Patents by Inventor Geoff Butland
Geoff Butland 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).
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Patent number: 7463989Abstract: A method for recording and having analyzed waveform data associated with an electronic circuit breaker having an electronic trip unit is disclosed. The electronic trip unit has a communication port and is capable of providing to the communication port a first signal representative of a phase current passing through the circuit breaker, and a second signal representative of a conditional event at the circuit breaker. The method includes facilitating the connection of a waveform recorder device to the communication port of the electronic trip unit; facilitating recording in a first memory of the waveform recorder device in a circular queue fashion information relating to the first signal received from the electronic trip unit; and, in response to the second signal received from the electronic trip unit, facilitating the stopping of the recording in the first memory.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Geoff Butland, Michael S. Tignor, John J. Dougherty, Craig Benjamin Williams, Mark Culler
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Patent number: 7430482Abstract: A waveform recorder device for mounting to an electronic circuit breaker having an electronic trip unit and a communication port is disclosed. The device includes a connector configured to connect with the communication port, and a processing circuit in signal communication with the connector. The processing circuit is responsive to instructions which, when executed by the processing circuit, facilitate responding to a conditional signal received from the circuit breaker, and in response thereto recording waveform information arising from an additional signal received from the circuit breaker.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Geoff Butland, Michael S. Tignor, John J. Dougherty, Craig Benjamin Williams, Mark Culler
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Publication number: 20080158761Abstract: A method and apparatus providing automatic circuit breaker identification to an electronic trip unit including: a mounting plate with mechanical means to releasably engage said electronic trip unit employing a microcontroller; an electronic module embedded in the mounting plate containing a non-volatile memory device, said device containing data identifying the circuit breaker type and ratings, and in operable communication with the electronic trip unit microcontroller, where the microcontroller reads the identification data from the non-volatile memory, the microcontroller is programmed to configure its overcurrent protection algorithms to match the characteristics of the circuit breaker.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2006Publication date: July 3, 2008Inventors: Geoff Butland, Mark F. Culler, Nataniel Vicente, John Dougherty
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Publication number: 20070139845Abstract: A waveform recorder device for mounting to an electronic circuit breaker having an electronic trip unit and a communication port is disclosed. The device includes a connector configured to connect with the communication port, and a processing circuit in signal communication with the connector. The processing circuit is responsive to instructions which, when executed by the processing circuit, facilitate responding to a conditional signal received from the circuit breaker, and in response thereto recording waveform information arising from an additional signal received from the circuit breaker.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2005Publication date: June 21, 2007Inventors: Geoff Butland, Michael Tignor, John Dougherty, Craig Williams, Mark Culler
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Publication number: 20070139846Abstract: A method for recording and having analyzed waveform data associated with an electronic circuit breaker having an electronic trip unit is disclosed. The electronic trip unit has a communication port and is capable of providing to the communication port a first signal representative of a phase current passing through the circuit breaker, and a second signal representative of a conditional event at the circuit breaker. The method includes facilitating the connection of a waveform recorder device to the communication port of the electronic trip unit; facilitating recording in a first memory of the waveform recorder device in a circular queue fashion information relating to the first signal received from the electronic trip unit; and, in response to the second signal received from the electronic trip unit, facilitating the stopping of the recording in the first memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2005Publication date: June 21, 2007Inventors: Geoff Butland, Michael Tignor, John Dougherty, Craig Williams, Mark Culler
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Patent number: 7075310Abstract: A device for testing for a wiring fault condition is disclosed. The device includes an electrical connector, a first signal generator, a second signal generator, and a user interface. The electrical connector includes first and second contacts that are configured to establish an electrical connection to the wiring. The first signal generator is in signal communication with the electrical connector, and is configured to generate a signal on the wiring and to receive a reflected signal therefrom. The second signal generator is in signal communication with the electrical connector, and is configured to generate a radio frequency signal on the wiring. The user interface is in signal communication with either or both of the first and second signal generators.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2004Date of Patent: July 11, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Henry H. Mason, Jr., Craig B. Williams, Michael S. Tignor, Geoff Butland, Michael Bradley, Greg Lavoie, Raymond Seymour
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Patent number: 7047274Abstract: A computerized power management control system (10) includes a virtual modular relay device (82) for providing input and output data to and from a corresponding, actual modular relay device (47 or 49). Virtual modular relay device (82) is displayed in a window (90), with the upper left-hand corner of window (90) including a graphical depiction (92) of the modular relay device. Immediately below the graphical depiction (92) is a communications status indicator (94), which shows the status of communications (connected/disconnected) between the virtual device (82) and an inter-process communications server (52). Various fields (96) appear along the left-hand side of window to identify the modular relay unit (47 or 49). Below identification fields (96) are a plurality of buttons (98), each of which allow the user to activate a program module. Buttons (156 and 154) can be customized by the user to activate any program module.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2002Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert P. Thomas, James Petrizzi, Patrick Meagher, Sunil Mathur, Rajaiah Karanam, Geoff Butland
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Publication number: 20050275411Abstract: A device for testing for a wiring fault condition is disclosed. The device includes an electrical connector, a first signal generator, a second signal generator, and a user interface. The electrical connector includes first and second contacts that are configured to establish an electrical connection to the wiring. The first signal generator is in signal communication with the electrical connector, and is configured to generate a signal on the wiring and to receive a reflected signal therefrom. The second signal generator is in signal communication with the electrical connector, and is configured to generate a radio frequency signal on the wiring. The user interface is in signal communication with either or both of the first and second signal generators.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2004Publication date: December 15, 2005Inventors: Henry Mason, Craig Williams, Michael Tignor, Geoff Butland, Michael Bradley, Greg Lavoie, Raymond Seymour
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Patent number: 6871225Abstract: A revision to a Power Management Control System includes an improved waveform client/waveform server communication interface based on a first inter-process communication protocol, preferably DCOM. The first inter-process communication protocol preferably resides in the waveform application alongside an existing second inter-process communication protocol, i.e. DDE, for backwards compatibility. The improvement allows the application to operate across network segments in a more robust, reliable manner than through the first inter-process communication protocol, thus enabling the waveform server to operate effectively as an NT service and providing independent third party client software access to the waveform server waveform capture functions.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 1999Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven J. Brennan, Geoff Butland, Krishnaiah Dayyala, Sreekanth Reddy Katta, Radoslaw Narel, Radhakrishna Yechuri
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Publication number: 20030061335Abstract: A computerized power management control system (10) includes a virtual modular relay device (82) for providing input and output data to and from a corresponding, actual modular relay device (47 or 49). Virtual modular relay device (82) is displayed in a window (90), with the upper left-hand corner of window (90) including a graphical depiction (92) of the modular relay device. Immediately below the graphical depiction (92) is a communications status indicator (94), which shows the status of communications (connected/disconnected) between the virtual device (82) and an inter-process communications server (52). Various fields (96) appear along the left-hand side of window to identify the modular relay unit (47 or 49). Below identification fields (96) are a plurality of buttons (98), each of which allow the user to activate a program module. Buttons (156 and 154) can be customized by the user to activate any program module.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2002Publication date: March 27, 2003Inventors: Robert P. Thomas, James Petrizzi, Patrick Meagher, Sunil Mathur, Rajaiah Karanam, Geoff Butland
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Patent number: 6366301Abstract: A three dimensional power management control system provides control and graphical representation of a plurality of electrical devices and components of an electrical distribution system. The PMCS includes a graphical representation of tagout/lockout displays (i.e., Danger and Ground Tags) representative of a physical lockout/tagout tag attached locally to a device of the electrical distribution system. The graphical displays include a large bit map representative of a Danger tag and a Ground Tag installed on a device, and representative symbols displayed at other graphical and tabular data displays associated with the tagged device. The implementation of the virtual lockout/tagout displays is automated using software, namely a Tagging Wizard. The Tagging Wizard provides automated configuration of the lockout/tagout graphic and the ability to install and remove virtual tagout displays associated with the graphical representation of the device of the distribution system.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 1999Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert P. Thomas, John S. Vandevanter, Geoff Butland
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Patent number: 6301527Abstract: Software (50) is loaded into the host computer (12) and includes an Ethernet server (52), a Modbus (DDE) server (54), an MMS server (56), and a third-party proprietary protocol server (58). Each of these servers (52, 54, 56, and 58) allows external programs (60) running on the host and view node computers (12, 40, and 44) to access power management data from the various devices (26) in the power management control system (10). Modbus server (52) allows external programs (60) to access power management data from devices (26), which communicate using the Modbus protocol. MMS server (56) allows external programs (60) to access power management data from MMS/UCA2 compliant devices (34), which communicate using the MMS protocol. Ethernet server (52) provides for network layer TCP/IP encapsulation for communications over Ethernet networks (20) and (22). Third party server (58) allows communications between external programs (60) and device (38), which uses any proprietary protocol.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 1999Date of Patent: October 9, 2001Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Geoff Butland, Patrick Meagher, Radoslaw Narel, James Petrizzi, Drew Baigent