Patents by Inventor Leon M. Tolbert
Leon M. Tolbert 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: 12401268Abstract: Methods and systems comprising an inverter comprising: a semiconductor-based power module that is overrated by a factor f1 having a value greater than two and configured to receive a DC signal and convert the DC signal into an AC signal; a saturable inductive grid filter configured to filter the AC signal; at least one sensor configured to produce a current measurement and a voltage measurement from the AC signal output from the saturable inductive grid filter; and a processor configured to compute adaptive controller gain values using at least the current measurement and temperature, and cause an adjustment to a gain of an inverter controller in accordance with the adaptive controller gain values to maintain stability when the saturable inductive grid filter saturates at high current operations.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2023Date of Patent: August 26, 2025Assignees: UT-BATTELLE, LLC, UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATIONInventors: Maximiliano Flavio Ferrari Maglia, Thomas B. Ollis, Aditya Sundararajan, Guodong Liu, Mohammed M. Olama, Yang Chen, Leon M. Tolbert
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Publication number: 20240421704Abstract: Methods and systems comprising an inverter comprising: a semiconductor-based power module that is overrated by a factor f1 having a value greater than two and configured to receive a DC signal and convert the DC signal into an AC signal; a saturable inductive grid filter configured to filter the AC signal; at least one sensor configured to produce a current measurement and a voltage measurement from the AC signal output from the saturable inductive grid filter; and a processor configured to compute adaptive controller gain values using at least the current measurement and temperature, and cause an adjustment to a gain of an inverter controller in accordance with the adaptive controller gain values to maintain stability when the saturable inductive grid filter saturates at high current operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2023Publication date: December 19, 2024Inventors: Maximiliano Flavio Ferrari Maglia, Thomas B. Ollis, Aditya Sundararajan, Guodong Liu, Mohammed M. Olama, Yang Chen, Leon M. Tolbert
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Patent number: 12073161Abstract: A system includes a controller that is configured to generate a node control signal and a plurality of switch control signals, a plurality of programmable emulators, each of the plurality of programmable emulators being configurable as one of a plurality of node types responsive to the node control signal, and a plurality of switches that are programmable to couple ones of the plurality of programmable emulators to each other responsive to the plurality of switch control signals.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATIONInventors: Fei Wang, Leon M. Tolbert, Yiwei Ma, Kevin Louis Tomsovic, Kai Sun, Shuoting Zhang, Jingxin Wang, Bo Liu
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Patent number: 11515702Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for protecting and controlling a microgrid with a dynamic boundary are disclosed. One method includes detecting a fault in a microgrid that includes a dynamic point-of-common-coupling (PCC), in response to determining that the microgrid is operating in a grid-connected mode, isolating the fault by tripping a microgrid side smart switch and a grid side smart switch that are located immediately adjacent to the fault, initiating the reclosing of the grid side smart switch, and initiating the reclosing for the microgrid side smart switch via resynchronization if the grid side smart switch is successfully reclosed, and in response to determining that the microgrid is operating in an islanded mode, isolating the fault by tripping a microgrid side smart switch that is located immediately adjacent to the fault, and initiating the reclosing of the microgrid side smart switch.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: University of Tennessee Research FoundationInventors: Fei Wang, Dingrui Li, Yilu Liu, Yiwei Ma, Ishita Ray, Leon M. Tolbert, He Yin, Lin Zhu
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Patent number: 11404960Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a charge pump circuit, which includes a drive power supply; a flying capacitor; and a pump capacitor that is coupled in parallel to the drive power supply and the flying capacitor in response to a first control signal being in first state and is configured to receive charge from the flying capacitor to boost a pump voltage across the pump capacitor to a value that exceeds a drive voltage provided by the drive power supply responsive to a transition of the first control signal from the first state to a second state. The electronic circuit further includes a gate drive circuit coupled to the charge pump circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2021Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATIONInventors: Handong Gui, Leon M. Tolbert
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Publication number: 20210376721Abstract: An electronic circuit includes a charge pump circuit, which includes a drive power supply; a flying capacitor; and a pump capacitor that is coupled in parallel to the drive power supply and the flying capacitor in response to a first control signal being in first state and is configured to receive charge from the flying capacitor to boost a pump voltage across the pump capacitor to a value that exceeds a drive voltage provided by the drive power supply responsive to a transition of the first control signal from the first state to a second state. The electronic circuit further includes a gate drive circuit coupled to the charge pump circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventors: Handong Gui, Leon M. Tolbert
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Publication number: 20210242680Abstract: A system includes a controller that is configured to generate a node control signal and a plurality of switch control signals, a plurality of programmable emulators, each of the plurality of programmable emulators being configurable as one of a plurality of node types responsive to the node control signal, and a plurality of switches that are programmable to couple ones of the plurality of programmable emulators to each other responsive to the plurality of switch control signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: Fei Wang, Leon M. Tolbert, Yiwei Ma, Kevin Louis Tomsovic, Kai Sun, Shuoting Zhang, Jingxin Wang, Bo Liu
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Patent number: 10886858Abstract: Circuits and methods for power conversion. In some examples, a modular multi-level converter (MMC) is configured for power conversion between an alternating current (AC) bus and a direct current (DC) bus. The MMC includes submodules arranged into a phase leg for at least one phase of the AC bus. Each submodule includes an energy storage component and a switch configured for bypassing the energy storage component or connecting the energy storage component into the phase leg. The MMC includes a pre-charger circuit configured to pre-charge the energy storage components of the submodules. The pre-charger circuit is configured for providing a first DC voltage that is lower than a second DC voltage on the DC bus, and the pre-charger circuit is coupled to an end submodule of the phase leg.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: University of Tennessee Research FoundationInventors: Shuoting Zhang, Fred Wang, Leon M. Tolbert
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Patent number: 10873184Abstract: A system includes a controller that is configured to generate a node control signal and a plurality of switch control signals, a plurality of programmable emulators, each of the plurality of programmable emulators being configurable as one of a plurality of node types responsive to the node control signal, and a plurality of switches that are programmable to couple ones of the plurality of programmable emulators to each other responsive to the plurality of switch control signals.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2018Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: University of Tennessee Research FoundationInventors: Fei Wang, Leon M. Tolbert, Yiwei Ma, Kevin Tomsovic, Kai Sun, Shuoting Zhang, Jingxin Wang
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Publication number: 20200350761Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable mediums for protecting and controlling a microgrid with a dynamic boundary are disclosed. One method includes detecting a fault in a microgrid that includes a dynamic point-of-common-coupling (PCC), in response to determining that the microgrid is operating in a grid-connected mode, isolating the fault by tripping a microgrid side smart switch and a grid side smart switch that are located immediately adjacent to the fault, initiating the reclosing of the grid side smart switch, and initiating the reclosing for the microgrid side smart switch via resynchronization if the grid side smart switch is successfully reclosed, and in response to determining that the microgrid is operating in an islanded mode, isolating the fault by tripping a microgrid side smart switch that is located immediately adjacent to the fault, and initiating the reclosing of the microgrid side smart switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Fei Wang, Dingrui Li, Yilu Liu, Yiwei Ma, Ishita Ray, Leon M. Tolbert, He Yin, Lin Zhu
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Publication number: 20200127456Abstract: A system includes a controller that is configured to generate a node control signal and a plurality of switch control signals, a plurality of programmable emulators, each of the plurality of programmable emulators being configurable as one of a plurality of node types responsive to the node control signal, and a plurality of switches that are programmable to couple ones of the plurality of programmable emulators to each other responsive to the plurality of switch control signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2018Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Fei Wang, Leon M. Tolbert, Yiwei MA, Kevin Tomsovic, Kai Sun, Shuoting Zhang, Jingxin Wang
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Patent number: 10447038Abstract: An energy system includes a microgrid including a network of at least one distributed energy resource and a plurality of loads, the at least one distributed energy resource being configured to supply power to the plurality of loads. The microgrid is configurable to connect to one of a plurality of feeder circuits of a main power grid at one of a plurality of coupling interface locations, respectively. The microgrid is also configurable to expand or shrink its power supply area according to the available power generation capabilities.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2017Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: University of Tennessee ResearchInventors: Fei Wang, Xiaojie Shi, Leon M. Tolbert, Yiwei Ma, Yilu Liu, Lin Zhu
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Publication number: 20190148941Abstract: An energy system includes a microgrid including a network of at least one distributed energy resource and a plurality of loads, the at least one distributed energy resource being configured to supply power to the plurality of loads. The microgrid is configurable to connect to one of a plurality of feeder circuits of a main power grid at one of a plurality of coupling interface locations, respectively. The microgrid is also configurable to expand or shrink its power supply area according to the available power generation capabilities.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2017Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Fei Wang, Xiaojie Shi, Leon M. Tolbert, Yiwei Ma, Yilu Liu, Lin Zhu
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Patent number: 10177647Abstract: A direct current controller includes a rectifier configured to convert alternating current input into a direct current output. A converter electrically coupled to the rectifier generates a converted direct current voltage that regulates a converted direct current from the direct current output of the rectifier and synthesizes an ac component of an alternating current grid to counteract an induced back-emf. A direct current controller central controller coupled to the converter regulates the converted direct current.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2016Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLCInventors: Fei (Fred) Wang, Burak Ozpineci, Sheng Zheng, Steven L. Campbell, Madhu Sudhan Chinthavali, Aleksandar D. Dimitrovski, Philip R. Irminger, Omer C. Onar, Larry E. Seiber, Leon M. Tolbert, Clifford P. White, Daniel J. Costinett, Zhi Li, Jingxin Wang, Fei Yang
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Publication number: 20170077799Abstract: A direct current controller includes a rectifier configured to convert alternating current input into a direct current output. A converter electrically coupled to the rectifier generates a converted direct current voltage that regulates a converted direct current from the direct current output of the rectifier and synthesizes an ac component of an alternating current grid to counteract an induced back-emf. A direct current controller central controller coupled to the converter regulates the converted direct current.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2016Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: Fei (Fred) Wang, Burak Ozpineci, Sheng Zheng, Steven L. Campbell, Madhu Sudhan Chinthavali, Aleksandar D. Dimitrovski, Philip R. Irminger, Omer C. Onar, Larry E. Seiber, Leon M. Tolbert, Clifford P. White, Daniel J. Costinett, Zhi Li, Jingxin Wang, Fei Yang