Patents by Inventor Giovanni Spagnuolo

Giovanni Spagnuolo 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: 8829721
    Abstract: Controller apparatus with MPPT tracking for controlling an electric power generation system comprising two identical sub-sections of a photovoltaic field, connected to two respective identical switching power converters, the two converters being controlled by two respective periodic controlling signals and the outputs of the two converters being connected in parallel. The controller apparatus comprises a first and a second current sensor for detecting the output currents of the two converters, a subtractor capable to receive the two current detection signals and to generate a difference signal, an amplifier capable to amplify the difference signal by a constant gain k, and a low-pass filter capable to filter the amplified difference signal, a proportional-integral controller for controlling the filtered amplified difference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Universita' Degli Studi di Salerno
    Inventors: Luigi Egiziano, Nicola Femia, Giovanni Pertrone, Giovanni Spagnuolo, Massimo Vitelli
  • Patent number: 8189352
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a single stage inverter device for power converters, comprising switching means (M1-M4) capable to periodically connect an energy source, in particular a photovoltaic one, to an electric network or grid, the switching means (M1-M4) being controlled by controlling electronic means operating according to a single switching cycle control of the switching means (M1-M4), the operative and circuit device parameters being such to fulfill a series of constraints simultaneously optimizing both the maximum power point tracking or MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) and the output power factor or PF-out (Power Factor-output) for one or more operation conditions. The present invention further concerns the related method of controlling and the related method of scaling such device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Universita' Degli Studi di Salerno
    Inventors: Luigi Egiziano, Nicola Femia, Domenico Granozio, Giovanni Petrone, Giovanni Spagnuolo, Massimo Vitelli
  • Publication number: 20120038217
    Abstract: Controller apparatus with MPPT tracking for controlling an electric power generation system comprising two identical sub-sections of a photovoltaic field, connected to two respective identical switching power converters, the two converters being controlled by two respective periodic controlling signals and the outputs of the two converters being connected in parallel. The controller apparatus comprises a first and a second current sensor for detecting the output currents of the two converters, a subtractor capable to receive the two current detection signals and to generate a difference signal, an amplifier capable to amplify the difference signal by a constant gain k, and a low-pass filter capable to filter the amplified difference signal, a proportional-integral controller for controlling the filtered amplified difference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Luigi Egiziano, Nicola Femia, Giovanni Pertrone, Giovanni Spagnuolo, Massimo Vitelli
  • Patent number: 7952897
    Abstract: Described herein is a system for generating electric power, comprising: an electric-power source (1) having a preferential point of operation; a double-stage inverter (3A, 3B), which transfers the energy from said source to an external a.c.-voltage electrical network (9); a block (5) for identification of the preferential point of operation, which supplies a reference signal according to the conditions of operation of the electric-power source and to the preferential point of operation of said source; a corrector block (10), provided for setting the parameter for control of the boost converter (3A) of the double-stage inverter (3A, 3B) as a function of the reference signal and of a signal of actual operation of said electric-power source, and for maintaining the source in the proximity of the preferential point of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Power-One Italy S.p.A.
    Inventors: Danio Nocentini, Sauro Macerini, Nicola Femia, Massimo Vitelli, Giovanni Spagnuolo, Giovanni Petrone, Filippo De Rosa, Antonio Sirianni
  • Publication number: 20100265747
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a single stage inverter device for power converters, comprising switching means (M1-M4) capable to periodically connect an energy source, in particular a photovoltaic one, to an electric network or grid, the switching means (M1-M4) being controlled by controlling electronic means operating according to a single switching cycle control of the switching means (M1-M4), the operative and circuit device parameters being such to fulfil a series of constraints simultaneously optimising both the maximum power point tracking or MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) and the output power factor or PF-out (Power Factor-output) for one or more operation conditions. The present invention further concerns the related method of controlling and the related method of scaling such device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI SALERNO
    Inventors: Luigi Egiziano, Nicola Femia, Domenico Granozio, Giovanni Petrone, Giovanni Spagnuolo, Massimo Vitelli
  • Publication number: 20100219690
    Abstract: A control method and a control device for controlling a supply unit, which enable supply of the maximum power that can be delivered by a power source, the method includes the presence of an absolute maximum on the curve of the power as a function of the voltage at the connection terminals; the supply system set between the power source and the load is preferably a DC/DC switching converter. The control circuit identifies the optimal operating point, using the relation existing between the harmonic components of the power and the harmonic components of the voltage at the terminals of the source. Starting from any value of the voltage at the connection terminals, the control circuit increments the value of the voltage if, for a given value of the frequency, the power and the voltage at the connection terminals are in phase, whilst it decrements the value of the voltage if the power and the voltage are in phase opposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: UNIVERSITA'DEGLI STUDI DI SALERNO
    Inventors: Nicola Femia, Filippo De Rosa, Antonio Sirianni, Giovanni Petrone, Luigi Egiziano, Giovanni Spagnuolo, Massimo Vitelli
  • Publication number: 20090091956
    Abstract: Described herein is a system for generating electric power, comprising: an electric-power source (1) having a preferential point of operation; a double-stage inverter (3A, 3B), which transfers the energy from said source to an external a.c.-voltage electrical network (9); a block (5) for identification of the preferential point of operation, which supplies a reference signal according to the conditions of operation of the electric-power source and to the preferential point of operation of said source; a corrector block (10), provided for setting the parameter for control of the boost converter (3A) of the double-stage inverter (3A, 3B) as a function of the reference signal and of a signal of actual operation of said electric-power source, and for maintaining the source in the proximity of the preferential point of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Danio Nocentini, Sauro Macerini, Nicola Femia, Massimo Vitelli, Giovanni Spagnuolo, Giovanni Petrone, Filippo De Rosa, Antonio Sirianni