Patents Examined by M. N. Von Buhr
  • Patent number: 11971396
    Abstract: A system and method for sampling air at multiple locations in a controlled environment. The system and method includes automatic adjustment of mass flow rates and duration of vacuum connections (either via time elapsed or indirectly by volume) based on rates set by an operator. Additionally, the system and method enables users to monitor and control aspects of the system via network-connected devices. Additionally, the system enable a vacuum pump to be disconnected from power in response to a physical emergency button, a software-based emergency stop button available on network connected devices, and an automatic power disconnection in response to an abnormal mass flow reading that could potentially impact the vacuum pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Veltek Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan G. Kocher
  • Patent number: 11962152
    Abstract: A method for controlling power consumption includes receiving a flexibility request from an electrical utility and discovering energy relevant devices in a building. The energy relevant devices include electrical loads and alternative energy sources. Power requirements are predicted from an electrical utility for the loads, the prediction takes into account available power from the alternative power sources. Power set points are determined for the energy relevant devices based on the prediction. The power set points meet the flexibility request. The energy relevant devices are directed to operate at the power set points. A building energy management system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stefano Riverso, Marcello Torchio, Craig R. Walker
  • Patent number: 11947327
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling one or more components of a water utility system, the water utility system comprising at least one pump assembly, the method comprising: receiving a user indication indicative of a user-perceived acoustic-noise induced discomfort experienced at least at a first location, measuring at least a first sound signal at said first location, determining, based on the measured first sound signal and based on at least one of a received user indication of a degree of the user-perceived acoustic-noise induced discomfort and a received first operational parameter of the pump assembly, the first operational parameter being representative of an operational condition of the pump assembly at the time of said measuring the first sound signal, one or more adjusted control parameters of the water utility system, and controlling the water utility system based on the determined adjusted control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Grundfos Holding A/S
    Inventors: Jan Balle Larsen, Poul Ejlertsen, Nicolai Bæk Thomasen
  • Patent number: 11936184
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid power system are disclosed. A controller may perform operations, including: obtaining a load forecast; obtaining a power availability forecast and an energy cost forecast for each power asset group; performing at least one prospective optimization to determine scheduled active power commands for the groups that optimize a total operating cost; tracking an on-line load; tracking an on-line power availability and an on-line energy cost for the groups; performing at least one on-line optimization to determine on-line active power commands for the groups that (i) account for variance between the load forecast and the on-line load, (ii) account for variance between the power availability forecast and the on-line power availability, and (iii) optimize the total operating cost; and operating the groups based on the scheduled active power commands and the on-line active power commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh Baddam Reddy, Dimple Raja Prathapaneni
  • Patent number: 11923681
    Abstract: A method, system, and device for managing off-grid power supply are provided. The method includes acquiring data from one or more loads. The one or more loads are connected to the off-grid power supply. The method further includes modeling the one or more loads based on the acquired data, estimating a state of charge of an energy storage device (ESD) associated with the off-grid power supply, and determining an operational status of each of the one or more loads. The operational status is based on at least the state of charge of the ESD and a category of each of the one or more loads. Each load is controlled based on the operational status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: TOTAL SOLAR INTERNATIONAL, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wente Zeng, Jiahong Yan, Ning Lu, Fuhong Xie
  • Patent number: 11922523
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a processor configured to: acquire renewable power generation information from a renewable energy power generation server; acquire at least one of hydrogen power generation information from a hydrogen power generation server and fuel cell information; acquire grid power generation information from a grid power generation server; acquire electric power information from each of a plurality of consumer facilities in a predetermined area, the electric power information being regarding an amount of electric power consumed by the consumer facility; and generate proposal information including information on a type of electric power supplied to a predetermined consumer facility based on at least one of the renewable power generation information, the hydrogen power generation information, and the fuel cell information, the grid power generation information, and a plurality of pieces of the electric power information, and output the proposal information to the predetermined con
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Ehara, Kazuhiro Shimizu, Satoshi Tanabe, Nanae Takada, Naohiro Seo
  • Patent number: 11897361
    Abstract: A power calculation apparatus calculates an amount of power suppliable and demandable between a battery and a power grid. The power calculation apparatus includes a microprocessor and a memory connected to the microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform: predicting the amount of power suppliable and demandable between the battery and the power grid at a predetermined point in time to calculate a prediction value of the amount of power suppliable and demandable; and switching a calculation logic to be applied to a calculation of the prediction value, based on a length of duration from a present point in time to the predetermined point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Stephen Pontefract, Hiroyuki Kanazawa, Jun Kudo, Ayano Otogasako, Takayuki Sakurai
  • Patent number: 11899431
    Abstract: [Object] To suppress increase in load on a calculator for processing electricity charges, in a case in which an electricity retailer that purchased power of which the price fluctuates sells power on the basis of metered charges in accordance with an amount of power usage of a consumer, by controlling facility equipment of the consumer on the basis of a relation between purchase prices and metered charges of the power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Nakao, Shuji Furui, Yoshihiro Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11870255
    Abstract: A method, system, and device for managing off-grid power supply are provided. The method includes acquiring data from one or more loads. The one or more loads are connected to the off-grid power supply. The method further includes modeling the one or more loads based on the acquired data, estimating a state of charge of an energy storage device (ESD) associated with the off-grid power supply, and determining an operational status of each of the one or more loads. The operational status is based on at least the state of charge of the ESD and a category of each of the one or more loads. Each load is controlled based on the operational status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignees: TOTAL SOLAR INTERNATIONAL, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wente Zeng, Jiahong Yan, Ning Lu, Fuhong Xie
  • Patent number: 11858064
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods to plan a path to form a part using an additive manufacturing system. The additive manufacturing system may include one or more additive manufacturing tools. The additive manufacturing tools may include arc welding tools and non-arc welding tools. The system may also manufacture the part based on the planned path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Steven B. Massey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11844316
    Abstract: A process for batch processing by-product water to obtain a batch of beneficial use water for application to an targeted area of soil with determined moisture and chemical characteristic to change that soil characteristic to a desired soil characteristic includes the steps of measuring the moisture and chemical composition of the targeted area of soil; determining a desired soil characteristic that will grow selected vegetation; defining a chemical composition of a batch water to be applied to the soil to obtain the desired composition; processing a batch of by-product water in accordance with the defined composition; applying the batch of processed water to the targeted area of soil; measuring the moisture and chemical composition of the soil after application; repeating the process until desired composition is achieved or the vegetation growth is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: Marvin Nash
  • Patent number: 11837871
    Abstract: A method for dispatching a power grid is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining a whole power generation interval scheduled for a cluster of renewable energy stations from a power grid dispatching center; establishing a decomposition model that includes an objection function and constraint conditions; decomposing the whole power generation interval with the decomposition model to obtain each power generation interval of each renewable energy station; and controlling each renewable energy station to generate powers based on each power generation interval. The objection function minimizes a total operating cost in the power grid and includes a renewable energy randomness indicating an actual power generation amount of each renewable energy station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY, STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA
    Inventors: Wenchuan Wu, Yue Yang, Bin Wang, Mingjie Li
  • Patent number: 11824356
    Abstract: A system and a method of black start for a combined operation of wind power, photovoltaic power, energy storage, and thermal power includes a renewable energy alternating current microgrid module, a power transmission and distribution module, and a thermal power generation module, the power transmission and distribution module is coupled to the renewable energy alternating current microgrid module and the thermal power generation module respectively. The renewable energy alternating current microgrid module includes a photovoltaic unit, a wind power unit, and an energy storage unit. The power transmission and distribution module is configured to transmit the electrical energy generated by the renewable energy alternating current microgrid module to the thermal power generation module. The thermal power generation module is configured to start an auxiliary equipment using the electrical energy transmitted by the power transmission and distribution module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Xi'an Thermal Power Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peihao Yang, Ganghu Sun, Pengyue Wu, Qi Chai, Shuichao Kou, Xiaohui Wang, Feng Gao, Mengyao Sun, Xinyu Guo, Lei Xue, Lisong Zhang, Ting He, Junbo Zhao, Yunfei Yan, Yulun Chen, Zhipeng Li, Jiewen Wang, HuanHuan Gao, Yue Yin, Benqian Dai, Jinghua Li
  • Patent number: 11824359
    Abstract: A power management apparatus and a housing complex combination method for trading surplus power for a housing are provided. Influencing factors in analyzing a consumption pattern of an individual housing and various correlations between the influencing factors are analyzed, and an optimal sustainable housing complex through supply of new renewable energy is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Tai-Yeon Ku, Wan Ki Park
  • Patent number: 11803169
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing data generated by connected systems and/or devices in connection with energy usage and/or management decisions. In certain embodiments, a gateway device in communication with one or more connected devices may be configured to receive energy management signal information and apply one or more policies in connection with the management of the connected devices. Responses generated in connection with such energy management decisions may be reported securely in a manner that respects various stakeholder concerns relating to transparency, confidentiality, privacy, auditability, and/or affirmation of data provenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: David P. Maher
  • Patent number: 11804713
    Abstract: An energy system that has components connected by buses, and a method and an apparatus for controlling same is provided. The components are labelled as either non-fixed or fixed, depending on whether their energy operating point is specified. The control of the energy system includes performing an iteration process via all of the buses. A respective iteration for the respectively selected bus includes attempting to balance a power budget of the selected bus by specifying the energy operating points of components connected to the respective bus that are labelled as non-fixed. If the balancing for the respective bus is successful, all of the components connected to the respective bus are labelled as fixed; otherwise, the label of components connected to the respective bus is converted from fixed to non-fixed and a fresh iteration for the bus is triggered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Corinna Gottschalk, Martin Seydenschwanz
  • Patent number: 11803164
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and system are provided to coordinate, manage, and optimize the electrical loads across all subsystems behind a given meter. In this approach, which is sometimes referred to herein as intelligent demand optimization, the optimized capacity needs of each subsystem are assessed in real-time, along with the available capacity of the meter and the current billing period peak. Power is then distributed dynamically to each subsystem to reduce the overall peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: DemandQ, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Keating, Jonathan Stahl, Gerardo Ventura, Sital Khatiwada
  • Patent number: 11798104
    Abstract: Disclosed is system for continuous optimization and real-time control of multiple energy assets, such as electricity, heat, transport, utilized by plurality of nodes in distributed energy network having different energy sources. The system includes a plurality of control devices and software module. Each control device is associated with an energy asset, and configured to determine and communicate status information of associated energy asset and control settings and set triggers for associated energy asset for regulating utilization thereof by corresponding node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: SMART POWER NETWORKS LTD
    Inventors: Anastasios Rousis, Dimitrios Tzelepis
  • Patent number: 11793129
    Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods provide an irrigation control system, comprising: an irrigation controller comprising an irrigation control unit; a power source; a microcontroller; and a modulator, wherein the modulator is configured to output modulated power signals; a plurality of switches coupled to an output of the modulator and independently controlled by the microcontroller; and a plurality of two-wire path output connectors each coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, wherein each of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors is configured to be connected to a corresponding two-wire path of a plurality of two-wire paths to which multiple decoder-based irrigation control units can be connected and controlled, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to operate the plurality of switches to couple and decouple the modulated power signals from the output of the modulator to one or more of the plurality of two-wire path output connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Anderson Micu, Andrew M. Nguyen, Jonathan I. Marsters, Harvey J. Nickerson, Daniel B. Zimet
  • Patent number: 11796986
    Abstract: A system includes a first facility element having a sensor and configured to generate recent performance data associated with a system of a facility, and a monitoring and control element in communication with the first facility element, where the monitoring and control element is configured to identify one or more analogous facility elements analogous to the first facility element, receive the recent performance data for the first facility element, generate projected performance data for the facility element according to historical performance data associated with the facility element and the one or more analogous facility elements, compare the projected performance data to a performance threshold, and override a setting or operating parameter of the first facility element according to a relationship of the projected performance data to the performance threshold and by sending one or more operational adjustment commands to at least one second facility element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GLOBAL INNOVATION PLATFORM, LLC.
    Inventor: David W. Swank