Patents by Inventor Gregory Lavoie
Gregory Lavoie 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: 11917378Abstract: Systems and methods increase power efficiency in communication systems by examining a digital signal to determine whether a threshold corresponding to an increase in a power requirement is likely to be exceeded. The signal is encoded with information indicating the likely change and communicated to a driver that, upon extracting the information, uses it to cause instruct an amplifier to increase a power output to accommodate the increase in power requirement. Once the threshold is no longer exceeded, the driver circuit, advantageously, decreases the power output to conserve energy. In various embodiments, an amplifier may increase power efficiency by switching from a low-power circuit configuration to a high-circuit configuration.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2022Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.Inventors: Douglas Heineman, Feng Yu, Siwas Chandhrasri, Kevin Bryan LaVoie, Brian Gregory Rush
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Publication number: 20080106838Abstract: A centrally controlled protection system is provided. The system includes a plurality of circuit breakers, a plurality of modules, and a central computer. Each of the plurality of breakers are in electrical communication with a respective one of the plurality of modules. The central computer is in communication with each of the plurality of modules via a network. The central computer controls the plurality of circuit breakers in either a normal mode or a reduced energy let-through mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2007Publication date: May 8, 2008Inventors: Anand Sirivella, Thomas Papallo, Gregory Lavoie, Theodore Hill, Radoslaw Narel, Marcelo Valdes
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Publication number: 20070242402Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing protection against arc flash during maintenance on a low voltage power circuit including a circuit breaker having a specified trip function for responding to a fault is provided. The specified trip function is overridden with a maintenance trip function that results in reduced arc energy in the fault during a trip over arc energy during a trip with the specified trip function. The specified trip function is restored following maintenance.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2007Publication date: October 18, 2007Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Thomas Papallo, Gregory Lavoie, David Fletcher, Ertugrul Berkcan, William Premerlani
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Publication number: 20070159746Abstract: A centrally controlled protection system is provided. The system includes a plurality of circuit breakers, a plurality of modules, and a central computer. Each of the plurality of breakers are in electrical communication with a respective one of the plurality of modules. The central computer is in communication with each of the plurality of modules via a network. The central computer controls the plurality of circuit breakers in either a normal mode or a reduced energy let-through mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2005Publication date: July 12, 2007Inventors: Anand Sirivella, Thomas Papallo, Gregory Lavoie
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Publication number: 20060125486Abstract: A method for locating a ground fault in an electrical power distribution system includes providing a plurality of current sensors at a plurality of locations in the electrical power distribution system. The method further includes detecting a ground fault in the electrical power distribution system. Current is monitored at a plurality of locations in the electrical power distribution system via the current sensors and a test signal is introduced into the electrical power distribution system via a test signal generating device. The plurality of locations are monitored to locate the ground fault between a location at which the test signal is detected and a downstream location at which the test signal is not detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2004Publication date: June 15, 2006Inventors: William Premerlani, Rui Zhou, Yan Liu, Thomas Papallo, Gregory Lavoie, Marcelo Valdes, Michael Pintar
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Publication number: 20050219032Abstract: An apparatus for providing electrical protection to a protected circuit in electrical communication with an electrical source is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a separable conduction path in series connection with the protected circuit, an operating mechanism in operable communication with the separable conduction path, a thermal element in thermal communication with the separable conduction path, and an electronic trip unit in signal communication with the thermal element and in operable communication with the operating mechanism. The electronic trip unit is adapted to sense a voltage drop across the thermal element and to trip the operating mechanism in response to the sensed voltage drop being in excess of a first trip threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2004Publication date: October 6, 2005Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Craig Williams, Henry Mason, Michael Tignor, Geoffrey Butland, Michael Bradley, Gregory Lavoie
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Patent number: 6868349Abstract: A wireless system is provided which comprises a test and control device, and a power distribution device. The test and control device has a first microprocessor executing a first firmware. The power distribution device has a second microprocessor executing a second firmware. The first microprocessor is coupled a first wireless communications port, and the second microprocessor is coupled to a second wireless communication port. The first and second wireless communication ports are configured to communicate wireless communications there between.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2002Date of Patent: March 15, 2005Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David Fletcher, Gregory Lavoie, Indrajit Purkayastha
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Patent number: 6798209Abstract: An injection test signal generator is incorporated into a circuit breaker. In this way, injection testing can be performed by causing the internal test signal generator to generate test signals and feed those signals to the trip circuitry of the circuit breaker. No independent injection test signal generator need be purchased or stored, or transported to the location of the circuit breaker and hardwired thereto. Various methods of communicating with the internal test signal generator can be implemented, including, for example, a standard interface, a wireless interface or a network interface. Dences can also be provided to selectively isolate the internal test signal generator from the trip circuitry to prevent accidental and erroneous breaker trips.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gregory Lavoie, David Fletcher
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Patent number: 6771170Abstract: A circuit monitoring system for performing synchronized waveform capture. A waveform capture trigger communication network interconnects a plurality of monitoring devices. The system provides direct device to device trigger communication between monitoring devices in a synchronized group. Power system waveform data is stored in the monitoring device memory of all members of the synchronized group in response to a trigger event initiated by any monitoring device in the synchronized group. High speed trigger communication results in substantially simultaneous waveform capture among the members of the synchronized group.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2001Date of Patent: August 3, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Frederick Papallo, Jr., Mark Fredrick Culler, David Fletcher, Gregory Lavoie, John James Dougherty, Michael S. Tignor
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Patent number: 6731487Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the power consumption of a trip unit. The method comprises sensing a first output from a power system, the first output including a first current and a current-sensing signal; supplying a power supply with only the first current, or with a second current alone or in combination with the first current; powering a microprocessor from the power supply; inputting a second output to the microprocessor indicative of whether the power supply is receiving the second current; operating the microprocessor at a first state when the second output indicates the power supply is not receiving the second current; and operating the microprocessor at a second state when the second output indicates the power supply is receiving the second current alone or in combination with the first current.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2002Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David Fletcher, Gregory Lavoie
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Publication number: 20030191589Abstract: A wireless system is provided which comprises a test and control device, and a power distribution device. The test and control device has a first microprocessor executing a first firmware. The power distribution device has a second microprocessor executing a second firmware. The first microprocessor is coupled a first wireless communications port, and the second microprocessor is coupled to a second wireless communication port. The first and second wireless communication ports are configured to communicate wireless communications there between.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2002Publication date: October 9, 2003Inventors: David Fletcher, Gregory Lavoie, Indrajit Purkayastha
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Publication number: 20030179528Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the power consumption of a trip unit. The method comprises sensing a first output from a power system, the first output including a first current and a current-sensing signal; supplying a power supply with only the first current, or with a second current alone or in combination with the first current; powering a microprocessor from the power supply; inputting a second output to the microprocessor indicative of whether the power supply is receiving the second current; operating the microprocessor at a first state when the second output indicates the power supply is not receiving the second current; and operating the microprocessor at a second state when the second output indicates the power supply is receiving the second current alone or in combination with the first current.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2002Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventors: David Fletcher, Gregory Lavoie
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Publication number: 20030132753Abstract: An injection test signal generator is incorporated into a circuit breaker. In this way, injection testing can be performed by causing the internal test signal generator to generate test signals and feed those signals to the trip circuitry of the circuit breaker. No independent injection test signal generator need be purchased or stored, or transported to the location of the circuit breaker and hardwired thereto. Various means of communicating with the internal test signal generator can be implemented, including, for example, a standard interface, a wireless interface or a network interface. Means can also be provided to selectively isolate the internal test signal generator from the trip circuitry to prevent accidental and erroneous breaker trips.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2002Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: Gregory Lavoie, David Fletcher
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Publication number: 20020145517Abstract: A circuit monitoring system for performing synchronized waveform capture. A waveform capture trigger communication network interconnects a plurality of monitoring devices. The system provides direct device to device trigger communication between monitoring devices in a synchronized group. Power system waveform data is stored in the monitoring device memory of all members of the synchronized group in response to a trigger event initiated by any monitoring device in the synchronized group. High speed trigger communication results in substantially simultaneous waveform capture among the members of the synchronized group.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2001Publication date: October 10, 2002Inventors: Thomas Frederick Papallo, Mark Fredrick Culler, David Fletcher, Gregory Lavoie, John James Dougherty, Michael S Tignor