Patents by Inventor Michael A. Mills-Price

Michael A. Mills-Price 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).

  • Publication number: 20230396062
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a recreational vehicle power system are shown and described herein, the system having a transfer switch in AC power connection with an AC power bus and adapted to accept shore power input and generator power input as well as a DC-DC converter in DC power connection with a DC power bus. Additionally, embodiments include a solar charge controller, a bi-directional inverter in AC power connection with the transfer switch, a battery management assembly, and a battery. Preferably, a control module is placed in DC power connection with the DC power bus and in electrical communication with the battery management assembly, solar charge controller, and bi-directional inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Mills-Price, Tyler Dunham
  • Patent number: 8907615
    Abstract: An electrical power generation system, such as a solar power inverter, can provide dynamic real-time power compensation, so as to mitigate the effects of voltage sags and swells (e.g., on a utility grid) and thereby provide voltage support functionality to a local grid. The electrical power generation system can do so by receiving first synchrophasor measurements that are taken at a point on the utility grid and transmitted to the electrical power generation system and by taking second synchrophasor measurements. The first and second synchrophasors indicate voltage magnitude and frequency of the alternating current (AC) at their respective measurement points. The electrical power generation system can compare the first synchrophasors with the second synchrophasors and based upon the comparison, vary the power factor of the power the electrical power generation system generates (e.g., by either supplying or absorbing reactive power).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Mills-Price, Michael Ropp
  • Patent number: 8344547
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a photovoltaic element at or near a maximum power point. A maximum power point tracker changes a voltage or current set point of a photovoltaic element in sequential discrete steps, measuring an output power at each step after a predetermined settling time. A slope of a power-voltage curve is then estimated and the slope is corrected for irradiance changes. Finally, an operating voltage or current of the photovoltaic element is adjusted based on the slope of the power-voltage curve and other factors, causing the photovoltaic element to operate at or near its maximum power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Fife, Michael A. Mills-Price, Steven G. Hummel
  • Publication number: 20110316480
    Abstract: An electrical power generation system, such as a solar power inverter, can provide dynamic real-time power compensation, so as to mitigate the effects of voltage sags and swells (e.g., on a utility grid) and thereby provide voltage support functionality to a local grid. The electrical power generation system can do so by receiving first synchrophasor measurements that are taken at a point on the utility grid and transmitted to the electrical power generation system and by taking second synchrophasor measurements. The first and second synchrophasors indicate voltage magnitude and frequency of the alternating current (AC) at their respective measurement points. The electrical power generation system can compare the first synchrophasors with the second synchrophasors and based upon the comparison, vary the power factor of the power the electrical power generation system generates (e.g., by either supplying or absorbing reactive power).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Michael A. Mills-Price, Michael Ropp
  • Publication number: 20110282502
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a photovoltaic element at or near a maximum power point. A maximum power point tracker changes a voltage or current set point of a photovoltaic element in sequential discrete steps, measuring an output power at each step after a predetermined settling time. A slope of a power-voltage curve is then estimated and the slope is corrected for irradiance changes. Finally, an operating voltage or current of the photovoltaic element is adjusted based on the slope of the power-voltage curve and other factors, causing the photovoltaic element to operate at or near its maximum power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: John M. Fife, Michael A. Mills-Price, Steven G. Hummel
  • Patent number: 7960863
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a photovoltaic element at or near a maximum power point. A maximum power point tracker changes a voltage or current set point of a photovoltaic element in sequential discrete steps, measuring an output power at each step after a predetermined settling time. A slope of a power-voltage curve is then estimated and the slope is corrected for irradiance changes. Finally, an operating voltage or current of the photovoltaic element is adjusted based on the slope of the power-voltage curve and other factors, causing the photovoltaic element to operate at or near its maximum power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: PV Powered, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Fife, Michael A. Mills-Price, Steven G. Hummel
  • Publication number: 20100117623
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a photovoltaic element at or near a maximum power point. A maximum power point tracker changes a voltage or current set point of a photovoltaic element in sequential discrete steps, measuring an output power at each step after a predetermined settling time. A slope of a power-voltage curve is then estimated and the slope is corrected for irradiance changes. Finally, an operating voltage or current of the photovoltaic element is adjusted based on the slope of the power-voltage curve and other factors, causing the photovoltaic element to operate at or near its maximum power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: John M. Fife, Michael A. Mills-Price, Steven G. Hummel