Patents by Inventor James S. Spitaels

James S. Spitaels has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10817033
    Abstract: A system and method for predicting the effect of a transient event on a data center. A method comprises receiving input data related to a data center that includes at least one equipment rack and at least one cooling provider, the input data including data center architecture information, building data, and operating data, generating, a model based at least in part on the input data and on a set of energy balance and heat exchange equations for the data center that account for removed and added heat and a thermal mass of the at least one equipment rack and a thermal mass of the at least one cooling provider, the model configured to predict at least one temperature in the data center during a transient event, and controlling a display device to display the at least one predicted temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: James William VanGilder, James S. Spitaels, Christopher M. Healey
  • Patent number: 10503229
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments provide a UPS comprising an input configured to receive input power, a backup input configured to receive backup power from a backup power source, an output configured to provide output power, a communication stack including an external system interface configured to communicate with at least one external device, a local user interface including a switch, the switch having a first position corresponding to a filtering mode and a second position corresponding to a non-filtering mode, the switch being communicatively decoupled from the communication stack, and a controller configured to receive, through the communication stack, commands from an external entity, detect a position of the switch, identify, responsive to detection of the position of the switch corresponding to the filtering mode, that the commands are disallowed commands, and responsive to identifying the disallowed commands, ignore the disallowed commands without executing the disallowed commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, James S. Spitaels, Mark R. Melanson
  • Patent number: 10439914
    Abstract: A power device includes an input configured to receive input power from a power source, power circuitry, a power output, a network module, and a controller. The controller is configured to operate the power circuitry to provide output power to the power output derived from the input power and to communicate with at least one primary server via the network module. In response to a determination that communication with the primary server has failed, the controller is configured to attempt communication with a domain name server. In response to a determination that communication with the domain name server has failed, the controller is configured to identify that the network has failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, James S. Spitaels
  • Publication number: 20190187764
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for predicting the effect of a transient event on a data center. According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a method that comprises receiving input data related to a data center that includes at least one equipment rack and at least one cooling provider, the input data including data center architecture information, building data, and operating data, generating, by a computing device, a model based at least in part on the input data and on a set of energy balance and heat exchange equations for the data center that account for heat added by the at least one equipment rack and removed by the at least one cooling provider, and a thermal mass of the at least one equipment rack and a thermal mass of the at least one cooling provider, the model configured to predict at least one temperature in the data center during a transient event, and controlling a display device to display the at least one predicted temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: James William VanGilder, James S. Spitaels, Christopher M. Healey
  • Patent number: 10088883
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes an input configured to receive input power, a backup power source configured to provide backup power, an output configured to provide output power from at least one of the input power and the backup power, and a controller coupled to the input, the backup power source, and the output. The controller is configured to receive commands from an external entity, detect a configuration setting, identify, based at least in part on the configuration setting, that a first subset of the commands are unrestricted commands and a second subset of the commands are restricted commands, and responsive to identifying the unrestricted commands, execute the unrestricted commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, Mark R. Melanson, James S. Spitaels
  • Publication number: 20180234313
    Abstract: A power device includes an input configured to receive input power from a power source, power circuitry, a power output, a network module, and a controller. The controller is configured to operate the power circuitry to provide output power to the power output derived from the input power and to communicate with at least one primary server via the network module. In response to a determination that communication with the primary server has failed, the controller is configured to attempt communication with a domain name server. In response to a determination that communication with the domain name server has failed, the controller is configured to identify that the network has failed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, James S. Spitaels
  • Patent number: 9880205
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a system for monitoring circuit branches coupled to an input line of a load center, the system comprising a plurality of first current sensors, each configured to be coupled to a circuit branch, at least one second current sensor configured to be coupled to the input line, a controller, a plurality of first sensor circuits, each configured, in a first mode of operation, to sample a signal from an associated current sensor, and in a second mode of operation, to be powered off, and at least one second sensor circuit configured to sample a signal from the at least one second current sensor and provide an input line current measurement signal to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to operate each first sensor circuit in one of the first and second modes of operation based on the input line current measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Namwook Paik, Vishwas Mohaniraj Deokar, James S. Spitaels
  • Patent number: 9804649
    Abstract: A system comprising at least one power device is provided. The at least one power device includes an input to receive power from a power source, an output operatively coupled to the input and configured to provide power, a data storage, a network interface, and a controller coupled to the input, the output, the data storage and the network interface. The controller is configured to provide, according to a reporting schedule, identification information directly to a cloud service via the network interface and provide, according to the reporting schedule, secured information directly to the cloud service, the secured information being descriptive of performance of the at least one power device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, Mark R. Melanson, James S. Spitaels
  • Publication number: 20170285707
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments provide a UPS comprising an input configured to receive input power, a backup input configured to receive backup power from a backup power source, an output configured to provide output power, a communication stack including an external system interface configured to communicate with at least one external device, a local user interface including a switch, the switch having a first position corresponding to a filtering mode and a second position corresponding to a non-filtering mode, the switch being communicatively decoupled from the communication stack, and a controller configured to receive, through the communication stack, commands from an external entity, detect a position of the switch, identify, responsive to detection of the position of the switch corresponding to the filtering mode, that the commands are disallowed commands, and responsive to identifying the disallowed commands, ignore the disallowed commands without executing the disallowed commands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, James S. Spitaels, Mark R. Melanson
  • Publication number: 20170188486
    Abstract: A rack airflow monitoring system is configured to measure airflow through an equipment rack having a housing and a perforated front door to enable air to flow into an interior of the housing. The system includes a control module, and a plurality of airflow sensors secured to the front door of the equipment rack and coupled to the control module. Each airflow sensor is configured to detect a parameter used to measure airflow and communicate detected parameters to the control module. The control module is configured to obtain temperature, airflow velocity, and airflow directionality from the plurality of airflow sensors at the front door of the equipment rack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: James William VanGilder, Gary R. Ware, James S. Spitaels, Zachary Pardey
  • Patent number: 9660808
    Abstract: One aspect relates to a communication protocol for communicating between one or more entities, such as devices, hosts or any other system capable of communicating over a network. A protocol is provided that allows communication between entities without a priori knowledge of the communication protocol. In such a protocol, for example, information describing a data structure of the communication protocol is transferred between communicating entities. Further, an authentication protocol is provided for providing bidirectional authentication between communicating entities. In one specific example, the entities include a master device and a slave device coupled by a serial link. In another specific example, the communication protocol may be used for performing unbalanced transmission between communicating entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, James S. Spitaels, David Joseph Smith
  • Patent number: 9639132
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detection of a status of a device connected to a USB port of a UPS are described herein. The method includes detecting whether a device is connected to the USB port, based on the detection, receiving, at the UPS, information from the device; determining whether the device is configured as a host device supplying power, a host device requiring power or a peripheral device, and based on the determination, configuring the USB port of the UPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, Michael John Patterson, Gary R. Ware, James S. Spitaels, Noah L. Pendleton
  • Patent number: 9595742
    Abstract: A system for guiding a user through a procedure corresponding to installing a battery in a UPS that is associated with the system. The system includes at least one programmed processor embedded within the UPS. The programmed processor is configured to retrieve at least one stored procedure corresponding to installing the battery in the UPS including at least one step to be performed by the user. The system further includes at least one device embedded within the UPS to provide information regarding a status indicator of the battery of the UPS. The programmed processor and the device are operatively coupled such that the programmed processor receives at least a portion of the information of the battery from the device. The system further includes a user interface forming part of the UPS. The user interface is coupled to the programmed processor for displaying the step of the stored procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyle Brookshire, James S. Spitaels, Vishwas Mohaniraj Deokar, Fred William Rodenhiser
  • Publication number: 20160231360
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a system for monitoring circuit branches coupled to an input line of a load center, the system comprising a plurality of first current sensors, each configured to be coupled to a circuit branch, at least one second current sensor configured to be coupled to the input line, a controller, a plurality of first sensor circuits, each configured, in a first mode of operation, to sample a signal from an associated current sensor, and in a second mode of operation, to be powered off, and at least one second sensor circuit configured to sample a signal from the at least one second current sensor and provide an input line current measurement signal to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to operate each first sensor circuit in one of the first and second modes of operation based on the input line current measurement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Namwook Paik, Vishwas Mohaniraj Deokar, James S. Spitaels
  • Publication number: 20160179153
    Abstract: Methods and systems for detection of a status of a device connected to a USB port of a UPS are described herein. The method includes detecting whether a device is connected to the USB port, based on the detection, receiving, at the UPS, information from the device; determining whether the device is configured as a host device supplying power, a host device requiring power or a peripheral device, and based on the determination, configuring the USB port of the UPS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, Michael John Patterson, Gary R. Ware, James S. Spitaels, Noah L. Pendleton
  • Patent number: 9231439
    Abstract: A method for estimating an efficiency of a power device includes identifying a state of operation of the power device, measuring power-related information produced by the power device, and determining an estimated efficiency of the power device based in part on the state of operation of the power device and power loss parameters associated with the power device by using the measured power-related information. Other methods and devices for measuring efficiency are further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Vishwas Mohaniraj Deokar, James S. Spitaels, Fred W. Rodenhiser, Lynn Ernest Schultz, Kyle Brookshire
  • Publication number: 20150338894
    Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes an input configured to receive input power, a backup power source configured to provide backup power, an output configured to provide output power from at least one of the input power and the backup power, and a controller coupled to the input, the backup power source, and the output. The controller is configured to receive commands from an external entity, detect a configuration setting, identify, based at least in part on the configuration setting, that a first subset of the commands are unrestricted commands and a second subset of the commands are restricted commands, and responsive to identifying the unrestricted commands, execute the unrestricted commands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, Mark R. Melanson, James S. Spitaels
  • Patent number: 9146259
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a current monitoring device comprising a current transformer configured to be removeably coupled to a power line and to generate a reference signal having a level related to a current level of the power line, a sensor circuit connected to the current transformer and configured to be removeably coupled to a communications bus and to convert the reference signal to a digital reference signal and provide a signal indicative of the current level to the communication bus, and a housing containing the sensor circuit and the current transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arthur J. Blake, Vishwas M. Deokar, Namwook Paik, James S. Spitaels
  • Patent number: 9048688
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring power in power distribution systems are provided. In one aspect, a system for monitoring power includes a power monitoring device that measures a value of at least one characteristic of power provided to a branch of a power distribution system. The power monitoring device includes an output that provides the value measured. The system further includes a controller having an input to receive the value measured and an output that couples to a first device powered by the branch to send a maximum power signal to the first device to command the first device to operate at a percentage of maximum power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: James S. Spitaels, Neil Rasmussen
  • Publication number: 20150012763
    Abstract: A system comprising at least one power device is provided. The at least one power device includes an input to receive power from a power source, an output operatively coupled to the input and configured to provide power, a data storage, a network interface, and a controller coupled to the input, the output, the data storage and the network interface. The controller is configured to provide, according to a reporting schedule, identification information directly to a cloud service via the network interface and provide, according to the reporting schedule, secured information directly to the cloud service, the secured information being descriptive of performance of the at least one power device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Cohen, Mark R. Melanson, James S. Spitaels