Patents Examined by Albert W. Paladini
  • Patent number: 8159084
    Abstract: A window power distribution device includes a housing with an extension attached to the housing. Together, the housing and extension are designed to form a seal in a window opening. The window power distribution device also includes an electrical input attached to the housing, a display, and a socket, where the socket is wired to the input. The display is designed to provide information relating to the power distribution device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventor: Richard J. Gilpatrick
  • Patent number: 8129864
    Abstract: An inductive power supply that maintains resonance and adjusts duty cycle based on feedback from a secondary circuit. A controller, driver circuit and switching circuit cooperate to generate an AC signal at a selected operating frequency and duty cycle. The AC signal is applied to the tank circuit to create an inductive field for powering the secondary. The secondary communicates feedback about the received power back to the primary controller. The power transfer efficiency may be optimized by maintaining the operating frequency substantially at resonance, and the amount of power transferred may be controlled by adjusting the duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC
    Inventors: David W. Baarman, Scott A. Mollema, Joshua K. Schwannecke, Thomas Jay Leppien, Kenneth Michael Burns
  • Patent number: 8129867
    Abstract: A system and method for overcoming the parasitic elements associated with off the shelf or general purpose solid-state devices configured to operate as RF AC/DC signal coupling networks. An AC/DC signal coupling network may comprise a general purpose solid-state relay device and two inductors having values carefully chosen to compensate for the imperfections and intrinsic parasitic elements associated with the solid-state relay. The inductors may also have values carefully chosen to compensate for the parasitic elements of the neighboring or coupled circuit, and for the capacitance that is associated with the printed circuit board bond pad that is directly dependent upon the area of the pad and distance to the neighboring conductors. The inductors may cause the input path to become inductive as the signal frequency increases, and also improve the input return loss over the RF input range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Zaher G. Harb, Mark Whittington
  • Patent number: 8129868
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a shock-proof electrical output device, which comprises a voltage converter, a current monitoring relay device, a latching relay device, and a changeover relay device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Safety & Development, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Cruz
  • Patent number: 8110941
    Abstract: A power demand modification method and system. The method includes detecting and monitoring by a computing system, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering a plurality of power consumption devices at a specified location. The computing system compares the frequency signal to a predetermined frequency value. The computing system determines that the frequency signal comprises a first value that is not equal to the predetermined frequency value. The computing system calculates a difference value between the first value and the predetermined frequency value. The computing system compares the difference value to a second value. The computing system enables a connection to an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) and performs a power demand modification process associated with the UPS. The computing system generates and stores a report associated with the load adjustment modification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Jensen Boss, Rick Allen Hamilton, II, Julianne Frances Haugh, Anne R. Sand
  • Patent number: 8110938
    Abstract: A line connection structure for a PCU includes: the PCU mounted in an engine room positioned on a front side of a hybrid vehicle; an air cleaner that is provided on a rear side of the vehicle so as to face the PCU and that includes a resin portion deforming easier than electric equipment; and a cable connected to the PCU. The cable is formed by three-phase cables of U, V, and W phases being gathered. The cable is connected to the PCU on the side surface of the PCU positioned on the vehicular-rear side. The three-phase cables positioned between the PCU and the air cleaner is provided so as to align on the identical plane parallel to the width direction of the hybrid vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihide Takehara, Tatsuhiko Mizutani, Makoto Kubota
  • Patent number: 8106532
    Abstract: This invention relates to an illumination device of gradual dimming after power interruption in which a built-in power storage unit and a gradual-dimming light intensity drive control unit are provided within the lamp body, the light emitting source of the illumination device being normally lightened by city power, the built-in power storage unit being charged by the city power simultaneously. When city power is interrupted, the power is switched to be supplied with the power coming from the built-in power storage unit and the gradual-dimming light intensity drive control unit is activated to control the gradual dimming of light intensity of the light emitting source. In this manner, the effect of energy saving and extension of illumination time can be obtained such that eyes of people can adapt to the light intensity change. In addition, the illumination device is safe and is convenient in use without any indoor wiring change or additional member added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Hon-Wen Chen
  • Patent number: 8106537
    Abstract: A photo-voltaic (PV) power generating system and a control system for PV array string-level control and PV modules serially-connected into strings of PV modules. The system includes plural parallel strings of serially-connected power-generating photovoltaic modules that form a PV array, DC/DC micro-converters that are coupled to a DC voltage buss and to the output of a corresponding photovoltaic module or to the output of a string of photovoltaic modules; a gating or central inverter; and a control system. The control system is structured and arranged to control and manage each string of photovoltaic modules, to ensure that power delivered by the photovoltaic power generating system is not affected by photovoltaic modules or strings of photovoltaic modules that are not operating at maximum power transfer efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Satcon Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Leo Francis Casey, Mark George Prestero, Janos Rajda
  • Patent number: 8102629
    Abstract: A method and system for measuring and compensating for a leakage current in a high voltage transformer. Such a method and/or system include the use of a primary winding and a secondary winding, which can be provided on a core of a soft-magnetic material. A current transformer can be placed about the leads to both the terminals of the primary winding. The current transformer can be utilized to reliably measure the leakage current flowing from the secondary winding to the primary winding through one or more amplifiers to a ground terminal. The leakage current flows back to the transformer secondary winding through a low-side current sense resistor. The total current monitor signal can be generated by the low-side current sense resistor and the leakage current measured by the current transformer is vector-subtracted from the total current monitor signal. The result is a current monitor signal fully representative of the high voltage transformer's actual load current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: William R. Harris, Jerry F. Adams
  • Patent number: 8097983
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for use in wireless energy transfer, which includes a first resonator structure configured to transfer energy non-radiatively with a second resonator structure over a distance greater than a characteristic size of the second resonator structure. The non-radiative energy transfer is mediated by a coupling of a resonant field evanescent tail of the first resonator structure and a resonant field evanescent tail of the second resonator structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Aristeidis Karalis, Andre B Kurs, Robert Moffatt, John D. Joannopoulos, Peter H. Fisher, Marin Soljacic
  • Patent number: 8097979
    Abstract: A device includes a plurality of voltage regulators, and a test module. Each of the voltage regulators are configured to provide a regulated voltage to one of a plurality of subsystems. The test module is in communication with the voltage regulators, and is configured to perform a subsystem component inventory for each of the subsystems at a start of a power-on self-test of the device, to determine a configuration of the device. The test module is also configured to capture first voltage data for the subsystems during an idle operation, to capture second voltage data for the subsystems during a stressed operation, and to set a voltage set point for each of the regulated voltages provided by one of the voltage regulators based on the subsystem component inventory, a power requirement table, or the first and second voltage data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Dell Products, LP
    Inventors: Stuart A. Berke, Kunrong Wang
  • Patent number: 8097973
    Abstract: A circuit and system having an inductive data link from one or more user-side phases to a plurality of line-side phases by individual data transformers having a winding coupled to the particular phase by a high-permeability ferrite material. The resulting connection across the primary (or primaries) and secondary (or secondaries) selectively provides and efficient coupling of data in a multi-phase environment including step-down distribution transformers and “?”-to-“Y” configured circuits while maintaining isolation at the power line frequency. Further embodiments include transfer to selected phases or single-phase applications, and selective signal-pass or -reject filtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Aboundi, Inc.
    Inventor: Hong Yu
  • Patent number: 8093764
    Abstract: A system for bypassing a power cell of a power supply, the system including a multi-winding device having a primary winding and a plurality of three-phase secondary windings, a plurality of power cells, wherein each power cell is connected to a different three-phase secondary winding of the multi-winding device, and a bypass device connected to first and second input terminals of at least one of the power cells and to first and second output terminals of the at least one of the power cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Willard Hammond
  • Patent number: 8089372
    Abstract: In a method for transmitting data in an HVDCT system to a control system for HVDCT systems, measured values are transmitted from measuring units of the HVDCT system to preprocessing units connected to one another in series. The preprocessing units use the received measured values to generate measured value data. The measured value data are transmitted as part of a data record composed of data words, and the data words are subdivided, during transmission, into a temporal sequence of individual bit groups. A first bit group contains identification data for the preprocessing unit and information on the number of further bit groups that are to be transmitted by the preprocessing unit. A downstream preprocessing unit uses the information on the number of bit groups to be transmitted by a preprocessing unit connected upstream of it to determine a time for transmitting the data word of the downstream preprocessing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ludwig Hügelschäfer, Jürgen Sperber, Werner Stecher
  • Patent number: 8084889
    Abstract: The electromagnetic energy transfer device includes a first resonator structure receiving energy from an external power supply. The first resonator structure has a first Q-factor. A second resonator structure is positioned distal from the first resonator structure, and supplies useful working power to an external load. The second resonator structure has a second Q-factor. The distance between the two resonators can be larger than the characteristic size of each resonator. Non-radiative energy transfer between the first resonator structure and the second resonator structure is mediated through coupling of their resonant-field evanescent tails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John D. Joannopoulos, Aristeidis Karalis, Marin Soljacic
  • Patent number: 8085165
    Abstract: A passive sensor that is located on or adjacent to a structure that can be used to monitor the affect of environment on a structure or coating that is used to protect the structure. The sensor includes a parasitic element that interacts with the environment and influences the intensity of the electromagnetic response between the inductive element of the sensor and the antenna of the interrogation reader device. The condition of the parasitic element is determined by the radio frequency interaction of the reader antenna and the inductive element of the sensor. The parasitic element condition correlates to the environmental severity, or corrosivity of the environment and damage to metallic structures or protective coatings. An integrated circuit within the sensor is capable of storing identification, time, material, and measurement information. The sensor and system of the present invention is useful for tracking and monitoring cumulate environmental damage to a structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Luna Innovations Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas A. Wavering, Fritz J. Friedersdorf, Charles L. Bopp, III
  • Patent number: 8080905
    Abstract: A control system for an electrical device includes a controller that outputs an AC device enable system when one or more monitored sensors are in a proper state for operation of the electrical device. The control system may also include a sensor signal integrity checking circuit that outputs a validation signal when the sensor is one of a discrete set of acceptable sensor states. The control system may also include a current monitor that monitors the current draw of the electrical device and compares the current draw to a range of acceptable current draw levels and durations and disables operation of the electrical device when the current draw falls outside of the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Straka
  • Patent number: 8076800
    Abstract: The electromagnetic energy transfer device includes a first resonator structure receiving energy from an external power supply. The first resonator structure has a first Q-factor. A second resonator structure is positioned distal from the first resonator structure, and supplies useful working power to an external load. The second resonator structure has a second Q-factor. The distance between the two resonators can be larger than the characteristic size of each resonator. Non-radiative energy transfer between the first resonator structure and the second resonator structure is mediated through coupling of their resonant-field evanescent tails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John D. Joannopoulos, Aristeidis Karalis, Marin Soljacic
  • Patent number: 8076801
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for use in wireless energy transfer, which includes a first resonator structure configured for energy transfer with a second resonator structure over a distance D larger than characteristic sizes, L1 and L2, of the first and second resonator structures. A power generator is coupled to the first structure and configured to drive the first resonator structure or the second resonator structure at an angular frequency away from the resonance angular frequencies and shifted towards a frequency corresponding to an odd normal mode for the resonator structures to reduce radiation from the resonator structures by destructive far-field interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Aristeidis Karalis, Rafif E. Hamam, John D. Joannopoulos, Marin Soljacic
  • Patent number: 8067856
    Abstract: A power supply system includes at least one power supply module and at least one redundant power supply module. A power supply module may include a charging resistor in parallel with an OR-ing device to keep all filter capacitors charged as long as at least one power supply module remains operational. This may avoid current spikes at turn on and may enable the redundant module to turn on without using soft start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Bill Carter, Brian Griffith, Viktor Vogman