Regulated Discharging Patents (Class 320/135)
  • Patent number: 12143049
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus includes an inverter that includes a switching element connected between either terminal of a battery and a thermistor insulated from the switching element and that drives a motor through the switching element, a resistor connected between a sensing node to which one end of the thermistor is connected and a terminal of a low source voltage, and a motor controller configured for controlling a relay connected between the battery and the switching element based on a voltage of the sensing node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Ji Woong Jang, Sang Cheol Shin, Yoo Jong Lee, Dong Hoon Park, Ki Jong Lee, Ho Tae Chun
  • Patent number: 12107369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charging contact unit for a vehicle, for integrating beneath a road surface, with a charging contact element carrier head designed to interact with a contact device on the lower side of a vehicle, the contact making and the contact separation being carried out by a relative movement of the charging contact element carrier head and the contact device in a contacting direction, the charging contact element carrier head being movable inside the charging contact unit and/or rotatable or pivotable about the contacting direction in order to compare incorrect positioning in either one or a plurality of directions extending transversely to the contacting direction. The invention also relates to a contact system and a road covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
    Inventors: Sven Klausner, Tim Vorwerk, Christian Seiler
  • Patent number: 12103415
    Abstract: An apparatus for increasing an input voltage for an electric vehicle has an energy supply interface to a vehicle battery, a DC-DC converter and an inverter. The DC-DC converter has a first connection for connection to the energy supply interface and a second connection for connection to the inverter. The DC-DC converter is designed to supply an output voltage at the second connection in response to an amplifier signal, the output voltage being increased with respect to an input voltage applied to the first connection. The inverter has an inverter connection for connecting the inverter to the second connection and has at least one energization interface for energizing at least one unit coupled to the energization interface, the inverter converts a DC voltage applied to the inverter connection to an AC voltage and to supply same to the energization interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Zbynek Stepan, Frank Seemann, Andre Ehrsam, Martin Mach, Vladimir Dvorak, Gabriel Scherer, Tato Gervais Amani, Matthias Engicht
  • Patent number: 12100988
    Abstract: A manual power generating device for generating electricity to charge accessories is disclosed and includes a plurality of springs connected to a gear set and generator that, as they retract to a home position, will drive the gear set which is connected to a generator to create a current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Inventor: Lewis Daniels
  • Patent number: 12097015
    Abstract: Energy harvesting devices and methods for converting the mechanical energy of a flowing ionic solution, such as rainwater or seawater, into electric energy are provided. The energy harvesting devices include an electric current generating device that includes a metal layer and an amphoteric metal oxide film disposed over a surface of the metal layer. By moving an electric double layer across the surface of the amphoteric metal oxide film, an electric current is generated in the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignees: Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Mavis D. Boamah, Franz M. Geiger, Thomas F. Miller, III, Jeongmin Kim
  • Patent number: 12087919
    Abstract: A battery balancing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first selection unit to selectively connect each of a plurality of batteries included in a first battery group between a first node and a second node, a resistance adjustment unit to connect a first resistor, a second resistor, a series circuit of the first and second resistors or a parallel circuit of the first and second resistors between the first node and the second node, and a control unit. The control unit determines at least one of the batteries as a first balancing target based on a first voltage signal indicating voltage of each battery. The first selection unit connects the first balancing target between the first node and the second node. The control unit controls the resistance adjustment unit based on a voltage difference between voltage of the first balancing target and a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Ho-Byung Yoon
  • Patent number: 12074397
    Abstract: The invention relates to a charging contact unit for a vehicle, for integrating beneath a road surface, with a charging contact element carrier head designed to interact with a contact device on the lower side of a vehicle, the contact making and the contact separation being carried out by a relative movement of the charging contact element carrier head and the contact device in a contacting direction, the charging contact element carrier head being movable inside the charging contact unit and/or rotatable or pivotable about the contacting direction in order to compare incorrect positioning in either one or a plurality of directions extending transversely to the contacting direction. The invention also relates to a contact system and a road covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
    Inventors: Sven Klausner, Tim Vorwerk, Christian Seiler
  • Patent number: 12062983
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a modular high power bi-directional half bridge buck/boost converter assembly and, in particular, to a system for converting power from one form of current (either AC or DC) to a differing level of voltage, either lower (buck) or higher (boost), to output a wave signal based on pulse wave modulation (PWM) switching control by means of an external digital controller and methods of operation. In particular, an inverter-converter system includes at least one half bridge module including a plurality of circuit components, at least one inductor which is connected to the at least one half bridge module and a power supply, and a controller which is configured to receive and send instructions to the at least one half bridge module for converting an input voltage to an output voltage and dynamically tune switching frequencies based on a load of the inverter-converter system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: Pacific Energy Inc.
    Inventors: David Md Kim, Philip Edmund Schaefer, German Rafael Nielsen Lopez, Matthew Jordan Serrano
  • Patent number: 11999244
    Abstract: An active discharge system for electric or hybrid motor vehicles including an active discharge circuit operatively connected in parallel to a charge circuit, which is supplied by a high voltage power source and defines an electrically-charged equivalent capacitance of an electric charge, wherein the active discharge circuit is configured to discharge the electric charge accumulated by the equivalent capacitance in the event of the high voltage power source being disconnected from the charge circuit; a control circuit/device/unit/component of the active discharge circuit which are configured to receive an activation signal, suitable to activating the active discharge circuit in case of receiving the activation signal, so as to discharge the equivalent capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: META SYSTEM S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Simonazzi, Cesare Lasagni, Severino Bigliardi
  • Patent number: 12002931
    Abstract: A battery pack includes a housing of a first material, a cell assembly, and a cell support of a second material. The cell assembly is disposed in the housing and includes a plurality of cell units. The cell unit includes a positive electrode of the cell unit and a negative electrode of the cell unit. The cell support is configured to support at least the cell assembly. The cell support is at least disposed at two ends of the cell assembly and at least part of the cell support encapsulates the positive electrode of the cell unit and the negative electrode of the cell unit. The first material is different from the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Nanjing Chervon Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Yang, Zhijun Dong, Guiwu Hu, Dezhong Yang, Tianxiao Xu, Huaishu Wang
  • Patent number: 12003172
    Abstract: A power supply system may include a target device and an adapter. The target device may include an adapter connection switch that receives adapter recognition information to form a connection with the adapter, a voltage detection unit that receives an output voltage from an adapter, and a voltage-change-requesting unit that outputs a voltage to request a voltage change based on information on the output voltage from the adapter. The adapter may include a device information recognition unit that receives the voltage to request a voltage change, and an output-voltage-changing unit that changes the output voltage based on the voltage to request a voltage change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: CSIP CONSULTING LTD.
    Inventors: Young Seung Noh, Kwang Soo Choi, Bo Mi Lee, Chan Sung Jang
  • Patent number: 11967893
    Abstract: The invention relates to an intermediate circuit discharge unit for an intermediate circuit discharge, in particular of a multi-level inverter, having a capacitor and a discharge circuit which is connected in parallel, where the discharge circuit has an active discharge branch with at least one first discharge element and a passive discharge branch with at least one second discharge element. The active discharge branch comprises a first control connection, and the passive discharge branch comprises a second control connection. The active discharge branch is coupled to the passive discharge branch via the first control connection in such a way that the active discharge branch can be controlled by the passive discharge branch, in particular a discharge via the active discharge branch can be activated or deactivated as required. The invention further relates to an electrical assembly, a vehicle, as well as a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: JHEECO E-DRIVE AG
    Inventor: Christian Marxer
  • Patent number: 11965936
    Abstract: A battery diagnosis apparatus for diagnosing a battery including battery cells, the apparatus according to an embodiment may include a voltage measurer for measuring the voltage of each battery cell during a preset period of time, a voltage variation calculator for calculating an individual voltage variation of each battery cell during the preset period of time, an average voltage variation calculator for calculating an average voltage variation of the battery cells during the preset period of time, and an abnormality detector for determining that a voltage abnormality has occurred in at least one battery cell among the battery cells when a difference between the voltage variation of the at least one battery cell and the average voltage variation of the at least one battery cell is greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Chul Lee, Dong Keun Kwon, Sung Yul Yoon, Seung Hyun Kim, An Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11959969
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for diagnosing whether or not an error has occurred in battery cells, the apparatus including a voltage measurement circuit for measuring a voltage of a battery cell, a data processing circuit for calculating a target statistical value indicating a state of the battery cell based on a voltage measured by the voltage measurement circuit, and calculates a cumulative statistical value, and a diagnosis circuit that determines whether or not an error has occurred in the battery cell through a cumulative determination operation of comparing the cumulative statistical value with a cumulative reference value, and counts a number of times of cumulative error when it is determined that the error has occurred in the battery cell in the cumulative determination operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Young Jin Kim, Won Tae Joe, Bom Jin Lee, Bo Mi Lim
  • Patent number: 11951605
    Abstract: An adapter is configured to be removably mounted to a rotary tool, the rotary tool having a battery mounting part configured such that a battery can be removably mounted thereto and an output shaft that is rotationally driven by power supply from the battery mounted to the battery mounting part. The adapter has a housing, a first mounting part that is formed on the housing and configured to be removably mounted to the battery mounting part, a second mounting part that is formed on the housing and configured such that the battery can be removably mounted thereto, and a detection part that is configured to detect the moving state of the adapter in at least one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuta Araki
  • Patent number: 11888337
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling inductive power transfer in an inductive power transfer system and a method for designing an inductive power transfer system with power accounting. The method of controlling inductive power transfer including measuring a characteristic of input power, a characteristic of power in the tank circuit, and receiving information from a secondary device. Estimating power consumption based on the measured characteristic of tank circuit power and received information and comparing the measured characteristic of input power, the information from the secondary device, and the estimated power consumption to determine there is an unacceptable power loss. The method for designing an inductive power transfer system with power accounting including changing the distance between a primary side and a secondary side and changing a load of the secondary side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Philips I.P. Ventures B.V.
    Inventors: David W. Baarman, Joshua K. Schwannecke, Neil W. Kuyvenhoven, Esai E. Umenei, Dale R. Liff, Andrew C. Zeik, Mark A. Blaha, Jason L. Amistadi, Robert D Gruich
  • Patent number: 11876190
    Abstract: A battery pack in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery and a controller provided with a counter value. During discharge of the battery pack, the controller calculates an addition value in accordance with a total number of use of the battery pack under a specified condition. The controller updates the counter value by adding the addition value. The controller prohibits the discharge of the battery pack in response to the counter value reaching a protection threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiko Kobayakawa, Hiroki Uesugi, Hayato Kano
  • Patent number: 11866109
    Abstract: A locking mechanism includes a locking receptacle, a movable member, and a locking member. The locking receptacle has an opening with sloped walls leading into a slot configured to receive a connecting member. The connecting member includes sloped walls that converge along the direction of docking. The movable member is positioned in the locking receptacle and configured to rotate from an unlockable position to a lockable position to secure the connecting member. The locking member is configured to switch between a locked position and an unlocked position, and further configured to secure the movable member while the movable member is in the lockable position and while the locking member is in the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Lyft, Inc.
    Inventors: Raphaël Assénat, Jean-Sébastien Bettez
  • Patent number: 11848430
    Abstract: A battery management circuit may be configured to monitor a plurality of battery cells. The battery management circuit may comprise a battery monitoring circuit, and a supply circuit configured to supply the battery monitoring circuit based on the plurality of battery cells. The supply circuit may comprise a DC/DC power converter and a regulator, and wherein the DC/DC power converter is configurable based on a number of monitored battery cells in the plurality of battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Clemens Kain, Mario Fuchs
  • Patent number: 11811032
    Abstract: A system for detecting a change in a battery cell may include instructions executable by a processor to determine a baseline profile of a battery cell with a capacitance sensor, detect a changed profile from the baseline profile with the capacitance sensor, match the changed profile with a stored profile where the stored profile is associated with a condition, and classify the battery cell as having the condition associated with the stored profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Cirque Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Glad, Jared Bytheway, Brian Monson
  • Patent number: 11796600
    Abstract: A chargeable battery abnormality detection apparatus configured to detect an abnormality of a chargeable battery includes a processor; and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the processor performs the following when executing instructions: calculating a value of an internal resistance of the chargeable battery; determining whether the chargeable battery is being charged or being discharged; determining that an abnormality has occurred in the chargeable battery if either one of the following occurs: the calculated value of the internal resistance decreases while the chargeable battery is being discharged; and the calculated value of the internal resistance increases while the chargeable battery is being charged; and outputting a determination result of the abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Akira Oono, Kimiko Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 11799123
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery pack apparatus (1) for an electric handheld power tool, including a housing device (10) and a rechargeable battery pack (20) which has at least one pouch cell (21, 22, 23, 24) is. In this case, a detecting device (50) having a detecting element (52), which is coupled to the rechargeable battery pack (20), and a sensor (51), which is arranged fixed to the housing, are provided, wherein the sensor (51) is designed for detecting the detecting element (52) when a distance between the detecting element (52) and the sensor (51) is below a defined distance. A method for operating a rechargeable battery pack apparatus (1) of this kind is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Mohammad Hukan
  • Patent number: 11799140
    Abstract: An electrical energy storage system, a controller, and methods of using the same are provided. The system includes battery packs connected in parallel, one or more battery power management unit, one or more power converters, and a controller. The controller includes one or more processor and at least one tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium encoded with one or more programs configured to perform steps for discharging or charging. The steps include: reading data including state of health (SOH) and state of charge (SOC) from each battery pack, connecting a respective battery pack with a respective power converter; receiving a power command from an energy management system, calculating a respective power rate of each battery pack based on the data of SOH, SOC, and the power command, and discharging power from battery packs to a grid or charging power to battery packs based on the power rate of each battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Ratnesh Sharma, Surinder Singh, Peng Yu, You Zhou, Lulu Zhao, Brandon Ohara
  • Patent number: 11789513
    Abstract: A system includes a multicore chip configured to perform machine learning (ML) operations. The system also includes a power monitoring module configured to measure power consumption of the multicore chip on a main power rail of the multicore chip. The power monitoring module is further configured to assert a signal in response to the measured power consumption exceeding a first threshold. The power monitoring module is further configured to transmit the asserted signal to a power throttling module to initiate a power throttling for the multicore chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Atul Bhattarai, Srinivas Sripada, Avinash Sodani, Michael Dudek, Darren Walworth, Roshan Fernando, James Irvine, Mani Gopal
  • Patent number: 11791639
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a discharge of a battery pack that supplies power to a portable electronic device. The battery pack has one or more cell blocks each having a plurality of battery cells connected in parallel. The method includes the following steps. Determining, for each of the one or more cell blocks, a value of a first supply current flowing through a first battery cell that has the smallest capacity among the plurality of battery cells. Comparing, for each of the one or more cell blocks, the value of the first supply current with a first overcurrent value of the first battery cell to detect overcurrent in the first battery cell. Generating, in response to detecting the overcurrent in the first battery cell of any of the one or more cell blocks, a first overcurrent signal to reduce the power supplied to the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Watanabe, Hideshi Tsukamoto, Hiromitsu Yamaguchi, Daisuke Arai
  • Patent number: 11764589
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a battery includes a switch having a source, a gate, a drain, and a first diode. The source is connected to an anode of the first diode. The drain is connected to a cathode of the first diode. The drain is configured to be connected to a positive terminal of the battery. The circuit also includes a second diode. An anode of the second diode is configured to be connected to a negative terminal of the battery. A cathode of the second diode is connected to the source of the switch. The circuit is configured to switch the battery on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Robert J. Atmur
  • Patent number: 11749845
    Abstract: A process and system for measuring internal faults in an electrochemical cell is provided. The process for detecting an internal fault in an electrochemical cell includes measuring a voltage difference or a rate of change in voltage difference between a common terminal of a first electrochemical cell and a second electrochemical cell. The first electrochemical cell or second electrochemical cell is accepted based on the measuring, or first electrochemical cell or second electrochemical cell is rejected based on the measure of the internal fault of the electrochemical cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: CAMX Power LLC
    Inventor: Christopher H. McCoy
  • Patent number: 11721992
    Abstract: Systems and methods for supplying power from a multi-cell battery to a single-cell power management integrated circuit. One implementation of the system includes a voltage converter circuit, a control circuit, and a signal buffer circuit. The voltage converter circuit is configured to scale a positive battery terminal voltage signal received from the multi-cell battery to generate a scaled voltage signal. The control circuit is configured to select one of the scaled voltage signal or a cell voltage signal received from the multi-cell battery. The control circuit is also configured to output a high-impedance single-cell power signal including the selected one of the scaled voltage signal or the cell voltage signal. The signal buffer circuit is configured to buffer the high-impedance single-cell power signal to generate a low-impedance single-cell power signal for a voltage sense pin of the single-cell power management integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Peter J. Bartels, Javier Alfaro, Kevin D. Elliott
  • Patent number: 11664531
    Abstract: A solid ion conductive material can include a complex metal halide. The complex metal halide can include at least one alkali metal element. In an embodiment, the solid ion conductive material including the complex metal halide can be a single crystal. In another embodiment, the ion conductive material including the complex metal halide can be a crystalline material having a particular crystallographic orientation. A solid electrolyte can include the ion conductive material including the complex metal halide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Vladimir Ouspenski, Gaurav Assat, John M. Frank
  • Patent number: 11658566
    Abstract: A power supply system may include a target device and an adapter. The target device may include an adapter connection switch that receives adapter recognition information to form a connection with the adapter, a voltage detection unit that receives an output voltage from an adapter, and a voltage-change-requesting unit that outputs a voltage to request a voltage change based on information on the output voltage from the adapter. The adapter may include a device information recognition unit that receives the voltage to request a voltage change, and an output-voltage-changing unit that changes the output voltage based on the voltage to request a voltage change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: CSIP CONSULTING LTD.
    Inventors: Young Seung Noh, Kwang Soo Choi, Bo Mi Lee, Chan Sung Jang
  • Patent number: 11616381
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a first battery, a second battery, a power management integrated circuit, a memory, and a processor. The memory is configured to store information on a first full-charging voltage value of the first battery and a second full-charging voltage value of the second battery. The processor is configured to detect whether the electronic device is connected to an external electronic device for supplying power to the first battery or the second battery. When the first full-charging voltage value is higher than the second full-charging voltage value the processor is configured to, electrically connect the first battery to the power management integrated circuit and electrically disconnect the second battery from the power management integrated circuit. The processor is further configured to charge the first battery electrically connected to the power management integrated circuit based on power obtained from the external electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hojong Kim, Dongwoo Kim
  • Patent number: 11604227
    Abstract: A method for determining a state of charge of at least one battery cell, having the following steps to enable an improved determination of the state of charge of a lithium iron phosphate cell: generating an alternating current pulse in a circuit connected to the at least one battery cell, determining an impedance of the at least one battery cell on the basis of the alternating current pulse and determining the state of charge by comparing the impedance to predefined map data, wherein a relationship between the impedance and the state of charge of the at least one battery cell is determined from the predefined map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Dorothea Kalin, Rolf Naumann, Christian Roettinger
  • Patent number: 11597285
    Abstract: An embodiment takes the form of a locker includes a mobility device repository, an electrical system, a kiosk having a user interface, and a communication interface communicatively connected to a network. The mobility device repository is configured to secure one or more personal mobility devices at the mobility device repository. The electrical system is configured to receive electrical power and to charge respective batteries of the personal mobility devices secured at the mobility device repository using the electrical power. The locker receives a personal mobility device at the mobility device repository and secures the received personal mobility device at the mobility device repository, and receives a checked-in indication that the personal mobility device is checked in. The checked-in indication is received via the user interface or via the communication interface over the network. The locker charges a respective battery of the received personal mobility device using the electrical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: James J. Kuffner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11581748
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for a battery. The apparatus may be configured to prevent leakage current from the battery to a number of sub-systems by selectively operating switches that connect the battery to the sub-systems. Operation of the switches may be based on whether the battery is charging or discharging and the capacity of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Patent number: 11557892
    Abstract: The electrical system (100) includes: —a capacitor (C); —an electrical power supply device (102); —an electrical power receiving device (104); —a current-consuming electrical circuit (108) designed to consume a current (i) entering via a first interface terminal (BA) and exiting via a second interface terminal (BB). The electrical system (100) being designed such that the current-consuming electrical circuit (108) consumes the discharge current (i) when the electrical power supply device (102) is connected to the terminals of the capacitor (C). The current-consuming electrical circuit (108) includes a transistor (Q1) arranged such that the consumed current (i) enters via a current input terminal (C1) of the transistor (Q1) and exits via a current output terminal (E1) of the transistor (Q1), and in that the current output terminal (E1) is connected to a control terminal (B1) of the transistor (Q1) in order to stabilize the transistor (Q1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventor: Philippe Loy-Lafond
  • Patent number: 11529887
    Abstract: A battery management system includes one or more processors, a battery comprising a plurality of cells, an output device, an input device, and a memory having an input module, a battery characteristic prediction module, and an output module. The input module includes instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive a mode selection from a user via the input device. The battery characteristic prediction module includes instructions that cause the one or more processors to predict a characteristic of the battery based on the mode selection using an active machine learning model to predict the characteristic of the battery. The output module includes instructions that cause the one or more processors to output an estimated cost to the output device based on the characteristic of the battery determined by the active machine learning model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick K. Herring, Chirranjeevi Balaji Gopal, Abraham S. Anapolsky
  • Patent number: 11523173
    Abstract: A streaming media device includes a printed circuit board hosting components configured to access internet data. An audio/visual connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted for connection to an audio/visual device, wherein the audio/visual connector is adapted to operate with a first audio/visual interface having sufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board and a second audio/visual interface having insufficient power to fully operate the printed circuit board. A power connector is linked to the printed circuit board, wherein the power connector selectively receives power based on the audio/visual connector utilizing one of the first audio/visual interface and the second audio/visual interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: ROKU, INC.
    Inventors: Lloyd Klarke, Greg Garner, Carl Sassenrath, Anthony Wood, Scott Edward De Haas
  • Patent number: 11517167
    Abstract: An autonomous cleaning device (1), such as a robotic vacuum (1), has an optical sensor (50) that includes: a rotary body (51) configured to rotate relative to a main body (2) about a rotational axis (CX); a light-emitting device (61) provided on the rotary body; a light-receiving device (62) provided on the rotary body; a cover (52) disposed upward of the rotary body; and legs (70) disposed around the rotary body and supporting the cover. In a cross section orthogonal to the rotational axis, at least a portion of a surface of each of the legs is inclined with respect to a virtual radial line (RL) extending in the radial direction of the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kentaro Koura, Takuro Konishi
  • Patent number: 11495975
    Abstract: A battery system includes a system controller connected to a controller area network (CAN) bus, and stations respectively connected to nodes of the CAN bus, wherein, a first station of the stations is configured to detect that a first battery pack has been coupled thereto, and is configured to transmit a first detection signal to the system controller, wherein the system controller is configured to provide a first wake-up signal for waking up the first battery pack to the first station in response to the first detection signal, wherein the first station is configured to wake up a first battery controller of the first battery pack in response to the first wake-up signal, and wherein the system controller is configured to be woken up and to transmit a command for allocating a first identifier (ID) corresponding to the first station to the first battery controller having a default ID via the CAN bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gilchoun Yeom
  • Patent number: 11476483
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell unit including first to nth fuel cells connected in series to each other to supply electric power to a load device; first to nth supply systems that independently supply cathode gas to the first to nth fuel cells, respectively; a switching device capable of switching a state between a connected state and a disconnected state; and a control unit, when required output to the fuel cell unit is equal to or smaller than a threshold value, configured to control the switching device to switch the state from the connected state to the disconnected state, and to control the first to nth supply systems to respectively control the first to nth fuel cells so as to respectively control flow rates of the cathode gas to be supplied to the first to nth fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Ito
  • Patent number: 11418046
    Abstract: A charge and discharge circuit includes: a charging loop, including a battery pack, a first switch module and a charging device connected in series, where, the charging loop is configured to charge the battery pack using the charging device, and precharge the charging device; and a discharging loop, including the battery pack, a second switch module and an electric device connected in series, where, the discharging loop is configured to make the battery pack discharge to the electric device, and precharge the electric device; where, the first switch module and the second switch module each include at least one switch, and a part of switches in the first switch module and the second switch module are semiconductor switches, and the other part of the switches in the first switch module and the second switch module are relays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Contemporarv Amperex Technologv Co., Limited
    Inventors: Jinbo Cai, Zhimin Dan, Wei Zhang, Yizhen Hou, Xiong Zheng
  • Patent number: 11358482
    Abstract: A system includes a vehicle and an induction unit external to the vehicle. The induction unit includes a primary coil designed as a primary induction coil, and the vehicle includes a low voltage on-board electrical system having a secondary coil designed as a secondary induction coil. An alternating voltage can be induced in at least one part of the low-voltage on-board electrical system by the electromagnetic coupling of the secondary coil to the primary coil, and at least one component of the low-voltage on-board electrical system can be fed with the induced alternating voltage or with direct voltage via a rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Josef Krammer
  • Patent number: 11342613
    Abstract: A battery module increases heat dissipation by causing electronic cooling to occur at a breakdown voltage or higher, a battery pack including the battery module and a vehicle including the battery pack. The battery module includes a battery cell assembly having a plurality of battery cells and lead junction parts in which respective leads of the battery cells are joined to each other includes a thermoelectric device in which a heat absorbing portion is located on surfaces of the battery cells which are located at both outsides among the battery cells in the battery cell assembly, which correspond to a side surface of the battery cell assembly; and a constant voltage device configured to divert a current of the battery module to the thermoelectric device when an overcharge of the battery module occurs, to electronically cool the battery module when the overcharge of the battery module occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Han-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11342612
    Abstract: A battery module improves heat dissipation by causing electronic cooling to occur at a specific voltage or higher, a battery pack including the battery module and a vehicle including the battery pack. The battery module including a plurality of battery cells and lead junction parts in which respective leads of the battery cells are joined to each other includes a thermoelectric device mounted onto the lead junction part; and a constant voltage device configured to divert a current of the battery module to the thermoelectric device when an overcharge of the battery module occurs, and wherein the thermoelectric device is driven to electronically cool the lead junction part of the battery module when the overcharge of the battery module occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Han-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11316343
    Abstract: Embodiments provide capabilities by which a user provides interactive inputs for allocating use of the available power budget of an IHS (Information Handling System) when a conflict in the power budget is detected. The power demand of the IHS processor(s) is monitored. When a USB device is coupled to the IHS, a power output to the USB device is enabled within the available power budget. Upon detecting an increase in the power demand of the processor, the power budget may be exceeded. The user is then prompted to specify whether to prioritize use of the power budget for performance of the IHS or for charging the USB device. Based on inputs provided by the user, the processor may be throttled or the power output to the USB device may be reduced. The user is thus provided a capability for resolving individual power budget conflicts based on the user's current preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Jonathan C. Giffen, Keith Lambright
  • Patent number: 11308740
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for locating a cause of the premature discharge of a battery in a vehicle. To simplify locating a cause of the premature discharge of a battery in a vehicle, it is proposed to monitor the current drawn from the battery via an electrical system of the vehicle in the ignition-off-state. Data collected as part of the monitoring can then be examined either alone or in conjunction with additional, in particular, vehicle-specific and/or global data, for information relevant to isolating and/or determining the cause.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ekkehard Pofahl, Christoph Arndt Dr habil
  • Patent number: 11309600
    Abstract: A battery module increases heat dissipation by causing electronic cooling to occur at a breakdown voltage or higher, a battery pack including the battery module and a vehicle including the battery pack. The battery module includes a battery cell assembly having a plurality of battery cells and lead junction parts in which respective leads of the battery cells are joined to each other includes a thermoelectric device in which a heat absorbing portion is located on surfaces of the battery cells which are located at both outsides among the battery cells in the battery cell assembly, which correspond to a side surface of the battery cell assembly; and a constant voltage device configured to divert a current of the battery module to the thermoelectric device when an overcharge of the battery module occurs, to electronically cool the battery module when the overcharge of the battery module occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventor: Han-Young Lee
  • Patent number: 11289912
    Abstract: Provided is a consideration decision unit configured to decide, when the portable energy storage equipment transferred from one body to another body as a first transfer at a first timing is transferred from the other body or still another body which is different from the other body to the one body as a second transfer at a second timing, a consideration for the second transfer of the portable energy storage equipment at the second timing based on at least one of (i) a length of a period from the first timing to the second timing and (ii) a deterioration state of the portable energy storage equipment at the second timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Saito, Ken Hanayama, Kanako Ikeda, Daijiro Takizawa, Keiichi Iguchi, Shigeaki Esaka
  • Patent number: 11264653
    Abstract: A battery cell monitoring system and method of operating the system are provided. The system includes a plurality sense lines and a plurality of cell sense units that each include an active semiconductor device are electrically coupled to the sense lines for transferring a device current characteristic of a bias voltage based on an input device voltage applied thereto. A cell sense reader unit includes a voltage generator for outputting the input voltage to the cell sense units in an alternating fashion across each of the sense lines. The cell sense reader unit includes a current measuring device for sampling the device current output from the active semiconductor device as the input device voltage is alternated. The cell sense reader unit calculates the bias voltage and determines a cell voltage of each of a plurality of battery cells each connected to one of the cell sense units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: NEAPCO INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Remboski, Jacqueline Dedo
  • Patent number: 11251648
    Abstract: A method of charging a battery of electric accumulators from the electric power supplied by an electric generator, wherein the battery is charged to a first maximum state of charge in a first operating mode and to a second maximum state of charge, lower than the first maximum state of charge, in a second operating mode, the method including switching from the second operating mode to the first operating mode when a criterion using the battery temperature or the ratio of a first quantity representative of the available power which may be supplied by the electric generator to a second quantity representative of the power consumed from the battery is fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, BUBENDORFF SA
    Inventors: Henri Zara, Thomas Fritsch, Franck Vial, Franck Al Shakarchi