Patents by Inventor Roy Ball

Roy 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).

  • 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
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20230245839
    Abstract: A fusible disconnect switch includes a switch housing, and a first fuse contact member and a second fuse contact member coupled to the switch housing, each of the first fuse contact member and the second fuse contact member configured to engage and complete an electrical connection through an overcurrent protection fuse. The fusible disconnect switch further includes a switch contact including a parallel contact configuration. An interlock is operatively coupled to the first fuse contact member and a switch that operates the switch contact, the interlock configured to inhibit movement of the switch from the OFF position to the ON position when the first fuse contact member is unsecured to the switch housing, and inhibit movement of the first fuse contact member relative to the switch housing when the switch is in the ON position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: MERSEN USA EP Corp.
    Inventors: Roy Ball, Brian A. Betts, Francesco A. Nania, Mathew Knapp, Tyler Larson
  • Patent number: 11538956
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control zone temperatures in a solar cell production system are disclosed. An example furnace to fire photovoltaic cells includes: a plurality of zones comprising firing elements configured to fire a metallization layer of photovoltaic cells by heating the photovoltaic cells in the zones; one or more belts configured to transport photovoltaic cells through a sequence of the plurality of zones; a user interface comprising one or more input devices; and control circuitry configured to: control the firing elements for the plurality of zones; and modify a configuration of two or more of the plurality of zones based on input received via the input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel M. Ruf, Roy Ball
  • 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
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11277002
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for a surge protection device for protecting multiple DC or AC power lines. The circuit arrangement includes a plurality of DC or AC power line inputs, a negative potential or neutral input, a ground potential input, a surge protection component having one or more surge elements, a rectification circuit including a plurality of diodes, and an alarm circuit for receiving a status output from the surge protection component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: MERSEN USA EP Corp.
    Inventor: Roy Ball
  • Publication number: 20200366087
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for a surge protection device for protecting multiple DC or AC power lines. The circuit arrangement includes a plurality of DC or AC power line inputs, a negative potential or neutral input, a ground potential input, a surge protection component having one or more surge elements, a rectification circuit including a plurality of diodes, and an alarm circuit for receiving a status output from the surge protection component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: MERSEN USA EP Corp.
    Inventor: Roy Ball
  • Patent number: 10775381
    Abstract: There has been a recent shift in cancer therapy from one size fits all to a personalized and tailored treatment for individual patients to increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary toxicity. This invention relates to a method of determining the prognosis and suitable treatment of cancer in a subject by measuring the level of expression of SPAG5. In particular, it relates to a method where high expression of SPAG5 in tumour cells correlates with aggressive tumours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignees: NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY, NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
    Inventors: Graham Roy Ball, Stephen Yan Tat Chan, Tarek Mohamed Ahmed Abdel-Fatah
  • Patent number: 10509067
    Abstract: A method for detecting an arc fault in AC circuits. The method includes monitoring disturbances in an AC voltage signal by analyzing multi-dimensional energy points. A voltage signal is captured and the zero-crossing, minimum peak, and maximum peak are identified. Arcing signatures between the maximum and minimum peaks of the captured AC voltage signal are analyzed to detect an arc fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignees: Mersen USA Newburyport-MA, LLC, Northeastern University
    Inventors: Jonathan C. Kim, Bradley M. Lehman, Dorin Octavian Neacsu, Roy Ball
  • Publication number: 20190334053
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to control zone temperatures in a solar cell production system are disclosed. An example furnace to fire photovoltaic cells includes: a plurality of zones comprising firing elements configured to fire a metallization layer of photovoltaic cells by heating the photovoltaic cells in the zones; one or more belts configured to transport photovoltaic cells through a sequence of the plurality of zones; a user interface comprising one or more input devices; and control circuitry configured to: control the firing elements for the plurality of zones; and modify a configuration of two or more of the plurality of zones based on input received via the input device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel M. Ruf, Roy Ball
  • Publication number: 20190011489
    Abstract: A method for detecting an arc fault in AC circuits. The method includes monitoring disturbances in an AC voltage signal by analyzing multi-dimensional energy points. A voltage signal is captured and the zero-crossing, minimum peak, and maximum peak are identified. Arcing signatures between the maximum and minimum peaks of the captured AC voltage signal are analyzed to detect an arc fault.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicants: Mersen USA Newburyport-MA, LLC, Northeastern University
    Inventors: Jonathan C. Kim, Bradley M. Lehman, Dorin Octavian Neacsu, Roy Ball
  • Patent number: 9678117
    Abstract: An electrical test switch has an integral energized circuit indicator. The energized circuit indicator is integrated into the front and/or rear covers of the test switch. The energized circuit indicator is passive and senses properties of the at least one conductor of the device being tested by being placed in proximity of the device. The voltage display provides personnel a visual indication of whether the electrical device being tested is energized without requiring a physical test or direct connection to the at least one conductor of the device being measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Timothy F. Masters, Roy Ball
  • Publication number: 20170138947
    Abstract: There has been a recent shift in cancer therapy from one size fits all to a personalized and tailored treatment for individual patients to increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary toxicity. This invention relates to a method of determining the prognosis and suitable treatment of cancer in a subject by measuring the level of expression of SPAG5. In particular, it relates to a method where high expression of SPAG5 in tumour cells correlates with aggressive tumors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Graham Roy Ball, Stephan Yan Tat Chan, Tarek Mohamed Ahmed Abdel-Fatah
  • Patent number: 9568535
    Abstract: A method for detecting an open current transformer in an electrical power system includes measuring for a voltage value on a secondary side of a current transformer. The method continues with observing the voltage value for a predetermined waveform and initiating corrective action in the electrical power system upon detection of the predetermined waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Roy Ball
  • Patent number: 9263217
    Abstract: A protective switch assembly (100) includes switch position sensors (109) that sense switch blade (14) position and indicate whether one or more switches (104) are open. According to another aspect, the voltage and current of the switch circuits are monitored to determine switch position as well as overall circuit status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Technology, AG
    Inventor: Roy Ball
  • Publication number: 20150339908
    Abstract: An electrical test switch has an integral energized circuit indicator. The energized circuit indicator is integrated into the front and/or rear covers of the test switch. The energized circuit indicator is passive and senses properties of the at least one conductor of the device being tested by being placed in proximity of the device. The voltage display provides personnel a visual indication of whether the electrical device being tested is energized without requiring a physical test or direct connection to the at least one conductor of the device being measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Timothy F. Masters, Roy Ball
  • Publication number: 20150197806
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel biomarkers for determining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection status of a subject, and to uses of novel panels of biomarkers. A method of determining the M. tuberculosis infection status of a subject comprising providing a sample of material obtained from the subject determining the expression level of one or more genes selected from the group consisting of: NXNL1, PSMA7, C6orf61, EMP1, CLIC1, LACTB and DUSP3 in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventor: Graham Roy Ball
  • Publication number: 20150185219
    Abstract: There has been a recent shift in cancer therapy from one size fits all to a personalized and tailored treatment for individual patients to increase efficiency and avoid unnecessary toxicity. This invention relates to a method of determining the prognosis and suitable treatment of cancer in a subject by measuring the level of expression of SPAG5. In particular, it relates to a method where high expression of SPAG5 in tumour cells correlates with aggressive tumours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicants: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham Trent University
    Inventors: Graham Roy Ball, Stephan Yan Tat Chan, Tarek Mohamed Ahmed Abdel-Fatah
  • Patent number: D935416
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MERSEN USA EP Corp.
    Inventor: Roy Ball