Abstract: Provided is a system and method for detecting a power system condition of a power system. The system includes at least a first and second intelligent electronic device (IED) operatively coupled to the power system at respective first and second power system locations. Each IED is configured to calculate a measured time value based on a frequency dependant parameter such as a secondary voltage signal at their respective locations, to compare the measured time value to a reference time value to form a time error, and to transmit the time error. The system further includes a third IED configured to compare respective time errors received from the first and second IEDs to form a time differential error, to map the time differential error back to their power system locations, and compare the time differential error to a predetermined threshold to determine the power system condition.

Abstract: A livestock unloading system for unloading livestock from a storage unit of a transport vehicle to a processing plant or storage facility. The unloading system includes a conveyor system whereby livestock ride from the storage unit to their destination. The conveying system includes a telescoping end that extends into and retracts from a coop during the unloading process. A truck positioner positions the transport vehicle for the proper unloading process.

Abstract: A device (1) for the induction hardening of components (2) which have a circular cross section, especially crankshafts, has two inductor half-shells (4, 5) arranged along a portion of the periphery of the component (2) to be hardened. At least one of the two inductor half-shells (4, 5) has only one inductor segment (6) through which current flows.

Abstract: An apparatus and method detects an open condition of a grounding path provided by a rotor grounding brush electrically connecting a rotor body of a rotor to electrical ground. The rotor includes an insulated field winding wrapped around the rotor body and is configured to generate a magnetic field upon receipt of an exciter voltage across lower and upper extremities of the insulated field winding. The method includes applying a square wave voltage signal to a second end of each of a first and a second buffer resistor, where a first end of each of the buffer resistors is operatively connected to respective upper and lower leads of the exciter voltage source, and calculating the total capacitance between the insulated field winding and electrical ground. The total capacitance when compared to a pre-selected capacitance value is determinative of the absence of the grounding path.

Abstract: An illuminated panel portion for vehicles or vehicle accessories is provided having a generally translucent panel defining a selected design. The translucent panel is disposed in an aperture of an adjacent panel of the vehicle or vehicle accessory such that the outer surfaces of the translucent panel and adjacent panel are substantially flush. A light source is disposed in relation to the panel for illuminating the translucent panel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method estimates a plurality of synchronized phasors at predetermined times referenced to an absolute time standard in an electrical power system. The method includes acquiring and determining a frequency of a power system signal, sampling the power system signal at a sampling interval rate based on a frequency of the power system signal to form signal samples, and generating a plurality of acquisition time values based on an occurrence of each of the signal samples at a corresponding plurality of different times referenced to the absolute time standard. The method further includes adjusting a phasor of each of the signal samples based on a time difference between a corresponding selected acquisition time value and a predetermined time referenced to an absolute time standard to form the plurality of synchronized phasors.

Abstract: An improved Rogowski coil is formed on a toroidal core made of a thermoplastic or other moldable material, the core having a preferably continuous groove or grooves extending around the core. The grooves correspond in size to magnet wire which registers within the grooves, thus controlling the specific location of the wires. The grooving may be helical. A return loop can be provided for return path cancellation, or a reverse winding can be added in a direction opposite to the direction of advancement of the main coil. In using the return loop, a resistive network can be added to improve the cancellation of the return path due to the effect of geometries. In addition, it can compensate for thermal and other variations.

Abstract: A multi-band antenna for multi-band radio frequency telecommunications. The multi-band antenna includes a conductive patch separated from a ground plane by a dielectric material. A slot pattern formed in the conductive patch defines a perimeter substantially surrounding two feed pins and arranged symmetrically about a center line. The slot pattern includes one or more inwardly extending arms projected along axes that pass between the two feed pins. The axes may be parallel to the center line. The slot pattern may be arranged using folded slots. In one embodiment, circular polarization is realized at GPS frequency by using one feed pin and linear or circular polarization is realized by using one or two feed pins for other bands. The feed pins may be controlled independently without a fixed phase and amplitude arrangement necessary to achieve a fixed polarization (linear, circular, or elliptical), which allows for adaptive pattern and polarization agility.

Abstract: Provided is a system relay-to-relay direct communication system and method in a power system. The relay-to-relay direct communication system includes a first protective relay having a first transmit module where the first transmit module includes a first microcontroller adapted to provide a plurality of data channels. Each of the plurality of data channels is associated with channel data having a variety of bit-lengths. The relay-to-relay direct communication system also includes a second protective relay directly coupled to the first protective relay via a communication link. The second protective relay includes a first receive module where the first receive module including a second microcontroller adapted to provide the plurality of data channels. A speed of receipt of the channel data by the first receive module is adjustable based on an assignment of the channel data to the plurality of data channels of the first transmit module.

Abstract: Provided is a handheld communication tester and method for testing direct serial communication capability of an IED. The first IED includes an equal plurality of transmit bit channels and receive bit channels. The handheld communication tester includes a housing sized for single-hand portability, a connector disposed in a wall of the housing and adapted for connection to the IED or a serial communication link to the IED, and a microcontroller disposed inside of the housing and operatively coupled to the connector. The microcontroller is programmed to detect synchronization with the IED, to automatically detect and store a Baud rate of the IED, automatically detect and store a transmit identification of the IED, and automatically detect and store a receive identification of the IED. The transmit identification is used to encode transmissions from the IED, and the receive identification is used to encode transmissions received by the IED.

Abstract: Provided is an intelligent electronic device-to-intelligent electronic device direct communication system in a power system, for performing a power system data redundancy check therebetween. The communication includes a first intelligent electronic device adapted for deriving power system data from a selected portion of the power system. The first intelligent electronic device is associated with a first transmit module for transmitting the derived power system data. A second intelligent electronic device is further provided and adapted for deriving power system data from the selected portion of the power system, wherein the second intelligent electronic device is associated with a first receive module.

Abstract: A system and method for accomplishing power swing blocking and unstable power swing tripping schemes during disturbances of electrical networks is disclosed. The disclosed system and method eliminates the requirement of stability studies. The no-setting scheme utilizes the swing center voltage of the electrical network to carry out its functions.

Abstract: A large-bore (at least 180 mm diameter) diesel engine cylinder configuration featuring a piston crown bowl having an acute re-entrant angle and, optionally, an anti-polish ring. The acute re-entrant angle crown bowl involves a maximum radius of the crown bowl exceeding a minimum crown bowl radius, wherein the maximum crown bowl radius is located farther from the squish face than is the minimum crown bowl radius. The acute re-entrant angle crown bowl applied to large-bore, medium-speed diesel engines yields an improvement in performance and emissions characteristics. The anti-polish ring may be integrally formed with the cylinder liner and used in any internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for providing to a differential relay an operational vector-group compensation setting pair that automatically provides correction for a phase shift occurring between currents of at least two windings of a power transformer. The method includes calculating a first and second plurality of phasors using secondary currents derived from respective first and second winding of the at least two windings. The method also includes selecting one pair of vector-group compensation settings based on operate current values calculated using different pair combinations of the vector-group compensation settings applied to the first and second plurality of phasors.

Abstract: A system and method for customization of the settings configuration process for an intelligent electronics device is disclosed. The disclosed system and method permits the end user to customize not only the operation of an intelligent electronics device for a particular application, but also permits the end user to customize the process used to configure the settings of the device. A customized settings management user interface can be designed by an end user and can be used later during the settings configuration process for one or more intelligent electronics devices. Preferably, the customized settings management user interface will be tailored to meet application-specific objectives and to provide for a relatively more efficient settings configuration process.

Abstract: The communications processor includes an electronic network system which includes at total of 17 individual ports, four quad universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter devices, each of which serves four separate ports, and a microprocessor which processes and controls the flow of data under the control of stored control programs, command settings and command logic. Connected to a plurality of those ports referred to as IED ports are intelligent electronic devices IEDS, such as protective relays or meters, while connected to other ports, referred to as master ports, are remote terminal units or a local computer or terminal or a modem which can be connected to an external telephone line. The apparatus includes both buffer and long-term storage for development of a database, as well as an IRIG-B capability for synchronization of the time clocks of the connected devices.