System Protection (e.g., Circuit Interrupter, Circuit Limiter, Voltage Suppressor) Patents (Class 700/292)
  • Patent number: 11611210
    Abstract: A control system and method for a group of interconnected feeders which enables fault location, isolation and service restoration without requiring each switch to have topology knowledge of devices in adjacent feeders. The method defines, for each switch, connectivity and X/Y directional information about its neighboring switches and propagates this information throughout each feeder. A leader device is also determined for each feeder. Information about topology of adjacent feeders is not needed by all devices. Only normally-open tie switches which define a boundary between two adjacent feeders have knowledge of the devices in both feeders. Switches which open during fault isolation automatically find open tie switches in a direction opposite the fault, and request service restoration downstream of the fault by providing power from an adjacent feeder. Leader devices ensure an overload condition is not created before initiating opening and closing operations of switches downstream of the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Quinlan, Alejandro Montenegro, Yoav Sharon
  • Patent number: 11581102
    Abstract: A method of controlling a nuclear power plant includes obtaining sensor data from one or more sensors of the nuclear power plant, providing the sensor data and a desired plant response to a neural network, wherein the neural network has been previously trained using a simulated nuclear power plant and is structured to determine at least one control system setting to achieve the desired plant response, determining at least one control system setting to achieve the desired plant response with the neural network, and setting or changing at least one control system setting of a control system of the nuclear power plant to the at least one control system setting determined by the neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventor: Ryan J. Hoover
  • Patent number: 11532985
    Abstract: A method for controlling a switching circuit including an input port electrically coupled to a photovoltaic device and an output port electrically coupled to a load includes (1) entering a voltage limiting operating mode and (2) in the voltage limiting operating mode (i) causing a control switching device of the switching circuit to repeatedly switch between its conductive and non-conductive states in a manner which limits magnitude of an output voltage to a maximum voltage value, the output voltage being a voltage across the output port, and (ii) varying the maximum voltage value as a function of magnitude of an output current, the output current being a current flowing through the output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Seth M. Kahn, Anthony J. Stratakos, Ilija Jergovic, Vincent W. Ng, Ryan James Ricchiuti, Artin Der Minassians
  • Patent number: 11425501
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes devices, systems, and methods for electrically connecting and disconnecting portions of an electrical line of a public address system. One device includes a switch configured to electrically connect and disconnect a first and a second contact point, wherein the first and the second contact point are configured to be electrically connected to respective portions of the electrical line, a controller configured to control the switch based on at least one electrical characteristic at the first and/or second contact point, and a power supply configured to be electrically connected to the first contact point via the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Horst Kania, Josef Schreiner
  • Patent number: 11358488
    Abstract: An information processing system includes: a first acquisition unit that acquires battery information on a battery of each of one or more vehicles; a second acquisition unit that acquires supply source information on a state of a power supply source; a selection unit that selects a vehicle for providing electric power for the power supply source as a power source out of the one or more vehicles, based on the supply source information and the battery information; and a request unit that requests the vehicle selected as the power source to provide the electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiichiro Fujiwara, Kenichi Takahashi, Shinya Kono, Jun Araki
  • Patent number: 11339763
    Abstract: A method for monitoring turbines of a windmill farm includes: providing a global nominal dataset containing frame data of the turbines of the windmill farm and continuous reference monitoring data of the turbines for a first period in a fault free state, the reference monitoring data including at least two same monitoring variables for each turbine; building a nominal global model based on the global nominal dataset which describes the relationship in between the windmill turbines and clustering the turbines according thereto; assigning the data of the global nominal dataset to respective nominal local datasets according to the clustering; and building a nominal local model for the turbines of each cluster based on the respective assigned nominal local datasets, the nominal local model being built such that a nonconformity index is providable which indicates a degree of nonconformity between data projected on the local model and the model itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Energy Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Moncef Chioua, Ni Ya Chen, RongRong Yu, Yingya Zhou, Yao Chen
  • Patent number: 11309706
    Abstract: Provided is a nano grid protection device for a nano grid including a distributed power supply, a large power grid including the nano grid protection device, and a method for controlling the nano grid protection device. In an embodiment, the nano grid is connected with a bus through the nano grid protection device and a main grid is connected with the bus through a main grid protection device. In an embodiment, the nano grid protection device includes: a signal unit, configured to detect and send current information passing through the nano grid protection device, the current information including the magnitude and direction of the current; a controller, configured to determine, based upon the received current information, whether to send a trip signal or not; and an execution mechanism, configured to execute a trip operation of the nano grid protection device upon receiving the trip signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Feng Du, Yi Zhu, Wei Gang Chen, Zhen Liu, Yue Zhuo
  • Patent number: 11273722
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes: a DC connector connectable to a DC power inlet of a vehicle; an AC inlet connectable to a connector of an AC power cable; and a rectifier circuit located between the AC inlet and the DC connector. The rectifier circuit is configured to convert AC power input from the AC inlet side to DC power and output the DC power to the DC connector side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinji Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11267362
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically selecting a control policy from among several available control policies for controlling an electric vehicle fleet charging system. A control policy may take into account fluctuating local renewable generation and/or time of use electricity pricing. The performance of the selected control policy is monitored and a different control policy may be deployed in its place if the different control policy has a higher chance of providing better performance given the current control environment. Thus, as the control environment changes, the control policy that controls the power system may also be changed in an adaptive manner. In this way, the control policies may be changed as the control environment changes to provide an improved real-time performance compared to the use of a single control policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: BLUWAVE INC.
    Inventors: Nasrin Sadeghianpourhamami, Mostafa Farrokhabadi
  • Patent number: 11262733
    Abstract: A method and device for configuring an intelligent electronic device, IED, hosting a logical node instance are provided. Incoming signals of the IED are bound to inputs of a function, the function being performed by the logical node instance in operation of an industrial automation control system, IACS. To bind the incoming signals to the inputs of the function, a computing device determines, based on an input data template of the logical node instance, which data is required by the logical node instance to perform the function. The computing device determines, using process related information of the IACS, source IEDs of the IACS that provide the data required by the logical node instance to perform the function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Stephan Gerspach, Wolfgang Wimmer
  • Patent number: 11223191
    Abstract: A power distribution and communication system includes nodes connected by power lines and communication links. The system receives power from one or more power sources. Each node contains at least one power port, data port and load port. Associated with each power port and load port is a port monitor for measuring current flowing into or out of the port and the voltage difference between the port outlet and ground, which measurements are passed to a processing element. The processing element and monitor analyze measured values to detect fault conditions. Upon fault condition detection, the port is disabled by opening a switch, disconnecting the port from the system voltage. The processing element receives power directly from the power line, thus receiving power from a live power line even if the associated power port is disabled allowing the processing element to enable a disabled node following a failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
    Inventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Anthony N. Gardner, Russel Howe, Randall Adam Yates
  • Patent number: 11211797
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a microgrid system. A microgrid system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a microgrid system that is operated while separated from a power grid, wherein said microgrid system comprises: a first microgrid that includes a first load, a first ESS, a first distributed power system and a first controller; and a second microgrid that includes a second load, a second ESS, a second distributed power system and a second controller, and wherein a line connecting the first and the second microgrid is opened and closed using a relay, and the first and the second controller determine whether to open or close the relay by communicating with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yil-Hwa Lee
  • Patent number: 11115311
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for creating a data tunnel to communicate test data in a test configuration in an electric power system. In one embodiment, a remote unit may include a monitored equipment interface to receive information representative of a condition in the electric power system from a test set and a first test data port to communicate test data through the data tunnel in the test configuration. The remote unit may use a first communication subsystem to generate and transmit a stream of data packets comprising information from the monitored equipment interface and information from the first test data port to be routed through the data tunnel. A protection system may receive the stream of data packets from the first communication subsystem and separate information from the monitored equipment interface and information from the test data routed through the data tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, David E. Whitehead, Tony J. Lee, Lisa Gayle Nelms, Austin Edward Wade, Krishnanjan Gubba Ravikumar
  • Patent number: 11095285
    Abstract: A driving device of a semiconductor switch includes a semiconductor switch configured to perform a switching operation by a gate driving voltage, and transfer a main power connected to a first switch terminal, to a load connected to a second switch terminal; a control signal generation circuit configured to detect a change in a control signal input power and generate and output a corresponding control signal, based on a lower negative voltage between negative voltages of the main power and the control signal input power; a control signal detection circuit configured to detect the control signal and output a corresponding driving control signal; a gate driving voltage generation circuit configured to be driven by the driving control signal and output the gate driving voltage; and an internal power generation circuit configured to be supplied with the main power, and generate a power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: ACMEX ALMAZ CO., LTD.
    Inventors: In Sun Cho, Jung Hwan Kim
  • Patent number: 11063425
    Abstract: Fault detection, isolation and restoration systems for electric power systems using “smart switch” points that autonomously coordinate operations to minimize the number of customers affected by outages and their durations, without relying on communications with a central controller or between the smart switch points. Each smart recloser can be individually programmed to operate as a tie-switch, a Type-A (normal or default type) sectionalizer, or a Type-B (special type) sectionalizer. The Type-A recloser automatically opens when it detects a fault, uses a direction-to-fault and zone-based distance-to-fault operating protocol, and stays “as is” with no automatic opening when power (voltage) is lost on both sides of the switch. The Type-B sectionalizer does the same thing and is further configured to automatically open when it detects that it is deenergized on both sides for a pre-defined time period, and to operate like a tie-switch once open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Southern States, LLC
    Inventors: Jiyuan Fan, Joseph R Rostron, Hua Fan, David Moore, Raj Anand, Brian Berner, Buddy Reneau
  • Patent number: 11046186
    Abstract: Embodiments include an EVSE unit having a Level 2 or Level 3 charge handle, a receptacle configured to receive the Level 2 charge handle, and a current overage protection unit. The EVSE unit can include a Level 1 outlet including one or more plug outlets configured to receive one or more corresponding Level 1 plugs. A first power meter associated with the Level 2 charge handle can meter power delivered via the Level 2 charge handle. A second power meter associated with the Level 1 outlet can meter power delivered via the Level 1 outlet. A charging logic and relay section can intelligently allocate power between the Level 2 handle and the Level 1 outlet according to charging rules. The current overage protection unit can ensure compliance with local ordinances and protect internal components of the EVSE unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Evercharge, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Appelbaum, John Loren Passmore
  • Patent number: 11014466
    Abstract: A building optimization system includes charging and discharging a battery of a battery power vehicle. The building optimization system includes a charging system configured to cause the battery of the battery powered vehicle to charge or discharge. The building optimization system also includes an optimization controller including a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive charging constraints for the battery powered vehicle, determine whether to charge discharge the battery of the battery powered vehicle based on the charging constraints, and cause the charging system to charge or discharge the battery of the battery powered vehicle based on the optimization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Sudhi R. Sinha, Youngchoon Park, Robert D. Turney
  • Patent number: 10998715
    Abstract: There is provided a protection apparatus for protecting an electrical network. The protection apparatus comprises: at least one protection device configured to protect the electrical network from a fault in response to a or a respective protection criterion being met; and a controller configured to: receive real-time information on a change in topological structure of the electrical network; perform an online determination of the real-time impedance or admittance matrix of the electrical network based on the change in topological structure of the electrical network; and adapt the or each protection criterion based on the real-time impedance or admittance matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Hengxu Ha, Yang Lian
  • Patent number: 10967738
    Abstract: Embodiments include a multi-level electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) unit. The multi-level EVSE unit can include a Level 2 charge handle, a receptacle configured to receive the Level 2 charge handle, and a Level 1 outlet including one or more plug outlets configured to receive one or more corresponding Level 1 plugs. The Level 2 charge handle can be permanently attached to the multi-level EVSE unit via a cable. The Level 1 outlet can temporarily receive the one or more corresponding Level 1 plugs. A first power meter associated with the Level 2 charge handle can meter power delivered via the Level 2 charge handle. A second power meter associated with the Level 1 outlet can meter power delivered via the Level 1 outlet. A charging logic and relay section can intelligently allocate power between the Level 2 handle and the Level 1 outlet according to charging rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Evercharge, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Appelbaum
  • Patent number: 10955869
    Abstract: An indication of a type of circuit breaker through which a powered device is connected to a power source is received at a processor. A signal from a sensor indicating a level of power flow from the power source to the powered device is received at the processor. The power flow to the powered device is altered by the processor based upon the received signal and the type of circuit breaker such that the power flow does not cause the circuit breaker to interrupt the power flow to the powered device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: The ESAB Group Inc.
    Inventors: Awad Gharib, Lee Mantell
  • Patent number: 10852759
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for determining constraints to be imposed on resource utilization by customers of an electric utility. In an embodiment, flexibility metrics are determined each for a different respective customer, the flexibility metrics each indicating a respective difference between a metric of resource utilization, and a respective constraint which is imposed on that resource utilization. The customers are ranked, relative to one another, based on the flexibility metrics, where the ranking is used as a basis for selecting one or more customers to accommodate a change to a power delivery service of the electric utility. In another embodiment, one or more updated utilization constraints are imposed each by a respective customer of one or more selected customers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David Boundy, David Relihan, Michael O'Reilly
  • Patent number: 10804736
    Abstract: Systems and methods for configuring micro-grids to restore some power in a power distribution grid (PDG) in response to a power disruption over the PDG. A computing system configured to receive current condition information from devices in the PDG. Form a minimum spanning forest (MSF) to identify a set of micro-grids, each spanning tree in a forest is a self-sustained islanded micro-grid network. Assign a ranking to each inter-bus link within each micro-grid according to constraints, to identify some inter-bus links above a high-ranking threshold to be switched off during a restoration period. Identify switches that restore power to some critical loads of a subset of critical loads with different forest configurations, based on buses that are switched on, to determine a subset of micro-grids less susceptible for link failures during the restoration period. Upon receiving a power disruption, activate the switches to restore some power to the PDG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Hongbo Sun, Shiva Poudel
  • Patent number: 10749377
    Abstract: A microgrid control system including a plurality of distributed generators, loads and/or energy storages. The system includes a microgrid controller arrangement, and a network controller arrangement. The network controller is distributed and configured to perform measurements on the microgrid, send information to at least one other of the plurality of network controllers, and send information to the microgrid controller arrangement based on the performed measurements. The information sent to the microgrid controller arrangement relates to assets which are included in a segment of the microgrid with which the controller is associated. The microgrid controller arrangement is configured to control the plurality of assets by instructing respective converter controller of each of the plurality of assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG
    Inventor: Ritwik Majumder
  • Patent number: 10666037
    Abstract: The present application relates to a protection and control system for an intelligent substation based on an industrial Internet architecture. The intelligent substation changes a decentralized modeling manner of firstly adding physical apparatuses and then adding functions of the apparatuses in a traditional substation, but adopts a centralized modeling manner of adding all of protection, measurement and control, exchange and telecontrol functions in substation configuration descriptions by taking the whole substation as a modeling object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: KYLAND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Ping Li
  • Patent number: 10651757
    Abstract: An inverter device includes a converter section, an inverter section, and a control device. The converter section full-wave rectifies a three-phase AC voltage and outputs a DC voltage including a ripple component having a frequency six times the frequency of the three-phase AC voltage. The inverter section converts the DC voltage including the ripple component from the converter section into an AC voltage and outputs the AC voltage to a motor. The control device, in a rotating coordinate in which an N-pole direction of a permanent magnet embedded in a rotor of the motor is taken as a d-axis and a direction orthogonal to the d-axis is taken as a q-axis, controls the inverter section so that a phase of a d-axis voltage Vd of the ripple component included in the DC voltage leads a phase of a q-axis voltage Vq.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuki Kitano, Tatsuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 10615704
    Abstract: An inverter device includes a converter section, an inverter section, and a control device. The converter section full-wave rectifies a three-phase AC voltage and outputs a DC voltage including a ripple component having a frequency six times the frequency of the three-phase AC voltage. The inverter section converts the DC voltage including the ripple component from the converter section into an AC voltage and outputs the AC voltage to a motor. The control device, in a rotating coordinate in which an N-pole direction of a permanent magnet embedded in a rotor of the motor is taken as a d-axis and a direction orthogonal to the d-axis is taken as a q-axis, controls the inverter section so that a phase of a d-axis voltage Vd of the ripple component included in the DC voltage leads a phase of a q-axis voltage Vq.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuki Kitano, Tatsuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 10594168
    Abstract: An intruding metal detection method for a supplying-end module of an induction type power supply system having a supplying-end coil includes: obtaining a previous peak trigger voltage measured during a previous measurement period and setting a reference voltage to be equal to the previous peak trigger voltage; interrupting at least one driving signal of the induction type power supply system to stop driving the supplying-end coil during a measurement period, to generate a coil signal of the supplying-end coil; measuring a first peak of the coil signal within an oscillation cycle of the coil signal, to obtain a first peak trigger voltage; comparing the first peak trigger voltage with the reference voltage; and determining that there is no intruding metal existing in a power supply range of the induction type power supply system when the first peak trigger voltage is equal to or close to the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Fu Da Tong Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Chiu Tsai, Chi-Che Chan
  • Patent number: 10593497
    Abstract: A system and method for changing protection settings groups for relays in a micro-grid between a grid-connected settings group and an islanded settings group. The method changes a power source relay from the grid-connected settings group to the islanded settings group before the micro-grid is disconnected from the utility grid, disconnects the micro-grid from the utility grid, and then changes a load relay from the grid-connected settings group to the islanded settings group after the micro-grid is disconnected from the utility grid. The method also changes the load relay from the islanded settings group to the grid-connected settings group before the micro-grid is connected to the utility grid, connects the micro-grid to the utility grid, and then changes the power source relay from the islanded settings group to the grid-connected settings group after the micro-grid is connected to the utility grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Michael Pabst, Michael James Higginson
  • Patent number: 10559953
    Abstract: A power distribution and communication system includes nodes connected by power lines and communication links. The system receives power from one or more power sources. Each node contains at least one power port, data port and load port. Associated with each power port and load port is a port monitor for measuring current flowing into or out of the port and the voltage difference between the port outlet and ground, which measurements are passed to a processing element. The processing element and monitor analyze measured values to detect fault conditions. Upon fault condition detection, the port is disabled by opening a switch, disconnecting the port from the system voltage. The processing element receives power directly from the power line, thus receiving power from a live power line even if the associated power port is disabled allowing the processing element to enable a disabled node following a failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Invention, LLC
    Inventors: W. Daniel Hillis, Anthony N. Gardner, Russel Howe, Randall Adam Yates
  • Patent number: 10436430
    Abstract: A lighting system includes a housing, a lighting element at least partially disposed in the housing, an electrical communication system in communication with the lighting element, and a sensor disposed on a portion of the housing, the sensor being in communication with the lighting element via the electrical communication system, and a first environmental condition sensed by the sensor causes the lighting element to operate when the lighting system is disposed in a first operational orientation and a second environmental condition sensed by the sensor causes the lighting element to operate when the lighting system is disposed in a second operational orientation, the first environmental condition being different from the second environmental condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Good Earth Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Coleman
  • Patent number: 10424935
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices relating to operating a power generation facility to contribute to the stability of the power transmission system. A controller operates on the power generation facility to modulate real power or reactive power or both in a decoupled manner to contribute to the stability of the power transmission system. Real power produced by the power generation facility can be increased or decreased between zero and the maximum real power available from the PV solar panels, as required by the power system. Reactive power from the power generation facility can be exchanged (injected or absorbed) and both increased or decreased as required by the power transmission system. For solar farms, the solar panels can be connected or disconnected, or operated at non-optimal power production to add or subtract real or reactive power to the power transmission system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Inventor: Rajiv Kumar Varma
  • Patent number: 10411462
    Abstract: A medium voltage power supply is disclosed as including plural medium voltage power lines and plural medium voltage switchboards, connected by respective medium voltage power lines. The medium voltage switchboards are each provided with a respective electrical protection equipment under the IEC 61850 standard and with respective medium voltage signal couplers driven by the electrical protection equipment to transmit and receive Generic Object Oriented Substation Event messages through the medium voltage power lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Gaetano Sanacore
  • Patent number: 10355517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a storage-battery control device 1 capable of enhancing economical efficiency by controlling charge state of a storage battery 12 so that surplus power generated by photovoltaic generation can be entirely charged into the storage battery 12 even in a case where power cannot be sold to a system power supply 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Hara, Makiko Kise, Shigeru Aihara, Hiroto Nishiguchi, Takahito Ida, Tomoki Takegami
  • Patent number: 10333301
    Abstract: Protective IEDs in an electrical power system, such as distributed controllers, may periodically or in real-time communicate updated protection settings to a wide-area controller, such as a coordination controller, that defines and/or implements a remedial action scheme to protect the electrical power system. The wide-area controller may utilize real-time protection setting information from a plurality of protective IEDs to perform dynamic transient model simulations based on (1) the current topology of the power system, (2) real-time measurements from the system, and (3) the updated, real-time protection settings of various IEDs within the system. The results of the updated transient model simulations may be used to dynamically adjust the remedial actions scheme of the wide-area controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Krishnanjan Gubba Ravikumar
  • Patent number: 10291025
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide for a system including a processor. The processor is configured to select at least one grid system contingency from a plurality of grid system contingencies. The processor is further configured to derive one or more eigen-sensitivity values based on the at least on grid system contingency. The processor is also configured to derive one or more control actions at least partially based on the eigen-sensitivity values. The processor is additionally configured to apply the one or more control actions for generation re-dispatch of a grid system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Chaitanya Ashok Baone, Naresh Acharya, Nilanjan Ray Chaudhuri
  • Patent number: 10218196
    Abstract: A system of selecting charging modes for a rechargeable energy storage unit in an autonomous device includes a controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions. The controller is configured to determine availability of at least one charging station and at least one parking lot through a survey of local charging infrastructure and local parking infrastructure, respectively, within a predefined radius of the autonomous device. The controller is configured to determine if it is cost-effective during an excursion to incur a charging fee at the charging station or incur a parking fee at the parking lot. If it is cost-effective to incur the charging fee, then the controller is configured to selectively employ at least one of a plurality of charging modes, including an open-ended charging mode and a defined departure charging mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brandon R. Jones, Ryan Ashby, Tony Wingett, Margaret C. Richards, Matthew S. Stout, Cody D. Berman
  • Patent number: 10116164
    Abstract: A flexible control architecture for an electrical power microgrid provides resiliency when operating under varying threat levels. The architecture includes a microgrid control layer, an intermediate layer and a component control layer. A contingency level is computed based on conditions of the microgrid such as weather and system state. When the contingency level indicates a low degree of threat, the system operates in a centralized, top-down control configuration. When the contingency level indicates a high degree of threat, the system operates in a decentralized control configuration with the microgrid control layer performing only a monitoring function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sanjeev Srivastava, Sindhu Suresh, Paul J. Bruschi, Dong Wei, Parag Patre, Yaosuo Xue
  • Patent number: 10040364
    Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a plurality of charging ports; a charging portion configured to output charge current to the charging ports; an input portion configured to receive selection of a user among a plurality of charge patterns prepared in advance including a charge-history-dependent charge pattern to determine the charge current based on charge history information regarding a charge history of the electrically-powered vehicle; a selection result storing portion configured to store a result of the selection; a history information storing portion configured to store the charge history information of the electrically-powered vehicles connected to any of the charging ports; and a controller configured to refer to the selection result storing portion, control the charging portion in accordance with a selected charge pattern, the controller configured to determine priorities of the electrically-powered vehicles based on the charge history information when the charge-history-dependent charge pattern is selec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: NICHICON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Nishi, Shigeo Ohkuma
  • Patent number: 10044221
    Abstract: Auxiliary power is required by each generator to orient the rotor blades to face the wind direction and also for other control and safety functions. This auxiliary power is normally extracted from the power generated within each wind turbine generator. During servicing, auxiliary power is supplied from neighbouring generators using dedicated low-voltage cables. In the event of a fault in the high-voltage cable, connecting one of the groups of generators to the sub-station, these low-voltage cables are used to supply the generators within this group with auxiliary power from the output of one or more of the generators, in the other group of generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Paw Rosenvard, Lars Ulrich Nielsen, Sander J. Larsen
  • Patent number: 10027175
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system including a plurality of power supply coils, and wirelessly performing power transfer from the power supply coils to a power receiver, includes an entire controller. The entire controller is configured to control the power transfer performed by wirelessly transmitting and receiving powers of the power supply coils and the power receiver, in accordance with confirming power transfer ranges of the plurality of power supply coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Akiyoshi Uchida
  • Patent number: 10018664
    Abstract: A phase control device includes a connection error detection unit. The connection error detection unit includes a phase sequence detection unit that detects a phase sequence of voltage signals, a phase sequence detection unit that detects a phase sequence of current signals, a collation unit that collates the phase sequence of the voltage signals and the phase sequence of the current signals and determines that a connection error is present when the phase sequences are different, phase difference detection units that detect a phase difference between the voltage signal and the current signal, and a phase difference determination unit that determines, when the phase differences output from the phase difference detection units fall without a determination range, that a connection error is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aya Yamamoto, Tomohito Mori, Daigo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10013379
    Abstract: A system for assigning addresses to a plurality of communication nodes coupled via a power line is disclosed. Each of the plurality of communication nodes includes a current sensor. The plurality of communication nodes includes one master communication node and the master communication node is configured to start an auto-addressing process by asking the each of the plurality of communication nodes to sink a preselect amount of current and measure current, through the current sensor, flowing through the powerline under the each of the plurality of communication nodes. A first communication node in the plurality of communication nodes that does not measure any current flowing under the first communication node is assigned a first address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Bernd Uwe Gerhard Elend, Rainer Evers
  • Patent number: 10008053
    Abstract: An on-board maintenance system for an aircraft, said aircraft comprising pieces of equipment connected together through a first on-board data transmission network for exchanging operational data intended for piloting the aircraft, said maintenance system including a processing unit and being characterized in that it comprises a second data transmission network, distinct from the first network, for exchanging data intended for maintenance of the equipment of the aircraft, said second network connecting at least some of said pieces of equipment to the processing unit; said processing unit are being adapted for receiving in real time, a data provided by the pieces of equipment on the second network and processing them with view to determining the cause of equipment malfunctions according to at least said received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: DASSAULT AVIATION
    Inventors: Laurent Turban, Magali Thorel
  • Patent number: 9965813
    Abstract: In one example, a computing device is configured to calculate fees and revenues related to a lighting infrastructure application framework. An example computing device comprises a memory and a processor coupled to the memory configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising receiving, data that includes at least one of sensor data and controller information related to at least one of a sensor and a controller, wherein the sensor and the controller are within a local area network coupled to a computing device having the processor and are associated with at least one lighting node platform device; calculating information describing the fees and the revenues associated with the received data, wherein the revenues are for a lighting infrastructure owner associated with the computing device; and transmitting the calculated information to another device associated with the lighting infrastructure application framework.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Sensity Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh Martin, Rusty Cumpston
  • Patent number: 9882370
    Abstract: A multi-faults service restoration method for a power distribution network overcomes the defect that a traditional service restoration method for the power distribution network cannot solve multi-faults. The method includes the steps of performing multi-faults judgment on multi-faults with processing unfinished, to form many multi-faults and many single-faults; then performing unaided fault recovery area division on the multi-faults, and performing power restoration on unaided fault recovery areas one by one; and after the multi-faults are processed, performing power restoration on each single-fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA, LIAWU POWER SUPPLY COMPANY OF STATE GRID SHANDONG ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY
    Inventors: Guofang Zhu, Hongmei Li, Jincang Niu, Baoguang Zhao, Shangzhen Li, Xin Shi, Yong Li, Xujie Liu, Guanbin Wu, Naiyuan Xu, Sun Li, Yuanbin Liang
  • Patent number: 9863992
    Abstract: There is provided a fault detecting apparatus for detecting a fault in an electric circuit including connecting circuits and an aggregating circuit. The fault detecting apparatus includes a fault detector that detects a fault when at least one of connecting circuit current detectors detects that a current flows and an aggregating current detector detects that a current does not flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Ambo, Eiichi Ikawa, Chieko Umeno
  • Patent number: 9769420
    Abstract: A user-programmable portable wireless remote monitoring system includes a base unit, a series of sensor units and a remote control device. The base unit is connected to the internet, and receives wireless alerts from sensor arrays deployed in the sensor units. When the sensor units detect a problem, then they send an alert to the base unit, which then relays the alert to the remote control device that is preferably a smart phone, tablet, or the like, including software for operating the system. The system may also incorporate smart outlets that are remotely operable by the remote control device, various monitors, a touchscreen, and wearable tracking devices to monitor a person within the home. The system is designed to provide security, home system monitoring, personal medical monitoring, and remote control of various electrical appliances. The system may also be controlled by using oral commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Inventor: Thomas Lawrence Moses
  • Patent number: 9707850
    Abstract: A temperature sensor 120 automatically shuts down charging operations in response to a temperature increase in a charging handle 150 of an electric vehicle charging station 100. The temperature sensor is connected between a ground conductor and a high voltage conductor L1 in the charging handle. The charging handle includes a return conductor L2/N. The temperature sensor includes a thermistor R1-NTC that changes its resistance in response to an increase in temperature in the charging handle. A portion of current in the high voltage conductor is diverted to the ground conductor, instead of the return conductor, in response to the thermistor sensing a temperature increase, thereby causing a ground fault detector 160 to trip in the charging station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Jefferies, Benjamin W. Edwards, Matthew L. White, Konstantin A. Filippenko, Richard K. Weiler
  • Patent number: 9702959
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for remote sensing to derive a calibrated power measurement for a power distribution point. Magnetic field sensors of a sensor module sense a magnetic field emitted by the power distribution point. A first processor generates an uncalibrated power measurement for each magnetic field sensor, the uncalibrated power measurement derived from the magnetic field sensed by the magnetic field sensor and a voltage carried by the power distribution point. A second processor determines a response of each magnetic field sensor to a known power load being drawn through the power distribution point. The second processor derives a transfer function using the response of each magnetic field sensor to the known power load. The second processor applies the transfer function to the uncalibrated power measurement for each magnetic field sensor to generate the calibrated power measurement for the power distribution point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Earth Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Marshall, Stan Heckman, Chonglin Liu, Christopher Dale Sloop, Scott Stickels, Donnie Bixler, Emily Stickels
  • Patent number: 9697724
    Abstract: A method for connecting low power radios into a self-assembling and self-healing network with multiple portals to higher speed networks such as, but not limited to, electrical or optical Ethernet is provided for monitoring transmission lines, for example. A clamp or other device is provided that includes an integral or associated current transformer and associated circuitry with design elements to address high temperature operation or other operating parameters. An arrangement of sensors is provided (e.g., sensors can be associated with clamps or positioned along infrastructure being monitored and without dependence on any clamps or other devices) that are designed to communicate and operate in an geographically distributed array to provide increased and autonomous monitoring of large utility, highway, communication and similar networks. A unique collection of sensors (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Miller, Bernard Crutcher, Peter Waltz, Christopher Chadbourne