Cycling (e.g., Discharge/charge Cycle, Etc.) Patents (Class 320/130)
  • Patent number: 10153647
    Abstract: A storage battery system connected to a power system includes: a storage battery; a BMU which monitors a state of the storage battery with a first sensor; a PCS which charges the storage battery and discharges from the storage battery with reference to an output value of a second sensor similar in type to the first sensor; and a control device. The control device receives a charge/discharge request and storage battery information supplied from the BMU and controls the PCS based on the charge/discharge request and the storage battery information. An abnormality detection unit of the control device acquires the output value of the second sensor from the PCS, and detects abnormality of any sensor as a result of comparison between the output value of the second sensor and an output value of the first sensor included in the storage battery information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Tsurumaru, Masato Hanada
  • Patent number: 10141581
    Abstract: A method for depassivation of a lithium-thionyl battery includes applying at least one current test load (LAST) (101) to an electrode of the battery (10), wherein at least one of a shape, a magnitude or points in time of the application of the at least one current test load (LAST) occurs dependent on a measurement of a response signal (u(t), du(t) on the battery (10), and energy of the at least one current test load (LAST) is drawn from the battery (10), comparing the response signal (u(t), du(t) of the battery (10) arising from application of the at least one current test load (LAST) to at least one predefined criterion (103), and establishing an operating state (12) or issuing an error message depending on satisfaction of the at least one predefined criterion (103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: 4114
    Inventors: Rene Klewer, Ansgar Schmidt, Thomas Schneider
  • Patent number: 10116012
    Abstract: Desktop power use behavior may be detected while a portable information handling system or any other type of battery powered information handling system is operating on external power such as an AC adapter. The desktop power use behavior may be detected by monitoring one or more power usage parameters to detect usage characteristics that indicate a battery powered information handling system is being operated in a manner that is similar to operation of a desktop information handling system. Upon detection of desktop behavior, one or more processing devices of the information handling system may respond by taking one or more desktop use response actions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Chia-Fa Chang, Hua Chung, Ligong Wang, Yung Fa Chueh
  • Patent number: 10098558
    Abstract: A patient monitoring system includes one or more wireless sensing devices configured to record physiological data from a patient and one or more processors. An activity analysis module is executable on one or more of the processors to select an activity class from a predefined set of activity classes based on an activity input. A power management module is executable on one or more of the processors to reduce power consumption of one or more of the wireless sensing devices by identifying that one or more of the wireless sensing devices is unreliable based on the activity class, and operating the one or more unreliable wireless sensing devices in a low power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Matti Veli Tapani Huiku
  • Patent number: 10074990
    Abstract: Remaining power information regarding remaining power generation capability of a power generation apparatus can be transmitted. A power conversion apparatus includes a controller that acquires remaining power generation capability of a power generation apparatus and a communication interface that transmits remaining power information regarding the remaining power generation capability to an external power management apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Baba
  • Patent number: 10063070
    Abstract: A battery active-balancing system comprises an external balancing power; a buck converter having a first side-winding and a second side-winding induced thereby, the first side-winding and the second side-winding each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal; a battery comprising series-connected cell-units each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal; a cell voltage-sensing unit coupled to the battery to sense a voltage of each cell unit of the series-connected cell-units; a main switch component coupled to the first side-winding and the battery in an ON state, or coupled to the first side-winding and the external balancing power in an OFF state; a cell-switch unit comprising first cell-switch components and second cell-switch components, wherein each of the first cell-switch components is coupled to the positive terminal of corresponding one cell-unit and the positive terminal of the second side-winding, and each of the second cell-switch components is coupled to the negative terminal of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Wei-Min Hsiao, Kuo-Kuang Jen, Jeng-Chyan Lin, Hsun-Ming Hsien, Fu-Min Fang
  • Patent number: 10048324
    Abstract: There is provided a voltage detecting device. A plurality of detecting units are configured to detect voltages of a plurality of battery stacks of a battery pack having the plurality of battery stacks each having a plurality of battery cells connected, at intervals of a predetermined period, respectively. A mode switching unit is configured to perform switching between an active mode in which the detecting units detect the voltages and a standby mode in which the value of an electric current flowing in the detecting units is smaller than a predetermined value. A timing changing unit is configured to change start timings or/and finish timings of the active mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventor: Yukio Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10036778
    Abstract: The invention provides a lithium battery and redox flow battery energy storage systems hybrid energy storage power station real-time power distribution method and system. The system comprises a communication module, a data storage and management module, a gross power coordination control module and a real-time power distribution module. The said method and system not only can complete the real-time distribution of each battery energy storage units in the battery energy storage station, but also the aims of effective control and distribution of the lithium-liquid flow cell combined energy storage power station and aims of effective control and distribution of the lithium-flow flow joint energy storage power station real-time power can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: ZHANGJIAKOU WIND AND SOLAR POWER ENERGY DEMONSTRATION STATION CO., LTD., STATE GRID XIN YUAN COMPANY, CHINA ELECTRIC POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA
    Inventors: Xiangjun Li, Dong Hui, Xuecui Jia, Xiaokang Lai, Yinming Wang, Si Zhu
  • Patent number: 10033379
    Abstract: To generate an analog current without restriction by a power supply voltage. A semiconductor device includes a first node, a second node, a first- to an n-th-stage power storage element (n is an integer greater than or equal to 2), and a first- to an n-th-stage switch. The capacities of the first- to the n-th-stage power storage element are different from one another. The first- to the n-th-stage power storage element are electrically connected in parallel between the first node and the second node. A first terminal of a k-th stage power storage element (k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to n) is electrically connected to the first input node via a k-th stage switch. The on/off states of the first- to the n-th-stage switch are controlled by a first to an n-th signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Yuki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10027135
    Abstract: An apparatus for balancing battery power can include: a battery selection circuit coupled to N batteries, where the battery selection circuit is configured to couple one of the N batteries to a charge and discharge port, where N is an integer greater than 1; a bi-directional power converter having a first terminal coupled to the charge and discharge port, and a second terminal coupled to a storage capacitor; N detection circuits corresponding to the N batteries, where each of the N detection circuits is configured to detect a state of a corresponding of the N batteries; and a control circuit configured to control the battery selection circuit to couple a selected battery to the charge and discharge port, and to charge or discharge the selected battery through the bi-directional power converter to maintain a voltage of the storage capacitor to be within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventor: Zhiyuan Shen
  • Patent number: 9935472
    Abstract: A battery pack is disclosed. In one aspect, the battery pack includes a battery unit including a plurality of main battery cells and an additional battery cell. The battery pack also includes a battery management system (BMS) configured to receive voltage information about the battery unit and control charging and discharging of the battery unit. The BMS includes at least one voltage measuring terminal configured to receive main voltage information about the main battery cell and an analog to digital converting terminal configured to receive additional voltage information about the additional battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-Young Kim, Susumu Segawa, Hidaka Takao
  • Patent number: 9906052
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a battery module in which batteries are connected in series; a negative electrode output terminal to which a negative electrode terminal of the battery module is connected; a positive electrode output terminal to which a positive electrode terminal of the battery module and a connection point between predetermined batteries are individually connected through discharging switches; an output voltage detecting circuit for detecting an output voltage; a charging current adjusting circuit for adjusting the charging current of the battery module; thermistors for detecting the state-of-charge of the battery module; and a control device for controlling the charge and discharge of the battery module, wherein the control device includes means for controlling the discharging switches, so that the output voltage is within a specific range, and means for controlling the charging current adjusting circuit on the basis of the state-of-charge of each battery of the battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kabasawa, Takuya Harada, Hiroshi Fukuda, Zenjirou Uchida, Masanori Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9864014
    Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing voltage threshold detection circuitry of individual battery cells within a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle are disclosed. One example system comprises, a plurality of battery cells within a battery pack, a plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits detecting voltage of the plurality of battery cells, a voltage of a first battery cell of the plurality of battery cells coupled to a first voltage threshold detecting circuit of the plurality of voltage threshold detecting circuits, and a network that selectively couples a second battery cell to the first voltage detecting circuit while the first battery cell is coupled to the first voltage detecting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: A123 Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Paul W. Firehammer, John H. Floros
  • Patent number: 9854983
    Abstract: The effect of prolonged skin contact with an electronic apparatus is appropriately suppressed. An electronic apparatus 1 includes a temperature acquisition unit 54, a temperature integration unit 55, and a temperature management unit 56. The temperature acquisition unit 54 acquires the temperature of the apparatus. The temperature integration unit 55 acquires information (limit time) about the effect on the skin which changes depending on the temperature. The temperature management unit 56 executes a preset process, based on the temperature of the apparatus acquired by the temperature acquisition unit 54 and the information about the effect on the skin acquired by the temperature integration unit 55.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Minami, Hiroshi Katsuda
  • Patent number: 9846465
    Abstract: One embodiment provides an electronic device including an application which is configured to obtain peak shift information, a BIOS which is configured to receive the peak shift information from the application to calculate peak shift start and end times based on the peak shift information, a first unit, a first controller which is included in the first unit to execute a peak shift for a first battery based on the start and end times, a second unit, and a second controller which is included in the second unit. The second controller is configured to execute a peak shift for a second battery based on the start and end times received from the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Jingsha He
  • Patent number: 9765746
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine including a starter is shown. A method for monitoring the starter includes determining electrical energy consumed by pinion and motor solenoids operative to activate and rotate a pinion gear of an electrically-powered motor meshingly engageable to a starter ring gear portion of a flywheel of the engine during an engine starting event. Current ringing in the pinion and motor solenoids is monitored during the engine starting even, and a fault is identified in the pinion and motor solenoids based upon the current ringing and the electrical energy consumption of the starter during the engine starting event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Youssef A. Ghoneim, Mark N. Howell
  • Patent number: 9758053
    Abstract: A system and method are provided which, when the battery pack is at a low charge level, selectively heat the battery or battery module with the lowest voltage, thereby decreasing the internal resistance and mitigating the magnitude of the voltage drop of the affected battery/battery module. As a result, termination of the battery pack's discharge cycle is delayed and the driving range of the vehicle is increased, thereby giving the driver a little more time and driving range to reach a charging station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventor: Jong Yon Kim
  • Patent number: 9759778
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a voltage measurement unit that measures an output voltage of a battery and a voltage on a power supply path between the battery and an internal circuit supplied with electric power from the battery, a current measurement unit that measures a discharge current of the battery, and a control unit that calculates a theoretical value of the output voltage in a normal measurement mode assuming that the discharge current measured in a large current measurement mode is a maximum available current of the battery in the large current measurement mode, and calculates an amount of maximum available power of the battery in the large current measurement mode based on the calculated theoretical value of the output voltage and the voltage on the power supply path measured in the large current measurement mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hidekazu Nagato
  • Patent number: 9753093
    Abstract: A method for diagnosing a battery may include applying a generally constant current to the battery for a period of time, measuring a response voltage of the battery to the applied current, determining battery impedance parameters based on at least one of the applied current, period of time, and response voltage, and determining a degradation condition of the battery based on the battery impedance parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan Roy Gale, Bruce Carvell Blakemore, Michael W. Degner, Paul Theodore Momcilovich
  • Patent number: 9746523
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for determining at least one state of a plurality of spatially combined battery cells connected to each other by circuitry. The state is determined by observing battery cells by means of at least one observer structure. A subset of a plurality of battery cells is observed and the state derived from the observation is determined for more battery cells than for the observed battery cells. The disclosure further relates to a battery comprising a battery management system, which is configured such that the method according to the disclosure can be carried out thereby. The disclosure also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a battery according to the disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andre Boehm, Stefan Wickert
  • Patent number: 9749960
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for adaptable power-budget for mobile devices are presented. In an embodiment, a method may include determining a classification of processes to be executed by a processing device. Such a method may also include detecting a process to be executed by the processing device. Additionally, the method may include selectively providing power to the processing device from one or more of a primary battery and a secondary battery in response to the classification of the detected process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: DELL PRODIUCTS, L.P.
    Inventors: Chitrak Gupta, Sushma Baravarajaiah
  • Patent number: 9689927
    Abstract: Disclosed are a detection circuit and an electronic terminal. The detection circuit is applied in the electronic terminal and configured to detect a real-time working current of the electronic terminal. The circuit comprises: a resistor, having two ends and with variable resistance values; a sampling unit, configured to be connected with both ends of the resistor and collect voltages at both ends of the resistor; a first memory, configured to store a current calculating method and an electric quantity calculating method; a data processing control unit, configured to be connected with the sampling unit and the first memory, calculate a voltage difference across the resistor according to the voltages, and call above calculating methods to acquire a current value and an electric quantity value according to the voltage difference and the resistance value; and a power supply device, configured to provide a stable power supply for the detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Liang Yang
  • Patent number: 9676288
    Abstract: A battery management system for a vehicle includes a controller programmed to apply a current pulse to reverse a current flow through a battery to reduce or remove cell polarization. After the current pulse, an open-circuit voltage is measured as the terminal voltage of the battery. The settling time for the terminal voltage to approach the open-circuit voltage is reduced after the current pulse. The magnitude of the current pulse is based on a battery state of charge, a battery temperature, and a current magnitude prior to the current pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoguang Chang, Xu Wang, Szushen Ho, Chuan He
  • Patent number: 9660467
    Abstract: The inventive disclosures contained herein are generally directed to an improved portable powerbank (or battery bank) that is integrated with video storage and playback/display capabilities for use as a promotional product and/or related services. Effectively, the improved device is an electronic billboard and/or video player that can keep a user engaged because of a user's motivation to use the powerbank functionality. The combination of the improved powerbank's high user utility with the integrated video/audio player's strong capability in communicating promotional messages, the VIP significantly elevates the promotional effectiveness of each VIP device, as compared with the individual parts of the sum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: TwinTech Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Hsin-Chia Chao, Li-Te David Tai
  • Patent number: 9647547
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to discriminate between a battery voltage sensor and the input voltage sensor of a converter for abnormality, without stopping the step-up operation of the converter. A voltage conversion device is provided with a battery, a converter, a battery voltage sensor, a voltage sensor for detecting the input voltage of the converter, a current sensor for detecting a reactor current, and a control unit. The control unit determines the abnormality of the battery voltage sensor or the input voltage sensor on the basis of an estimated value of input voltage calculated based on the reactor current, the input voltage of the converter and a battery voltage, without stopping the step-up operation of the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daigo Nobe, Ryoji Sato, Kazuhito Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9634320
    Abstract: An active material used for an electrochemical device utilizing Li ion conduction, and capable of improving cycle stability. The object is attained by providing an active material used for an electrochemical device utilizing Li ion conduction, including an active substance capable of absorbing and releasing a Li ion, and an Na ion conductor disposed on the surface of the active substance and having a polyanionic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignees: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION GUNMA UNIVERSITY, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Morimoto, Shin-ichi Tobishima, Yohei Shindo
  • Patent number: 9595739
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a battery are provided. The apparatus includes a battery pack and a battery management system (BMS). The BMS is configured to calculate a battery state by sensing the battery pack and perform a selective control to select a control object of a unit element of the battery pack or an intensive control to intensively use the control object of the unit element using the battery state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: In-Sung Jung
  • Patent number: 9577431
    Abstract: In various implementations, a pager may be coupled to a console. The pager may include a battery and coupling the pager to the console may provide power to the console. In some implementations, the power provided to the console may charge a battery of the console and/or allow the console to perform one or more operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Long Range Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth James Lovegreen
  • Patent number: 9575554
    Abstract: An aspect of the disclosure includes a method, a system and a computer program product. The method includes measuring a first data with a sensor, the sensor and operatively coupled computing resources having at least two power states, an operating power state and a low power state, the low power state consuming less energy than the operating power state. A first time period is determined for measuring a second data, the first time period being based at least in part on the first data. The sensor is operated, and operatively coupled computing resources at the low power state during the first time period, wherein no data measurements are acquired during the first time period. The sensor is changed to the operating power state at an expiration of the first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eli M. Dow, Michael R. Kelly, Harry R. Kolar, Michael L. Passow
  • Patent number: 9558894
    Abstract: An ultracapacitor that includes an energy storage cell immersed in an advanced electrolyte system and disposed within a hermetically sealed housing, the cell electrically coupled to a positive contact and a negative contact, wherein the ultracapacitor is configured to output electrical energy within a temperature range between about ?40 degrees Celsius to about 210 degrees Celsius. Methods of fabrication and use are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: FastCAP Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Riccardo Signorelli, John J. Cooley, Christopher John Sibbald Deane, James Epstein, Padmanaban Sasthan Kuttipillai, Fabrizio Martini, Lindsay A. Wilhelmus
  • Patent number: 9543771
    Abstract: Disclosed are a telescopic transmission cable device and a mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenming Zhang, Minrui Fu, Jiande Huang, Jingtang Yang, Biyun Shi
  • Patent number: 9533585
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: an electric storage device; a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the electric storage device; a second temperature sensor configured to detect an environmental temperature; a heater configured to warm the electric storage device; and a controller configured to control the heater. The controller is configured to: when end time of the external charging is set, calculate a remaining time period from current time to the end time; identify a temperature increasing time period that corresponds to the calculated remaining time period, the temperature of the electric storage device, and the environmental temperature by using a corresponding relationship among the remaining time period, the temperature of the electric storage device, the environmental temperature, and the temperature increasing time period; and start driving the heater such that the temperature of the electric storage device at the end time reaches the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Murata, Yusuke Kuruma
  • Patent number: 9527397
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing overshoot at the beginning of slow charging is provided. The apparatus includes a controller configured to receive initial charging command information during slow charging from electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and generate initial charging information for preventing overshoot using the initial charging command information. The apparatus further includes a charger for performing charging of a battery using the initial charging information, and a battery management system (BMS) configured to generate sensing information by sensing the charger, and charge the battery using the sensing information based on an originally set algorithm of the EVSE after a preset time based on whether the charging of the battery is stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jong-Kil Baek
  • Patent number: 9513685
    Abstract: A method of measuring a processing load of a processor in executing a thread. When the load is above a threshold, measuring repeatedly at a first time interval, and when lower than the threshold, measuring repeatedly at a second, longer time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Takeo Murakami
  • Patent number: 9509165
    Abstract: An apparatus and method enable a charging power supply for a battery charge in a portable terminal regardless of the charge capacity of a charge cable for an external power supply. The apparatus for controlling a charge current in the portable terminal includes a detector for detecting power supplied to a battery and a charge capacity of a charge cable when the charge cable is connected to supply external power, and a charge integrated circuit (IC) for resetting a charge capacity of the portable terminal according to the capacity of the charge cable and controlling the power supplied to the battery according to an operation of the detector, when the charge capacity of the charge cable detected by the detector is not equal to the charge capacity of the portable terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-Soon Kim
  • Patent number: 9499059
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: an electric storage device; a first temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the electric storage device; a second temperature sensor configured to detect an environmental temperature; a heater configured to warm the electric storage device; and a controller configured to control the heater. The controller is configured to: when end time of the external charging is set, calculate a remaining time period from current time to the end time; identify a temperature increasing time period that corresponds to the calculated remaining time period, the temperature of the electric storage device, and the environmental temperature by using a corresponding relationship among the remaining time period, the temperature of the electric storage device, the environmental temperature, and the temperature increasing time period; and start driving the heater such that the temperature of the electric storage device at the end time reaches the target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Murata, Yusuke Kuruma
  • Patent number: 9484763
    Abstract: A battery pack and a method of controlling the same. The battery pack includes: a first battery module that includes at least one battery cell; a second battery module that includes at least one battery cell electrically connected to the first battery module; a charge/discharge control unit that breaks or connects a charge/discharge path of each of the first battery module and the second battery module; a first battery management unit that controls the first battery module; and a second battery management unit that generates a signal for controlling switches included in the charge/discharge control unit by referring to a state of the second battery module, wherein the first battery management unit and the second battery management unit are connected in parallel to the charge/discharge control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong-Young Kim, Ki-Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 9458815
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine including a starter is shown. A method for monitoring the starter includes determining electrical energy consumed by pinion and motor solenoids operative to activate and rotate a pinion gear of an electrically-powered motor meshingly engageable to a starter ring gear portion of a flywheel of the engine during an engine starting event. Current ringing in the pinion and motor solenoids is monitored during the engine starting even, and a fault is identified in the pinion and motor solenoids based upon the current ringing and the electrical energy consumption of the starter during the engine starting event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Youssef A. Ghoneim, Mark N. Howell
  • Patent number: 9405353
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for controlling a central processing unit CPU. A usage and a working frequency of a working CPU is obtained. When the usage is greater than a usage threshold, it is determined whether the working frequency is smaller than a first frequency. The working frequency as the first frequency is determined when the working frequency is smaller than the first frequency. The first frequency is smaller than a maximum frequency of the CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: HUAWEI DEVICE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Konggang Wei, Yuhua Guo, Yu Peng
  • Patent number: 9403527
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a hybrid automotive vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine, and an electric machine connected to an energy storage system includes a) during a mission of the vehicle, estimation of the temperature of the energy storage system at the beginning of a next mission of the vehicle, and b) if the temperature estimated at step a) is below a threshold value, recharging, before the end of the current mission (If the vehicle, the energy storage system on the basis of the temperature estimated at step a). In a step c), if the energy storage system has been recharged at step b), then, at the beginning of the next operating period of the vehicle, the energy storage system is heavily discharged. With this method, the battery rapidly reaches the desired temperature when driving off again at the beginning of the next mission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Christophe Magnet, Michael Millet
  • Patent number: 9383416
    Abstract: A traction battery connection simulator is disclosed comprising a plurality of power supplies connected to simulate a traction battery and a plurality of switching devices that selectively connect the power supplies to a controller under test. The simulator further comprises a controller programmed to selectively connect at least one of power supplies to the controller under test for a predetermined period of time before connecting remaining power supplies. The controller may also be programmed to disconnect at least one power supplies from the controller under test for a predetermined period of time before disconnecting remaining power supplies. Voltages associated with each power supply and currents through each switching device may be compared to corresponding predetermined ranges. An indicator may be set in response to at least one of the voltages and currents being outside of a corresponding predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Edward Loftus, James Lawrence Swoish
  • Patent number: 9371006
    Abstract: A method for the optimized recharging of the electric battery of at least one electric system, particularly an electric vehicle, using an electric recharging device, in which the electric battery is recharged during at least one charging time interval which is part of an available charging time period initiated by connection of the electric battery recharging system to the electric recharging device and which is determined as a function of a charging curve associated with this electric recharging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignees: Electricite de France, Electricite Reseau Distribution France
    Inventors: Mélaine Rousselle, Gaizka Alberdi
  • Patent number: 9354930
    Abstract: Task execution among a plurality of processors that are configured to operate concurrently at a same global Voltage/Frequency (VF) level is controlled by using a global power manager to control VF switching from one VF level to another VF level, the same current VF level governing VF settings of each processor. Each of the processors controls whether it will wait for a VF switch from a current VF level to a next VF level prior to enabling execution of a next scheduled task for the one of the processors, with the decision being based on whether a current VF level is higher than the next scheduled VF level. The global power manager performs VF level switching at least based on a timing schedule, and in some but not all embodiments, also on whether all processors indicate that they are waiting for a VF level switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (publ)
    Inventors: Orlando Pires Dos Reis Moreira, Cornelis Van Berkel
  • Patent number: 9306413
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a charging circuit for a charge accumulator comprises a first terminal (A1) for supplying a charging voltage (UC) and for connecting the charge accumulator (SC) connected to a reference potential terminal (10), a second terminal (A2) for providing a load voltage (UD) and for connecting an electrical load (D1), a control assembly (ST) which is coupled to the first and the second terminals (A1, A2) and has a signal output (A3) for providing a first charge state signal (S1) and a test output (TA) for providing at test signal (on), and a current source (I1) that is coupled to the second terminal (A2), wherein the first charge state signal (S1) is provided depending on a value of an additional voltage (U12) between the first and the second terminals (A1, A2) and depending on the test signal (on), and wherein the charging voltage (UC) is supplied depending on the first charge state signal (S1). The invention also relates to a method for charging a charge accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ams AG
    Inventors: Peter Trattler, Manfred Pauritsch
  • Patent number: 9225249
    Abstract: A system including an alarm device, the alarm device further includes a switch mode buck converter, a capacitor that is charged by the buck converter, a boost converter that powers an output device primarily from energy drawn from the capacitor and circuitry coupled to the buck converter and boost converter, wherein the buck converter charges the capacitor with a relatively constant current and wherein the circuitry dynamically adjusts an instantaneous duty cycle of the buck converter to achieve the constant current based upon a power setting of the output device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Michael Barson
  • Patent number: 9208670
    Abstract: A warning system for detecting a battery fire in a battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle includes a battery management system. The electric or hybrid vehicle is parked at or in a building to carry out a battery charging operation. The battery management system is connected to a building network installed in the building during the charging operation either via a direct connection or via a wireless connection. The battery management system triggers or activates protective measures if a fire is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Berengar Krieg, Andreas Heyl
  • Patent number: 9199548
    Abstract: A computationally implemented system and method that is designed to, but is not limited to: electronically assessing electricity provider detail information associated with providing electrical energy to one or more electric vehicle wireless electrical energy chargers configured for wirelessly charging one or more electric vehicles with electrical energy from the one or more electric vehicle wireless electrical energy chargers to the one or more electric vehicles, the one or more electric vehicles including one or more electric motors to provide motive force for directionally propelling the one or more electric vehicles. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9199538
    Abstract: A charging connector includes a lock button for locking the charging connector in a charging inlet, and a limit switch for electrically connecting a control pilot line and a ground line to each other in response to an operation of the lock button. The vehicle inlet includes a switch circuit for selectively connecting the control pilot line and the ground line with a resistance circuit, depending on whether a charging lid is open or closed. A CPU is configured to be able to supply a voltage to the control pilot line, and based on a potential of a control signal in accordance with presence/absence of voltage supply to the control pilot line, it detects the state of connection of a charging cable and the state of control pilot line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomokazu Masuda
  • Patent number: 9186787
    Abstract: An internal temperature estimation unit, which reads a detected temperature of a cell of a battery for an electric power tool to estimate an internal temperature of the battery based on the detected temperature, includes: an initial-value setting device which reads, when a discharge/charge of the battery is started, the detected temperature and sets the detected temperature as an initial value; and a temperature increase amount calculation device which calculates a temperature increase amount of the cell of the battery based on a latest value of the detected temperature and the initial value set by the initial-value setting device; the internal temperature estimation unit outputs the temperature increase amount as an estimated value representing the internal temperature of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Noda, Hisakazu Okabayashi, Tadahiko Kobayakawa
  • Patent number: 9184686
    Abstract: An ECU in an electric power generation control system obtains a vehicle state containing a battery state and a driving state of a motor vehicle. The ECU calculates charging parameters necessary for maintaining a residual charge of a battery and vibration suppression parameters necessary for suppressing vibration of a vehicle. An exciting current setting section as a function of the ECU determines an exciting current flowing in an excitation winding of an alternator on the basis of the charging parameters and the vibration suppression parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuichi Minamiguchi, Isao Ookawa, Katsuyuki Mori, Akihiko Yagyu