Patents by Inventor Patrick Chapman
Patrick Chapman 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: 8461813Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2012Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies Inc.Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Patent number: 8456876Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Publication number: 20130027998Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a DC-to-AC inverter is disclosed. The DC-to-AC inverter may be configured to convert DC power received from an alternative energy source to AC power for supplying an AC grid or load. The inverter may determine whether the power presently supplied by the alternative energy source is less than a predetermined amount of power and, if so, disable an output converter of the inverter. Additionally, the inverter may predict the voltage of a DC bus of the inverter at a future point in time and, if the predicted DC bus voltage is greater than a predetermined maximum DC bus voltage, enable the output converter to transfer energy from the DC bus to the AC grid to reduce the DC bus voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2012Publication date: January 31, 2013Inventors: Trishan Esram, Alexander Gray, Eric Martina, Patrick Chapman
-
Publication number: 20130016544Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2012Publication date: January 17, 2013Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Publication number: 20130016536Abstract: A device, system, and method for global maximum power point tracking comprises monitoring an output power of a DC power source while executing a maximum power point tracking algorithm and adjusting a maximum power point tracking command signal in response to the output power being less than a reference output power. The command signal is adjusted until the output power exceeds a previous output power by a reference amount. The command signal may be a voltage command signal, a current command signal, an impedance command signal, a duty ratio command signal, or the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2011Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: SOLARBRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Jonathan Ehlmann, Daniel Blair, Eric Martina, Patrick Chapman, Brian Kuhn
-
Publication number: 20120275196Abstract: An inverter for converting an input direct current (DC) waveform from a DC source to an output alternating current (AC) waveform for delivery to an AC grid includes an input converter, an output converter, an input controller, and an output controller. The input controller is configured to control the operation of the input converter, and the output controller is configured to control the operation of the output controller. The input and output controllers are electrically isolated from each other and may be incapable of direct communications between each other. In some embodiments, the input and output controllers may communicate with each other via the input and output converters.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2011Publication date: November 1, 2012Applicant: SOLARBRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Patrick Chapman, Andrew O'Connell, Timothy Sams, Eric Martina
-
Patent number: 8284574Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an inverter includes operating the inverter in a one of a normal run mode or a pulse mode depending on one or more criteria. When operating in the pulse mode, the inverter generates a sinusoidal output pulse waveform including a plurality of pulses having a determined pulse width. The pulse width is less than a half-wave period of a full-cycle sinusoidal waveform and may be determined as function of, for example, the output power of the inverter, a grid voltage, and/or other criteria.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Chapman, Philip Krein
-
Patent number: 8193788Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2011Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Patent number: 8174856Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2011Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: SolarBridge Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Publication number: 20120087158Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an inverter includes operating the inverter in a one of a normal run mode or a pulse mode depending on one or more criteria. When operating in the pulse mode, the inverter generates a sinusoidal output pulse waveform including a plurality of pulses having a determined pulse width. The pulse width is less than a half-wave period of a full-cycle sinusoidal waveform and may be determined as function of, for example, the output power of the inverter, a grid voltage, and/or other criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicant: SOLARBRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Patrick Chapman, Philip Krein
-
Publication number: 20120075894Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Publication number: 20110267858Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Publication number: 20110267859Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Inventor: Patrick Chapman
-
Publication number: 20110267855Abstract: An apparatus, device, and system for generating an amount of output power in response to a direct current (DC) power input includes a configurable power supply, which may be electrically coupled to the DC power input. The configurable power supply is selectively configurable between multiple circuit topologies to generate various DC power outputs and/or and AC power output. The system may also include one or more DC power electronic accessories, such as DC-to-DC power converters, and/or one or more AC power electronic accessories such as DC-to-AC power converters. The power electronic accessories are couplable to the configurable power supply to receive the corresponding DC or AC power output of the configurable power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Inventors: Patrick Chapman, William R. Van Dell
-
Publication number: 20110261601Abstract: A method for controlling an multi-stage inverter comprises controlling an input converter of the multi-stage inverter with an input controller and controlling an output converter of the multi-stage inverter with an output controller separate from the input controller. The input controller and output controller may be galvanically isolated. Additionally, the method may include communicating data between the input controller and the output controller over a power bus of the multi-stage inverter.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2011Publication date: October 27, 2011Applicant: SOLARBRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Patrick Chapman, Andrew O'Connell, Timothy Sams, Eric Martina
-
Patent number: 7078883Abstract: A startup circuit for starting a power converter for converting an input voltage to an output voltage includes a switch connected in series with a resistive element. The startup circuit is connected in parallel with a trigger switch in the power converter for enabling the power converter to generate the output voltage. When closed or activated, the switch in the startup circuit charges an energy storing device in the power converter. The energy storing device activates the trigger switch as the charge is released.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2004Date of Patent: July 18, 2006Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of IllinoisInventors: Patrick Chapman, Philip T. Krein, Jonathan Kimball, Theresa L. Flowers
-
Publication number: 20050226011Abstract: A startup circuit for starting a power converter for converting an input voltage to an output voltage includes a switch connected in series with a resistive element. The startup circuit is connected in parallel with a trigger switch in the power converter for enabling the power converter to generate the output voltage. When closed or activated, the switch in the startup circuit charges an energy storing device in the power converter. The energy storing device activates the trigger switch as the charge is released.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2004Publication date: October 13, 2005Inventors: Patrick Chapman, Philip Krein, Jonathon Kimball, Theresa Flowers
-
Publication number: 20050093373Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for converting a plurality of dc input voltages from a plurality of voltage sources to at least one dc output voltage. An apparatus embodiment includes a plurality of voltage inputs. A respective current-conducting-bidirectional-voltage-blocking switch is in an electrical path from each of the voltage inputs. A magnetically inductive device is in an electrical path from each of the current-conducting-bidirectional-voltage-blocking switches. A voltage output is in an electrical path from the magnetically inductive device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2003Publication date: May 5, 2005Inventors: Patrick Chapman, Bryan Dobbs