Patents Examined by Dru Parries
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Patent number: 9234503Abstract: An arrangement for generating a control signal for controlling a power output of a power generation system, such as a wind turbine, is provided. The power output is supplied to a utility grid. The arrangement includes a first input terminal for receiving a first input signal indicative of an actual grid frequency of the utility grid, a control circuit for generating the control signal, and an output terminal to which the control signal is supplied. The control circuit includes a bang-bang controller for generating a first power signal being indicative of a predefined amount of power to be added to the power output of the power generation system. The bang-bang controller is adapted to be activated when the first input signal falls below a first predefined threshold. The control signal depends on the first power signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2012Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Thyge Knüppel, Sathees Kumar, Patrik Thuring
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Patent number: 9236769Abstract: A control unit of an uninterruptible power supply device includes a PWM circuit generating a plurality of PWM signals controlling a plurality of IGBT elements of a power conversion unit; a plurality of output terminals for supplying the plurality of PWM signals to the plurality of IGBTs; and a switching circuit arranging the plurality of PWM signals in order in accordance with the type of the uninterruptible power supply device and supplying the PWM signals to the plurality of output terminals. Accordingly, the control unit can be shared among a plurality of types of uninterruptible power supply devices.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: Eduardo Kazuhide Sato, Masahiro Kinoshita, Yushin Yamamoto, Tatsuaki Amboh, Katsumi Ikeda
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Patent number: 9230426Abstract: A universal remote controller and a remote control method thereof are provided. The universal remote controller includes a communication module which communicates with a plurality of devices; an input unit through which a user command is input; and a controlling unit which determines a pointed device, among the plurality of devices, that the universal remote controller is pointing towards, and controls the communication module to transmit the user command to the pointed device to control the pointed device.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Sung-soo Hong, Chang-seog Ko, Hyo-in Ahn
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Patent number: 9212654Abstract: A vehicle energy harvester including a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface; a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position; and a capacitor coupled to the generator, the capacitor storing power generated by the generator.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2010Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Kinetic Energy CorporationInventor: Eugene J. Kennedy
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Patent number: 9208981Abstract: A compact information device in which a shortened unlatch time is enabled so such device can transition from a power cutoff mode to a power supply mode to resume supplying power to internal circuits as a result of a latch circuit unlatching a control signal. Embodiments of such a device, which may be a printer, includes a CPU, a power switch, a capacitor, a switch circuit, an unlatch signal generating unit, and a switch control signal generator, which may include a latch circuit, and a potential difference detection circuit. The latch circuit and potential difference detection circuit operate with voltage Vin2. The CPU outputs a start latch signal VLT when the operating mode changes from the power supply mode to the power cutoff mode. When the power switch is turned off, the potential difference detection circuit outputs an unlatch signal VRST. When the unlatch signal VRST is input, the latch circuit unlatches the control signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2014Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Shinichi Yoshie
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Patent number: 9184587Abstract: A power feeding device receives power from a vehicle and feeds the received power to a load external to the vehicle. A communication unit communicates between the vehicle and the power feeding device. A power supply unit supplies the communication unit with power. When an external power supply has failed, the power feeding device supplies the power that is received from the vehicle to the power supply unit to activate the communication unit, and the power feeding device also transmits via the communication unit to an ECU a specification regarding power supplied from the external power supply to the load. While the ECU follows a predetermined specification to control the power feeding unit, once the specification regarding power supplied from the external power supply to the load has been received, the ECU follows the received specification, rather than the predetermined specification, to control the power feeding unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2011Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tomoyuki Mizuno
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Patent number: 9170626Abstract: For one disclosed embodiment, a lower limit for a power consumption device may be identified. Performance of the power consumption device may be reduced in response to a determination that a temperature corresponding to the power consumption device exceeds a threshold. Performance reduction may be limited based on the lower limit. Other embodiments are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2011Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Leslie E. Cline, Sitaram Yadavalli, Ishmael Santos, Jim Hermerding
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Patent number: 9166410Abstract: System for providing AC line balancing includes a three-phase power source, a monitoring component and a control component. Three AC lines from the three-phase power source are coupled to a first set of loads and a set of transfer switches. Additionally, the set of transfer switches are configured to be coupled to a second set of loads. The monitoring component is configured to detect current provided by the three AC lines to identify the AC lines providing the highest and the lowest levels of currents to the first and second sets of loads. The control component is configured to configure at least one transfer switch in the set of transfer switches to decouple the AC line providing the highest level of current to a load of the second set of loads and couple the AC line providing the lowest level of current to that load.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Sangsun Kim, Anthony Tonizzo
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Patent number: 9165661Abstract: Systems and methods for switching between voltages are provided. One system includes an output, first and second switches coupled to the output. The system also includes a first transmission gate coupled to the first switch and a second transmission gate coupled to the second switch. One method includes receiving, at the first transmission gate, a first pair of complementary voltages and receiving, at the second transmission gate, a second pair of complementary voltages. The method further includes selecting the smallest voltage amongst both pairs of complementary voltages and outputting a third pair of complementary voltages. In one method, the first pair of complementary voltages includes a first negative voltage and a positive voltage, the second pair of complementary voltages includes a second negative voltage and the positive voltage, and the third pair of complementary voltages includes the smaller of the first and second negative voltages and the positive voltage.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Ashish A. Amonkar, Leonard Gitlan
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Patent number: 9160202Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) are provided. In one example, a system may include an inverter feed path to supply a first amount of power to a load and a bypass feed path to supply a second amount of power to the load. A controller may generate command the inverter feed path and the bypass feed path to vary the first amount of power and the second amount of power based at least in part on an occurrence of a power supply disturbance and a type or severity, or both, of the power supply disturbance.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2012Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Silvio Colombi, Andrea Lauro Delmuè, Lorenzo Giuntini
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Patent number: 9122281Abstract: A simplified method and device for sensing water level is disclosed. In particular applications the invention may be used for activating a fill valve or other control circuitry in order to maintain an average level in a reservoir or provide notification of a low fluid level. By incorporating a standard rectifier circuit as a biasing network for a solid-state circuit control driver on one side of a probe network, the level of the water may be determined when contact is made with the probes. AC current drawn across metallic probes provides a DC bias at the output of the rectifier that may be incorporated into various control circuits.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2012Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Inventor: Hollye Merton
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Patent number: 9124138Abstract: A power grid operation control system, device, and method for steadily operating a power grid while making the most of renewable energy. The power grid operation control system serves a power grid connected to a plurality of renewable energy and a plurality of thermal/hydroelectric power generators, and includes an automatic dispatching system, which controls the thermal/hydroelectric power generators, and a renewable energy generation control system, which controls the renewable energy. The automatic dispatching system controls the thermal/hydroelectric power generators by generating an automatic frequency control signal for correcting the power supply and demand imbalance of the power grid. The renewable energy generation control system determines an available connection capability and issues load instructions to ensure that the total power generation capacity of the renewable energy does not exceed the available connection capability.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2012Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignees: HITACHI, LTD., THE OKINAWA ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OKINAWA NEW ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CO., INC., THE OKIDEN GLOBAL SYSTEMS COMPANY, INCORPORATEDInventors: Shigeki Mori, Yuuta Gima, Ryuta Kinjo, Fumihiro Shinjo, Yasunori Uezu, Eiichiro Kagawa
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Patent number: 9114709Abstract: A vehicle is provided with a climate control system and a battery that is connected to the climate control system for supplying power. The vehicle also includes at least one controller that is configured to receive input indicative of a battery power limit and a battery state of charge (BSOC). The at least one controller is also configured to disable the climate control system and reduce the battery power limit to an intermediate power limit, when the BSOC is less than a discharge limit.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2012Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Joseph F. Stanek, William David Treharne, Ryan J. Skaff, Christopher Adam Ochocinski, Dale Gilman
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Patent number: 9115848Abstract: An emergency safety switch for a safety control system used to terminate the operation of one or more automated machines includes a stop circuit that is electrically connected to a connection port. The connection port includes a pair of interface ports for in-line serial connection to a wiring circuit provided by the safety control system to monitor various emergency safety switch and other detection devices. As such, the connection port provides a quick and easy manner for attaching and detaching the emergency safety switch to the wiring circuit, which facilitates efforts to install a sufficient number of emergency stop switches on an automated production line.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2012Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: WESCO Distribution, Inc.Inventor: Stephen John Gingras
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Patent number: 9114710Abstract: A power supply control apparatus for use in a vehicle is provided for ensuring necessary running and workability when an electrical insulation degradation of a high-voltage part is detected. A vehicle 100 having a high-voltage battery 14 and an inverter 17 is provided with: an electrical insulation degradation sensor 25 for detecting an electrical insulation degradation of the high-voltage part; main relays 22 and 23 for cutting off the supply of the power to the high-voltage part; a vehicle speed detector 16 for detecting a running speed Sn of the vehicle; and a controller 15 for causing the main relays to cut off the supply of the power as a power supply cutoff condition, when the electrical insulation degradation sensor detects the electrical insulation degradation of the high-voltage part and the running speed of the vehicle detected by the vehicle speed detector is lower than a preset speed St.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2012Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Seiko Makino
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Patent number: 9112383Abstract: A method to add locally generated real and reactive power to a power distribution grid including: generating or storing direct current (DC) power by distributed power source; converting the DC power to an alternating current (AC) power; calculating or measuring a power factor of the AC power provided from the distribution grid; determining a power factor for the conversion of DC power to AC power based on the power factor for the AC from the distribution grid, and the conversion of the DC power to the AC power sets the power factor for the AC power to conform to the determined power factor.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2011Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Hernan Alex Rojas
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Method and apparatus for managing the distribution of electrical energy in a power distribution grid
Patent number: 9112381Abstract: A power distribution grid comprising a plurality of cells configured to be electrically connected to each other and a power management system. A cell in the plurality of cells is configured to distribute electrical energy to an area corresponding to the cell. The cell has a plurality of entry nodes configured to allow the electrical energy to flow into the cell. The power management system is configured to manage a distribution of the electrical energy to the area by the cell independently of the distribution of the electrical energy to other areas by other cells in the plurality of cells.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2012Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Michael A. Carralero, Jimmy Manansala Quiambao -
Patent number: 9106079Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit that wirelessly supplies power to an electronic apparatus, and a control unit that controls, if power output from the power supply unit to the electronic apparatus is lower than a first predetermined value, the communication unit so that a predetermined speed for transmitting the predetermined data is higher than a second predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2012Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yudai Fukaya
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Patent number: 9083173Abstract: A power generation and control system is easily installed in a consumer household, a business, or an end-user establishment for generating power and preventing power from flowing to a power grid from a consumer circuit during a power outage. A communications transceiver is adapted to transmit a permission signal for allowing power generation only after the control system has been installed. The control system can be adapted to replace an existing circuit breaker in a household circuit breaker box and prevents power from traveling from consumer power generators to the grid during a power outage. In the same manner that end-users can add appliances to existing circuits, end-users can easily add additional power generation devices without hiring a professional electrician and without worrying about causing harm to utility workman during power outages.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2009Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Inventor: Stanton Kee Nethery, III
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Patent number: 9083203Abstract: A beam power source transmits a signal indicating power availability, receives a request for power in response, and beams power in response to the request.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLCInventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Jordin T. Kare, Thomas J. Nugent, Jr., Thomas A. Weaver, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood