Patents by Inventor Charles W. Edwards

Charles W. Edwards 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: 5642003
    Abstract: A power switching apparatus includes a positive-sequence fundamental signal magnitude detector. The positive-sequence fundamental signal magnitude detector derives a positive-sequence fundamental signal from a three-phase voltage signal carried by a power line; it also generates a switch firing command when the positive-sequence fundamental signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value indicative of a fault condition on the power line. The power switching apparatus also includes a solid state switch connected to the power line and the positive-sequence fundamental signal magnitude detector. The solid state switch bloch power on the power line in response to the switch firing command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles W. Edwards, Nicholas C. Abi-Samra
  • Patent number: 5359275
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of constructing a sinusoidal output signal corresponding to a predetermined harmonic component of a sinusoidal input signal is described. The input signal is multiplied by a specified harmonic component of cosine and sine reference signals to divide it into direct and quadrature signals. The direct and quadrature signals are proportional to the amplitude of the specified harmonic component of the reference signals at the specified phase. Each cycle of the direct and quadrature signals is sampled a number of times to form direct and quadrature signal segments. The direct and quadrature signal segments are respectively placed in direct and quadrature circular buffers. Each circular buffer includes a number of formerly sampled segments. Before adding a new segment, the oldest segment in the buffer is dropped. Direct and quadrature amplitude sums, corresponding to the sum of all sampled segments within the respective circular buffers, are maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 5345377
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of constructing a sinusoidal output signal corresponding to a selected harmonic of a sinusoidal input signal is described. The input signal is deconstructed into direct and quadrature components by respectively multiplying it with a selected harmonic of cosine and sine reference signals. The direct and quadrature components contain orthogonal dc components corresponding to the direct and quadrature magnitudes of the input signal at the selected harmonic frequency. The generated direct and quadrature magnitude values are respectively applied to error amplifiers in accordance with the invention. The outputs of the error amplifiers are respectively multiplied by the selected harmonic component of the sine and cosine reference signals. This provides the proper phase values for the respective quadrature and direct processed signals at the selected harmonic frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 5329222
    Abstract: A system and method is provided compensating utility distribution line transients such as voltage sags in a dynamic manner, by inserting a voltage signal in series with the distribution signal having a magnitude and phase to effectively cancel out the voltage deviation caused by a network disturbance. An energy storage device such as a storage capacitor is used to provide energy to an inverter circuit which is controlled to generate the series-inserted signal. Preferably a converter such as a chopper is utilized between the storage element and the inverter, to provide a constant dc input to the inverter. A controller generates a corrective error signal based upon the deviation between the utility supply voltage as affected by the disturbance, and the nominal ideal voltage signal, and adjusts the insertion voltage so as to optimize real power delivery to the utility distribution line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Laszlo Gyugyi, Colin D. Schauder, Charles W. Edwards, Miklos Sarkozi
  • Patent number: 5304957
    Abstract: A circuit for producing an output signal representative of the phase angle of a single phase input signal includes a phase shift generator for receiving a single phase input signal and for generating a quadrature signal and a direct signal in response to the single phase input signal, and a phase locked loop coupled to the phase shift generator for generating an output signal in response to the quadrature and direct signals such that the output signal is phase locked with the single phase input signal. A method is also provided for producing an output signal representative of the phase angle of a single phase input signal, comprising the steps of: receiving a single phase input signal; generating a quadrature signal and a direct signal in response to the single phase input signal; and generating an output signal in response to the direct and quadrature signals, such that the output signal is phase locked with the single phase input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 5010291
    Abstract: A single quadrant chopper timing control circuit is used with unidirectional power flow chopper arrangements in a power inverter to maintain current oscillation between positive and negative threshold levels of a hysteresis controller. The single quadrant chopper timing control circuit creates a mimic current when the current in the power inverter becomes zero or less. The mimic current allows the unidirectional power arrangement to continue oscillating so that there is little or no discontinuity in the timing. The device will continue to operate and provide a high bandwidth to ensure that the device will function during an overload or load dump condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4984148
    Abstract: A two-phase bang-bang current control synchronizer for synchronizing two current streams which pass within a hysteresis controller. Synchronization occurs by summing a fixed hysteresis threshold voltage from a master chopper and a sawtooth wave voltage corresponding to a synchronization and outputting a summed signal to an integrator controller which integrated the summed signal and outputs an intergrates signal. A synchronization circuit receives the integrated signal and generates a sawtooth waveform corresponding to an average value of the fixed hysteresis threshold voltage. The sawtooth waveform is fed to the slave chopper and synchronizes the master chopper and the slave chopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4686619
    Abstract: In an AC/DC converter, the dissipation voltage sharing resistors commonly placed in parallel with the series capacitors are replaced by a resistor balancing path derived from the capacitor junction point to a symmetrically disposed voltage reference point belonging to the AC input vectorial system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4674025
    Abstract: In a multi-inverter system, inverters in series are swapped around in order to eliminate regenerative power due to phase difference between consecutive inverters in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4674024
    Abstract: Low voltage GTO inverter modules are combined to form a high-voltage multi-inverter system by connecting standard modules in a string with isolated DC links. Modular construction is arranged for building multiphase systems. Voltage control is effected by controlling selected modules on the DC sides, or by pulse-width modulation of the inverter of a selected module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Derek A. Paice, Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4651270
    Abstract: Transistors or GTO's of an inverter are switched ON/OFF with a delay circuit which has a capacitor first charged at a forcing rate, then, held at an intermediary level, and which is first discharged at a forcing rate, then held at an intermediary level, thereby to provide underlap, minimum ON and OFF time control and noise filtering with a high precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4626763
    Abstract: Motor control apparatus for controlling the speed of a motor as a function of a variable frequency square wave and chopping pulses. The chopping pulses are cut off at some value greater than zero pulse width which causes motor voltage to increase in a step manner thus causing a feed forward voltage signal which is related to a DC rectified voltage which cooperates with the square wave production system to increase accordingly. A hysteresis circuit is provided within the pulse generating means to guarantee that once the pulse generation has stopped it will not increase again as a result of the aforementioned motor voltage rise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: 4602201
    Abstract: A pulse-width-modulated motor drive includes means for the derivation of a signal representative of the torque by sensing the DC-link current directly, or indirectly, and by dividing the sensed signal by the modulation index of the motor drive to obtain proportionality through the duty-cycle long range succession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards
  • Patent number: PP6656
    Abstract: A new and distinct selection of Juniperus sabina L. shrub (popularly known savin juniper) which shall be referred to hereinafter as Juniperus sabina cultivar Monard. Juniperus sabina cultivar Monard differs from its parent, Juniperus sabina cv. Broadmoor by a unique combination of a flatter more symmetrical branching habit, a softer foliage texture, a more green color and higher rooting percentages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Monrovia Nursery Company
    Inventor: Charles W. Edwards