Patents by Inventor Roy A. Ball

Roy A. Ball 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).

  • Arc fault detection using current signal demodulation, outlier elimination, and autocorrelation energy thresholds
    Patent number: 12578375
    Abstract: A series PV arc fault detection method and apparatus demodulates a current signal provided by a DC power source to an inverter to eliminate a DC component and periodic noise. Autocorrelation coefficients are generated from the demodulated current signal to monitor noise energy and variation and, based on the noise energy, a determination is made if an arc fault has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2026
    Assignee: MERSEN USA EP CORP.
    Inventors: Roy A. Ball, Jonathan C. Kim, Bradley M. Lehman
  • ARC FAULT DETECTION USING CURRENT SIGNAL DEMODULATION, OUTLIER ELIMINATION, AND AUTOCORRELATION ENERGY THRESHOLDS
    Publication number: 20230400500
    Abstract: A series PV arc fault detection method and apparatus demodulates a current signal provided by a DC power source to an inverter to eliminate a DC component and periodic noise. Autocorrelation coefficients are generated from the demodulated current signal to monitor noise energy and variation and, based on the noise energy, a determination is made if an arc fault has occurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicants: MERSEN USA EP Corp., Northeastern University
    Inventors: Roy A. Ball, Jonathan C. Kim, Bradley M. Lehman
  • Arc fault detection based on photovoltaic operating characteristics and extraction of pink noise behavior
    Patent number: 11768252
    Abstract: Pink noise analysis, along with unique properties of the photovoltaic (PV) operating point of both the instantaneous current and voltage signal, is used to distinguish arc faults from other noisy loads or PV degradations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignees: MERSEN USA EP CORP., Northeastern University
    Inventors: Roy A. Ball, Jonathan C. Kim, Bradley M. Lehman
  • ARC DETECTION AND RECORDING IN ELECTRIC TRAINS, SUBWAYS, STREETCARS AND BUSSES
    Publication number: 20220357386
    Abstract: A device and method for detecting a location of an arc event between a power bus and a coupler of an electric vehicle monitors an interface between the power bus and the coupler for the occurrence of an optical event. A determination is made if an arc event occurred based on the optical event, and upon determining the occurrence of an arc event at least one of a time the arc event occurred or a position of the electric vehicle at the time the arc event occurred is recorded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: MERSEN USA EP CORP.
    Inventor: Roy A. Ball
  • ARC FAULT DETECTION BASED ON PHOTOVOLTAIC OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS AND EXTRACTION OF PINK NOISE BEHAVIOR
    Publication number: 20220299578
    Abstract: Pink noise analysis, along with unique properties of the photovoltaic (PV) operating point of both the instantaneous current and voltage signal, is used to distinguish arc faults from other noisy loads or PV degradations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicants: MERSEN USA EP CORP., Northeastern University
    Inventors: Roy A. Ball, Jonathan C. Kim