Patents Assigned to Sentient Energy, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10634733
    Abstract: A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of power line sensing devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. The sensing devices can be configured to measure and monitor, among other things, current values and waveforms, phase voltage, conductor current, phase-to-phase voltage, conductor temperatures, ambient temperatures, vibration, wind speed and monitoring device system diagnostics. Methods of installing and protecting the system are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SENTIENT ENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Dennis Allen Saxby
  • Patent number: 9984818
    Abstract: A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of monitoring devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, a monitoring device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network and utilizes a split-core transformer to harvest energy from the conductors. The monitoring devices can be configured to harvest energy from the AC power grid and saturate the magnetic core of the transformer in the event of a fault condition or when harvested power is not needed. Methods of installing and using the monitoring devices are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SENTIENT ENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Ronald S. Rumrill
  • Patent number: 9954354
    Abstract: A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of power line sensing devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. The sensing devices can be configured to measure and monitor, among other things, current and electric-field on the conductors. The system can further include one or more arc shields positioned near the sensing devices and configured to prevent damage to the conductor or sensing device in the event of a traveling arc. Methods of installing and protecting the system are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SENTIENT ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Peter Baker, Dennis Allen Saxby, James E. Steiner, David P. Knight, Brian Charles Hewett, Mark A. Parsons
  • Patent number: 9448257
    Abstract: A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of monitoring devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, a monitoring device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network and utilizes a split-core transformer to harvest energy from the conductors. The monitoring devices can be configured to harvest energy from the AC power grid and apply a DC bias to core halves of the split-core transformer to maintain a positive magnetic force between the core halves. Methods of installing and using the monitoring devices are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SENTIENT ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Dennis Saxby, Mark A. Parsons, James McKeffery
  • Patent number: 9229036
    Abstract: A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of power line sensing devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, the power line sensors can include a split-core transformer. In some embodiments, a power line sensing device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network. The sensing devices can be configured to measure and monitor, among other things, current and electric-field on the conductors. Methods of installing, sealing, and protecting the split-core transformers of the power line sensors are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SENTIENT ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Kast, David P. Knight, Mark A. Parsons, Dennis Saxby
  • Patent number: 9182429
    Abstract: A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of monitoring devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, a monitoring device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network and utilizes a split-core transformer to harvest energy from the conductors. The monitoring devices can be configured to harvest energy from the AC power grid and apply a DC bias to core halves of the split-core transformer to maintain a positive magnetic force between the core halves. Methods of installing and using the monitoring devices are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SENTIENT ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Dennis Saxby, Mark A. Parsons, James McKeffery
  • Patent number: 8786292
    Abstract: A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of monitoring devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, a monitoring device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network. The monitoring devices can be configured to measure and monitor, among other things, current and electric-field on the conductors. Methods of calibrating the monitoring devices to accurately measure electric-field are also provided. In one embodiment, a first monitoring device on a first conductor can transmit a calibration pulse to a second monitoring device on a second conductor. The second monitoring device can determine a degradation of the calibration pulse, and use that degradation to calibrate electric-field measurements around the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sentient Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Parsons