Patents by Inventor Armando Guzman-Casillas

Armando Guzman-Casillas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060198065
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for detecting a loss of a current transformer connection coupling a protective relay to a power system element of a three-phase power system and providing a plurality of secondary current waveforms of the three-phase power system to the protective relay. The apparatus includes a first logic circuit and a second logic configured to provide corresponding first and second binary signals in response to respective comparisons of calculated current value(s) of a plurality of like-phase digitized current sample streams to respective threshold values. The apparatus also includes a set reset flip-flop having a set input adapted to receive the first and second binary signals to provide a third binary signal. The third binary signal indicates loss of a current transformer connection when the set input is asserted and indicates no loss of a current transformer connection when the reset input is asserted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Inventors: Armando Guzman-Casillas, Normann Fischer
  • Patent number: 6845333
    Abstract: The relay system obtains voltage and current values from a power line and uses a first sampling element to sample the voltage and current values at selected intervals of time. The resulting sampled signals are used for power system-wide protection, control, monitoring and metering. The sampled signals are then resampled at a rate which is a selected multiple of the power system frequency. The results of the resampling are used by processing circuitry for protection functions including fault determinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Luth r S. Anderson, Armando Guzman-Casillas, Gregary C. Zweigle, Gabriel B nmouyal
  • Patent number: 6757146
    Abstract: The instantaneous overcurrent element, used in a microprocessor-based protective relay for a power system, includes a finite impulse response filter which generally is a cosine filter and is responsive to the current waveform from the current transformer for fault determination unless the distortion in the current reaches a preselected threshold, at which point a peak detector circuit is used to provide the current magnitude values for fault determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Benmouyal, Stanley E. Zocholl, Armando Guzman-Casillas
  • Publication number: 20040093177
    Abstract: The relay system obtains voltage and current values from a power line and uses a first sampling element to sample the voltage and current values at selected intervals of time. The resulting sampled signals are used for power system-wide protection, control, monitoring and metering. The sampled signals are then resampled at a rate which is a selected multiple of the power system frequency. The results of the resampling are used by processing circuitry for protection functions including fault determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, Luth r S. Anderson, Armando Guzman-Casillas, Gregary C. Zweigle, Gabriel Benmouyal
  • Patent number: 6662124
    Abstract: The relay system obtains voltage and current values from a power line and uses a first sampling element to sample the voltage and current values at selected intervals of time. The resulting sampled signals are used for power system-wide protection, control, monitoring and metering. The sampled signals are then resampled at a rate which is a selected multiple of the power system frequency. The results of the resampling are used by processing circuitry for protection functions including fault determinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Luther S. Anderson, Armando Guzman-Casillas, Gregary C. Zweigle, Gabriel Benmouyal
  • Publication number: 20030223171
    Abstract: The instantaneous overcurrent element, used in a microprocessor-based protective relay for a power system, includes a finite impulse response filter which generally is a cosine filter and is responsive to the current waveform from the current transformer for fault determination unless the distortion in the current reaches a preselected threshold, at which point a peak detector circuit is used to provide the current magnitude values for fault determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Gabriel Benmouyal, Stanley E. Zocholl, Armando Guzman-Casillas
  • Publication number: 20030200038
    Abstract: The relay system obtains voltage and current values from a power line and uses a first sampling element to sample the voltage and current values at selected intervals of time. The resulting sampled signals are used for power system-wide protection, control, monitoring and metering. The sampled signals are then resampled at a rate which is a selected multiple of the power system frequency. The results of the resampling are used by processing circuitry for protection functions including fault determinations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, Luther S. Anderson, Armando Guzman-Casillas, Gregary C. Zweigle, Gabriel Benmouyal
  • Patent number: 6608742
    Abstract: The system includes a plurality of protection application elements to accomplish various power system protection functions, including for example line protection, line fault location, current direction determination, breaker protection and synchronism check, among others. The system includes local sources of current and voltage information for the protective functions as well as a receiving section for receiving such current and voltage values from a remote source, such as another protection device, as well as other necessary input information for the protective functions. A selection logic section is responsive to the output of the protective function elements, as well as the local and remote data to determine whether the primary or local sources are to be used. The outputs of the protective function elements are used by an output section to control circuit breakers and the like and are also transmitted, with the local and remote source quantities, to other protective devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Jeffrey B. Roberts, Armando Guzman-Casillas, Joseph B. Mooney, Luther S. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6603298
    Abstract: The system obtains the three phase voltages on the power line VA, VB and VC, either from a local primary or local alternative source. The selected local source voltages are then applied through switches, respectively, which are normally closed but are open in the event that the associated pole of each voltage phase is open. The voltages from the closed switches are applied to a calculating circuit which produces a composite of the three voltages in accordance with a preselected formula. The composite voltage output is then normalized and applied to a conventional frequency determination (estimating) circuit. This output is an accurate system frequency for use by the protective relay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Armando Guzman-Casillas, Gabriel Benmouyal
  • Publication number: 20030011352
    Abstract: The system obtains the three phase voltages on the power line VA, VB and VC, either from a local primary or local alternative source. The selected local source voltages are then applied through switches, respectively, which are normally closed but are open in the event that the associated pole of each voltage phase is open. The voltages from the closed switches are applied to a calculating circuit which produces a composite of the three voltages in accordance with a preselected formula. The composite voltage output is then normalized and applied to a conventional frequency determination (estimating) circuit. This output is an accurate system frequency for use by the protective relay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Armando Guzman-Casillas, Gabriel Benmouyal
  • Publication number: 20030007299
    Abstract: The system includes a plurality of protection application elements to accomplish various power system protection functions, including for example line protection, line fault location, current direction determination, breaker protection and synchronism check, among others. The system includes local sources of current and voltage information for the protective functions as well as a receiving section for receiving such current and voltage values from a remote source, such as another protection device, as well as other necessary input information for the protective functions. A selection logic section is responsive to the output of the protective function elements, as well as the local and remote data to determine whether the primary or local sources are to be used. The outputs of the protective function elements are used by an output section to control circuit breakers and the like and are also transmitted, with the local and remote source quantities, to other protective devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, Jeffrey B. Roberts, Armando Guzman-Casillas, Joseph B. Mooney, Luther S. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6411865
    Abstract: The system uses graph theory to define busline arrangements as a series of vertices and edges, wherein the vertices include the number of busses in the system and the edges include disconnect circuit branches connecting the individual vertices. A particular system configuration, selected by the system operator, determines the status (open or closed) of the various disconnect branches. A processor establishes an incident graph matrix, including positions of all the vertices and edges. The matrix is modified in accordance with graph theory and the condition of the disconnect switches. Graph operations are performed to produce a resulting matrix which defines vertices and the edges incident thereon into zones of protection. Fault analysis in the busline can then be performed in accordance with each zone of protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Bai-Lin Qin, Armando Guzman-Casillas
  • Patent number: 6356421
    Abstract: Current transformer (CT) secondary currents for the windings of a power transformer are used to produce a differential current. An operating current value is obtained from the differential current value. A restraining current value is obtained from processed winding current values. Second and fourth harmonic values of the differential current are obtained and are summed with a restraining current quantity which is a result of the restraining current multiplied by a slope characteristic factor. If the operating current value is greater than the sum of the restraining current quantity and the second and fourth harmonic values, an output signal is produced which may be used as a trip signal unless it is blocked by selected blocking signals generated by another portion of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Labs., Inc.
    Inventors: Armando Guzman-Casillas, Hector Altuve-Ferrer, Stanley E. Zocholl, Gabriel Benmouyal
  • Patent number: 6341055
    Abstract: A differential relay for protecting a power apparatus portion of a power system, such as a bus line, includes incoming and outgoing power lines on which incoming and outgoing currents are present. The incoming and outgoing currents of each phase are applied through current transformers and then through filtering and normalizing circuits prior to application to the differential relay. The differential relay includes a circuit for determining the presence of an external fault, and maintains security by avoiding a tripping action of the relay for said external faults.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Armando Guzman-Casillas
  • Patent number: 6028754
    Abstract: The system impedance ratio (SIR) is determined for the original zone 1 distance element reach of a protective relay. The reduction in the original zone 1 reach is then determined, using the SIR value and a known table of reduced values. When a fault is recognized the minimum reach to just detect the fault is determined. A trip signal is provided without any delay if the minimum reach is less than or equal to the reduced reach. The trip is delayed for a selected time if the minimum reach is greater than the reduced reach but not greater than the original reach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Armando Guzman-Casillas, Jeffrey B. Roberts
  • Patent number: 5963404
    Abstract: The residual phase currents for each selected winding of a transformer are first determined and then summed to provide a value designated I.sub.X. The neutral current for the transformer is also determined, with the neutral current being designated I.sub.Y. A directional element calculates a torque value T according to the following formula: T=R.sub.e (I.sub.X .multidot.I.sub.Y *). This torque value will be negative for an external (reverse) fault, and positive for an internal (forward) fault. The quantity of the torque is compared against threshold values before a forward or reverse fault for the transformer is declared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Armando Guzman-Casillas, Luther S. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5731943
    Abstract: An out-of-step blocking circuit is established with two additional zones in the impedance plane, with the circuit determining the time that the positive sequence impedance takes to move between the two zones. The distance elements for selected zones of protection for the relay are blocked if the impedance moves between the two zones at a rate less than a first threshold. However, a trip signal results if the rate of change is greater than the first threshold but less than a second threshold, indicating an unstable swing. Further, an inner blinder zone is established in the impedance plane within the additional two zones of protection. If the positive sequence impedance entering that zone does not move from that zone within a certain time during an otherwise out-of-step condition, the blocking signals are terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Roberts, Daqing Hou, Armando Guzman-Casillas
  • Patent number: 5694281
    Abstract: The directional element produces a quantity related to the zero sequence source impedance of the power system relative to the location of the directional element, from values of zero sequence current and an adjusted value of zero sequence voltage. The impedance quantity is then compared against first and second threshold quantities to identify the direction of a fault. Further, the zero sequence voltage-polarized directional element can be combined with other individual directional elements, including a zero sequence current-polarized directional element and a negative sequence voltage-polarized directional element to form a universal directional element for unbalanced faults, in which the individual directional elements operate in a particular sequence, with the other directional elements being blocked from operating if a prior directional element in the sequence provides a direction indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Roberts, Armando Guzman-Casillas