Abstract: A multi-drop, packet energy transfer (PET) receiver configured to be electrically connected to a PET transmission line and an electric load comprising receiver front-end circuitry including an input configured to be electrically connected to the PET transmission line, an output; and at least one switch or at least one diode connected at the output. There is a receiver output control and conditioning circuity with an input connected to the switch/diode, an output to be connected to the electrical load. There is a bootstrap capacitor connected across the input, and a bulk capacitor connected across the output and across the electric load. There is a load controller configured to operate the switch/diode to allow power to flow into the receiver output control and conditioning circuitry during transfer periods and to prevent power to flow into the receiver output circuitry during sample periods.

Abstract: A PET transmitter including an input conditioning and protection circuitry electrically connected to an electrical source, having an output and a switch connected at the output. There is a front end circuit having an input connected to the switch and an output connected to a PET transmission line. There is a source controller configured to close the switch to connect the source to the output of the front end circuit during a transfer period and open the switch to disconnect the source during a sample period. Across the output of the front end circuit, there is a minimum effective cross-line capacitance that enables the source controller to differentiate a measured voltage at the output of the front end circuit indicative of a fault and a measured voltage indicative of no fault without a PET receiver being in electrical communication with the output of the front end circuit.

Abstract: A packet energy transfer (PET) receiver comprising receiver front-end circuitry including an input, an output, and at least one switch connected at the output. There is receiver output control and conditioning circuity including an input and an output to be connected to an electrical load. There is a synchronizer circuit to close the switch to allow power to flow into the receiver output control and conditioning circuitry during each of the first plurality of transfer periods of the transmitter and to open the switch to prevent power to flow into the receiver output circuitry during a first plurality of sample periods. There is a load controller that disables the synchronizer circuit and operates the switch to close it and allow power to flow into the receiver output control and conditioning circuitry during subsequent transfer periods and to open the switch to prevent power to flow during a subsequent sample periods.

Abstract: The integrity of transmission-line voltage measurements in a digital-electricity power system in the presence of line-voltage disturbances during a sample period is ensured via detection or prevention by (a) acquiring at least three measurements of transmission-line voltage, performing numerical analysis on the measurements to produce a polynomial function, and estimating accuracy of the polynomial function based on magnitude of variance of the individual measurements; (b) applying a negative or positive bias to the transmission line during the sample period and acquiring voltage measurements to determine a rate of voltage change with the bias applied; (c) shifting a start time of a first sample period on a first transmission line in reference to a second sample period on a second transmission line to reduce overlap of sample periods across both transmission lines; and/or (d) synchronizing start times of respective sample periods on first and second transmission lines.

Abstract: A digital power distribution system includes a source sensor configured to provide feedback that includes a signal indicative of voltage across the source terminals; a source controller configured to receive the feedback from the source sensor and to generate a control signal that opens a source disconnect switch between the power source and the source terminals; a non-linear load configured such that the electrical current it draws from the load terminals drops by at least an order of magnitude below a non-zero voltage threshold; reduced capacitance for storing charge and discharging that charge during the sample period, wherein the reduced capacitance is at a level for providing this low level of electrical current drawn by the non-linear load. The system can be configured without a disconnect switch between the load terminals and the non-linear load to thereby maintain the non-linear load in electrical contact with the load terminals.

Abstract: A digital power distribution system includes a source sensor configured to provide feedback that includes a signal indicative of voltage across the source terminals; a source controller configured to receive the feedback from the source sensor and to generate a control signal that opens a source disconnect switch between the power source and the source terminals; a non-linear load configured such that the electrical current it draws from the load terminals drops by at least an order of magnitude below a non-zero voltage threshold; reduced capacitance for storing charge and discharging that charge during the sample period, wherein the reduced capacitance is at a level for providing this low level of electrical current drawn by the non-linear load. The system can be configured without a disconnect switch between the load terminals and the non-linear load to thereby maintain the non-linear load in electrical contact with the load terminals.

Abstract: A digital power distribution system includes a source sensor configured to provide feedback that includes a signal indicative of voltage across the source terminals; a source controller configured to receive the feedback from the source sensor and to generate a control signal that substantially increases or decreases impedance between the power source and the source terminals; a non-linear load configured such that the electrical current it draws from the load terminals drops by at least an order of magnitude below a non-zero voltage threshold; reduced capacitance on the load side for storing charge and discharging that charge during the sample period, wherein the reduced capacitance is reduced to a level for providing the at-least-an-order-of-magnitude-lower electrical current drawn by the non-linear load below the voltage threshold; and a source disconnect device responsive to the control signal from the source controller.

Abstract: The integrity of transmission-line voltage measurements in a digital-electricity power system in the presence of line-voltage disturbances during a sample period is ensured via detection or prevention by (a) acquiring at least three measurements of transmission-line voltage, performing numerical analysis on the measurements to produce a polynomial function, and estimating accuracy of the polynomial function based on magnitude of variance of the individual measurements; (b) applying a negative or positive bias to the transmission line during the sample period and acquiring voltage measurements to determine a rate of voltage change with the bias applied; (c) shifting a start time of a first sample period on a first transmission line in reference to a second sample period on a second transmission line to reduce overlap of sample periods across both transmission lines; and/or (d) synchronizing start times of respective sample periods on first and second transmission lines.