Patents by Inventor Thomas Alexander Wilkins

Thomas Alexander Wilkins 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: 10389125
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing generated power to a power grid subject to active power, reactive power and voltage requirements during varying conditions. An expanded reactive follower for distributed generation including but not limited to wind power plant and solar power plants and loads of other reactive controllers; that includes at least one reactive power generator coupled to an electric power system with a distributed power plant. The reactive power generator (e.g. a rapidly switched capacitor bank with fast reinsertion resistors, or inverter based reactive power generator) is located on either side of the point of interconnection of the power plant. A reactive follower controller controls the reactive power generator on the basis of an estimated reactive power commanded by a reactive power management system for distributed generation plant (e.g. Solar, Wind, Battery, etc. . . . ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Inventor: Thomas Alexander Wilkins
  • Patent number: 10075016
    Abstract: Systems and methods for governing a signal waveform of a signal flowing through a component of a power transmission system that includes a plurality of switch-mode power processors and may be a polyphase system. At least one of current and voltage is integrally monitored at each of a plurality of locations on the power system and is characterized relative to specified constraints. When a monitored voltage or current is outside of the specified constraints, the voltage or current is modified by changing at least one of the time delay or phase characteristics of at least one of the source, load and transmission elements on the power transmission system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Alexander Wilkins, Mark E. Haller, Charles Grunewald
  • Publication number: 20180076622
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing generated power to a power grid subject to active power, reactive power and voltage requirements during varying voltage conditions. An expanded reactive follower for distributed generation including but not limited to wind power plant and solar power plants and loads of other reactive controllers; that includes at least one reactive power generator coupled to an electric power system with a distributed power plant. The reactive power generator (e.g. a rapidly switched capacitor bank with fast reinsertion resistors, or inverter based reactive power generator) is located on either side of the point of interconnection of the power plant. A reactive follower controller controls the reactive power generator on the basis of an estimated reactive power commanded by a reactive power management system for distributed generation plant (e.g. Solar, Wind, Battery, etc. . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventor: Thomas Alexander Wilkins
  • Patent number: 9715261
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dynamically balancing at least one load characterized by an associated energy reservoir with at least one renewable energy source where both the load and the renewable energy source coupled to a power transmission system. A central controller regulates energy delivery to one or more loads over the power transmission system by anticipating energy demand over an interval of time, accounting for the status of the associated energy reservoir. Each load is linked with at least one renewable energy source. The anticipated energy demand is synchronized with delivery of energy by the renewable energy source by commands delivered to a local switching and monitoring device coupled to the load and subject to override by a local user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Alexander Wilkins, Charles Grunewald
  • Patent number: 9588557
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing generated power to a power grid subject to reactive power requirements. A reactive follower includes a reactive power generator coupled to a distributed power plant via a series impedance such as a step-up transformer. A reactive follower controller controls the reactive power generator on the basis of an estimated reactive power commanded by a reactive power management system and includes multi-variable control logic to determine when to increase reactive power produced by the reactive power generator based on the reactive power commanded by the distributed reactive power management system and point-of-interconnection measurements of power, reactive power, and voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Alexander Wilkins, Charles Grunewald, Matthew R. Hadsell
  • Publication number: 20130038123
    Abstract: Systems and methods for governing a signal waveform of a signal flowing through a component of a power transmission system that includes a plurality of switch-mode power processors and may be a polyphase system. At least one of current and voltage is integrally monitored at each of a plurality of locations on the power system and is characterized relative to specified constraints. When a monitored voltage or current is outside of the specified constraints, the voltage or current is modified by changing at least one of the time delay or phase characteristics of at least one of the source, load and transmission elements on the power transmission system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: CHUC, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Alexander Wilkins, Mark E. Haller, Charles Grunewald