Patents by Inventor Carl D. Barker

Carl D. Barker 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).

  • Patent number: 11777307
    Abstract: An electronic valve apparatus for a high voltage direct current, HVDC, power transmission system. The electronic valve apparatus includes a first device chain including a number of first devices connected in series between an input node and an output node. Each of the first devices has an asymmetric transfer function configured substantially to block current flow through the device in a first direction, and the first devices are connected such that they all block current flow in the same direction. The electronic valve apparatus also includes a second device chain including a number of second devices connected in series between the input node and the output node. Each of the second devices has an asymmetric transfer function configured substantially to block current flow through the device in a first direction, and the second devices are connected such that they all block current flow in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Carl D. Barker, Colin Charnock Davidson, John Lewis Outram, Timothy James Stott, Robert Stephen Whitehouse
  • Publication number: 20210328422
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic valve apparatus for a high voltage direct current, HVDC, power transmission system. The electronic valve apparatus comprises a first device chain (301) including a plurality of first devices (302, 303) connected in series between an input node (330) and an output node (332) of the electronic valve apparatus (300, 400, 500). Each of the plurality of first devices (302, 303) has an asymmetric transfer function configured substantially to block current flow through the device in a first direction, and the plurality of first devices (302, 303) are connected such that they all block current flow in the same direction. The electronic valve apparatus also includes a second device chain (311) including a plurality of second devices (312, 313) connected in series between the input node (330) and the output node (332).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Carl D. BARKER, Colin Charnock DAVIDSON, John Lewis OUTRAM, Timothy James STOTT, Robert Stephen WHITEHOUSE
  • Patent number: 10778011
    Abstract: In the field of high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission there is provided a power converter assembly (10) comprising a line-commutated power converter (12) that is configured to transfer power from a DC network (14) to a corresponding receiving AC network (16). The power converter assembly (10) also includes a control unit which is operatively associated with the line-commutated power converter (12) and is programmed, in response to the receiving AC network (16) exhibiting a reduced AC voltage (Va, Vb, Vc), to cause a reduction in the operating DC voltage (VDC) of the line-commutated power converter (12) by the DC network (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Robert Whitehouse, Carl D. Barker, Ghirmazion Ghebreyesus
  • Publication number: 20200067317
    Abstract: In the field of high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission there is provided a power converter assembly (10) comprising a line-commutated power converter (12) that is configured to transfer power from a DC network (14) to a corresponding receiving AC network (16). The power converter assembly (10) also includes a control unit which is operatively associated with the line-commutated power converter (12) and is programmed, in response to the receiving AC network (16) exhibiting a reduced AC voltage (Va, Vb, Vc), to cause a reduction in the operating DC voltage (VDC) of the line-commutated power converter (12) by the DC network (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Whitehouse, Carl D. Barker, Ghirmazion Ghebreyesus
  • Publication number: 20200067420
    Abstract: In the field of high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission a line commutated converter (10) includes a plurality of converter limbs (12A, 12B, 12C) that extend between first and second DC terminals (16, 18). Each converter limb (12A, 12B, 2C) includes first and second limb portions (22, 24) that are separated by an AC terminal (26). The first limb portions (22) together define a first limb portion group (28) and the second limb portions (24) together define a second limb portion group (30). Each limb portion (22, 24) includes at least one switching element (32) in the form of a latching device (34). Each latching device (34) is configured to turn on and conduct current when it is forward biased and it receives a turn on signal, to naturally turn off and no longer conduct current when it is reverse biased and the current flowing through it falls to zero, and to actively turn off and prevent current from flowing therethrough when it receives a turn off signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Xu She, Carl D. Barker, Colin Charnock Davidson