With Battery Or Cell Condition Monitoring (e.g., For Protection From Overcharging, Heating, Etc.) Patents (Class 320/134)
  • Patent number: 11714134
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for predicting a state of a battery are provided. The apparatus includes a data measuring unit that measures information about the battery and outputs first data, a data producing unit that reflects a change in available capacity of the battery based on at least a portion of the first data to calculate a corrected state of charge and processes the first data based on the corrected state of charge to generate second data, and outputs the second data, and a battery state estimating unit that estimates state information of the battery based on the second data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Sungwoo Jo, Tae Moon Roh, Sun Kyu Jung
  • Patent number: 11702060
    Abstract: A power relay assembly is provided and includes a first relay that is connected to a positive end of a battery and a second relay that is connected to a negative end of the battery and connected to the first relay via a DC capacitor. A first Field Effect Transistor (FET) is connected in parallel with the first relay and a second FET is connected in parallel with the first relay and connected in series with the first FET. A voltage control circuit is configured to adjust a voltage of the first FET with a first voltage or adjust a voltage of the first FET with a second voltage lower than the magnitude of the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Yura Corporation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sangho Shin, Haesung Nam, Bum-Kyo Jung, Dae-Hwan Kwon
  • Patent number: 11705742
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are regulated power supplies. The power source delivers power to a system load and includes battery units. The power source also includes power flow devices coupled to the battery units that are configured to provide power from the battery units to the system load. Each power flow device corresponds to a respective one of the battery units, and includes a one direction current flow device connected in series with a current regulator between the respective battery unit and the system load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Nilles, Russell Douglas Patton, Raul Alejandro Perez, Patrick Timothy Mcsweeney Simons
  • Patent number: 11698414
    Abstract: A method of estimating a battery current limit for operation of a battery cell over the course of a specified prediction time. The method includes generating a plurality of current limit estimations by means of a plurality of current limit estimation sub-methods, wherein at least one current limit estimation sub-method generates its current limit estimation based on an RC equivalent circuit model of the battery cell, and determining the charge current limit by finding the lowest magnitude current limit estimation in the plurality of current limit estimations. At least one parameter of the RC equivalent circuit model is set based on the specified prediction time and at least one variable from the set of: a state of charge (SOC) of the battery cell, a temperature of the battery cell, a state of health (SOH) of the battery cell, a capacity of the battery cell, and a current of the battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC
    Inventors: Jing Hong, Suvrat Ramasubramanian, Ali Jokar
  • Patent number: 11695281
    Abstract: A battery overcharge preventing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a voltage distribution unit connected to both ends of at least one battery cell in a battery module including multiple battery cells, the voltage distribution unit being configured to distribute a voltage of the at least one battery cell according to a preset ratio; a voltage sensing unit operating so as to allow a control current to flow when the voltage distributed by the voltage distribution unit is greater than a preset reference voltage; and a second relay configured to block, by operation of the voltage sensing unit, operation of a first relay that establishes an electrical connection between the battery module and a charging module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SK ON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Soo Jeong Jeong, Yun Nyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 11695404
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first circuit, a first terminal, a second terminal, a conductor and a first switch element serially coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein the first circuit is configured to turn the first switch element to an OFF state when a first condition is satisfied, and the conductor is configured to physically break when a second condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Arai, Toshifumi Ishimori, Yutaka Yadoumaru, Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11695282
    Abstract: A battery device includes a battery pack, a circuit substrate which acquires battery information on the battery pack or controls charge and discharge of the battery pack, a switch including a first power element or a second power element, and a heat radiator. The switch is a device controlling input and output of electric power to and from the battery pack, and an exterior part of the switch is arranged away from the circuit substrate. The heat radiator is a member made of a material having thermal conductivity, and is in direct contact with or indirect contact via a heat conductor with the exterior part of the switch so that heat of the switch can be transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei Yamamoto, Tatsuki Nishimata, Masato Niwa, Hidehiro Kinoshita, Yoshimitsu Inoue
  • Patent number: 11695292
    Abstract: A power supply system includes: a voltage converter that converts a voltage between first and second power circuits; a power controller that controls charging and discharging of first and second batteries; a cooling output controller that controls cooling output for the second battery; a temperature remaining-capacity acquirer that acquires a temperature remaining-capacity T2_mar; and a cooling remaining-capacity acquirer that acquires a cooling remaining-capacity PC2_mar depending on a difference between maximum cooling output and the cooling output of the second cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventor: Hiroki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11689029
    Abstract: A terminal and a device are provided. The terminal includes a charging interface and a first charging circuit. The first charging circuit is coupled with the charging interface, and is configured to receive an output voltage from the adapter via the charging interface and apply the output voltage to both ends of multiple cells connected in series in the terminal to charge the multiple cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventors: Jialiang Zhang, Shiming Wan, Jiada Li, Jun Zhang, Chen Tian, Shebiao Chen
  • Patent number: 11682798
    Abstract: A vehicular battery control device controls an electric storage amount of a battery as which a lithium-ion battery is employed. The vehicular battery control device includes a control unit that reduces the electric storage amount of the battery until the electric storage amount of the battery assumes a second state, before the lapse of a first time, when the electric storage amount of the battery assumes a first state and it is predicted that a charge current will flow in the first time. The first state is a state where lithium metal is precipitated by charging the battery with a predetermined amount of electric power, and the second state is a state where no lithium metal is precipitated even when the charge current flows through the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Akaishi
  • Patent number: 11682909
    Abstract: A movable platform includes one or more propulsion units configured to provide a driving force to the movable platform and a control unit operatively coupled to the one or more propulsion units. The control unit is configured to: communicate with a plurality of batteries adapted to supply current to the one or more propulsion units; obtain one or more electrical characteristics of each of the plurality of batteries; and determine, based on the electrical characteristics, a controlling signal to set a power supply state for at least one of the plurality of batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dayang Zheng, Wentao Wang, Lei Wang, Hao Luo, Jie Tian, Chaobin Chen
  • Patent number: 11668755
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for determining available energy of a battery, a battery management system, and a storage medium, and relates to the field of battery technologies. The method includes: obtaining a DOD interval corresponding to a current SOC interval of the battery, and a cycle quantity and a cycle temperature that correspond to the DOD interval; obtaining recoverable energy information of the battery based on the DOD interval, the cycle quantity, and the cycle temperature; and determining current remaining available energy of the battery based on the recoverable energy information. For a battery with a recoverable attenuation capacity, the method, the apparatus, the battery management system, and the storage medium in this disclosure could help improve accuracy in estimating remaining available energy of the battery, thereby improving battery reliability, prolonging a service life of the battery, and enhancing user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Jian Ruan, Mingshu Du, Shenzhi Tang, Shichao Li, Yanhua Lu, Wei Zhang
  • Patent number: 11668759
    Abstract: A method of analyzing the quality of a battery cell includes performing a high-throughput quality check on the battery cell with a quality control system, assessing a quality score to the battery cell, with quality score identifying the battery cell as low-quality or high-quality, and performing a comprehensive quality check on the battery cell if identified as low-quality. The method further includes assessing an enhanced quality score to the battery cell superseding the quality score of the quality control system identifying the battery cell as confirmed low-quality or confirmed high-quality and providing revised production instructions for manufacturing successive battery cells if confirmed low-quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: James R. Salvador, Debejyo Chakraborty, Ryan Curtis Sekol, Thomas A. Yersak, Sean R. Wagner, Charles W. Wampler, Ronald M. Lesperance, Raffaello Ardanese, Thanh-Son Dao, Dmitriy Bruder
  • Patent number: 11661029
    Abstract: Embodiments include methods for a battery management system (BMS) for a battery pack configured to operate with a host platform (e.g., vehicle, charging station, diagnostic station, etc.). Such methods include authenticating the host platform based on communication between a first short-range wireless transceiver (SRWT) in the BMS and a compatible second SRWT in the host platform. Such methods include, based on the result of the authentication, regulating the following between the host platform and the battery pack: flow of energy, and communication of control and status information via the first SRWT. Other embodiments include BMS having a first SWRT and a controller configured to perform operations corresponding to the exemplary methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TWS Technology(Guangzhou) Limited
    Inventor: Charles Liu
  • Patent number: 11664675
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first voltage conversion unit, a second voltage conversion unit, and a control unit. The first voltage conversion unit generates a first voltage from power supplied from a first power supply or a second power supply. The second voltage conversion unit generates a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage, from power supplied from the first power supply or the second power supply. The control unit controls a process of supplying power, supplied from the first power supply, to the first voltage conversion unit and a process of supplying power, supplied from the second power supply, to the second voltage conversion unit, in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kento Inai, Tsuyoshi Fujisaki, Takuma Iwagami
  • Patent number: 11655024
    Abstract: A system includes a power optimized energy source, an energy storage optimized source, and a network that combines a first current from the power optimized energy source and a second current from the energy storage optimized source in order to power a load at least during a high power demand event, including by connecting the power optimized energy source and the energy storage optimized source using a parallel connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Kitty Hawk Corporation
    Inventors: Xu Yan, BinBin Chi, Evan E. Frank, Aaron Schultz
  • Patent number: 11646578
    Abstract: A control device of a power supply system includes a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The first processing unit is a processing unit configured to perform a first process of determining certain strings out of a plurality of strings connected in parallel to a power distribution device. The second processing unit is a processing unit configured to perform a second process of performing inputting of electric power to the plurality of strings connected in parallel to the power distribution device or outputting of electric power from the plurality of strings to the power distribution device using at least the certain strings determined by the first processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Juni Yasoshima, Junta Izumi, Kenji Kimura, Toshihiro Katsuda, Kohei Matsuura, Junichi Matsumoto, Shuji Tomura, Shigeaki Goto, Naoki Yanagizawa, Kyosuke Tanemura, Kazuo Ootsuka, Takayuki Ban, Hironobu Nishi
  • Patent number: 11644509
    Abstract: An estimation method for a battery system includes mapping an upper limit and a lower limit of the state of charge of the second-system battery to a state of charge interval of the battery system, to establish a mapping relationship between the upper limit and the lower limit of the state of charge of the second-system battery and the state of charge interval of the battery system. The method includes calculating the state of charge of the second-system battery and estimating a state of charge of the battery system according to the mapping relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: NIO TECHNOLOGY (ANHUI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Cai, Rui Hua, Shizhe Tzeng, Haoming Yan
  • Patent number: 11644886
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dual power unit power distribution. In an aspect, a system includes a first power unit and a second power unit, each operable to store and provide power to a load. A first switch is interposed between the first power unit and a power bus, and a second switch interposed between the second power unit and the power bus. A bidirectional power conveyor is connected to the first power unit and connected to the second power unit, and is operable to convey power between the first power unit and the second power unit independent of respective voltages of the first power unit and the second power unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: IRP Nexus Group, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shmuel Ben-Yaacov, Paul Abraham Price, Oded Arlevski
  • Patent number: 11635469
    Abstract: Provided is a power supply device which includes a plurality of battery modules each having a secondary battery and in which the battery modules are connected in series with one another according to a gate driving signal from a controller. An SOC control target value that is a target value for states-of-charge of the battery modules is changed according to the number of the battery modules that are available to be connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuo Ootsuka, Shuji Tomura, Naoki Yanagizawa, Kyosuke Tanemura, Shigeaki Goto, Junta Izumi, Kenji Kimura
  • Patent number: 11637458
    Abstract: The disclosure features wireless energy transfer sources that include at least two source resonators and a power source, where: each of the at least two source resonators has a nominal impedance when a device resonator is not positioned on or near any of the at least two source resonators, the nominal impedances of each of the at least two source resonators varying by 10% or less from one another; and the at least two source resonators are configured so that during operation of the wireless energy transfer source, when a device resonator is positioned on or near a first one of the at least two source resonators: (a) the impedance of the first source resonator is reduced to a value smaller than the nominal impedances of each of the other resonators by a factor of 2 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander P. McCauley, Arunanshu M. Roy, Noam Katz, Andre B. Kurs, Morris P. Kesler
  • Patent number: 11631981
    Abstract: A power adapter, a terminal, and a method for processing an impedance anomaly in a charging loop are provided. The terminal includes a battery and a charging interface, and is configured to form a charging loop with a power adapter via the charging interface to charge the battery. The terminal further includes: a communication component, configured to receive voltage indication information from the power adapter when the power adapter charges the terminal, the voltage indication information indicating an output voltage of the power adapter; a detection component, configured to detect an input voltage of the power adapter; and an anomaly processing component, configured to determine whether an impedance of the charging loop is abnormal according to a difference between the input voltage and the output voltage, and to control the charging loop to enter into a protected state if the impedance of the charging loop is abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventor: Jialiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 11621553
    Abstract: An electrical assembly (100) having a first ground connection (145), a second ground connection (155), and a supply connection (135). The electrical assembly is designed for connecting with an electrical voltage between the supply connection (135) and at least one of the ground connections (145, 155). The assembly (100) includes a first electrical consumer (110) which is connected to the supply connection (135) and the first ground connection (145). A component (120) connects the second ground connection (155) to the first consumer (110). The component (120) is designed to produce a predetermined voltage drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Schmidt, Kai Leingruber, Georg Willmann, Christian Aigner, Paul Bange, Philipp Schmachtenberger
  • Patent number: 11600990
    Abstract: A protection system for overcurrent protection in a battery system. The protection system can have a protection element for interrupting an electric current path in the battery system. The protection system can have an acquisition unit for determining acquisition information which is specific for an electric current of the current path. The protection system can have an electronic processing unit for performing a comparison of the acquisition information with an adaptable protection specification to detect an overcurrent condition. The electronic processing unit can be operatively connected to the protection element to activate the protection element in response to the comparison such that the interruption occurs upon positive detection of the overcurrent condition in accordance with an adjustable activating characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Intilion GmbH
    Inventors: Norman Winkler, Thomas Nawrath, Stefan Reinhold
  • Patent number: 11594897
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for autonomous charge balancing of an energy storage device of the microgrid. In one embodiment the method comprises obtaining, at a droop control module of a power conditioner coupled to an energy storage device in a microgrid, an estimate of a state of charge (SOC) of the energy storage device; introducing a bias, the bias based on (I) the estimate of the SOC and (II) a target SOC value for each energy storage device of a plurality of energy storage devices in the microgrid, to a droop control determination made by the droop control module; and generating, by the power conditioner, an output based on the droop control determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Richard Zimmanck
  • Patent number: 11594899
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes: an over-discharge detection circuit that is supplied with electric power from a secondary battery, and is configured to detect whether or not the secondary battery is in an over-discharged state, and upon detecting that the secondary battery is in an over-discharged state over a predetermined period, stop a detection operation according to an enable signal; and a power down cancel circuit configured to, when the over-discharge detection circuit has stopped the detection operation, cause the over-discharge detection circuit to re-start the detection operation when a current supplied to a detection terminal from a power feeding circuit is a predetermined current or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kinya Matsuda, Kota Onishi, Masahiko Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11594910
    Abstract: A method for acquiring information of a battery cell (11) includes a step (S101) of acquiring information pertaining to performance recovery accompanying the suspension of charging/discharging of the battery cell (11). Control pertaining to the battery cell (11) and estimation of a state of the battery cell (11) can be appropriately performed according to a type of battery cell (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.
    Inventor: Junpei Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11588336
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for a battery system. The apparatus may provide a protection control circuit to detect undesired battery conditions and a fuel gauge circuit to confirm the detected battery condition, record the detected condition, and report the recorded conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Patent number: 11579204
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method performed in an electronic device for managing the power limit of a battery of a vehicle. The method including obtaining a first State of Health value of the battery at a first time, obtaining a second State of Health value of the battery at a second time, determining a rate of change of State of Health value of the battery, determining a power value by calculating a function that is dependent on the rate of change of State of Health of the battery and adjusting the power limit of the battery to the determined power value for managing the life time of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO.
    Inventors: Bengt Axelsson, Sri Vishnu Gorantla Narayana Murthy, Sandeep David, Nareerat Plylahan
  • Patent number: 11575162
    Abstract: A chargeable battery temperature estimation apparatus estimating an internal temperature of a chargeable battery includes a processor performing when executing the instructions stored in a memory: acquiring a detected current value output from a current sensor configured to detect a current flowing in the chargeable battery; calculating a heating value on the basis of the detected current value, the heating value estimating heat generated inside the chargeable battery; acquiring a detected external temperature value output from a temperature sensor configured to detect an external temperature of the chargeable battery; estimating the internal temperature of the chargeable battery based on the calculated heating value and the detected temperature value; and outputting the estimated internal temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Masashi Matsushita, Katsuhide Hamada
  • Patent number: 11575159
    Abstract: A battery system may include: a master battery processor configured to transmit monitoring commands; and slave battery processors configured to be coupled to batteries, and to transmit battery information of the batteries coupled thereto, to the master battery processor in response to the monitoring commands. The master battery processor determines operation modes of the slave battery processors on the basis of the battery information transmitted from the slave battery processors, and the slave battery processors communicate with the master battery processor at different communication participation rates according to the determined operation modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Subong Hong
  • Patent number: 11575161
    Abstract: A secondary battery protection circuit for controlling charge and discharge using a switching circuit to protect a secondary battery from temperature is provided. The switching circuit is configured to be provided in a charge-and-discharge path between the secondary battery and an external device. The secondary battery protection circuit includes a detection terminal configured to be electrically connected, via a resistor, to between the switching circuit and the external device. The secondary battery protection circuit includes a first terminal configured to be electrically connected to a temperature detection terminal of the external device. The secondary battery protection circuit includes a second terminal to which a temperature sensitive element is configured to be electrically connected, the temperature sensitive element having a characteristic value varying in accordance with a change in temperature of the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yohei Watanabe, Takashi Takeda, Junji Takeshita, Daisuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11569671
    Abstract: A power bank with automatic detection for charging capability includes a battery unit, a control unit connected to the battery unit, an input unit, at least one output unit, a starting unit and a detecting unit. The input unit is connected to the control unit. The input unit is used for being connected with an external power source. The at least one output unit is connected to the control unit. The starting unit is connected to the control unit and the at least one output unit. The starting unit is in a grounded state to form a current loop. The detecting unit is connected to the control unit and the at least one output unit. The detecting unit is used for sensing whether a signal is transmitted from the at least one output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: CHENG UEI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hui-Lin Lai, Jun-Yeh Liu, Wen-Bing Hsu
  • Patent number: 11565605
    Abstract: A method includes determining a threshold capacity associated with at least a first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a second UAV. The method includes initially setting a target charge voltage of a first battery of the first UAV to less than a full charge voltage to limit a state of charge of the first battery based on the threshold capacity. The method includes, over a lifetime of the first battery of the first UAV, periodically comparing a full charge capacity of the first battery to the threshold capacity. The method includes, based on the comparing, periodically adjusting the target charge voltage of the first battery, such that, as the full charge capacity of the first battery decreases with age, the target charge voltage increases towards the full charge voltage of the first battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Wing Aviation LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Nubbe
  • Patent number: 11563244
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power storage unit which can safely operate over a wide temperature range. The power storage unit includes: a power storage device; a heater for heating the power storage device; a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the power storage device; and a control circuit configured to inhibit charge of the power storage device when its temperature is lower than a first temperature or higher than a second temperature. The first temperature is exemplified by a temperature which allows the formation of a dendrite over a negative electrode of the power storage device, whereas the second temperature is exemplified by a temperature which causes decomposition of a passivating film formed over a surface of a negative electrode active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Minoru Takahashi, Shunpei Yamazaki, Masaaki Hiroki, Kei Takahashi, Junpei Momo
  • Patent number: 11564114
    Abstract: A premises communication hub includes a primary communications module, a secondary communications module, a power supply, and a charging module. The primary communications module is configured to receive a premises signal from a premises device and transmit an external signal to a remote server. The secondary communications module is configured to receive the premises signal from the premises device and transmit the external signal to the remote server. The power supply includes a primary power input configured to receive power from a primary power source and a secondary power input configured to receive power from a secondary power source. The power supply is electrically connected to the primary communications module and the secondary communications module. And, the charging module is electrically connected to the secondary power source and configured to recharge the secondary power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ADEMCO INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth Eskildsen, Mark O'Keefe
  • Patent number: 11557903
    Abstract: This application embodiment provides a method for equalizing the battery module, an apparatus, a battery module and a power management controller, including: judging whether the first battery core and the second battery core enter their respective fully-charged interval; if the first battery core enters and the second battery core doesn't enter, discharging the first battery core until the second battery core enters; if the first battery core doesn't enter and the second battery core enters, judging whether the maximum value of the first charging voltage of each battery cell in the first battery core is greater than a third preset value; if so, discharging the second battery core until the first battery core enters; if not, controlling both to rest a preset time; after resting for the preset time, discharging the first battery core and the second battery core until the SOC of each battery cell enters a same state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Lei Peng, Guangyu Xu, Shichang Zhang, Shichao Li
  • Patent number: 11552482
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a high voltage battery pack comprised of a least a first module comprised of a plurality of first battery cells, a second module comprised of a plurality of second battery cells, and a third module comprised of a plurality of third battery cells. A first passive battery management system monitors and balances the plurality of first battery cells, a second passive battery management system monitors and balances the plurality of second battery cells, and a third passive battery management system monitors and balances the plurality of third battery cells. A pack manager measures a voltage of each of the first, second, and third modules, compares measured voltages of the first, second, and third modules, and actively balances a lower charged module from the first, second, and third modules with energy from a higher charged module of the first, second, and third modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Hudson, Farouq Mozip, John Anthony DeMarco, David Celinske
  • Patent number: 11545848
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for managing a temperature of a battery energy storage system (“BESS”). A method may comprise identifying operating temperature limitations of the BESS; obtaining a forecast horizon comprising a forecast of external environmental conditions for a time period; identifying a charging/discharging schedule of the BESS; simulating operation of the BESS for the time period for each of a plurality of sequences of thermal management modes according to the charging/discharging schedule and the forecast horizon, the simulating generating an energy consumption and an operating temperature forecast of for each of the plurality of sequences of thermal management modes; selecting a sequence of thermal management modes of the plurality of sequences; and operating the equipment according to the selected sequence of thermal management modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: 8ME NOVA, LLC
    Inventors: Lukas Mercer Hansen, Kamran Moradi, Nadim Kanan, Finbar Sheehy
  • Patent number: 11539227
    Abstract: Provided is a technology capable of protecting a charge/discharge control circuit and a battery device from a reverse connection state without a separately provided protection circuit. The charge/discharge control circuit to be contained in a battery device including a secondary cell, an external positive terminal and an external negative terminal, and FETs which control charging and discharging of the secondary cell, respectively, includes: VDD and VSS terminals; a charge control terminal; a discharge control terminal; a voltage detection terminal to which a voltage applied to the external positive terminal is supplied; an NMOS transistor communicates the discharge control terminal and the voltage detection terminal; and a bipolar transistor having a collector to be connected to a drain of the NMOS transistor, an emitter to be connected to a source of the NMOS transistor, and a base to be connected to a bulk of the NMOS transistor and the VSS terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: ABLIC INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Ono, Ryoichi Anzai
  • Patent number: 11531069
    Abstract: A system for controlling supply of a device. The device can be a power retention device that requires to be permanently powered. To this end, it can be alternatively powered by a power supply, in a first mode, or by a battery, in a second mode. At least one sensor of the system acquires data related to the battery, such as environmental data, the voltage of the battery or the discharge current of the battery. Based on the data and at least one characteristic curve of the battery, a battery monitoring module is configured to switch between the first and second modes to improve the lifetime of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
    Inventors: Aymeric Biehler, Didier Ferry, Ghislain Rudelou
  • Patent number: 11526245
    Abstract: A touch panel equipment for air conditioning has a plurality of electrodes arranged in two-dimensional matrix, a touch sensing IC for scanning capacitance of the electrodes, and a touch panel controller for deciding a touch position from the capacitance sensed by said touch sensing IC. The touch panel controller resets the touch sensing IC when the capacitance of the electrodes located in a check area is not changed during predetermined threshold timings, and does not reset the touch sensing IC when the capacitance of the electrodes located in the check area is changed within the threshold timings. As the touch panel controller resets the touch sensing IC due to the change of the capacitance value of the electrodes located in the check area, the resetting operation is operated automatically so that the touch panel equipment could avoid the user's external work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Shunya Aoki, Yuya Morita, Toru Hattori
  • Patent number: 11518263
    Abstract: A power supply device that supplies power to multiple carts, a cart, and a method for charging such cart are provided. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the power supply device that supplies the power to the multiple carts calculates charging allocation of carts based on priorities of the carts to control charging of the carts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sunryang Kim, Keunsik No, Jaecheon Sa
  • Patent number: 11509156
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a battery, an interface configured to support a connection with an external power supply unit, a charging circuit configured to charge the battery with a power being supplied from the external power supply unit, and a processor configured to receive information on the supplied power of the external power supply unit from the external power supply unit, determine a voltage to be supplied from the external power supply unit based on supplied voltage information of the external power supply unit and status information of the battery, transmit information on the determined voltage to the external power supply unit, and charge the battery with the determined voltage. The determined voltage is a voltage determined so that a difference between an input voltage and an output voltage of the charging circuit is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventors: Seongjoo Kang, Hyunjun Shim, Yongsang Yun
  • Patent number: 11506720
    Abstract: A diagnostic method and a diagnostic system for an electrochemical energy storage cell, and a vehicle including the diagnostic system. An electrical current due to an electrical connection between the energy storage cell and a central load is modulated at a first excitation frequency and is measured centrally. An electrical voltage at the energy storage cell is measured and a first impedance value is determined based on the electrical current and the electrical voltage. Also, a previously-known electrical current due to an electrical connection between the energy storage cell and a predefined cell-individual load is modulated at a second excitation frequency. The electrical voltage occurring at the energy storage cell is measured and a second impedance value is determined based on the previously-known electrical current and the electrical voltage. Diagnostic information is determined and output based on a comparison of the first impedance value with the second impedance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jan Philipp Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11500022
    Abstract: A power supply system includes a plurality of sweep modules, a defect detecting unit, and a control unit. Each sweep module includes a battery module and a power circuit module. The defect detecting unit detects a defect for each sweep module. The number of sweep modules is greater S (S?2) than a minimum number of sweep modules required for operation. When the number of defective sweep modules in which a defect has been detected is equal to or less than F (2?F?S), the control unit is configured to disconnect the defective sweep modules from a main line and to continuously execute sweep control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Juni Yasoshima, Junta Izumi, Kenji Kimura, Toshihiro Katsuda, Kohei Matsuura, Junichi Matsumoto, Shuji Tomura, Shigeaki Goto, Naoki Yanagizawa, Kyosuke Tanemura, Kazuo Ootsuka, Takayuki Ban, Hironobu Nishi
  • Patent number: 11482872
    Abstract: This application is directed to an electronic device powered by one or more rechargeable battery cells. The electronic device includes a first negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor proximate to the battery cells, and an open capacitor coupled in parallel with the NTC thermistor. The open capacitor has an open area and two electrodes that are at least partially exposed via the open area and electrically isolated. The electronic device further includes a control circuit coupled to the NTC thermistor and the open capacitor. The control circuit is configured to detect a voltage drop across the NTC thermistor and the open capacitor if conductive liquid enters the open area of the capacitor and electrically connects the two electrodes that are at least partially exposed via the open area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: James Robert Lim, Haoxing Zhang, David Wang, Dietrich Shing-Quan Ho, Yuanyuan Song
  • Patent number: 11476684
    Abstract: A terminal obtains a parameter from a charger, including at least one of an input voltage value and an output current value of the charger and a temperature value of a charging output port of the charger. When a parameter value is greater than a threshold, the terminal terminates a charging process based on a relationship between a corresponding threshold and at least one of a difference between the output current value of the charger and an input current value of the terminal, a power loss from the charger to the terminal, and a temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fenwei Zhang, Haitao Tian
  • Patent number: 11469695
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an autonomous device for tracking the usage time of a generator set, capable of providing an operating time of the generator set. The module includes at least one first sensor (101) capable of measuring a first parameter representing a state of operation of said generator set (9), a data processor furnishing the characteristic information for an operating time, as a function of the first parameter, storage of the characteristic information for an operating time, and a transmitter capable of transmitting the characteristic information for an operating time to a terminal or an external server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: SDMO Industries
    Inventor: Gilles Bergot
  • Patent number: 11458853
    Abstract: This application is directed to an apparatus for providing electrical charge to a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a driven mass, a generator, a charger, a hardware controller, and a communication circuit. The driven mass rotates in response to a kinetic energy of the vehicle and is coupled to a shaft such that rotation of the driven mass causes the shaft to rotate. The driven mass exists in one of (1) an extended position and (2) a retracted position. The generator generates an electrical output based on a mechanical input coupled to the shaft such that rotation of the shaft causes the mechanical input to rotate. The charger is electrically coupled to the generator and: receives the electrical output, generates a charge output based on the electrical output, and conveys the charge output to the vehicle. The controller controls whether the driven mass is in the extended position or the retracted position in response to a signal received from the communication circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Anthony Macaluso