Patents Assigned to Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20230118514
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods to monitor communication ports. In one embodiment, a system may include a host device that generates a first flow of traffic to send via a host device communication port. A security dongle may receive the first flow of traffic via a security dongle communication port in communication with the host device communication port. The security dongle may generate a second flow of traffic. The security dongle may transmit the second flow of traffic through the security dongle communication port. The host device may receive the second flow of traffic from the host device communication port and may generate an alarm when the second flow of traffic deviates from an expected response. The communication between the host device and the security dongle allows the host device to detect when the security dongle is disconnected from the host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark L. Zeller
  • Publication number: 20230119025
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods to monitor communication ports. In one embodiment, a system may include a first interface to connect to a first host device and a second interface to connect to a second host device. The first interface and the second interface may include a plurality of channels to enable communication between the first host device and the second host device. Control logic may monitor a power channel between the first host device and the second host device and a communication channel between the first host device and the second host device. The control logic may detect an interruption of at least one of the power channel or the communication channel. In response to the interruption, the control logic may disable communication between the first host device and the second host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark L. Zeller
  • Patent number: 11630424
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring or protecting an electric power distribution system using protective devices that may rely on accurate time signals from a common time source. A first protective device may receive a first time signal deriving from the common time source and a second protective device may receive a second time signal deriving from the common time source. The first time signal and the second time signal may be compared; when a difference between them exceeds a defined threshold, time signal manipulation may be detected. The protective devices may modify their operation in response to or to account for the time signal manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael B Bryson, Dennis Haes
  • Patent number: 11631972
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for protecting against and mitigating the effects of over-excitation of elements in electric power systems. In one embodiment, a system consistent with the present disclosure may comprise a point pair subsystem to receive a plurality of point pairs that define an over-excitation curve for a piece of monitored equipment. The system may receive a plurality of measurements corresponding to electrical conditions associated with the piece of monitored equipment. A logarithmic interpolation subsystem may determine a logarithmic interpolation corresponding to one of the plurality of measurements based on the plurality of point pairs. An over-excitation detection subsystem may detect an over-excitation condition based on the logarithmic interpolation, and a protective action subsystem may implement a protective action based on the over-excitation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ritwik Chowdhury, Dale S. Finney, Normann Fischer, Matchyaraju Alla
  • Publication number: 20230110022
    Abstract: A split core current transformer (CT) includes a first CT core half and a first housing that houses the first CT core half. The split core CT includes a second core half and a housing that houses the second CT core half. The split core CT includes a first set of bushings configured to flexibly couple the first insulative body to the first housing to maintain contact between faces of the first CT core half and faces of the second CT core half.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Ryan, Mark A. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20230113010
    Abstract: A wireless radio repeater includes an antenna configured to receive a message associated with an electric power delivery system. The wireless radio repeater also includes circuitry configured to receive electrical measurement data, identify a condition of the electric power delivery system based on the electrical measurement data, and cause the antenna to re-transmit the message received via the antenna in response to identifying the condition based on the electrical measurement data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Miralem Cosic, Raymond W. Rice
  • Patent number: 11626675
    Abstract: Systems for interfacing a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) adapter module to a receiver housing are provided. The receiver housing may have a first interface mounted on the receiver housing via a first mount and the PCBA adapter module may have a second interface mounted on the adapter module via a second mount. One of the interfaces has a protruding feature that aligns the interfaces when matingly engaged, while the other interface has a centering hole opposite the protruding feature. The first centering hole is enlarged with respect to an axis of an insertion-angle plane such that the protruding feature substantially clears the centering hole without causing either interface to exceed a limit of free-play between that interface and its respective mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Alden Lloyd
  • Publication number: 20230105068
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods include protection functions in an electrical power system. A processing subsystem may include a processor. A memory subsystem may comprise a first memory section and a second memory section. A memory management subsystem may, in a first operational mode, enable memory access between the processor and the first memory section and the second memory section and, in a second operational mode, enable memory access between the processor and only the first memory section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sreenivas Dingari, Angelo D'Aversa, Veselin Skendzic, Chandrasekaran Swaminathan, Greg Rzepka
  • Publication number: 20230107109
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods include protection functions in an electrical power system. For example, a processing subsystem may include a processor. A memory subsystem may comprise a first memory section and a second memory section. A memory management subsystem may enable memory access only between the processor and only the first memory section to initialize the at least one protection function and, after initialization of the at least one protection function, enable memory access between the processor and the second memory section. Such a configuration may enable the protection functions as fast as possible without waiting for the functions of lesser criticality to be fully loaded and become operational.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Sreenivas Dingari, Angelo D'Aversa, Veselin Skendzic, Greg Rzepka
  • Publication number: 20230095159
    Abstract: A controller for an electric power distribution system includes processing circuitry and a memory that includes instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to determine that a first switch of the electric power distribution system is a primary switch communicatively coupled to an intelligent electronic device (IED) of the electric power distribution system, determine that a second switch of the electric power distribution system is a backup switch communicatively coupled to the IED, and distribute a first copy of a security association key (SAK) to the first switch and a second copy of the SAK to the second switch in response to determining that the first switch is the primary switch and the second switch is the backup switch to enable the first switch and the second switch to establish respective media access control security (MACsec) communication links with the IED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Robert Meine
  • Patent number: 11617269
    Abstract: Current measurement devices for printed circuit board mounting are disclosed herein. The current measurement devices include a hollow and flexible core to improve response to a primary signal and decrease weight. The current measurement device includes a housing with guides to maintain alignment of the core. An electromagnetic shield may be placed between the circumference of the core and the housing. The housing may include apertures to facilitate washing. The current measurement device may include a primary conductor external to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Brent R. Lee, Veselin Skendzic, Arkanatha Sastry, Robert Lopez, Jr., Jeevan Jalli
  • Patent number: 11616370
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a recloser control that provides autosynchronization of a microgrid to an area electric power system (EPS). For example, a recloser control may include an output connector that is communicatively coupled to a recloser at a point of common coupling (PCC) between the area EPS and the microgrid. The recloser control may include a processor that acquires a first set of measurements indicating electrical characteristics of the area EPS and acquires a second set of measurements indicating electrical characteristics of the microgrid. The recloser control may send synchronization signals to one or more distributed energy resource (DER) controllers to synchronize one or more DERs to the area EPS based on the first set of measurements and the second set of measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Thompson, Scott M. Manson
  • Patent number: 11614498
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a wireless neutral current sensor (WNCS) for monitoring a neutral cable of a capacitor bank. The WNCS may include a power storage device that provides power to allow the WNCS to send a test signal to a capacitor bank controller (CBC) of the capacitor bank to confirm operation of the WNCS during commissioning. The WNCS may include processing and communication circuitry that, during operation, detects an electrical characteristic on the neutral cable. The processing and communication circuitry may provide a message indicating the electrical characteristic to the CBC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Kei Hao, Shankar V. Achanta, Raymond W. Rice
  • Patent number: 11606281
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to monitor real-time digital data for degradation. In one embodiment, an intelligent electronic device (“IED”) in an electric power system may include an interface to receive a stream of digital data, the stream of digital data comprising a plurality of data frames. A protective action subsystem may monitor the sampled digital data and implement a protective action based on the stream of sampled digital data. A digital data degradation detection subsystem may analyze a plurality of digital metrics associated with the plurality of data frames and make a determination regarding degradation of a communication channel based on whether the plurality of digital metrics fails at least one threshold. In response to the determination, the digital data degradation detection subsystem may implement a response to the determination that the plurality of digital metrics fails at least one threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Bharat Nalla, Nishchal Sharma, Arun Shrestha, Ozan Akyildiz, Mauricio G. Silveira, Manodev J. Rajasekaran, Sajal Harmukh, Jaya R A K Yellajosula
  • Patent number: 11601278
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to establish, over a communication network of a power system, a communication link according to a media access control security (MACsec) Key Agreement (MKA). The TED receives a plurality of access control secure association keys (SAKs) via the communication link. The TED receives one or more checked-out SAKs indicating a request to access the TED The TED allows access based on the one or more checked-out access control SAKs matching at least one of the plurality of access control SAKs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Timothy J. Watkins, Paul Stoaks, Duane C. Skelton, Dennis Gammel
  • Patent number: 11598800
    Abstract: Distance protection for electric power delivery systems that include an unconventional source is disclosed herein using apparent impedance independent of memory and cross-phase polarizing. The apparent impedance may be compared with an offset distance operating characteristic. Fault direction is determined by using zero-sequence ground directional logic for phase-to-ground faults. For phase-to-phase faults, fault direction is determined using weak-infeed directional logic. Fault direction may further use incremental quantity directional principles. The distance protection may further determine a faulted loop using voltage logic. The distance protection may select between traditional distance protection and the methods described herein based on the current feeding the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Bogdan Z. Kasztenny
  • Publication number: 20230069041
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provide for determining a failure in a potential transformer and identifying a phase of the potential transformer exhibiting failure. The failures may be incipient failures. Detecting the failure may include determining voltage magnitudes and angles; determining phase-errors; determining phase-phase errors; and determining an uncorrelated phase using the phase-phase errors. The devices and methods may provide an alarm or indication of the phase exhibiting the potential transformer failures. Post processing may be performed to optimize the time and amount of provided alarms or indications. The voltage angles and magnitudes may be provided by the potential transformers being monitored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Md Arif Khan
  • Publication number: 20230069168
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein to accommodate different settings associated with a converter-based electric power generator and an inverter-based electric power generator for electric power generation within an electric power delivery system. The electric power delivery system may provide electric power generated by a bulk electric system to the loads via distributed substations using a first operating frequency. Moreover, the distributed substations may include inverter-based electric power generators to supply the electric power demand of downstream loads in an islanded configuration. That said, the inverter-based electric power generators may supply the electric power using a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency. Protective systems, positioned downstream from the distributed substations, may use different settings associated with the bulk electric system or the inverter-based electric power generators based on detecting the frequency of the supplied electric power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Manson, Jorge Fernando Calero, Angelos Kokkinis
  • Publication number: 20230061215
    Abstract: This disclosure pertains to systems and methods for identifying and configuring a host in a software defined network (SDN) configured to communicate using a parallel redundancy protocol (PRP). In one embodiment, a system may include a first communication host and a second communication host configured to transmit information through a network. An SDN controller in communication with the network may include a PRP identification subsystem to monitor traffic transmitted by the first communication host to the second communication host, determine that the traffic comprises at least one data packet that conforms to PRP. Upon detection of a host configured to use PRP, a traffic routing subsystem creates a plurality of communication flows between the first communication host and the second communication host to route PRP traffic between the first communication host and the second communication host.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Tristan Lloyd Mullis, Rhett Smith
  • Publication number: 20230060977
    Abstract: Techniques and apparatus presented herein are directed toward monitoring an electric power delivery system to detect and locate a power generation event. A power generation event may include a tripped generator, a loss of a transmission line, or other loss of power generation. To detect the event, an analysis engine may receive and monitor input data. A detection signal may be generated based on the input data. Upon detecting the event, the analysis engine may determine a source and propagation of the event through the delivery system. Based on the source and propagation of the event, the analysis engine may determine the location of the event. The analysis engine may generate an overlay with the input data to provide the location and other information about the event to a user such that remedial action can be taken to resolve the event and restore the lost power generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Md Arif Khan, Gregary C. Zweigle, Jared Kyle Bestebreur