Patents by Inventor Douglas Frederick Brainard

Douglas Frederick Brainard 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: 11467463
    Abstract: A overcharge-aware electrochromic device driver for preventing overcharge of an electrochromic device is described. One driver applies a constant supply current to an electrochromic device from a power supply. The driver determines an amount of charge as a function of time and current supplied to the electrochromic device. The driver determines whether the amount of charge reaches an overcharge limit before a sense voltage reaches a first sense voltage limit. Responsive to the amount of charge reaching the overcharge limit, the driver sets the sense voltage as a second sense voltage limit that is lower than the first sense voltage limit, ceases the constant supply current, and applies one of a variable voltage or a variable current to the electrochromic device from the power supply to maintain the sense voltage at the second sense voltage limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Halio, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Thomas Barnum, Hugues Duncan, Douglas Frederick Brainard
  • Publication number: 20210349368
    Abstract: An apparatus for supplying power to a set of drivers that charge and discharge a set of electrochromic devices is described. One apparatus includes a multi-source power supply with at least a set of batteries, a driver interface to supply the power to the set of drivers and controller circuitry. The controller circuit determines a power state of the multi-source power supply. The controller circuit limits the set of drivers to a first total amount of power or a second total amount of power, supplied by the multi-source power supply in a switching state of at least one of the set of electrochromic devices, while the multi-source power supply is in a first power state or a second power state, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Walter Thomas Barnum, Luis Fernando Gomez, Douglas Frederick Brainard
  • Patent number: 11106104
    Abstract: A distributed energy management system (EMS) for supplying power to a set of drivers that charge and discharge a set of electrochromic devices is described. One distributed EMS includes an external power supply interface to couple to an external power supply, a multi-device boost power supply comprising a set of batteries, and a driver interface to supply power to a set of drivers that charge and discharge a set of electrochromic devices. The distributed EMS also includes a communication subsystem to communicate with the set of drivers and EMS circuitry to supply power to the set of drivers, via the driver interface, based on a power state of the multi-device boost power supply and a state of the set of electrochromic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Kinestral Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Thomas Barnum, Luis Fernando Gomez, Douglas Frederick Brainard
  • Publication number: 20200241375
    Abstract: A distributed energy management system (EMS) for supplying power to a set of drivers that charge and discharge a set of electrochromic devices is described. One distributed EMS includes an external power supply interface to couple to an external power supply, a multi-device boost power supply comprising a set of batteries, and a driver interface to supply power to a set of drivers that charge and discharge a set of electrochromic devices. The distributed EMS also includes a communication subsystem to communicate with the set of drivers and EMS circuitry to supply power to the set of drivers, via the driver interface, based on a power state of the multi-device boost power supply and a state of the set of electrochromic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Walter Thomas Barnum, Luis Fernando Gomez, Douglas Frederick Brainard
  • Publication number: 20200241379
    Abstract: A overcharge-aware electrochromic device driver for preventing overcharge of an electrochromic device is described. One driver applies a constant supply current to an electrochromic device from a power supply. The driver determines an amount of charge as a function of time and current supplied to the electrochromic device. The driver determines whether the amount of charge reaches an overcharge limit before a sense voltage reaches a first sense voltage limit. Responsive to the amount of charge reaching the overcharge limit, the driver sets the sense voltage as a second sense voltage limit that is lower than the first sense voltage limit, ceases the constant supply current, and applies one of a variable voltage or a variable current to the electrochromic device from the power supply to maintain the sense voltage at the second sense voltage limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Walter Thomas Barnum, Hugues Duncan, Douglas Frederick Brainard