Patents by Inventor Whitman Fulton
Whitman Fulton 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).
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Patent number: 12282043Abstract: A meter collar adapter including a housing, a plurality of contacts to electrically connect the meter collar adapter to a meter socket and to a utility meter, and a load management device within the housing to manage electrical load to an interface circuit with external, co-located electric equipment. The load management device includes an interface circuit to electrically connect to either the line side or load side of an electrical service via the utility meter an external, co-located electric equipment. An interface contact to electrically connect the co-located electric equipment to the interface circuit, an overcurrent protection device electrically connected in series with the interface circuit, an adjustable electrical switch electrically configured to control electric load, and an energy management unit to control, monitor, and/or report a position of the adjustable electrical switch to manage the electrical loads.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2022Date of Patent: April 22, 2025Assignee: Infinite Invention Inc.Inventors: Whitman Fulton, John Schroeder, Benjamin Lewis, Jon Knauer, Khanti Munro, Akash Dani
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Publication number: 20250030249Abstract: A meter socket adapter may include an integrated whole-building disconnect switch configured to disconnect a building associated with the meter socket adapter from a utility grid, a distributed energy resource (DER) interface to connect a distributed energy resource (DER), and an energy management system (EMS) configured to monitor electrical current passing through the meter socket adapter and, based on the monitored current, actuate the whole-building disconnect switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2024Publication date: January 23, 2025Applicant: CONNECTDER, INC.Inventors: John Schroeder, Khanti Munro, Whitman Fulton, Christian Cote, Daniel Anthony Falcone
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Publication number: 20240429717Abstract: A meter socket adapter may include an integrated whole-building disconnect switch configured to disconnect a building associated with the meter socket adapter from a utility grid, a distributed energy resource (DER) interface to connect a distributed energy resource (DER), and an energy management system (EMS) configured to monitor electrical current passing through the meter socket adapter and, based on the monitored current, actuate the whole-building disconnect switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2024Publication date: December 26, 2024Applicant: CONNECTDER, INC.Inventors: John Schroeder, Khanti Munro, Whitman Fulton, Christian Cote, Daniel Anthony Falcone
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Publication number: 20240359574Abstract: A system includes a meter socket adapter (MSA) to electrically connect a meter socket and a utility meter, electrical contacts to electrically connect the MSA to the meter socket and the utility meter, and a data circuit to measure an electrical load through the MSA, and a pluggable assembly coupled to the MSA, the pluggable assembly including a housing to be coupled to the MSA housing, at least one of a set of power interface connectors extending from the housing into the MSA housing to connect to the MSA electrical contacts and a data interface connector extending from the housing to removably connect to the MSA data circuit, and at least one of an electrical circuit interface to electrically connect the set of power interface connectors to the electrical circuit and a data circuit interface to electrically connect the data interface connector to the data circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2024Publication date: October 31, 2024Applicant: CONNECTDER, INC.Inventors: John Schroeder, Whitman Fulton, Benjamin Lewis, Daniel Anthony Falcone
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Publication number: 20230288451Abstract: A meter collar is an adapter that may be inserted between a meter socket box and the meter. The meter collar may include a housing that is provided with first contacts to facilitate a mechanical and electrical connection with utility-side contacts of the meter socket box and second contacts to facilitate a mechanical and electrical connection with customer-side contacts of the meter socket box.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2023Publication date: September 14, 2023Inventors: Sebastian HASSEL, John SCHROEDER, Jon KNAUER, Katie BENTLEY, Whitman FULTON
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Patent number: 11693031Abstract: A meter collar is an adapter that may be inserted between a meter socket box and the meter. The meter collar may include a housing that is provided with first contacts to facilitate a mechanical and electrical connection with utility-side contacts of the meter socket box and second contacts to facilitate a mechanical and electrical connection with customer-side contacts of the meter socket box.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: INFINITE INVENTION INC.Inventors: Sebastian Hassell, John Schroeder, Jon Knauer, Katie Bentley, Whitman Fulton
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Publication number: 20230148230Abstract: A meter collar adapter including a housing, a plurality of contacts to electrically connect the meter collar adapter to a meter socket and to a utility meter, a load management device within the housing to manage electrical load to an interface circuit with external, co-located electric equipment, and an overcurrent protection device electrically connected in series with an interface circuit. The load management device includes the interface circuit to electrically connect to either the line side or load side of an electrical service via the utility meter an external, co-located electric equipment. An interface contact to electrically connect the co-located electric equipment to the interface circuit, an adjustable electrical switch electrically configured to control electric load, and an energy management unit to control, monitor, and/or report a position of the adjustable electrical switch to manage the electrical loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2022Publication date: May 11, 2023Inventors: John Schroeder, Benjamin Lewis, Jon Knauer, Khanti Munro, Akash Dani, Whitman Fulton
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Publication number: 20230107831Abstract: A meter collar adapter may include an upper assembly having a housing to protect inner electrical components from adverse environmental conditions and a lower assembly to house electrical components, one or more conductors that pass through at least the lower assembly. Each conductor includes a first end to electrically interface with a meter socket and a second end to electrically interface with an electrical meter. The meter collar adapter further includes thermally conductive heat sinks to transfer heat from the lower assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Inventors: Katie BENTLEY, John SCHROEDER, Jonathan KNAUER, Benjamin LEWIS, Whitman FULTON
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Publication number: 20230028679Abstract: A meter collar adapter including a housing, a plurality of contacts to electrically connect the meter collar adapter to a meter socket and to a utility meter, and a load management device within the housing to manage electrical load to an interface circuit with external, co-located electric equipment. The load management device includes an interface circuit to electrically connect to either the line side or load side of an electrical service via the utility meter an external, co-located electric equipment. An interface contact to electrically connect the co-located electric equipment to the interface circuit, an overcurrent protection device electrically connected in series with the interface circuit, an adjustable electrical switch electrically configured to control electric load, and an energy management unit to control, monitor, and/or report a position of the adjustable electrical switch to manage the electrical loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2022Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Whitman Fulton, John Schroeder, Benjamin Lewis, Jon Knauer, Khanti Munro, Akash Dani
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Publication number: 20220155350Abstract: A meter collar is an adapter that may be inserted between a meter socket box and the meter. The meter collar may include a housing that is provided with first contacts to facilitate a mechanical and electrical connection with utility-side contacts of the meter socket box and second contacts to facilitate a mechanical and electrical connection with customer-side contacts of the meter socket box.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: Sebastian Hassell, John Schroeder, Jon Knauer, Katie Bentley, Whitman Fulton
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Publication number: 20210305810Abstract: On a circuit between the electric grid and the site-side (below-meter) electric network an interconnection point for weatherized energy storage, combined with a disconnect switch on the grid to site circuit that, when opened, isolates the site and the energy storage below the circuit from the grid, a computing system containing metering, communications, and processing, for the grid to site circuit, and a data connection to a connected energy storage system to manage its operation in response to signals from the computing system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2020Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventor: Whitman Fulton
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Publication number: 20210276442Abstract: An interface to an electric vehicle or comparable energy storage system, paired with a utility electric power meter or meter collar adaptor with embedded control and whole-site disconnect switch that, when operated together, enables the user to: isolate the site from the grid during a power outage and use the vehicle or energy storage system to provide power to the site; manually reclose the disconnect switch to the grid only when safe operating conditions are met; allow a remote grid-operator to manage charging of the vehicle; and prevent the utility service from being overloaded when proving power to the residence and the meter adaptor loads simultaneously.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: John Schroeder, Whitman Fulton
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Patent number: 10830802Abstract: A watt-hour meter may include one or more electrical junction points that interface a Distributed Energy Resource to an energy-consuming structure and to the electrical distribution grid, while maintaining compliance with interconnection requirements for safety, power quality and automatic disconnect capabilities.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2016Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: Infinite Invention Inc.Inventors: Whitman Fulton, Adam Koeppel, Jon Knauer, Ben Lewis, Josh Konstantinos, John Schroeder, Al Iaconangelo
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Patent number: 10431986Abstract: A monitoring system includes a centralized generation and control system of an electrical grid operator. A distributed generator integration device connects a distributed generator to the electrical grid, and automatically initiates machine-to-machine communications with the distributed generator to: gather specification and performance data, control the distributed generator, and automatically add and configure the distributed generator to the centralized generation control of the monitoring system.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2015Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: INFINITE INVENTION INC.Inventors: Whitman Fulton, Adam Koeppel
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Publication number: 20170212160Abstract: A watt-hour meter may include one or more electrical junction points that interface a Distributed Energy Resource to an energy-consuming structure and to the electrical distribution grid, while maintaining compliance with interconnection requirements for safety, power quality and automatic disconnect capabilitiesType: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2016Publication date: July 27, 2017Inventors: Whitman Fulton, Adam Koeppel, Jon Knauer, Ben Lewis, Josh Konstantinos, John Schroeder, Al Iaconangelo
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Publication number: 20170141575Abstract: A monitoring system includes a centralized generation and control system of an electrical grid operator. A distributed generator integration device connects a distributed generator to the electrical grid, and automatically initiates machine-to-machine communications with the distributed generator to: gather specification and performance data, control the distributed generator, and automatically add and configure the distributed generator to the centralized generation control of the monitoring system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2015Publication date: May 18, 2017Inventors: Whitman Fulton, Adam Koeppel
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Patent number: 9318861Abstract: An electric power meter collar with external electrical connection points enables expedited connection of distributed energy resources to the customer premises or the electric power grid. The meter collar is installed between an electric meter and the meter socket box that the meter would otherwise plug into at the site of a customer who receives two-phase service from an electrical utility company, and has electrical connection points that are electrically upstream and downstream of the meter. It enables “plug and play” connection of on-site power generation resources since the collar includes both a receptacle for a “plug” from on site power generation and overcurrent protection.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2014Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: ConnectDER LLCInventors: Whitman Fulton, Adam Koeppel
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Publication number: 20140218010Abstract: An electric power meter collar with external electrical connection points enables expedited connection of distributed energy resources to the customer premises or the electric power grid. The meter collar is installed between an electric meter and the meter socket box that the meter would otherwise plug into at the site of a customer who receives two-phase service from an electrical utility company, and has electrical connection points that are electrically upstream and downstream of the meter. It enables “plug and play” connection of on-site power generation resources since the collar includes both a receptacle for a “plug” from on site power generation and overcurrent protection.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2014Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: INFINITE INVENTION LLCInventors: Whitman FULTON, Adam KOEPPEL
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Publication number: 20130106397Abstract: An electric power meter collar with external sockets enables expedited connection of distributed energy resources to the customer premises or the electric power grid. The meter collar is installed between an electric meter and the meter socket box that the meter would otherwise plug into at the site of a customer who receives two-phase service from an electrical utility company, and has sockets that are electrically upstream and downstream of the meter. It enables “plug and play” connection of on-site power generation resources.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2012Publication date: May 2, 2013Inventors: Whitman Fulton, Adam Koeppel