Abstract: A remote controlled miniature circuit breaker includes a helical gear that engages with mating teeth of a slider plate coupled to main contacts of the circuit breaker, the helical gear including a flat portion to allow the sliding plate to slide past the helical gear. A unidirectional motor responds to an external signal to drive the helical gear while engaging the mating teeth of the slider plate, thereby moving the slider plate to close the main contacts. The motor is configured to respond to an external signal to resume the unidirectional rotation of the helical gear to position the flat portion of the gear to allow the slider plate to slide past the helical gear and contact a kicker lever to thereby open the main contacts. A trip lever pivotally mounted separately from the kicker lever, pushes the kicker lever to open the main contacts in a trip operation.

Abstract: Methods and systems include identifying an abnormal condition in a PFC circuit comprising an input configured to be coupled to a 3-phase power source and to receive input 3-phase power from the 3-phase power source, a bus having a plurality of bus lines, each bus line configured to be coupled to the input and to carry one phase of the input 3-phase power, a PFC leg including a contactor configured to selectively couple a capacitor bank included in the PFC leg to the bus. In response to identifying the abnormal condition, the contactor is controlled to decouple the capacitor bank from the bus, and after a reset button has been activated, the contactor is recoupled to the capacitor bank to resume operating the PFC leg to provide power factor correction to the input 3-phase power.

Abstract: Embodiments provide an Energy Reduction Maintenance Setting (ERMS) key that includes a data connector configured to communicatively couple to a data port of a target device. The ERMS key further includes an illumination device and an actuator mechanism having a base positional state and an actuated positional state. The ERMS key includes logic configured to, upon detecting the actuator mechanism has moved from the base positional state to the actuated positional state, generate and transmit a first data message to the target device through the data connector instructing the target device to enter a protected mode. The logic is further configured to, upon receiving a second data message from the target device over the data connector acknowledging that the target device as successfully entered the protected mode, cause the illumination device to illuminate.

Abstract: A method of monitoring electrical faults includes processing features of signals output by sensors of a circuit breaker about electrical properties of a circuit coupled with a load and transitioning between states of operation based on the processed features. The states include a normal state, a fault state, and a trip state, wherein the state remains in the normal state until the processed features no longer satisfy normal criteria, after which the state transitions to the fault state, wherein the state transitions back to the normal state when a trip condition is not satisfied, and transitions from the fault state to the trip state when the trip condition is satisfied. The method further includes detecting a warning event when the state transitions from the normal state to the fault state and back to the normal state and outputting a warning event notification upon detection of the warning event.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a thermal model based on an adaptive filter bank for characterizing heat transfer of a volume of a thermal system. In one embodiment, the adaptive filter bank is used for diagnostics that provides information related to the condition of a thermal system. The diagnostics are based on an analysis of heat transfer characteristics of a dynamic representation of the thermal system. In accordance with the embodiments, thermal coefficients are generated based on an adaptive filter bank. One or more filters are applied to the thermal coefficients based on a sampling rate and one or more estimate thermal coefficient thresholds are generated based on the sampling rate. It is determined whether at least one of the thermal coefficients that is filtered satisfies at least one of the estimated thermal coefficient thresholds. Thereupon, alert information indicative of a diagnostic event is provided based on the determination.

Abstract: A method for reducing and/or managing energy-related stress in an electrical system includes processing electrical measurement data from or derived from energy-related signals captured by at least one intelligent electronic device (IED) in the electrical system to identify and track at least one energy-related transient in the electrical system. An impact of the at least one energy-related transient on equipment in the electrical system is quantified, and one or more transient-related alarms are generated in response to the impact of the at least one energy-related transient being near, within or above a predetermined range of the stress tolerance of the equipment. The transient-related alarms are prioritized based in part on at least one of the stress tolerance of the equipment, the stress associated with one or more transient events, and accumulated energy-related stress on the equipment.

Abstract: A state of a tripping solenoid in a circuit breaker is determined by a primary coil and a secondary coil wound around a hollow body of a solenoid. The secondary coil is positioned within magnetic coupling distance from the primary coil and is configured to produce a sensing voltage based on the primary coil voltage. A ferromagnetic plunger positioned in the hollow body, is configured to slide axially to a tripped position to trip the circuit breaker when a trip voltage is applied to the primary coil. A plunger position detecting circuit connected to the secondary coil, is configured to detect the position of the plunger in the hollow body of the solenoid based on the sensing voltage. A reduction or absence of the sensing voltage indicates a faulty or broken connection in the primary coil.

Abstract: A busway system including a first electrical busway section, a second electrical busway section, the first and the second electrical busway sections being offset from each other, a busway joint for coupling the first and the second electrical busway sections. The busway joint including a plurality of busbars, a plurality of splice plates electrically coupled to the plurality of busbars, the plurality of splice plates and the plurality of busbars configured to electrically couple the first and the second electrical busway sections, and a pivot shaft passing through the plurality of busbars and splice plates.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing licenses of Internet of Things devices. One embodiment includes receiving, at a network management system, a request to allocate a license to a first endpoint device. Real-time device metadata and state data for the first endpoint device are accessed. Embodiments select a license instance, from a plurality of license instances, to allocate to the first endpoint device, based at least in part on the real-time device metadata and state data for the first endpoint device. The selected license instance is assigned to the first endpoint device and at least an indication that a valid license has been assigned to the first endpoint device is transmitted to the first endpoint device.

Abstract: A ground fault sensing circuit system includes a current transformer having a first winding and a second winding on opposite halves of the current transformer, outputting first and second signals, each winding coupled to a processor that determines information about respective currents in conductors monitored by the current transformer, based on a combination of the first and second signals. In another embodiment, the current transformer has a third winding wrapped continuously around both halves of the current transformer, overlapped with the first and second windings, the third winding outputting a third signal coupled to the processor, which determines information about respective currents in conductors monitored by the current transformer, based on a combination of the first, second, and third signals.

Abstract: An apparatus provides a single split-bus electrical panel with a first panel section that supplies power to non-critical loads and a second panel section to supply photoelectric power to critical loads. A patch panel associated with the split-bus electrical panel is configured to enable an installer to selectively connect factory installed connections to either: (1) connect each panel section directly to utility power for full utility power to both panel sections; (2) alternately to connect the second panel section to the utility power via a microgrid interconnection device when the second panel section is presently at least partially powered by back-up photovoltaic power, or (3) alternately connect both panel sections to full back-up photovoltaic power.

Abstract: A method is provided for an application program interface (API) to interface with an ontology store storing a plurality of modifiable ontology models having associated dynamic definitions associated that define classes of the associated ontology model and relationships between the respective classes and that is modifiable over time. The method includes receiving from a requesting entity a request that specifies an ontology model and one or more parameters defining attributes of an instantiated ontology object, accessing the ontology store, identifying an ontology model in the ontology store that corresponds to the ontology model specified, and manipulating the identified ontology model based on its one or more parameters.

Abstract: A modified trip lever for a remote controlled miniature circuit breaker comprises a trip lever and a separate kicker lever, which perform alternate functions to either automatically open the main contacts in response to a trip event or alternately open or close the contacts under remote control. The kicker lever rotates clockwise on a pivot in response to an actuator receiving a remote control open signal, to open the contacts by forcing a transverse tab on the kicker lever against a blade carrying a moveable main contact aligned with a stationary main contact. The kicker lever rotates counterclockwise to close the contacts in response to the actuator receiving a remote control close signal. The trip lever mounted on the same pivot, is configured to automatically open the contacts in response to a trip event, by pushing against the back side of the tab of the kicker lever.

Abstract: Techniques for monitoring the health of a three-phase induction motor are provided. An expected threshold value is calculated as a function of an expected ratio of current unbalance to voltage unbalance for the three-phase motor. Embodiments determine whether a measured current unbalance exceeds the expected threshold value. Responsive to the measured current unbalance exceeding the expected threshold value, a remedial action may be taken, such as generating diagnostic information or activating one or more protection operations for the three-phase induction motor.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product resolve the problem of unbalanced loads in an EVSE cluster of multiple EVSE charging stations. A signal is provided to the EVSEs identifying which phase of the three-phase power source has the highest current. When one of the EVSEs in the cluster determines whether it is connected to an EV's on board charging device, determines whether it is already charging the connected EV, and determines whether the EVSE is using the phase that has the highest current, then the EVSE may transmit a cluster load balancing control signal as a control pilot signal to the EV's onboard charging device to adjust the charging rate of the current that the EV is consuming from the EVSE.

Abstract: An apparatus provides a single split-bus electrical panel with back-feed circuit breakers arranged and sized so that, for example, a single 225 A rated split-bus electrical panel with a 200 A main breaker may be used to connect a far higher photovoltaic power source than conventional configurations. The circuit breakers are connected to a Microgrid Interconnection Device for isolation of critical loads during a utility power outage. A first panel section of the split-bus panel is connected to a utility and supplies power to non-critical loads. A second panel section is connected to a renewable power source with battery back-up to supply power to the critical loads and is connected through a relay to the utility, in parallel with the first panel section, to supply both utility power and renewable power when there is no outage. The relay is configured to isolate the second panel when there is a utility outage.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for searching time series information in a distributed data processing system. A method of processing a semantic search query comprises receiving a structured search query, processing the structured search query to deconstruct into query elements, identifying a set of connected elements based on the query elements, processing a time series data structure of the identified set of connected elements to determine a command data element, utilizing the command data element to process the time series data structure of the identified set of connected elements, annotating the time series data structure of each of the identified set of connected elements to form a queried data set, and providing the queried data set.

Abstract: Techniques are described for securely routing data with an Internet of Things environment. A data orchestrator receives a plurality of data values collected by the endpoint device from an endpoint device and determines an identifier that uniquely identifies the endpoint device. The data orchestrator accesses one or more routing tables using the determined identifier and device type data corresponding to the plurality of data values to determine one or more data consumers to route the plurality of data values to. The one or more routing tables were dynamically generated based on at least one of (i) device claim information relating to the endpoint device, (ii) license data relating to the one or more data consumers, and (iii) user information associated with the one or more data consumers. The data orchestrator transmits at least a portion of the plurality of data values to the determined one or more data consumers.

Abstract: An automated process for producing exposed electrical contact areas on the conductor part of an epoxy coated bus bar. When the epoxy coating is in the glassy state, one can safely and economically, preferably via automated apparatus, put the epoxy into the rubbery state by positioning the bar and applying localized heat at a select area of the coating; monitoring the heating to above the glass transition temperature of the epoxy, bringing cutting tools into contact with the epoxy for cutting and removing the rubbery coating away from the bus bar, and cooling the bus bar to bring adjacent coating back to the glassy state, thereby leaving an exposed electrical contact area of conductor on the bus bar with little or no surface damage.

Abstract: A remote controlled miniature circuit breaker includes a helical gear that engages with mating teeth of a slider plate coupled to main contacts of the circuit breaker, the helical gear including a flat portion to allow the sliding plate to slide past the helical gear. A unidirectional motor responds to an external signal to drive the helical gear while engaging the mating teeth of the slider plate, thereby moving the slider plate to close the main contacts. The motor is configured to respond to an external signal to resume the unidirectional rotation of the helical gear to position the flat portion of the gear to allow the slider plate to slide past the helical gear and contact a kicker lever to thereby open the main contacts. A trip lever pivotally mounted separately from the kicker lever, pushes the kicker lever to open the main contacts in a trip operation.