Kunihiko Yamada
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Patent number: 10855271Abstract: In a control device that drives a semiconductor switch element, a first control switch is connected between a signal line and a source terminal or an emitter terminal of a semiconductor switch element. The signal line supplies a driving signal to a gate terminal or a base terminal of semiconductor switch element. The first control switch is controlled to an ON state when the semiconductor switch element is controlled to an OFF state. A second control switch is connected between the signal line and the source terminal or the emitter terminal in parallel with the first control switch. The second control switch is turned on when a potential of the source terminal or the emitter terminal becomes a negative potential.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2017Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Imasato, Hideyuki Sasao
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Patent number: 10850691Abstract: A management device manages a second power storage device that reinforces a first power storage device for supplying electricity to loads in the vehicle. A power supply unit of the management device steps down a voltage supplied from the first power storage device. A control unit uses, as a power supply voltage, the voltage generated by the power supply unit and monitors the state of the second power storage device to control the charging and discharging of the second power storage device. A switch electrically connects or disconnects the second power storage device to or from the power supply unit. The switch is turned on when an ignition is in an on-state, and is turned off when the ignition is in an off-state.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2017Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideyuki Sasao
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Patent number: 10850683Abstract: An apparatus includes a first electrical component, a second electrical component, and a brake line. At least part of an electrical connection between the first electrical component and the second electrical component is defined by the brake line. The electrical connection may be a secondary electrical connection for rerouting an electrical path. The brake line may include first and second tubular conductive structures for defining first and second electrical connections. A repeater may be used to retransmit a data signal along the brake line. A nonconductive layer may be disposed on a tubular conductive structure of the brake line. A controller may switch operation of the brake line between an electrical power transmission mode and a data signal transmission mode. A controller may be operable determine a connected state or a disconnected state of the brake using the electrical connection.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2016Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventor: Mario Tippelhofer
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Patent number: 10850725Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle having battery packs coupled to the vehicle in parallel, which each include series-connected cells, a single contactor, a battery pack controller that detects cell voltages, and at least one controller coupled to a bus contactor and the packs. Responsive to a vehicle key on signal, the at least one controller closes the single battery pack contactor for at least one of the battery packs that includes voltage balanced cells. The bus contactor is then closed to deliver electrical power to the vehicle, and may include a precharge contactor that is closed in advance of and until the bus contactor open circuit voltage is reduced to a contactor voltage difference. The battery pack controllers are further configured to detect voltage, current, and temperature of each cell, to open the single contactor, and to adjust the state of charge of unbalanced cells until balanced relative with the others.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2017Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush, Kyle Krueger, Abdul Lateef
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Patent number: 10845384Abstract: An apparatus for coupling a test and measurement instrument to a device under test comprises a clip structured to be attached between two conductive portions of the device under test, and an insert structured to be removably installed in the clip. The insert is configured to provide a current path between the two conductive portions of the device under test. In embodiments, the insert comprises a resistive element, which may be a round rod resistor. Additional embodiments may be described and/or claimed herein.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Tektronix. Inc.Inventor: Julie A. Campbell
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Patent number: 10843646Abstract: A vehicle power management system includes a primary power bus for powering a first non-critical load, a secondary power bus for powering a second non-critical load, and a first relay electrically connected between the primary power bus and the first non-critical load. The vehicle power management system further includes a second relay electrically connected between the secondary power bus and the second non-critical load. The first inductor is electrically connected to the secondary power bus and the second inductor is electrically connected to the primary power bus.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Mathew Alan Boesch, Sami Dagher, David Celinske
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Patent number: 10846955Abstract: An improved black box data recorder for use with autonomous driving vehicles (AVD). In one embodiment, two cyclic buffers are provided to record vehicle sensors data. A first cyclic buffer records raw vehicle sensor data on a volatile memory, while a second cyclic buffer records the same vehicle sensor data, as compressed data, on a non-volatile memory. In a case of a collision or near collision, in one embodiment the buffers are flushed into a non-volatile (NV) storage for retrieval. As long as there is no power interruption, the raw vehicle sensor data will be accessible from the NV storage. If a power interruption occurs, the raw vehicle sensor data held in the volatile memory of the first cyclic buffer will be lost and only the compressed form of the vehicle sensor data from the NV second cyclic buffer will survive and be accessible.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Gil Golov
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Patent number: 10840735Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing one or more grid supplied and separately metered power services, backup power sources, transfer switches and related powered loads using load monitoring and control which allow selectively connecting, disconnecting, limiting and controlling various loads which are powered thereby. The method and apparatus include operating with a system with a dual revenue meters providing grid power, a backup power source and a dual transfer switch wherein the power capabilities of each are economically sized while allowing reliability and convenience in selecting and powering loads. The connections to power sources and control of the loads powered thereby take into account various parameters including cost of power, load handling capability, type of load, load size, environmental factors, load usage during and subsequent to load connection, load priority and operator wishes.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Inventor: J. Carl Cooper
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Patent number: 10836336Abstract: A method and a device for a motor vehicle of adapting safety mechanisms of a vehicle safety system. The method includes acquiring (s101) data to create a representation (113) of a current vehicle surrounding (110), comparing (s102) the created representation to pre-stored representations of vehicle surroundings, with a risk assessment measure (R) associated with it which stipulates whether to trigger the safety mechanism of the vehicle safety system. If there is correspondence between the created representation and one of the pre-stored representations; detecting (s103) a vehicle behavior associated with the current surrounding, and determining (s104), whether to adjust triggering of the safety mechanism associated with the at least one risk assessment measure of the pre-stored representation of the current vehicle surrounding for which there is a match with the created representation.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2016Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: VEONEER SWEDEN ABInventors: Martin Ostling, Nicklas Gustafsson
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Patent number: 10840899Abstract: A motor drive device includes an inverter circuit, a switching circuit that switches between conduction and interruption between a power supply and the inverter circuit, and a switching driver that outputs, to the switching circuit, a command voltage which commands a switching operation. The switching circuit includes a first field-effect transistor (FET) and a second FET connected in series with sources of each other in order from a side of the power supply, and the switching driver includes an output circuit that outputs an interruption command voltage in a case in which a potential difference between drains of the FETs exceeds a threshold value, and a delay circuit that causes a timing at which the command voltage is input to a gate of the first FET to be later than a timing at which the command voltage is input to a gate of the second FET.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATIONInventor: Tomoyuki Takada
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Patent number: 10838474Abstract: An electric power supply system includes: a load; a first switch configured to connect a first electric power supply unit and the load to each other by a first route; a second switch configured to connect the first electric power supply unit and the load to each other by a second route; a third switch configured to connect a second electric power supply unit and the load to each other by a third route; a fourth switch configured to connect the second electric power supply unit and the load to each other by a fourth route; a first rectifying device provided in the second route and configured to carry out rectification from the first electric power supply unit toward the load; and a second rectifying device provided in the fourth route and configured to carry out rectification from the second electric power supply unit toward the load.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2019Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hisao Niwa
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Patent number: 10821840Abstract: A power supply arrangement having an interface for operation of a multi-voltage system of an agricultural vehicle includes a first network segment with a motor generator connected thereto and a second network segment with a lead battery connected thereto. The first network segment has a first voltage level corresponding to a nominal voltage of the lead battery for operation of an electric vehicle components, and the second network segment includes a higher second voltage level for charging the lead battery and providing electric power to an electric load comprising an agricultural implement. The interface forms a voltage source connecting the two network segments and provides an equalization voltage resulting from the two voltage levels in a charging mode and which is bypassed in a motor operating mode.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: DEERE & COMPANYInventors: Decho Botev, Christopher D. Turner
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Patent number: 10814739Abstract: A method operates a storage system for a vehicle. The storage system has a first storage module and a second storage module for providing electrical energy to or for receiving electrical energy from a distribution network. The distribution network is coupled to an electrical motor of the vehicle. The first storage module is coupled by a direct current voltage converter to the distribution network. The method determines whether an amount of a voltage difference between a power supply voltage of the distributor network and a first storage voltage of the first storage module is equal to or less than a voltage threshold value. The method carries out one or more measures for increasing the amount of the voltage difference when it is determined that the amount is equal to or less than the voltage threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Vincent Molina, Andre Schmitz, Pablo Fritzsche, Frank Bauer, Hajo Meinert
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Patent number: 10817574Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for enabling a portable electronic device to retrieve information about an object when a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag associated with the object, is detected. According to one embodiment a method is providing in the RFID tag is detected and an identity of the RFID tag is identified. The method also includes sending the identity of the RFID tag to a server for processing and receiving information corresponding to the identity of RFID tag, from the server. The information corresponding to the identity of the RFID tag denotes the information about the object attached to the RFID tag.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2017Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Inventor: Leigh M. Rothschild
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Patent number: 10814725Abstract: According to one embodiment, a vehicle controller includes an electric power converter, a plurality of first electric power transmission members, a temperature sensor, and a first controller. The electric power converter converts input electric power and outputs the converted electric power. The plurality of first electric power transmission members transmit the input electric power and are connected in parallel to the electric power converter. The temperature sensor is connected to at least one of the plurality of first electric power transmission members. The first controller determines that at least one of the plurality of first electric power transmission members is disconnected when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor changes.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Otani, Tomoyuki Makino
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Patent number: 10807547Abstract: A power supply apparatus configures an on-board power supply system that includes a first battery and a second battery. A first module and a first detecting unit are electrically connected to the first battery as a first electrical load. A second module and a second detecting unit are electrically connected to the second battery as a second electrical load. The first module and the second module configure an electric power steering apparatus. A starter is electrically connected to the first battery. The first battery and the second battery are electrically connected by a connection path. A resistor unit is provided on the connection path.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2017Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuyoshi Obayashi, Eisuke Takahashi
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Patent number: 10807482Abstract: Module-based energy systems are provided having multiple converter-source modules. The converter-source modules can each include an energy source and a converter. The systems can further include control circuitry for the modules. The modules can be arranged in various ways to provide single phase AC, multi-phase AC, and/or DC outputs. Each module can be independently monitored and controlled.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: TAE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Mikhail Slepchenkov, Roozbeh Naderi
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Patent number: 10800359Abstract: A short-range wireless communication system mounted on a vehicle includes a master device and slave devices. Each of the master device and slave devices is a short-range wireless communication device that communicates with a mobile terminal located in a communication range to perform a wireless communication. The master device includes a mobile terminal detection unit detecting the mobile terminal located in a communication range of the master device and an activation control unit performing an activation control to activate the slave devices in response to a detection of the mobile terminal by the mobile terminal detection unit. Each slave device is maintained in a deactivated state until activation control is performed by the activation control unit of the master device. Each slave device is activated when the activation control is performed by the activation control unit of the master device.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2016Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Suguru Matsushita
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Patent number: 10803733Abstract: A method for managing voltage event alarms in an electrical system includes processing electrical measurement data from energy-related signals captured by at least one intelligent electronic device (IED) of a plurality of IEDs to identify an anomalous voltage condition at a point of installation of a respective one of the plurality of IEDs in the electrical system. In embodiments, the anomalous voltage condition corresponds to a measured IED voltage being above one or more upper alarm thresholds or below one or more lower alarm thresholds. The method also includes determining if the electrical system is affected by the identified anomalous voltage condition. In response to determining that the electrical system is not affected by the identified anomalous voltage condition, at least one of the one or more upper alarm thresholds or at least one of the one or more lower alarm thresholds may be adjusted to the measured IED voltage.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC.Inventor: Jon A. Bickel
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Patent number: 10801847Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, generating a warning signal to identify any electrical characteristics along a vehicle route that differs from a current vehicle electrical characteristic. An electrified vehicle system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a battery, an electric machine configured to receive electric power from the battery to drive vehicle wheels, and a system control that generates a warning signal to identify any electrical characteristics along a vehicle route that differ from a current vehicle electrical characteristic. In one example, the electrical characteristic comprises at least a type of plug and/or socket.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2017Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Kevin James Rhodes
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Patent number: 10797631Abstract: This power output device is provided with: a field winding; a motor having a plurality of star-connected motor windings composed of three or more phases; a capacitor; an inverter circuit configured to perform power conversion on the power supplied from the capacitor and to supply the converted power to the motor windings; a battery connected to the field winding; and a control unit. The inverter circuit has a plurality of switching element pairs that correspond to the respective motor windings. The capacitor is connected to a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar. The field winding is connected to the positive or negative bus bar and to a neutral point of the motor. The control unit is configured to control the switching element pairs so as to charge the capacitor by boosting the voltage of the battery and to supply a direct current to the field winding.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKIInventor: Masamichi Nawa
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Patent number: 10793107Abstract: A vehicle door activation device includes a housing, an activation button connected with the housing to define a first chamber and a second chamber, a back-up battery stored in the first chamber, and a semiconductor chip stored in the second chamber. The semiconductor chip, in response to a voltage supplied to a vehicle door being less than a threshold, causes the back-up battery to supply power to the vehicle door, and, in response to a tag being within a proximity from the semiconductor chip and an actuation of the activation button, causes the vehicle door to unlock.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Howard Paul Tsvi Linden, Onoyom Essien Ekanem, David Wooten
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Patent number: 10797444Abstract: The present invention relates to a HVIL system for a HV connector, in particular in a motor vehicle, which HV connector is configured to transmit HV current from the HV connector to a further component, wherein the HVIL system has a first HVIL contact element and a second HVIL contact element, wherein, in a non-plugged state of the HV connector, the first HVIL contact element is spaced apart from the second HVIL contact element by at least one first spring element; and wherein, in a plugged state of the HV connector, the first spring element is deformed in such a way that the first HVIL contact element makes contact with the second HVIL contact element in such a way that the HVIL system ensures that HV current is transmitted from the HV connector to the further component if the connection between the HV connector and the further component is secure. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for establishing a HV connection.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: ROSENBERGER HOCHFREQUENZTECHNIK GMBHInventor: Willem Blakborn
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Patent number: 10780851Abstract: A power source device of present disclosure includes: a first power storage element; a second power storage element that is connected in parallel to the first power storage element and that has a lower internal resistance than an internal resistance of the first power storage element and a lower storage capacity than a storage capacity of the first power storage element; an opening and closing part that is connected between the first power storage element and the second power storage element and that switches between a disconnection state and a connection state; a charge circuit that is connected to an input route of the first power storage element and that performs a step-down operation; a discharge circuit that is connected to an output route of the second power storage element and that performs a step-up operation; and a controller that controls operations of the opening and closing part, the charge circuit, and the discharge circuit.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2017Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Yugo Setsu, Hisao Hiragi
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Patent number: 10773686Abstract: A vehicle card-type smart key that it includes a tact switch; and a touch input unit for sensing a touch from a user; and a control unit which performs an action related to the button input only when both a button input from said tact switch and a touch input from the touch input unit exist.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2017Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbHInventors: BokHee Lee, HyoungLack Jung
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Patent number: 10777068Abstract: A system that is implemented in a vehicle (1) having front and rear doors (2) (3) with door opening sensors (SM; SD, SE) and one indicative sensor (ST) of locked door. A processing unit (4) calculates, by measuring the time the door remains open and by the sequence and/or frequency of openings and closings the doors (2, 3), the possibility of a non-self-sufficient occupant have been forgotten inside; and controls the actuation of an alarm (A1, A2, AL) in the event of the calculation indicates the possibility of such occupant have been forgotten inside the vehicle. The system identifies the possibility of an occupant has been introduced inside the vehicle when the opening time of the rear door is longer than time T1, and identifies the possibility of an occupant has been forgotten in the vehicle by means of the information processing sent by the door sensors.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: FCA Fiat Chrysler Automóveis Brasil Ltda.Inventors: Lucas Almeida De Andrade, Toshizaemom Noce, Cid Araújo Soares, Glaycon Alvim Tôrres, Guilherme BasÃlio Soares Tentempo, João Paulo Rodrigues, Leonardo Ferreira Do Carmo Silva
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Patent number: 10774805Abstract: An igniter assembly comprising an ignition coil assembly connected to a firing end assembly by an extension, with a valve assembly disposed in a pressure chamber of the extension, is provided. The valve assembly includes a valve stem biased toward the ignition coil assembly by a spring to seal the pressure chamber. The valve assembly is used to evacuate contents from the pressure chamber by pressing the valve stem toward the spring and allowing contents of the pressure chamber to travel through and past the valve stem and out of the pressure chamber. The valve assembly is also used to fill the pressure chamber with an insulating medium by pressing the valve stem toward the spring and allowing the insulating medium to travel through and past the valve stem and into the pressure chamber after evacuating the contents out of the pressure chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2019Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Tenneco Inc.Inventors: Kristapher I. Mixell, Yusuf Esmail Neemuchwala, John E. Miller, James D. Lykowski, John Antony Burrows
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Patent number: 10778655Abstract: A method is disclosed to secure the operation of a vehicle. To detect any tampering during the communication of information or command, encrypting and authenticating devices are placed on the two ends of a communication channel. On the first end, an encryption device generates a first packet by encrypting the information using a random variable. The first packet and the information are communicated to the second end of the communication channel. On the second end, the authenticating device generates its own packet by encrypting the information using the random variable; then it compares the two packets and pronounces the information authentic if the two packets are identical. Any tampering with the information or the first packet will be detected and blocked by the authenticating device. Secured sensor and secure actuator are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2018Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Inventors: Mehrdad Toofan, Mehzad Toofan
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Patent number: 10769866Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating estimates of failure risk for a vehicular component are provided herein. A method includes splitting an input time series pertaining to a vehicular component across a fleet of multiple vehicles into multiple sub-time series, wherein each sub-time series comprises multiple data points of the input time series that correspond to measurements derived from the vehicular component; determining a weight applied to each of the sub-time series based on a pre-determined weight associated with the input time series; applying a failure or non-failure classification label to each of the sub-time series and the input time series; calculating a performance measure for the input time series; determining an updated weight associated with the input time series; and generating an estimate of failure risk for the vehicular component based on the classification label applied to each input time series and the updated weight.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2014Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hyung-il Ahn, Matthew Denesuk, Axel Hochstein, Ying Tat Leung
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Patent number: 10766442Abstract: A power control system of an electronic control unit of a vehicle includes: a main power supply unit and an auxiliary power supply unit for supplying power to the electronic control unit; a main electronic fuse connected to a main circuit for detecting temperature or current flowing in the main circuit to determine whether a failure occurs in the main circuit; an auxiliary electronic fuse connected to an auxiliary circuit for detecting a temperature or current flowing in the auxiliary circuit to determine whether a failure occurs in the auxiliary circuit; and a power control unit connected to the main electronic fuse and to the auxiliary electronic fuse for controlling an ON/OFF operation of the main electronic fuse and the auxiliary electronic fuse according to whether a failure occurs in the main electronic fuse and the auxiliary electronic fuse.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Jae Min Kwon
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Patent number: 10759363Abstract: A vehicular circuit body includes a trunk line that extends in at least a front-and-rear direction of a vehicle, a plurality of control boxes that are provided on the trunk line, and a branch line that connects the control box to an accessory. The trunk line and the branch line each includes a power source line having a predetermined current capacity and a communication line having a predetermined communication capacity. The control box includes a branch line connection portion to which the branch line is connected, and a branch line control unit that distributes power from the trunk line to the branch line by controlling the branch line connection portion according to a control program. The control program can be externally changed based on the accessory connected to the branch line.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2018Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATIONInventors: Masahiro Takamatsu, Koichi Uezono, Kousuke Kinoshita, Atsushi Nakata, Yasuyuki Saito, Kazuyuki Oiwa, Terumitsu Sugimoto, Taku Furuta, Noriaki Sasaki, Yukinari Naganishi, Sadaharu Okuda, Kunihiko Yamada
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Patent number: 10759466Abstract: A system includes a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to detect a service controller connected to a vehicle, upon authenticating the service controller, receive an operation mode for a vehicle component from the service controller, and actuate the vehicle component within operating limits based on the operation mode.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Joseph F. Stanek, Douglas Scott Rhode, Wassim Mahmoud Nahle, Michael Adel Awad Alla, Cheri Lyn Hansen
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Patent number: 10759262Abstract: A battery pack includes: a plurality of battery modules arranged side by side along a first direction orthogonal to an up-down direction; a housing case configured to house the plurality of battery modules; a wire harness electrically connected to the plurality of battery modules and routed in the housing case; and a reinforcing portion provided within the housing case and configured to reinforce the housing case. The reinforcing portion includes a plate-shaped portion arranged separately from the plurality of battery modules and extending along the first direction. The plate-shaped portion has a lower surface facing the plurality-of-battery-modules side, and an upper surface located on an opposite side of the lower surface. The wire harness is routed along the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaro Goto, Shigeyuki Inoue
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Patent number: 10763693Abstract: A back-up control unit of a back-up power source device executes: a battery failure determination process of determining whether or not a battery failure has been detected by a failure detecting unit; when it is determined that battery failure has been detected in the battery failure determination process, a switching instruction determination process for determining, on the basis of an instruction signal from a monitor circuit, whether or not an instruction to switch to a P range has been made by a user; and when it is determined that a switching instruction has been made in the switching instruction determination process, a shifting instruction process for starting power supply from a back-up power source to a shift control unit and instructing the shift control unit to shift to the P range.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Sytems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kyohei Morita
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Patent number: 10751231Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for powering a medical imaging machine as well as an accompanying workstation, the system comprising an engine connected to a generator with a main circuit panel in electrical connection with the generator to create a branch circuit. Embodiments include a DC power supply electrically connected to the branch circuit; an inverter placed in electrical connection with a plurality of capacitors electrically connected in series; a generator control in electronical connection with the inverter and the generator; and an inverter panel in electrical communication with the inverter and providing a first output at a first voltage for the medical imaging machine and a second output at a second voltage for the workstation controls of the medical imaging machine. In a preferred embodiment, the engine is further arranged for propelling a truck which contains all of the power system components along with the medical imaging system.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2017Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: Lifeline Mobile, Inc.Inventor: Kenneth L Guse, III
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Patent number: 10745018Abstract: Hybrid user recognition methods systems for vehicle access and control are disclosed. For one example, a hybrid user recognition system can capture at least two types of biometric data of a user. The user is recognized if at least two types of captured biometric data match with at least two types of registered biometric signatures of the user. If the user is recognized, the user is allowed access or control of at least part of the electronic or driving controls of the otherwise the user is prevented from access or control of the vehicle. Examples of user biometrics include facial, voice, iris, fingerprint and behavioral biometrics.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: Byton LimitedInventors: Dirk Abendroth, Baharak Soltanian