Patents by Inventor Zachary A. Clifford

Zachary A. Clifford 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).

  • Non-intrusive monitoring of power and other parameters
    Patent number: 8907664
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-intrusive power monitoring and current measurement in a circuit breaker without modification of the breaker panel or the circuit breaker itself. In one example, an inductive pickup sensor senses current from the breaker face, an inductive link transmits power through a steel breaker panel door, and a passive balanced JFET modulator circuit modulates a carrier signal on the inductive link with information regarding the sensed current. A demodulated breaker current signal is available outside of the breaker panel door. The JFET modulator circuit does not require DC power to modulate the carrier signal with the information regarding the sensed current from the breaker. Such methods and apparatus may be interfaced with a spectral envelope load detection system that can monitor multiple loads from a central location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Steven B. Leeb, Zachary A. Clifford, John J. Cooley, Al-Thaddeus Avestruz
  • Non-intrusive monitoring of power and other parameters
    Patent number: 8344724
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-intrusive power monitoring and current measurement in a circuit breaker without modification of the breaker panel or the circuit breaker itself. In one example, an inductive pickup sensor senses current from the breaker face, an inductive link transmits power through a steel breaker panel door, and a passive balanced JFET modulator circuit modulates a carrier signal on the inductive link with information regarding the sensed current. A demodulated breaker current signal is available outside of the breaker panel door. The JFET modulator circuit does not require DC power to modulate the carrier signal with the information regarding the sensed current from the breaker. Such methods and apparatus may be interfaced with a spectral envelope load detection system that can monitor multiple loads from a central location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Steven B. Leeb, Zachary A. Clifford, John J. Cooley, Al-Thaddeus Avestruz
  • NON-INTRUSIVE MONITORING OF POWER AND OTHER PARAMETERS
    Publication number: 20110109306
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-intrusive power monitoring and current measurement in a circuit breaker without modification of the breaker panel or the circuit breaker itself. In one example, an inductive pickup sensor senses current from the breaker face, an inductive link transmits power through a steel breaker panel door, and a passive balanced JFET modulator circuit modulates a carrier signal on the inductive link with information regarding the sensed current. A demodulated breaker current signal is available outside of the breaker panel door. The JFET modulator circuit does not require DC power to modulate the carrier signal with the information regarding the sensed current from the breaker. Such methods and apparatus may be interfaced with a spectral envelope load detection system that can monitor multiple loads from a central location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Steven B. Leeb, Zachary A. Clifford, John J. Cooley, Al-Thaddeus Avestruz