Digitally Controlled Patents (Class 323/211)
  • Publication number: 20150069981
    Abstract: A device for measuring an amount of capacitance to correct a power factor of a running electric motor includes a three-phase bus for connection to the electric motor; a metering device operably connected to the three-phase bus for displaying KVAR, the metering device including a display for displaying power factor, voltage, current, frequency, active energy, reactive energy, active power, reactive power, apparent power or maximum demand of the motor; a plurality of switched delta-configured capacitor circuits operably connected to the three-phase bus, each of the switched delta-connected capacitor circuits having different capacitance values; and a plurality of switches, each of the switches being operably associated with a respective one of the switched delta-configured capacitor circuits to connect to the three-phase bus the respective one of the switched delta-connected capacitor circuit to minimize the KVAR reading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Ricardo C. LIMPIN, Lilibeth S. MEDIAVILLO, Angel Vicente G. ARCILLA
  • Patent number: 8909966
    Abstract: A wireless power supply apparatus generates an electric signal frequency-modulated or otherwise phase-modulated according to a transmission-side code that is determined beforehand with a wireless power reception apparatus. The electric signal thus generated is transmitted via a transmission coil so as to generate an electric power signal including any one of an electric field, a magnetic field, and an electromagnetic field. The wireless power reception apparatus receives the electric power signal using a reception coil. A control unit changes the impedance of a resonance circuit that comprises the reception coil and a resonance capacitor, according to a reception-side code that is to correspond to the transmission-side code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Furukawa, Yuki Endo
  • Patent number: 8866338
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving power generation in a thermal power plant. A dynamic reactive compensation system is provided and is connected to a high voltage bus or a generator bus of the power plant. The dynamic reactive compensation system comprises power electronic devices and is operable to provide most of the reactive power that is required from the power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Brian David Scott, David Larsson
  • Patent number: 8816652
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems and methods for controlling a voltage profile delivered to a load in an electric power system. According to various embodiments, an electric power system may include an electric power line, a variable tap transformer, and a capacitor bank. The variable tap transformer may include a plurality of tap positions. A tap change controller may be coupled with the variable tap transformer and may control the tap positions of the variable tap transformer. A capacitor bank controller may be coupled with the capacitor bank and may selectively couple the capacitor bank to the electric power line. The tap change controller and the capacitor bank controller may share system information related to the voltage profile along the electric power line and to change the voltage profile along the line using the variable tap transformer and the capacitor bank depending on the system information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Casper A. Labuschagne, Jeffrey G. Pope
  • Publication number: 20140184176
    Abstract: A power transmitting apparatus for digitally controlling voltage and current of alternating current (AC) includes an input part, an output part, and a digital control part. The input part has a filtering protection module and a semiconductor switch module connected to the filtering protection module. The filtering protection module has an input interface for inputting an AC signal from a power source. The output part has a filtering module and a voltage and current feedback module connected to the filtering module. The voltage and current feedback module has an output interface for outputting the AC signal from the input part. The filtering module is connected to the semiconductor switch module of input part. The digital control part has a MCU control module electrically connected to the filtering protection module, the semiconductor switch module, and the voltage and current feedback module, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: GUAN-XIONG HUANG, CALVIN SHIE-NING WANG, ZHEN-QIU HUANG
  • Patent number: 8766581
    Abstract: There are provided a power factor correction circuit capable of transferring extra power to a ground before performing switching for a power factor correction to thereby reduce a switching loss generated in switching for a power factor correction, and a power supply device and a motor driving device having the same. The power factor correction circuit includes: a main switch switching input power to adjust a phase difference between a current and a voltage of the input power; and an auxiliary switch switched on before the main switch is switched on, to thereby form a transmission path for extra power of the main switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min Gyu Park, Kee Ju Um, Bum Seok Suh
  • Patent number: 8693679
    Abstract: A communications system includes a communications device having a plurality of access modules each having a port and connected to a communications line and a plurality of transmitters with the respective transmitter associated in one-to-one correspondence with the communications line of an access module. Each transmitter has a line driver and is configured to couple communications signals to a respective communications line. A voltage source is connected to the line drivers and configured to provide a bias voltage to the line drivers that varies depending on a selected minimum power level. A controller is connected to the voltage source and has logic configured to change the bias voltage to the line drivers. The controller is responsive to a minimum data rate for each bias voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Adtran, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Christian Smith
  • Patent number: 8664895
    Abstract: A controller for controlling power to a light source includes a first sensing pin, a second sensing pin, a third sensing pin, and a driving pin. The first sensing pin receives a first signal indicating an instant current flowing through an energy storage element. The second sensing pin receives a second signal indicating an average current flowing through the energy storage element. The third sensing pin receives a third signal indicating whether the instant current decreases to a predetermined current level. The driving pin provides a driving signal to a switch to control an average current flowing through the light source to a target current level. The driving signal is generated based on one or more signals selected from the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiesheng Yan, Youling Li, Feng Lin, Xinhe Su, Ching-Chuan Kuo
  • Patent number: 8664928
    Abstract: A digital power factor correction device is provided, which is an all-digital control module. The digital power factor correction device includes a voltage loop control unit, an input power control unit, a current loop control unit, and a pulse width modulation generation unit, to perform power factor correction for minimizing the phase difference between input current and input voltage through adjusting input current with an external driver and a switch unit. The voltage loop control unit and the current loop control unit contain a proportion-integral-differentiation controller to form a voltage control loop and a current control loop, respectively. The input power control unit adjusts current waveform according to the input power, while the pulse width modulation generation unit determines the stop time of pulse width modulation to produce a pulse width modulation signal, to control the external driver and the switch unit for eliminating loading effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Inno-Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shu-Chia Lin, Wen-Yueh Hsieh, Ching-Yuan Lin
  • Publication number: 20140055104
    Abstract: An adaptive dc-link voltage controlled LC coupling hybrid active power filter (LC-HAPF) for reactive power compensation includes: two dc capacitors to provide dc-link voltage; a three-phase voltage source inverter to convert dc-link voltage into compensating voltages; three coupling LC circuits to convert compensating voltages into currents; and an adaptive dc voltage controller with reactive power compensation control algorithm. The control algorithm includes: first, calculating required minimum dc-link voltage in each phase with respect to loading reactive power; three-phase required minimum dc-link voltage will be maximum one among their minimum values; compare it with predetermined voltage levels to determine final reference dc-link voltage. A dc-link voltage feedback P/PI controller outputs dc voltage reference compensating currents. An instantaneous power compensation controller outputs reactive reference compensating currents. The final reference compensating currents will be sum of them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF MACAU
    Inventors: Chi-Seng LAM, Man-Chung WONG, Wai-Hei CHOI, Ying-Duo HAN
  • Patent number: 8653685
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a control system and an associated method for controlling an amount of reactive power delivered from a wind power plant to an associated power supply grid, the control system comprising a wind power plant controller and a number of wind turbine controllers each being in communication with said wind power plant controller, wherein the wind power plant controller is adapted to provide a grid voltage reference in response to a required total amount of reactive power to at least one wind turbine controller and operating a Switched Capacitor bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Jorge Martinez Garcia
  • Publication number: 20140042992
    Abstract: A PFC signal generation circuit which generates a PFC signal to control a PFC circuit including a first inductor connected to a first switch and a second inductor connected to a second switch includes: a first control signal output circuit that outputs a first PFC signal to turn on the first switch at a zero current detection timing of the first inductor; a timing adjustment circuit that generates a control signal to turn on the second switch after waiting until a target timing, when a zero current detection timing of the second inductor is earlier than the target timing, and to turn on the second switch at a target timing in a subsequent cycle, when it is later than an allowable period from the target timing; and a second control signal output circuit that generates a second PFC signal to turn on the second switch according to a control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Takata
  • Publication number: 20140042991
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein to a power factor adjustor comprising: a power factor measurement unit configured to measure the power factor on an input line to a load and generate a power factor correction signal based on the measured power factor; and a power factor adjustment unit connected to the power factor measurement unit comprising: a fixed capacitor connected in series to a first switching device; and an adjustable element having a variable capacitance connected in parallel to the fixed capacitor and in series to a second switching device, wherein the overall capacitance of the power factor adjustment unit is adjusted by adjusting the capacitance of the adjustable element or by toggling the first and second switching devices in response to the power factor correction signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: POWERMAG, LLC
    Inventor: Robert V. ALBERTSON
  • Patent number: 8648576
    Abstract: A first SVC is connected to a first bus. A first SVC control unit controls the first SVC. A first fluctuation-component-voltage generating unit includes a voltage reference circuit that outputs a voltage reference value. A second SVC is connected to a second bus. A second SVC control unit controls the second SVC. A second fluctuation-component-voltage generating unit includes a first-order-lag control block with limiter that generates a comparative voltage that follows a bus voltage of the second bus with a predetermined time lag characteristic and is limited within a predetermined range. An impedance value XS1 of slope reactance of the first SVC is set smaller than impedance value XS2 of slope reactance of the second SVC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Matsuda, Yoshiyuki Kono, Masatoshi Takeda
  • Patent number: 8629659
    Abstract: A method of controlling a static VAR compensator includes providing a static VAR compensator having a capacitive component and a thyristor for switching the capacitive component into and out of a power distribution network; monitoring an electrical characteristic associated with the capacitive component; and controlling operation of the thyristor at least in part on the basis of the electrical characteristic associated with the capacitive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: American Superconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Lynn Johnson
  • Patent number: 8624565
    Abstract: The invention relates to an on-load tap changer comprising semiconductor switching elements for uninterrupted switching between fixed tap changer contacts which are electrically connected to winding taps of a tapped transformer. Each of the fixed tap changer contacts can be connected to a charge diverter either directly or, during switching, via the semiconductor switching elements that are connected therebetween. According to the invention, the charge diverter has fixed, divided diverting contact pieces in order for the semiconductor switching elements to be electrically isolated from the transformer winding during stationary operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Brueckl, Dieter Dohnal, Hans-Henning Lessmann-Mieske
  • Patent number: 8575864
    Abstract: A controller for controlling power to a light source includes a first sensing pin, a second sensing pin, a third sensing pin, and a driving pin. The first sensing pin receives a first signal indicating an instant current flowing through an energy storage element. The second sensing pin receives a second signal indicating an average current flowing through the energy storage element. The third sensing pin receives a third signal indicating whether the instant current decreases to a predetermined current level. The driving pin provides a driving signal to a switch to control an average current flowing through the light source to a target current level. The driving signal is generated based on one or more signals selected from the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiesheng Yan, Youling Li, Feng Lin, Xinhe Su, Ching-Chuan Kuo
  • Patent number: 8502492
    Abstract: A device for improving efficiency of an induction motor soft-starts the motor by applying a power to the motor that is substantially less than the rated power of the motor then gradually increasing the power while monitoring changes in current drawn by the motor, thereby detecting when maximum efficiency is found. Once maximum efficiency is found, the nominal motor current is found and operating ranges are set. Now, the phase angle between the voltage and the current to the motor is measured and power to the motor is increasing when the phase angle is less than a minimum phase angle (determined during soft-start) and power to the motor is decreased when the phase angle is greater than or equal to the minimum phase angle as long as the voltage does not fall below a minimum voltage determined during soft-start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Protective Energy Economizer Technology
    Inventor: Mario Marcelo Marcoccia
  • Patent number: 8476874
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems and methods for controlling a voltage profile delivered to a load in an electric power system. According to various embodiments, an electric power system may include an electric power line, a variable tap transformer, and a capacitor bank. The variable tap transformer may include a plurality of tap positions. A tap change controller may be coupled with the variable tap transformer and may control the tap positions of the variable tap transformer. A capacitor bank controller may be coupled with the capacitor bank and may selectively couple the capacitor bank to the electric power line. The tap change controller and the capacitor bank controller may share system information related to the voltage profile along the electric power line and to change the voltage profile along the line using the variable tap transformer and the capacitor bank depending on the system information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc
    Inventors: Casper A. Labuschagne, Roy E. Moxley, Jeffrey G. Pope
  • Patent number: 8428783
    Abstract: A method and system for aggregating messages. In one embodiment, the system comprises a plurality of distributed generators (DGs) and a controller, communicatively coupled to the plurality of distributed generators, for (i) receiving a plurality of messages from the plurality of DGs, (ii) correlating at least two messages in the plurality of messages based on at least one time parameter, and (iii) generating a summary message based on the at least two messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Enphase Energy
    Inventors: Benjamin Smith, Martin Fornage
  • Patent number: 8400090
    Abstract: Assemblies for HVAC systems and methods of operating HVAC systems are disclosed, including a method of operating an HVAC system having a condenser motor operatively coupled to a fan and a controllable bus voltage for powering the condenser motor. The method includes increasing the controllable bus voltage from a first voltage to a second voltage to increase a speed of the condenser motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Joseph G. Marcinkiewicz, Mark E. Carrier, Eric J. Wildi
  • Patent number: 8373394
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically adjusting capacitance added in parallel to an electrical line input for improving efficiency of an electrical system. A microprocessor monitors in real time the current and voltage wave forms of a system and selects the optimum amount of capacitance from a bank of capacitors of different values. The system is implemented at the utility transformer to encourage adoption of the device by utility companies and customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: EcoEarthEnergy, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry N. Huta, Stephen R. Phillips, Robert E. Morgan
  • Publication number: 20130033240
    Abstract: A digital controller for a power factor correction (PFC) circuit, has first means for generating a first control signal for a switching transistor to avoid continuous oscillation between an inductor and parasitic capacitance of the switching transistor during discontinuous mode operation when an input voltage is less than substantially 50% of an output voltage. Second means generates a second control signal for a switching transistor to avoid continuous oscillation between an inductor and parasitic capacitance of the switching transistor during discontinuous mode operation when an input voltage is greater than substantially 50% of an output voltage. A power factor correction circuit and a method of operating a power factor correction circuit are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Zhong J. Ye
  • Patent number: 8362735
    Abstract: A device for improving efficiency of an induction motor that soft-starts the motor by applying a voltage to the motor that is substantially less than the rated voltage then gradually increasing the voltage while monitoring changes in current drawn by the motor, thereby detecting when maximum efficiency is found. Once maximum efficiency is found, the nominal motor current is found and operating ranges are set. Now, the voltage to the motor is increased/decreased by measuring the phase angle between the voltage and the current to the motor and increasing the voltage when the phase angle is less than a minimum phase angle (determined during soft-start) and decreasing the voltage when the phase angle is greater than or equal to the minimum phase angle as long as the voltage does not fall below a minimum voltage determined during soft-start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Protective Energy Economizer Technology
    Inventor: Mario M. Marcoccia
  • Patent number: 8339111
    Abstract: A capacitor bank unit includes three capacitor banks that have respective capacitances that are multiples of a basic capacitance in accordance with a number sequence of the n-th power of 2. One of the capacitor banks has the basic capacitance, remaining two of the capacitor banks includes two subbanks each. The capacitance of a subbank is set to a capacitance that is a multiple of the basic capacitance in accordance with a number sequence of the m-th power of 2. When any one of the capacitor banks fails, each of capacitor banks following the failed capacitor bank substitutes for a capacitor bank located immediately before itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Takeda, Shinichi Ogusa
  • Patent number: 8335095
    Abstract: A one cycle control method for power factor correction based on a boost circuit and a main control chip of system comprises the steps of: (1) Determining whether soft-start ends or not; if the soft-start ends, processing step (2) directly, if not, increasing reference value Uref of output voltage and then processing step (2); (2) Reading sampling output voltage Uo, and sampling inductive current ig according to A/D sampling triggering instant; (3) Calculating duty ratio of PWM signal for driving the switch transistor; (4) Outputting PWM signal; (5) Calculating the next A/D sampling triggering instant according to the duty ratio of PWM signal; (6) Returning to step (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Xuetao Mi, Qingfeng Guo, Min Xu
  • Patent number: 8164314
    Abstract: A distributed capacitor bank controller for power factor correction of a power system may include a first distributed meter, a second distributed meter, a programmable logic controller and a communications pathway. The first and second meters may be operable to provide a power factor value, a current value, a voltage value, and a load value. The first and second meters may be coupled to the programmable logic controller via the communications pathway. The programmable logic controller may be operable to receive the power factor value, the current value, the voltage value and the load value from the first and second distributed meters, determine an average power factor value and a current unbalance value, and automatically add or remove a capacitor step of a capacitor bank to the power system based at least in part on the average power factor value, the current unbalance value, the voltage value and the load value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bruce Bremer, Mark David Rucker, James Edward Wilmoth
  • Patent number: 8134346
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically adjusting capacitance added in parallel to an electrical line input for improving efficiency of an electrical system. A microprocessor monitors in real time the current and voltage wave forms of a system and selects the optimum amount of capacitance from a bank of capacitors of different values. The system is implemented at the watt-hour meter to encourage adoption of the device by utility companies and customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: EcoEarthEnergy, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry N. Huta, Stephen R. Phillips, Robert E. Morgan
  • Patent number: 8115408
    Abstract: A light source apparatus and a light source adjusting module are provided. The light source apparatus includes a power supply, a phase modulator, an electrical transformer, a light source adjusting module and a light-emitting device. The power supply provides a first AC voltage signal. The phase modulator receives the first AC voltage signal and adjusts a conducting phase of the first AC voltage signal to generate a modulated AC voltage signal. The electrical transformer transforms the modulated AC voltage signal to generate a second AC voltage signal. The light adjusting module generates a luminance adjusting signal according to a state of the second AC voltage signal. The light-emitting device receives the luminance adjusting signal to generate a corresponding light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Yi-Te Liu, Chih-Jen Yen, Chih-Yuan Hsieh, Lan-Shan Cheng
  • Patent number: 8099197
    Abstract: A method and system for aggregating messages. The method comprises obtaining, at a controller, a first plurality of messages related to operation of a distributed energy generator; generating, at the controller, a second plurality of messages from the first plurality, wherein each message in the second plurality has a start-time within a first time window; and generating, at the controller, a third plurality of messages from the second plurality, wherein each message in the third plurality has an end-time within a second time window and is associated with an indicia of a message group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Smith, Martin Fornage
  • Patent number: 8076910
    Abstract: Automated power factor correction analysis methods based on an automatically determined hierarchy representing how IEDs and transformers are linked together in an electrical system for reducing a utility bill, releasing capacity to the electrical system, reducing losses, and/or improving voltages. The automatically determined hierarchy places the system elements in spatial context and is exploited by the power factor correction analysis methods to identify power factor correction opportunities. Recommendations are made as to sizing and location of capacitors within the hierarchy where power factor improvements can be achieved. Harmonic distortion levels can be checked first to determine whether safe levels exist for capacitor banks. Recommendations are also checked to avoid leading power factors anywhere in the system due to the addition of capacitor banks. Capacitor bank location is tailored to the end-user's goal for power factor correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon A. Bickel
  • Publication number: 20110221402
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power factor correction circuit and a driving method thereof. The power factor correction circuit refers to an inductor receiving an input voltage and supplying output power, a power switch connected to the inductor and controlling an inductor current flowing in the inductor, and an auxiliary coil coupled with the inductor with a predetermined turn ratio. The power factor correction circuit controls the output power by controlling a switching operation of the power switch, and counts the number of times that the inductor current reaches a predetermined maximum current to turn off the power switch when the count result reaches a predetermined short circuit threshold count.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Young-Bae PARK, Sang Cheol MOON, Byoung Heon KIM, Hyun Min KIM
  • Publication number: 20110181044
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving power generation in a thermal power plant. A dynamic reactive compensation system is provided and is connected to a high voltage bus or a generator bus of the power plant. The dynamic reactive compensation system comprises power electronic devices and is operable to provide most of the reactive power that is required from the power plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: ABB INC.
    Inventors: Brian David Scott, David Larsson
  • Publication number: 20100283435
    Abstract: A distributed capacitor bank controller for power factor correction of a power system may include a first distributed meter, a second distributed meter, a programmable logic controller and a communications pathway. The first and second meters may be operable to provide a power factor value, a current value, a voltage value, and a load value. The first and second meters may be coupled to the programmable logic controller via the communications pathway. The programmable logic controller may be operable to receive the power factor value, the current value, the voltage value and the load value from the first and second distributed meters, determine an average power factor value and a current unbalance value, and automatically add or remove a capacitor step of a capacitor bank to the power system based at least in part on the average power factor value, the current unbalance value, the voltage value and the load value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Bruce Bremer, Mark David Rucker, James Edward Wilmoth
  • Publication number: 20100270984
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power factor correction circuit and a power factor correction method. The present invention receives information on an output voltage of output power and information on an inductor voltage to control a switching operation of a power switch, and estimates the input voltage according to duty of the power switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Young-Bae PARK, SangCheol MOON, Byoung Heon KIM
  • Publication number: 20100237835
    Abstract: A capacitor bank unit includes three capacitor banks that have respective capacitances that are multiples of a basic capacitance in accordance with a number sequence of the n-th power of 2. One of the capacitor banks has the basic capacitance, remaining two of the capacitor banks includes two subbanks each. The capacitance of a subbank is set to a capacitance that is a multiple of the basic capacitance in accordance with a number sequence of the m-th power of 2. When any one of the capacitor banks fails, each of capacitor banks following the failed capacitor bank substitutes for a capacitor bank located immediately before itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi TAKEDA, Shinichi Ogusa
  • Patent number: 7711502
    Abstract: A power switching control apparatus for acquiring pieces of making operation time information of individual phase switches more precisely according to loads and making instants. Making operation time information detecting means outputs the making operation time information of at least one of individual phase switches on the basis of the motion of the movable contact of the phase switch, and outputs the making operation time information of at least another of the individual phase switches on the basis of the phase current of the phase switch. Moreover, the making operation time information detecting means outputs the making operation time information ITA, ITB and ITC of an A-phase switch, a B-phase switch and a C-phase switch individually on the basis of either the detected output of a contact operation sensor and the detected output of a phase current sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Haruhiko Koyama, Tomohito Mori, Kenji Kamei, Sadayuki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 7622826
    Abstract: A flicker improvement effect evaluating system evaluates an effect of improvement of voltage flicker in a power system to which a static reactive power compensator is to be introduced. A system voltage operating unit operates a compensation current and a system impedance of the power system, based on actually measured data of system voltage and load current read from a data reading unit. Based on the results of operations and the actually measured data, a not-yet-improved system voltage at present and an improved system voltage attained when the static reactive power compensator is provided on a bus are simulated. By a flicker meter, flicker values of the not-yet-improved system voltage and improved system voltage amplified by an amplifying circuit are measured, and from the flicker values, the rate of improvement attained by the static reactive power compensator is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7508689
    Abstract: A inverter has a switching device for switching DC to change it to AC, and a bipolar type rechargeable battery connected to the switching device in parallel or in series for smoothing the current from the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Horie, Takaaki Abe, Takamitsu Saito, Osamu Shimamura
  • Publication number: 20090001941
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an inductive powering surface for powering portable devices are described. In one aspect, a powering device includes the inductive powering surface. The inductive powering surface includes multiple primary coils, an impedance auto-match circuit and other control circuits. The impedance auto-match circuit selectively energizes the primary coils to transfer power via inductive coupling to the secondary coil(s) in a portable device. The impedance auto-match circuit is configured to detect voltage and current phase differences over caused by positioning of the portable device on the inductive powering surface. The impedance auto-match circuit calibrates a power factor of the inductive powering surface to transfer an objectively maximized power load via inductive coupling to the portable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Feng-Hsiung Hsu, Zenglin Xia
  • Publication number: 20090001942
    Abstract: A reactive power compensator includes a control block with a limiter and a primary delay-control block with a limiter that set, based on an output of a voltage sensor, reactive power produced by an SVC to a predetermined value. A reactive power controller sets the reactive power produced by the SVC to the predetermined value controls a voltage of a second bus to fall within a predetermined range. This is performed by adjusting an initial value of the reactive power that is output by the SVC, when a bus voltage of the second bus laid at a position apart from a first bus that is laid at a position near the SVC is deviated from a predetermined fixed range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Temma, Yoshiyuki Kono
  • Publication number: 20080265848
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a power flow in a high voltage network. A phase shifting transformer includes a tap changer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventors: Bertil Berggren, Mojtaba Noroozian
  • Patent number: 7436661
    Abstract: An external AC power adaptor having an additional compartment for cooling. The adaptor has a housing that defines a first compartment having power circuitry for converting an AC input to a DC output and a second compartment that has an opening formed in the adaptor housing. A heat transfer plate is disposed between the first and second compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chee Kiong Fong, Daniel LaMotte Neal, J. David Egner, Jr., Roy James Askeland
  • Patent number: 7382303
    Abstract: A power supply margin controller may alter the voltage of a control signal used to control the output voltage of a power supply. The controller may include a digital-to-analog converter having an input and an output, and a comparator having a first input coupled to receive the control signal, a second input coupled to the output of the digital-to-analog converter, and an output. The controller may include a processing system configured to deliver data to the input of the digital-to-analog converter based on the output from the comparator that causes signals at the inputs to the comparator to be substantially equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew J. Maloney, Andrew J. Gardner
  • Patent number: 7365525
    Abstract: A four switch voltage converter is regulated for buck mode and boost mode under constant frequency valley-peak current mode control. Protection circuits are responsive to output voltage and regulator current to prevent excessive current that otherwise might result from abnormally low output voltage short circuit, or spurious switching abnormalities during low duty cycle operation. The regulator control circuit is responsive to the protection circuits to automatically connect a regulator inductor between a common potential and the output to limit current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Xunwei Zhou, Randy G. Flatness
  • Patent number: 7353122
    Abstract: To conserve power when regulating the output voltage (Vo) of a power converter, no adjustment is made to the converter's pulse width modulation times (Tp, Ts) even if the output voltage is off target (Vtar), provided that the output voltage does not change or is moving towards the target voltage. In some embodiments, the output voltage is not allowed to stay off target for more than a predetermined length of time. In some embodiments, the minimal adjustments are always large enough to overcome ringing (1004).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Fyre Storm, Inc.
    Inventors: Kent Kernahan, Milton D. Ribeiro
  • Publication number: 20070182385
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided to control a power voltage on a power-supplying line extending from a generator and connecting to a battery and eclectic loads. The apparatus is mounted on a vehicle and comprises a detecting device, a calculator, and a controller. The detecting device detects pairs of voltage and current of the battery. The calculator calculating a control current on the basis of the detected pairs of voltage and current and a target voltage for the power voltage. The pairs of voltage and current are used to calculate an internal resistance and/or a regression line of the battery. The controller controlling a charge and discharge current of the battery on the basis of the control current so that the power voltage is controlled to the target voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Kenji Ueda, Atsushi Hashikawa, Shoji Sakai, Satoru Mizuno, Akira Kato, Katsunori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7208919
    Abstract: Provided is a digitally-controlled linear regulator having noise-shaped component selection. The digitally-controlled linear regulator has a regulated-voltage sensor, a comparator module, a quantization module, and an impedance switching network. The regulated-voltage sensor is operably coupled to sense an output voltage of the digitally-controlled linear regulator to produce a sensed output voltage. The comparator module is operably coupled to compare the sensed output voltage with a reference voltage at a predetermined clock rate to produce a digital regulation signal. The quantization module is operably coupled to quantize the digital regulation signal to produce a quantized regulation signal. The impedance switching network is operably coupled to convert a source voltage into the output voltage of the digitally-controlled linear regulator based on the quantized regulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Sigmatel, Inc.
    Inventor: Marcus W. May
  • Patent number: 7183752
    Abstract: A static VAR compensator has several parallel compensation components (K1–K3). To connect the static VAR compensator to an operating voltage (U) the compensation components (K1–K3) are first successively connected to the operating voltage (U) by a control unit (CU) via a series resistor (R). The compensation components (K1–K3) are only connected to the operating voltage (U) without series resistance once the aforementioned connection has been completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hörger, Wolfgang Meusel
  • Patent number: 7067011
    Abstract: An apparatus has a green compact electrode including a material of a coating formed on a workpiece by a discharge, a power source for supplying a first voltage, a voltage detector for detecting a voltage between the workpiece and the electrode, and a pulse current generator for generating and outputting a pulse current from the first voltage, and for cutting off the output when a predetermined period of time has passed after the voltage is detected to be less than a detection voltage. The pulse current is supplied between the workpiece and the electrode, and the detection voltage is less than the first voltage by 5% to 20% of the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubushi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tooru Inoue, Akihiro Goto