Having Solid-state Control Device Patents (Class 320/163)
  • Patent number: 11841754
    Abstract: An electronic device supplies power to system load(s) from a first battery power source and a second battery power source connected in series across a re-configurable device section boundary. A battery monitor monitors voltage across each individual battery cell within the first and second battery power sources. The battery monitor directs a charge circuit as to how and when to charge the first and second battery power sources using an external power source. The battery monitor also directs the charge circuit as to how and when to use the first and second battery power sources to power the system load(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Stefan Jon Kristjansson, Jay Allen Kuehny, Sachin Ramesh Chandra, Yen Ying Lee, Gene R. Obie, Jason Michael Battle
  • Patent number: 11804732
    Abstract: A wireless power transmission device, and a transmission power control method therefor are provided. A wireless power transmission device for wirelessly transmitting power to a wireless power receiving device can comprise: a primary core comprising at least one primary coil and transmitting a power signal to the wireless power receiving device by being coupled, through magnetic induction or magnetic resonance, to a secondary core provided at the wireless power receiving device; an inverter connected to the primary core so as to apply an alternating voltage necessary for transmitting the power signal; and a controller connected to the inverter, and controlling a direct voltage to be applied to the wireless power transmission device and/or a gate voltage of the inverter on the basis of the information on the power received at the wireless power receiving device by the power signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: GE Hybrid Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chun Kil Jung, Sang Youn Noh, Hak Do Kim
  • Patent number: 11569681
    Abstract: This disclosure includes novel ways of implementing a power supply that powers a load. More specifically, a power supply includes a bidirectional power converter and a controller. The controller monitors a magnitude of an input voltage supplied from an input voltage source to a load. Based on a magnitude of the input voltage, the controller switches between a first mode of operating the bidirectional power converter to charge an energy storage resource using (a portion of power provided by) the input voltage and a second mode of producing a backup voltage from the energy storage resource to power the load as a substitute to the input voltage such as when the input voltage is below a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Matthias J. Kasper, Luca Peluso, Gerald Deboy
  • Patent number: 11431178
    Abstract: A battery system includes a solid state switch (SSS), and a battery management system (BMS) including a gate driver and a shunt circuit. The SSS and the BMS share at least one module that is used for both the SSS and the BMS. The at least one module includes at least one of the gate driver and the shunt circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Kurcik, Maximilian Hofer
  • Patent number: 11394297
    Abstract: The present document relates to power converters with multiple feedback loops. The present document relates to a power converter with at least two feedback loops. The power converter may comprise a first error amplifier and a first capacitive element. The power converter may comprise a second error amplifier and a second capacitive element, wherein the second error amplifier is configured to generate, based on a second reference value and a second feedback signal, a second error current for charging the second capacitive element. The power converter may comprise a selector circuit configured to generate a selection signal by comparing a first voltage of the first capacitive element and a second voltage of the second capacitive element. The power converter may comprise a first track amplifier circuit configured to establish an additional current path from a supply rail to the first capacitive element for accelerated charging of said first capacitive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Mark Mercer, Karthik Jayaraman
  • Patent number: 11340678
    Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, one or more methods, and/or one or more processes may convert first analog signals to first digital values, in which the first analog signals are proportional to current of a battery of an information handling system (IHS); convert the second analog signals to second digital values, in which the second analog signals are proportional to current from a power supply; convert the third analog signals to third digital values, in which the third analog signals are proportional to power consumption of components of the IHS and the battery; and provide a first mean digital value determined from the first digital values, a second mean value determined from the second digital values, and a third mean digital value determined from the third digital values to at least one of IHS firmware, an application, and an operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Richard Christopher Thompson, Tyler Ryan Cox, Adolfo Sandor Montero, Thanh Thien Tran
  • Patent number: 11296366
    Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a battery pack for detecting a fault of at least one of first and second electrical conductors connected to a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery, respectively. The apparatus includes a current sensor measuring a battery current, a voltage sensor measuring a voltage between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor as a battery voltage, and a control unit. The control unit determines an idle voltage value indicating the battery voltage measured while charging and discharging of the battery is stopped. The control unit determines a diagnosis voltage value indicating the battery voltage measured while the battery is being charged or discharged. The control unit determines whether at least one of the first and second electrical conductors is faulty based on a difference between the idle voltage value and the diagnosis voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-Chul Lee, Dong-Keun Kwon
  • Patent number: 11221373
    Abstract: Methods, devices and program products are provided for determining an early battery depletion condition for a battery powered device. The method determines a charge consumption drawn externally from a battery cell by the device for a select period of time, obtains a measured cell voltage for the battery cell of the medical device, calculates a projected cell voltage based on the charge consumption and usage conditions, and declares an early depletion condition based on a relation between the measured and projected cell voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: PACESETTER, INC.
    Inventors: Avi Fischer, Gene A. Bornzin, Thomas F. Strange, Xing Pei, Aditya Goil, Fady Dawoud, Kyungmoo Ryu, Joseph Beauvais, Gabriel Mouchawar, Richard Williamson
  • Patent number: 11211785
    Abstract: A method for dynamic limiting of battery voltage includes determining that a voltage delivered by a battery exceeds a predefined maximum safe voltage for operation of a portable electronic device in a hazardous environment and, in response, enabling a voltage restriction circuit in a supply line between the battery and the portable electronic device to reduce the voltage delivered by the battery below the maximum safe voltage, and supplying electrical power to the portable electronic device at the reduced voltage. Enabling the voltage restriction circuit may include deactivating a MOSFET switch that includes a forward biased body diode to allow the body diode to provide a fixed voltage drop. The method also includes determining that the voltage delivered by the battery no longer exceeds the maximum safe voltage and, in response, disabling the first voltage restriction circuit by activating the MOSFET, thus allowing the body diode to be bypassed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Wai Mun Lee, Macwien Krishnamurthi, Chen Kok Yeoh, Kow Chee Chong, Muhamad Ridzuan Azizan
  • Patent number: 11155172
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a power supply system capable of supplying electric power to a vehicle, in particular, an electric vehicle, while reducing the number of components and improving stability. An embodiment of the present invention discloses a power supply system comprising: a battery comprising battery cells; a first switching device formed between one electrode of the battery and a power load unit comprising a motor that receives power from the battery; a pre-charge resistor having one end electrically connected to the other electrode of the battery; and a second switching device formed between the other end of the pre-charge resistor and the other electrode of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seok Chae Chang, Se Ryong Oh, Jong Rock Choi, Yong Jun Tae
  • Patent number: 11150302
    Abstract: The present application provides a high voltage detection circuit and method. The high voltage detection circuit includes a current adjustment module configured to be turned on or off to adjust a current in a high voltage circuit, a first detection module configured to provide a detection signal and transmit the detection signal to a processor module and the processor module configured to determine whether a master positive switch or a master negative switch is in malfunction according to a desired operation state of the master positive switch, a desired operation state of the master negative switch and the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited
    Inventors: Jirong Huo, Yanhui Fu, Le Chu, Qiandeng Li
  • Patent number: 11114876
    Abstract: A battery charger circuit associated with a portable electronic device is disclosed. The battery charger circuit comprises a charging circuit configured to charge a battery and a discharging circuit configured to discharge the battery. The battery charger circuit further comprises a battery fault detection circuit configured to detect a battery fault condition, based on monitoring one or more battery parameters. In some aspects, the battery charger circuit further comprises a battery charge control circuit configured to selectively activate the discharging circuit, in order to discharge the battery, and deactivate the charging circuit, in order to suspend charging the battery during the discharge of the battery, when the battery fault condition is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Gautham Ramachandran, Mustapha El Markhi
  • Patent number: 11108249
    Abstract: A system controls charging of a rechargeable battery. The system includes a rechargeable battery configured to provide rechargeable battery power to a set of electrical loads (e.g., an electric motor of a utility vehicle). The system further includes a connector configured to connect to a charger, and control circuitry coupled with the rechargeable battery and the connector. The control circuitry is operative to (i) sense a charge management event, (ii) in response to the charge management event, connect the rechargeable battery to the connector and disconnect the rechargeable battery from the connector to provide a message to the charger through the connector (e.g., via opening and closing a contactor), and (iii) after communicating the message to the charger, manage connection between the rechargeable battery and the charger to control charging of the rechargeable battery through the connector (e.g., via opening and closing the contactor).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Russell William King, Amy Jean Landau, Matthew James Zaremba
  • Patent number: 11091040
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for triggering an emergency shutdown of the inductive charging of a secondary-side component in the form of a motor vehicle by a primary-side component in the form of a charging station, includes a plurality of charging system parts of the secondary-side component. The charging system parts are each configured to interrupt at least one switchable communication channel that connects the charging system parts in order to trigger an emergency shutdown of the inductive charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Roehrl, Stephan Bartz, Gerhard Lex
  • Patent number: 11077760
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a traction battery; a bus; a main contactor between the traction battery and bus; a precharge contactor between the traction battery and bus in parallel with the main contactor; and a controller configured to, responsive to a first precharge mode signal, command a charging station to increase a voltage on the bus and subsequently close the precharge contactor before closing the main contactor, and responsive to a second precharge mode signal, close the precharge contactor without first commanding the charging station to increase the voltage on the bus before closing the main contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wai Hwa Fong, Yuan Zhang, Navid Rahbari Asr
  • Patent number: 11031810
    Abstract: A power supply circuit includes: a standby power supply; a first path coupled to the standby power supply; a main power supply configured to output power a voltage of which is higher than a voltage of power output by the standby power supply; a second path coupled to the main power supply; a switch disposed between the first path and the second path; and a power supply control circuit configured to, upon detection of output of the power from the main power supply, turn on the switch to switch a power supply that supplies power to the first path from the standby power supply to the main power supply, wherein the power supply control circuit is operated by the power supplied through the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Susumu Eguchi
  • Patent number: 11018511
    Abstract: A system for balancing battery cell charge in a battery array for an electrified machine is provided. The battery array includes a plurality of individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells. A plurality of cell monitors are in communication with the individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells, with the plurality of cell monitors being powered by the individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells. A battery controller of the system receives information about the individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells, from the plurality of cell monitors. The information traverses the plurality of cell monitors in a first pattern to the battery controller and, after a predetermined period of time or occurrence of a predetermined event, the information traverses the plurality of cell monitors in a second pattern that is different than the first pattern to the battery controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Lee Boggs, Jason Lee Miller, Justin Dale Middleton
  • Patent number: 11011925
    Abstract: A battery charging apparatus and method, a terminal, a power adapter, and a storage medium relate to the electronics field, where the method includes detecting temperature of a charging path in a battery charging apparatus, and when a power adapter supplying charging power for the battery charging apparatus works in a first working mode and a detected largest temperature value is greater than or equal to a preset threshold, instructing the power adapter to switch to a second working mode, decoupling a charging path corresponding to the first working mode, and coupling a charging path corresponding to the second working mode. This reduces impact of local heat accumulation on device performance during charging of a terminal battery, lengthens a device life span, and improves user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chao Zhang, Chong Wen
  • Patent number: 10992153
    Abstract: A charge/discharge control method for a battery by a charge/discharge controller of a battery system, includes: acquiring a battery temperature as a measured value by a battery temperature sensor; acquiring an intake air temperature as a measured value by an intake-air temperature sensor; acquiring a current as a measured value by a current sensor; calculating, by referring to predetermined maps, an internal temperature of a battery module and a time constant defining a time until the internal temperature is achieved, the internal temperature and the time constant corresponding to the acquired intake air temperature and the acquired current; correcting a predetermined control map defining a limiting value of a charge/discharge electric power to the battery temperature, at least based on the internal temperature and the time constant; and performing a charge/discharge control on the battery module based on the acquired battery temperature and the corrected control map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takayuki Akaishi
  • Patent number: 10953762
    Abstract: A pilot signal detection and indication unit includes a pilot signal scaling unit structured to generate a scaled pilot signal by shifting a pilot signal using a bias voltage and scaling down the pilot signal, a pilot signal duty cycle comparator unit structured to generate a limited pilot signal that has a fixed peak voltage and a duty cycle that is equivalent to the duty cycle of the pilot signal, a processing unit structured to determine a voltage value and the duty cycle value of the pilot signal from the scaled pilot signal and the limited pilot signal, and to generate an indication signal based on the determined voltage value and duty cycle value, and an indication unit having a number of indicators and being structured to activate selected ones of the number of indicators based on the indication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Yang, Tom Xiong, Jerry Zhang, Lily Du, Harry Zhang
  • Patent number: 10951038
    Abstract: A power supply control device includes a control unit, and a power path that is connected to a primary external power system. If a connection state between the primary external power system and the power path is in a disconnected state, the control unit is configured to control power output of at least one power conditioner of at least one corresponding secondary external power generation unit, based on (a) an amount of power consumption of a specific load connected to the power supply control device through the power path, and (b) a power generation output of the secondary external power generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sugeno, Shun Nagashima, Shunichi Nihei, Atsushi Chinen, Masami Okada, Atsushi Minami, Kazumi Sato, Hiroaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10725876
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, an electronic circuit board includes a nonvolatile memory, a reading circuit to read data stored in the nonvolatile memory, a switch, and a communication circuit. When power is supplied from a first power source, the switch performs switching to a first state in which the nonvolatile memory and a host device configured to read and write data from and in the nonvolatile memory are connected. When power is supplied from a second power source, the switch performs switching to a second state in which the host device and the nonvolatile memory are not connected and the reading circuit and the nonvolatile memory are connected. The communication circuit transmits, to an external device, the data read by the reading circuit from the nonvolatile memory when power is being supplied from the second power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsunori Kanai, Tetsuro Kimura, Yusuke Shirota, Masaya Tarui
  • Patent number: 10677176
    Abstract: A vehicle system for mounting in a vehicle which includes a control device. The control device includes a calculation unit calculating a stopping rate which is a percentage an automatic stop in a predetermined period, and a charge controller. The charge controller performs charging relative to an electrical storage device from a power generator when a charging rate is lower than a predetermined charging rate. The charge controller also controls the power generator such that the charging rate to the electrical storage device is increased with an automatic restart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Misao Shibata
  • Patent number: 10661673
    Abstract: A pilot signal detection and indication unit includes a pilot signal scaling unit structured to generate a scaled pilot signal by shifting a pilot signal using a bias voltage and scaling down the pilot signal, a pilot signal duty cycle comparator unit structured to generate a limited pilot signal that has a fixed peak voltage and a duty cycle that is equivalent to the duty cycle of the pilot signal, a processing unit structured to determine a voltage value and the duty cycle value of the pilot signal from the scaled pilot signal and the limited pilot signal, and to generate an indication signal based on the determined voltage value and duty cycle value, and an indication unit having a number of indicators and being structured to activate selected ones of the number of indicators based on the indication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Yang, Tom Xiong, Jerry Zhang, Lily Du, Harry Zhang
  • Patent number: 10559964
    Abstract: A mobile terminal including a terminal body comprising a battery; an adaptor connector formed at one side surface of the terminal body and to which a power supply adaptor is connected; a plurality of charging units configured to charge the battery between the adaptor connector and the battery; and a controller configured to generate a control signal for controlling each of the plurality of charging units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Sookyoung Kim, Byoungyong Hong, Jaehwan Park, Younghan Kim, Sangwoo Ha
  • Patent number: 10389147
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for charging a battery in an electronic device are provided. The method includes, when charging power of a first level is supplied from a charger, converting the charging power of the first level to a charging power of a second level before providing charging power to a charging circuit, providing the charging power of the second level to the charging circuit, wherein the charging power of the first level is greater than the charging power of the second level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ku-Chul Jung, Kisun Lee
  • Patent number: 10305305
    Abstract: The embodiments discussed herein relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for providing a charger capable of adaptively handling a range of power inputs. The charger can selectively activate different control switches within the charger in order to more efficiently use current supplied to the charger. When a low power input is provided to the charger, the charger can reduce the number of active control switches being used to provide a voltage output from the charger. In this way, the capacitance required to toggle the control switches can be reduced. When a high power input is provided to the charger, the number of active control switches can be increased in order to increase a total amount of charge that can be provided from the charger, thereby reducing charge times for batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Yoshimoto, Talbott M. Houk, Jamie L. Langlinais
  • Patent number: 10131233
    Abstract: A battery charging control method for a vehicle may include: a failure determining step of determining, by a controller, whether a first voltage converter and a second voltage converter equipped in the vehicle are broken; a charging requiring determining step of determining, by the controller, whether an auxiliary battery needs to be charged when the first voltage converter and the second voltage converter are not broken; and a charging step of charging, by the controller, the auxiliary battery by connecting an input terminal of the auxiliary battery to an output terminal of the first voltage converter outputting a voltage higher than a voltage of an output terminal of the second voltage converter and operating an electric load by connecting an input terminal of the electric load of the vehicle to the output terminal of the second voltage converter, when the auxiliary battery needs to be charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kum Lim Choi, Jae Wang Lee
  • Patent number: 10067193
    Abstract: A method for determining a constant current limit value by means of which a first current which flows through a battery cell is limited, wherein the constant current limit value is determined on the basis of a first function which specifies a first profile of the first current, which first profile is dependent on a plurality of parameters. The plurality of parameters include a first voltage which is applied between two terminals of the battery cell, a second voltage which specifies a no-load voltage of the battery cell, and a time variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Olivier Cois, Triantafyllos Zafiridis
  • Patent number: 10063150
    Abstract: A method and system of controlling a converter is provided. The method includes sensing, by a controller, an on and off state of a secondary side switch of the converter and deriving, by the controller, a current command of the converter. The current command is then compared with preset current reference values each provided based on the on and off state of the secondary side switch. As the result of the comparison of the current command with the current reference value, the on and off state of the secondary side switch is either changed or maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jee Heon Kim, Jun Yeon Park, Hyun Wook Seong, Won Kyoung Choi, Dong Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 9878623
    Abstract: A battery charging control system for a vehicle includes: a high voltage battery supplying power to a driver of the vehicle; an auxiliary battery supplying power to an electric load of the vehicle; a first voltage converter connecting between the high voltage battery and the auxiliary battery; a second voltage converter connecting between the high voltage battery and the electric load; a switch having one side connected to a circuit line between the first voltage converter and the auxiliary battery and the other side connected to a circuit line between the second voltage converter and the electric load; and a controller controlling a turn on/off of the first voltage converter and the second voltage converter and a turn on/off of the switch depending on whether the first voltage converter and the second voltage converter is broken and the auxiliary battery needs to be charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Kum Lim Choi, Jae Wang Lee
  • Patent number: 9859727
    Abstract: Embodiments of a battery charger and methods for operating same are disclosed. The charger has a plurality of charging pins, and a device to be charged may be plugged into the charger in multiple orientations. The charger detects the device's orientation and sets the states of its charging pins appropriately to charge the device. Optionally, the charger may have additional pins, likewise settable according to a device's orientation, for supplying power and/or communications to the device during charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Adonit Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Justin Tseng, Ben Lin, Zachary Joseph Zeliff, Yueh Hua Li, Dyson Lin, Simon Ho, Tk Kao, Wen Wu
  • Patent number: 9859726
    Abstract: A detection circuit and a detection method for starting charging are provided. The detection circuit comprises a cell connector, a first controller, a second controller and a switch circuit. The first controller sends an anode contact signal, a cathode contact signal and an electric quantity signal received from the cell connector to the second controller; the second controller sends a start instruction to the first controller if a charging request signal is received, the anode of the cell is well contacted, the cathode of the cell is well contacted, and a voltage of the cell does not exceed a voltage threshold; the first controller sends a connection instruction to the switch circuit to control connection of a charging terminal and a cell terminal of the switch circuit, such that a charging adapter charges the cell through the switch circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: GUANG DONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.
    Inventor: Kewei Wu
  • Patent number: 9840209
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a battery including a voltage-measuring apparatus, at least one reversible disconnection apparatus, and a circuit of electronic components. The voltage-measuring apparatus is configured to determine a battery voltage. The at least one reversible disconnection apparatus is configured to electrically disconnect the battery from an electrical supply system, such that the disconnection can be cancelled again, for charging or discharging the battery. The circuit of electronic components is a circuit configured to open the disconnection apparatus in the event of an undervoltage and/or an overvoltage of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Berengar Krieg
  • Patent number: 9821663
    Abstract: An alternator voltage may be controlled based on a proportional gain scheduling in response to an engine load of an internal combustion engine and/or a state of charge (SOC) deviation for a battery based on a target SOC of the battery and an actual SOC of the battery. The alternator voltage may be a voltage less than a current battery voltage under high engine loads to enable the battery to power an accessory system and the alternator voltage may be a voltage greater than a voltage of the battery under low engine loads or engine loads less than high engine loads to enable the alternator to charge the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. Books, Vivek A. Sujan, Praveen C. Muralidhar
  • Patent number: 9772382
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a state of a rechargeable battery based on a state value which characterizes the respective state of the rechargeable battery, characterized in that, during at least one time interval, an electrical energy which is output by the rechargeable battery and an electrical energy which is received by the rechargeable battery are detected, and in that an instantaneous state of charge or an instantaneous no-load voltage of the rechargeable battery is detected, wherein the detected electrical energy which is output by the rechargeable battery, the detected electrical energy which is received by the rechargeable battery and the respectively detected instantaneous state of charge or the respectively detected instantaneous no-load voltage of the rechargeable battery are evaluated in order to generate the state value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Walter, Patrick Weiss, Markus Waibler
  • Patent number: 9623761
    Abstract: A vehicle may include a battery that receives energy from a charge station remote from the vehicle, and a controller. The controller may request that the station provide information about an electrical parameter associated with energy being supplied by the station, may determine information about an electrical parameter associated with energy received by the battery, and may prevent the battery from further receiving energy if the provided information is different than the determined information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan Roy Gale, Paul Theodore Momcilovich, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 9614363
    Abstract: An under voltage protection device includes a voltage detector and a starting unit. The voltage detector includes a diode, a variable resistor, a transistor and a fixed-resistance resistor. The starting unit includes a second transistor. When a voltage of the external voltage source is smaller than a voltage of the diode, a voltage between an emitter node and an collector node of the first transistor is smaller than a threshold voltage present between a gate node of and a source node of the second transistor such that the starting unit is turned off. When the voltage of the external voltage source is larger than the voltage of the diode, the voltage between the emitter node and the collector node is larger than the threshold voltage present between the gate node and the source node such that the starting unit is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Power Mate Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lien-Hsing Chen, Cheng-Te Tsai, Sheng-Ken Huang
  • Patent number: 9564771
    Abstract: Methods, devices, and circuits are disclosed delivering a first level of output voltage to a rechargeable battery from a battery charger, the rechargeable battery is coupled to the battery charger by a charging cable. The methods, device, and circuits may further be disclosed applying, in response to an indication of an altered output voltage, a compensation current to one or more elements of the battery charger including a zero crossing (ZC) pin and a selected resistor, the selected resistor is defined by the charging cable coupling the battery charger to the rechargeable battery, and applying the compensation current to the ZC pin and the selected resistor causes an adjustment of the output voltage from the first level of output voltage to a second level of output voltage corresponding to the voltage drop from the impedance of the selected charging cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Yong Siang Teo, Kok Kee Lim
  • Patent number: 9490644
    Abstract: During operation, the DC converter and a DC battery charger controller in a charger circuit transitions from a first error signal to a second error signal for use in charging a battery, wherein the first error signal and the second error signal, respectively, correspond to feedback sources in a plurality of feedback sources with a plurality of feedback sources. Then, the DC converter and a DC battery charger controller selects a gain and an impedance to ground of a damping circuit based on the selected second error signal, where the damping circuit applies the gain and the impedance to ground to the second error signal. Moreover, the DC converter and a DC battery charger controller selects one or more clamping voltages of a voltage-clamping circuit based on the selected second error signal, where the voltage-clamping circuit applies the one or more clamping voltages to an output from the damping circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur H. Chang, Yongxuan Hu, Shimon Elkayam
  • Patent number: 9455590
    Abstract: A charging control circuit (23, 33, 43, 53), a charging apparatus (2) comprising the charging control circuit (23, 33, 43, 53), a charging control method and a charging method comprising steps in the charging control method. The charging control circuit (23, 33, 43, 53) and the charging control method can provide a variable current reference (Iref_g), and limit the variable current reference (Iref_g) to a minimum current value in a periodically triggered interrupt duration, so as to enable an output voltage (Vout) to be closer to a battery core voltage (V0) when the interrupt duration ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ACTIONS (ZHUHAI) TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Li Jiang, Jialiang Dai, Jiang Xiong
  • Patent number: 9365120
    Abstract: A method includes detecting that a battery pack requires charging and is currently operable for recharging. The method can identify a specific cell having a highest voltage in response to the detecting. The method can then recharge each cell of the battery pack to a predetermined voltage that is a sum of (i) a maximum open circuit voltage of the specific cell and (ii) a voltage based on a resistance of and a first current supplied to the specific cell. When a temperature of the specific cell is less than a predetermined temperature or an age of the specific cell is greater than a predetermined age, the method includes recharging each cell to the predetermined voltage at less than the first current when (i) a predetermined period has elapsed or (ii) a voltage of the specific cell is less than a voltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Adam Timmons, Euthemios N Stamos, Thomas J Szymkowski, Charlie T Accad, Gary J Burlak, Rami Abousleiman
  • Patent number: 9356463
    Abstract: Power charging system using sun energy or AC source suitable for wide range of applications such as charging electric vehicle battery or battery pack and/or supplying electricity for commercial, industrial and/or residential customers; the system comprises wide variety of relay and other components to manipulate the charging states. The system's circuits include a battery charging circuit, a control circuit and a reset control circuit for a relay requires redirected polarity of the control element(s) to change the closed state/position to open state/position to charge the power storage. The power charging system also including a battery charging circuit and a control circuit to which a relay is required unidirectional pulse input; there is no need to redirect polarities of the positive terminal of the control element to change the closed state/position to open state/position to charge the power storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Inventor: Min Carroll
  • Patent number: 9291682
    Abstract: Provided is a degradation state estimating method which decreases degradation in a secondary battery caused by estimating the degradation state. The degradation state estimating method is a method of estimating the degradation state of a secondary battery, includes: controlling application of current to the secondary battery; obtaining, as measurement information, at least a voltage value of the secondary battery measured while the current is flowing through the secondary battery; and estimating the degradation state of the secondary battery, based on a model for estimating the degradation state of the secondary battery and the measurement information obtained in the obtaining. In the controlling, at least one of a current value of the current and duration during which a predetermined current value is maintained is determined according to a provisional degradation state of the secondary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuto Kinjo, Seiya Miyazaki, Takahiro Kudoh
  • Patent number: 9287996
    Abstract: A communication system, a communication device, a power supply device, and a vehicle are provided, which can suppress occurrence of communication abnormality while suppressing noise applied to a power supply line to be lower than a predetermined upper limit value of a standard, in communication such as inband communication in which a vehicle and a power supply device are connected to each other via a charging cable containing the power supply line and a control line, and a communication signal is transmitted and received using the control line as a medium. A power supply device 2 reads setting relating to an output for each frequency which is previously stored in a memory 221b, and performs a mapping process of adjusting, based on the read setting, an output waveform relating to transmission of the communication signal to an amplitude previously set for each frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignees: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yousuke Takata, Ryou Okada, Kazuhiko Nii, Takeshi Hagihara
  • Patent number: 9270137
    Abstract: A charging energy control system includes an implantable medical device (IMD) and an external charger. The IMD receives charging energy to recharge a battery during a charging energy acceptance period and rejects the charging energy during an actual charging energy rejection period. The external charger transmits the charging energy to the IMD in order to recharge the battery. The external charger includes a charging controller configured to determine the actual charging energy rejection period, and regulate the charging energy during which the charging controller predicts a predicted charging energy rejection period of the IMD based on the actual recharging energy rejection period. The charging controller is configured to cease or reduce transmission of the charging energy during a charging energy conservation period that is at least a portion of the predicted charging energy rejection period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ADVANCED NEUROMODULATION SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: John C. Greene
  • Patent number: 9270127
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for charge balancing over a plurality of rechargeable energy storage devices coupled in series, said system comprising a plurality of balancing units each assigned to one of the rechargeable energy storage devices, an AC signal generator for providing an AC signal to the plurality of balancing units, and a capacitive coupling between the AC signal generator and each of the plurality of balancing units for common mode rejection. A first balancing unit comprises a plurality of switches for transferring, on the one hand, charge from the AC signal generator or from an energy storage device assigned to another balancing unit for charging the energy storage device assigned to the first balancing unit, and, on the other hand, for transferring charge to the AC signal generator or to an energy storage device assigned to another balancing unit for discharging the energy storage device assigned to the first balancing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: VITO N.V.
    Inventors: Peter Coenen, Dominique Weyen
  • Patent number: 9263775
    Abstract: Battery pack with intelligent display and methods to make various types of a battery pack with an intelligent display for the benefit of a user. One embodiment is a method of making a battery pack with intelligent display. A second embodiment is a battery pack with intelligent display that can display one or more parameters, such as charge remaining, current out, current in, watts out, watts in, time remaining, time to recharge one or more batteries, battery temperature, battery voltages, the age of the battery, and clock time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Inventor: Paul Lowchareonkul
  • Patent number: 9263991
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a digital internal amplified voltage of power management circuitry is forced to an input threshold voltage upon a determination that a set of emergency conditions is satisfied, and is set to an input minimum battery voltage upon a determination that the set of emergency conditions is not satisfied. The emergency conditions may include determining that a battery voltage is less than a threshold voltage and determining that an input minimum battery voltage is less than an input threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: RF Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Nadim Khlat, Jean-Blaise Pierres, Michael R Kay
  • Patent number: 9081039
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for sensing electrical faults. The system includes a current sensor disposed between a battery and at least one electrical load. The current sensor is capable of sensing electrical current flowing from the battery to the load at a sensitivity sufficient to detect a current transient. The system also includes a controller in communication with the current sensor. The controller is capable of comparing the sensed current transient to a predetermined current transient for the load and signaling a fault when the sensed current transient and the predetermined current transient vary by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Timothy D. Julson, Nathan P. Makarewicz, Gary W. Taraski, Paul Capalau