Patents by Inventor Robert Vernon Fulcher
Robert Vernon Fulcher 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: 20250105766Abstract: An assembly for determining the electrical angle of a rotor in an electrical machine is provided, such as a wind turbine generator. The assembly includes: (a) an encoder having an encoder wheel configured to contact a surface of the rotor to obtain relative rotor rotation information based on rotation of the encoder wheel, (b) an electrical angle observer configured to provide an absolute electrical angle, and (c) a processing device coupled to communicate with the encoder and the electrical angle observer and configured to determine the electrical angle of the rotor based on the relative rotor rotation information and the absolute electrical angle. Furthermore, a wind turbine generator including such an assembly, and a method of determining the electrical angle of a rotor in an electrical machine, such as a wind turbine generator, are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2022Publication date: March 27, 2025Inventors: Nuno Miguel Amaral Freire, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Paul Godridge, Mogens Lund, Jesper Dommerby Ringgaard, Zhan-Yuan Wu
-
Patent number: 11495972Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling wind turbine converters of wind turbines parallel connected at a point of common coupling, the method including: generating for each converter within a same length of a pulse width modulation period a pulse, wherein the pulses start for different converters at different pulse start phases, wherein pulse start phase differences of the pulse start phases between at least two of adjacent converters are unequal.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2019Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Inventors: Thomas Dreyer, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Jerome Koenig, Christoph Nentwig
-
Publication number: 20210249865Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling wind turbine converters of wind turbines parallel connected at a point of common coupling, the method including: generating for each converter within a same length of a pulse width modulation period a pulse, wherein the pulses start for different converters at different pulse start phases, wherein pulse start phase differences of the pulse start phases between at least two of adjacent converters are unequal.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2019Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Thomas Dreyer, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Jerome Koenig, Christoph Nentwig
-
Patent number: 9531290Abstract: A method of controlling a power unit having a plurality of converter modules coupled in parallel, is configured to convert DC into AC voltages or AC into DC voltage. The method includes (a) receiving a control value for each phase of each converter module, (b) obtaining a set of phase current values for each converter module, (c) generating a compensation value for each phase of each converter module based on the set of phase current values and a set of stored data, the set of data representative of non-linearity characteristics of the converter modules as functions of phase current value, (d) generating a compensated control value for each phase of each converter module based on the corresponding control value and compensation value, and (e) supplying the compensated control values to the respective converter modules. A controller, power unit, wind turbine, computer program and computer program product are similarly configured.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2015Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Robert Vernon Fulcher, Paul Godridge, Joseph Hartley, Rodney Jones, Fan Yue
-
Patent number: 9293921Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of power converters 1a, 1b and 1c can be used to interface to a supply network, ac busbar etc. Each power converter includes a network bridge 14 operating in accordance with a pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy having the same switching period and which causes at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage. The method includes the step of providing the switching period of the PWM strategy of each network bridge with a different time offset relative to a time datum such that the at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage is at least partially cancelled. Two alternative ways of providing the time offset are described.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2012Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion Technology, Ltd.Inventors: Rodney Jones, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Henrik Stiesdal
-
Publication number: 20160043651Abstract: A method of controlling a power unit having a plurality of converter modules coupled in parallel, is configured to convert DC into AC voltages or AC into DC voltage. The method includes (a) receiving a control value for each phase of each converter module, (b) obtaining a set of phase current values for each converter module, (c) generating a compensation value for each phase of each converter module based on the set of phase current values and a set of stored data, the set of data representative of non-linearity characteristics of the converter modules as functions of phase current value, (d) generating a compensated control value for each phase of each converter module based on the corresponding control value and compensation value, and (e) supplying the compensated control values to the respective converter modules. A controller, power unit, wind turbine, computer program and computer program product are similarly configured.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Applicant: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Robert Vernon Fulcher, Paul Godridge, Joseph Hartley, Rodney Jones, Fan Yue
-
Publication number: 20120206945Abstract: There is provided a controller for a converter and a respective method of operating such a controller. The converter receives an input power and provides an output power by a switching operation wherein in an embodiment the output power has at least two phases. The controller includes an input for receiving a feedback signal depending on the output power of the converter, and an output for providing a control signal to the converter to thereby control the switching operation of the converter. The control signal corresponds to a switching pattern that is updated in response to the feedback signal. The control signal includes a harmonic compensation signal which reduces higher harmonics in the output power, the higher harmonics originating from a time delay between taking the feedback signal and the updating of the switching pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Inventors: Paul Brian Brogan, Robert Vernon Fulcher
-
Patent number: 8217533Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of power converters 1a, 1b and 1c can be used to interface to a supply network, ac busbar etc. Each power converter includes a network bridge 14 operating in accordance with a pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy having the same switching period and which causes at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage. The method includes the step of providing the switching period of the PWM strategy of each network bridge with a different time offset relative to a time datum such that the at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage is at least partially cancelled. Two alternative ways of providing the time offset are described.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Converteam Technology LtdInventors: Rodney Jones, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Henrik Stiesdal
-
Publication number: 20120133211Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of power converters 1a, 1b and 1c can be used to interface to a supply network, ac busbar etc. Each power converter includes a network bridge 14 operating in accordance with a pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy having the same switching period and which causes at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage. The method includes the step of providing the switching period of the PWM strategy of each network bridge with a different time offset relative to a time datum such that the at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage is at least partially cancelled. Two alternative ways of providing the time offset are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2012Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: Converteam Technology LtdInventors: Rodney JONES, Robert Vernon FULCHER, Henrik STIESDAL
-
Patent number: 8050067Abstract: A control system for controlling conversion of an input power into an output power in a converter module is provided. The control system includes an input power terminal, an output power terminal, and an active switching device. The control system further includes a master controller and a communication link interconnecting the master controller and the converter module. Also, the system has a timing generator generating a timing signal with a cycle time equal to or less than the shortest time constant of the converter module and immediate power circuit elements relating to the converter module. The timing generator is integrated in or interconnected with the master controller. Furthermore, the control system has a signal generator integrated in or interconnected with the master controller generating switching control signals, each switching control signal containing a control message defining a switching state for the active switching device.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2011Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Robert Vernon Fulcher, Rodney Jones, Philip Perry Waite
-
Publication number: 20110170323Abstract: A control system for controlling conversion of an input power into an output power in a converter module is provided. The control system includes an input power terminal, an output power terminal, and an active switching device. The control system further includes a master controller and a communication link interconnecting the master controller and the converter module. Also, the system has a timing generator generating a timing signal with a cycle time equal to or less than the shortest time constant of the converter module and immediate power circuit elements relating to the converter module. The timing generator is integrated in or interconnected with the master controller. Furthermore, the control system has a signal generator integrated in or interconnected with the master controller generating switching control signals, each switching control signal containing a control message defining a switching state for the active switching device.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2011Publication date: July 14, 2011Inventors: Robert Vernon Fulcher, Rodney Jones, Philip Perry Waite
-
Patent number: 7724548Abstract: A method of controlling a power converter is used to interface to a power grid or supply network operating at a frequency (Fnet) that is nominally fixed (say at 50 Hz, for example) but which can be varied as a way of controlling power imbalanced within the network as a whole. The power converter can include a network bridge that operates in accordance with the pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy having a switching frequency (Fpwm), a nominal switching frequency (Fpwm_nom) and a number of pulses per period (Pulse_Number).Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2007Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Converteam UK LtdInventors: Rodney Jones, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Eric Anthony Lewis
-
Publication number: 20080284252Abstract: A method of controlling a plurality of power converters 1a, 1b and 1c can be used to interface to a supply network, ac busbar etc. Each power converter includes a network bridge 14 operating in accordance with a pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy having the same switching period and which causes at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage. The method includes the step of providing the switching period of the PWM strategy of each network bridge with a different time offset relative to a time datum such that the at least one unwanted harmonic in the supply network voltage is at least partially cancelled. Two alternative ways of providing the time offset are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2008Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Rodney Jones, Robert Vernon Fulcher, Henrik Stiesdal