Patents by Inventor Mark David Minich

Mark David Minich 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: 10816580
    Abstract: An electricity meter includes a pair of terminals configured to connect in-line with a power line, an electrical conductor within the electric meter connecting the pair of terminals through a switch that includes an electric motor with an inductive coil, an inductive coil coupled to the electrical conductor, and a metrology circuit operatively connected to the electric motor in the switch. The metrology circuit includes a current sensor electrically connected to the inductive coil to measure an electric current that flows between the pair of terminals through the electrical conductor and an arc detection circuit electrically connected to one of the inductive coil coupled to the electrical conductor or the inductive coil in the electric motor, the arc detection circuit being configured to detect electrical arcs between the pair of terminals and the power line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr LLC
    Inventors: Mark David Minich, Robert Rapsinski
  • Patent number: 10788542
    Abstract: A utility meter includes a meter housing that supports at least one current coil, a temperature sensor, and a processing circuit coupled to both. The current coil can be coupled to receive heat energy from a meter socket. The temperature sensor disposed generates a sensor signal based on a temperature within the meter housing. The processing circuit obtains the sensor signal and generates meter temperature information based at least in part thereon. The processing circuit also obtains a first predetermined threshold based on at least one of time of day information and date information. The processing circuit also determines whether an abnormal condition exists by comparing the meter temperature information to a value based on the first predetermined threshold, and generates an output signal to a memory, display or communication circuit responsive to determining that the abnormal condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr LLC
    Inventors: Mark David Minich, Steven John Schamber
  • Patent number: 10527704
    Abstract: A utility meter includes a meter housing in which are supported at least one current coil, a temperature sensor, and a processing circuit. The current coil can be coupled to receive heat energy from within or on the meter socket. The temperature sensor generates a sensor signal based on a temperature within the meter housing. The processing circuit is operably coupled to the temperature sensor and the at least one current coil. The processing circuit obtains the sensor signal and generates temperature information therefrom, and also generates measurements of current through the current coil. The processing circuit generates an adjustment based at least on the square of the measured current, and determines whether an abnormal condition exists based on the temperature information, the adjustment, and a threshold. The processing circuit can generate an output signal to a display or communication circuit responsive to determining that the abnormal condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr LLC
    Inventor: Mark David Minich
  • Publication number: 20190391198
    Abstract: A utility meter includes a meter housing that supports at least one current coil, a temperature sensor, and a processing circuit coupled to both. The current coil can be coupled to receive heat energy from a meter socket. The temperature sensor disposed generates a sensor signal based on a temperature within the meter housing. The processing circuit obtains the sensor signal and generates meter temperature information based at least in part thereon. The processing circuit also obtains a first predetermined threshold based on at least one of time of day information and date information. The processing circuit also determines whether an abnormal condition exists by comparing the meter temperature information to a value based on the first predetermined threshold, and generates an output signal to a memory, display or communication circuit responsive to determining that the abnormal condition exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Mark David Minich, Steven John Schamber
  • Patent number: 10393791
    Abstract: A utility meter includes a meter housing that supports at least one current coil, a temperature sensor, and a processing circuit coupled to both. The current coil can be coupled to receive heat energy from a meter socket. The temperature sensor disposed generates a sensor signal based on a temperature within the meter housing. The processing circuit obtains the sensor signal and generates meter temperature information based at least in part thereon. The processing circuit also obtains a first predetermined threshold based on at least one of time of day information and date information. The processing circuit also determines whether an abnormal condition exists by comparing the meter temperature information to a value based on the first predetermined threshold, and generates an output signal to a memory, display or communication circuit responsive to determining that the abnormal condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr LLC
    Inventors: Mark David Minich, Steven John Schamber
  • Publication number: 20190227105
    Abstract: An electricity meter includes a pair of terminals configured to connect in-line with a power line, an electrical conductor within the electric meter connecting the pair of terminals through a switch that includes an electric motor with an inductive coil, an inductive coil coupled to the electrical conductor, and a metrology circuit operatively connected to the electric motor in the switch. The metrology circuit includes a current sensor electrically connected to the inductive coil to measure an electric current that flows between the pair of terminals through the electrical conductor and an arc detection circuit electrically connected to one of the inductive coil coupled to the electrical conductor or the inductive coil in the electric motor, the arc detection circuit being configured to detect electrical arcs between the pair of terminals and the power line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Mark David Minich, Robert Rapsinski
  • Publication number: 20190094329
    Abstract: A utility meter includes a meter housing in which are supported at least one current coil, a temperature sensor, and a processing circuit. The current coil can be coupled to receive heat energy from within or on the meter socket. The temperature sensor generates a sensor signal based on a temperature within the meter housing. The processing circuit is operably coupled to the temperature sensor and the at least one current coil. The processing circuit obtains the sensor signal and generates temperature information therefrom, and also generates measurements of current through the current coil. The processing circuit generates an adjustment based at least on the square of the measured current, and determines whether an abnormal condition exists based on the temperature information, the adjustment, and a threshold. The processing circuit can generate an output signal to a display or communication circuit responsive to determining that the abnormal condition exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventor: Mark David Minich
  • Publication number: 20190094285
    Abstract: A utility meter includes a meter housing that supports at least one current coil, a temperature sensor, and a processing circuit coupled to both. The current coil can be coupled to receive heat energy from a meter socket. The temperature sensor disposed generates a sensor signal based on a temperature within the meter housing. The processing circuit obtains the sensor signal and generates meter temperature information based at least in part thereon. The processing circuit also obtains a first predetermined threshold based on at least one of time of day information and date information. The processing circuit also determines whether an abnormal condition exists by comparing the meter temperature information to a value based on the first predetermined threshold, and generates an output signal to a memory, display or communication circuit responsive to determining that the abnormal condition exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Mark David Minich, Steven John Schamber