Including Communication Means Patents (Class 702/62)
  • Patent number: 11949231
    Abstract: A system for optimizing a network of power plants includes at least one memory storing a network model of a network of power plants including a power plant model for each power plant, each power plant model including one or more equipment models of power plant equipment of a power plant, and plant relationships between the power plant models. The system further includes at least one processor configured to modify an attribute of a first equipment model included in a first power plant model of a first power plant, identify at least one plant relationship between the first power plant model and a second power plant model of a second power plant, determine an expected change in operation of the second power plant based on the modified attribute and the at least one plant relationship, and generate a record including an indication of the expected change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: 8ME NOVA, LLC
    Inventors: Lukas Hansen, Gautham Ramesh, Philippe Garneau-Halliday, Kyle Monson, Brandon Carpenter, Rahul Mondal, Emily Arnold
  • Patent number: 11929612
    Abstract: A first switching unit switches a first power grid from an isolated operation to a grid-connected operation. In switching the first power grid from the isolated operation to the grid-connected operation, the first switching unit determines a master and a slave among a plurality of power adjustment resources and allows the first power grid to be connected to the second power grid after master-slave control by means of the master and the slave such that electric power of the first power grid is in synchronization with electric power of the second power grid. The first switching unit preferentially selects as the master, a power adjustment resource close to a point of connection between the first power grid and the second power grid from among the plurality of power adjustment resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Hamada, Haruka Hirose, Yusuke Horii, Toru Nakamura, Takaaki Sano
  • Patent number: 11909194
    Abstract: A differential protection device monitors a first object to be protected in an electrical energy supply network. The differential protection device has a measuring unit configured to acquire measurement values at one end of the first object to be protected, a communication unit configured to exchange measurement values with a differential protection device arranged at another end of the first object to be protected, the communication unit has a physical interface for transmitting and receiving the measurement values, and an evaluation unit configured to form a differential value and to generate a fault signal indicating a fault with regard to the first object to be protected if the differential value exceeds a predefined threshold value. Ideally, the differential protection device is configured to monitor further objects to be protected and to exchange respective further measurement values with regard to each further object to be protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthias Gross, Torsten Kerger, Sven Krueger-Gramatte, Robert Matussek, Andreas Regenbrecht, Torsten Schumacher
  • Patent number: 11879957
    Abstract: According to aspects of the disclosure, a sensing system includes at least one sensor configured to provide an output signal indicative of a sensed property, an interface configured to be coupled to a computing device, and a processor coupled to the interface, the processor being configured to provide, to the computing device via the interface, a first Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) template indicative of a first variable of the sensed property, and provide, to the computing device via the interface, a second TEDS template indicative of a second variable of the sensed property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC.
    Inventors: Colin N. Gunn, Benedikt Theodor Huber
  • Patent number: 11876302
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a phase compensation method and apparatus for measuring an array antenna. The phase compensation method includes: an operation S1 of exporting measured far-field directivity patterns of a first array unit and a second array unit, to establish a coordinate system, so as to determine a spatial geometrical relationship between the first array unit and the second array unit; an operation S2 of determining a wave path difference between the first array unit and the second array unit based on the spatial geometrical relationship between the first array unit and the second array unit; and an operation S3 of performing phase compensation on the second array unit based on the wave path difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: KUANG-CHI INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: RuoPeng Liu, Zhiya Zhao, Hua Tian, Jie Yao
  • Patent number: 11868106
    Abstract: Examples relate to flexible datacenters or other power loads tolerant of intermittent operation and configured to use power received behind-the-meter. A system may include a plurality of computing systems that receive behind-the-meter (“BTM”) power from a BTM power source. The system may include a first controller configured to control a first set of computing systems and a second controller configured to control a second set of computing systems of the plurality of computing systems. The system may also include a third controller communicatively coupled to the first controller and the second controller. The third controller is configured to provide instructions to the first controller and the second controller based on BTM power availability at the plurality of computing systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: LANCIUM LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. McNamara, Raymond E. Cline, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11861634
    Abstract: A method includes generating a utility portal interface in response to a request from a utility computer system that receives parameters that specify a demand response event; providing a display of groups of energy-consuming locations that are available to be selected to participate in the demand response event; providing a display of an energy demand profile for the utility during the demand response event; receiving a selection of a subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations to participate in the demand response event; causing the display of the energy demand profile for the utility during the demand response event to be dynamically updated as the subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations are selected or deselected by the utility computer system to participate; and sending transmissions to thermostats associated with the subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations to execute the demand response event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Yoky Matsuoka, Anthony M. Fadell, Matthew L. Rogers, David Sloo, Scott A. McGaraghan, Samuel W. Kortz
  • Patent number: 11853141
    Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided for monitoring and managing system electrical power usage. The method includes sensing component electrical usage, comparing the component usage against a corresponding lookup table, and adjusting the component usage so system power usage remains below an established threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Michael P. Joram, Emily E. Rabin, Bridgett M. Burg, Kyle S. Dalton, Steven H. Lohrey, Dominique K. James, Tyler M. Boitnott
  • Patent number: 11854256
    Abstract: A hyperspectral stereoscopic CubeSat with computer vision and artificial intelligence capabilities consists of a device and a data processing methodology. The device comprises a number of VIS-NIR-TIR hyperspectral sensors, a central processor with memory, a supervisor system running independently of the imager system, radios, a solar panel and battery system, and an active attitude control system. The device is launched into low earth orbit to capture, process, and transmit stereoscopic hyperspectral imagery in the visible and infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The processing methodology therein comprises computer vision and convolutional neural network algorithms to perform spectral feature identification and data transformations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Acme Atronomatic, LLC
    Inventors: Sarvesh Garimella, Paul Heinrich Kocyla
  • Patent number: 11841388
    Abstract: In a method and system, voltage and/or current signals on an electrical/power system is monitored. A power event is identified from the monitored voltage and/or current signals. In response to event identification, waveforms of the monitored voltage and/or current signals are captured. Energy-related signals are calculated and extracted from pre-event measurements, event measurements and post-event measurements using the captured waveforms. Additional information associated with the event is identified and calculated by comparing (a) the calculated and used energy-related signals from pre-event measurements, with (b) the calculated and used energy-related signals from post-event measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Menzel, Jon Bickel
  • Patent number: 11796576
    Abstract: A watt meter for electrical panels including a housing assembly, a power quality assembly and an electric assembly. Housing assembly includes a housing, wherein said housing is a cabinet suitable for electric components. The housing includes an opening in a front side thereof. Power quality assembly includes a power quality analyzer housed inside the housing, wherein the display of the power quality analyzer is placed parallel to the opening allowing the user to see the actual kilowatt hours being consumed, instant power, current, voltage, frequency and power factor. Electric assembly includes a capacitor device with a predetermined capacitance and a transformer device wherein are operatively connected to the residential power supply and to the power quality analyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventor: Reynaldo Cabrera
  • Patent number: 11784680
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of controllers associated with the plurality of units of building equipment, each controller comprising a plurality of communication ports, a plurality of cables connected to the plurality of communication ports and linking together the plurality of controllers, wherein the plurality of controllers are configured to self-identify a break in a connection between two the plurality of controllers by monitoring statuses of the plurality of communication ports. The system also includes circuitry configured to receive a signal indicative of the order of the connections between the plurality of controllers from the plurality of controllers, generate a graphical map of the order of the connections between the plurality of controllers based on the signal, receive, from the plurality of controllers, an indication of a break in a connection between two of the plurality of controllers, and update the graphical map to indicate the connection as broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventor: Teoh Yong Chin
  • Patent number: 11774996
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for smart electric power grid communication are disclosed in the present invention. At least one grid element is constructed and configured in network-based communication with a server via at least one coordinator. The at least one grid element is transformed into at least one active grid element automatically and/or autonomously after initial connection with the server. The at least one active grid element sends and receives messages to and from the server via at least one coordinator. The at least one coordinator matches and prioritizes the at least one active grid element. The at least one coordinator provides a priority flag on the messages. The at least one coordinator tracks an actual amount of power introduced to and available for an electric power grid or a curtailment power available from the at least one active grid element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: CAUSAM ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Forbes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11734704
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a machine learning system for use with a power distribution system. The machine learning system includes a data library, a machine learning module, and an action module. The data library stores a plurality of data samples, where at least a portion of the data samples are associated with one or more intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). The machine learning module processes data samples from the data library using at least one machine learning algorithm and outputs at least one recommendation and/or prediction based on the data samples received. The action module receives the at least one recommendation and/or prediction and performs at least one action based on the recommendation and/or prediction. The at least one action includes outputting at least one communication signal and/or at least one control signal to at least one client or at least one of the one or more IEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: EI ELECTRONICS LLC
    Inventors: Luna A. Koval, Erran Kagan
  • Patent number: 11720134
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and system for predicting a potential future energy consumption of a plurality of energy loads in a built environment. The method includes a step of collecting a first set of statistical data associated with a plurality of energy consuming devices. The method includes another step of accumulating a second set of statistical data associated with each of a plurality of users present inside the built environment. The method includes yet another step of analyzing the first set of statistical data and the second set of statistical data. In addition, the method includes yet another step of predicting a set of predictions associated with the potential future energy consumption of each of the plurality of energy consuming devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Conectric, LLC
    Inventors: Phillip Kopp, Wolfgang Lukaschek
  • Patent number: 11715957
    Abstract: When a baseline is in a certain state, a server executes a process including: a step of calculating an amount of power exchanged between a battery and a power grid during the first charging control; a step of calculating an amount of power exchanged between the battery and the power grid during the second charging control; a step of calculating an amount of power exchanged between the battery and the power grid during the first power feeding control; a step of calculating an amount of power exchanged between the battery and the power grid during the second power feeding control; and a step of setting a calibration line for the amount of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki Kinomura, Hironobu Kitaoka, Toru Nakamura, Hidetoshi Kusumi, Yoshiyuki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 11680967
    Abstract: A system for determining a phase of a power supply coupled to a metering device. The system includes a collection device in electronic communication with a metering device connected to a power distribution network and having a memory and one or more electronic processors. The electronic processors are configured to receive a first beacon signal and measure a phasor in response to receiving the first beacon signal. The phasor is stored in the memory along with an identification value associated with the device that transmitted the first beacon signal and a first time. The electronic processors receive a second beacon signal, and extract data from the request message. The electronic processors determine whether the extracted time matches the first time and based on determining that the extracted time matches the first time stored in the memory, calculate a phase by comparing the reference phasor data to the stored phasor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Aclara Technologies LLC
    Inventors: David Rieken, Roger Smith
  • Patent number: 11670944
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, embodiments detecting and correcting load imbalance on power supply phases within a managed scope using a software controlled power switch matrix that is resident in each power distribution unit supplying power in the managed scope. Managed scope could include a plurality of power distribution units supplying a plurality of circuit or equipment loads in a plurality of premises. On each PDU, the software controlled switch matrix maintains and changes physical coupling of power supply phases to circuit and equipment loads. Further embodiments include correcting power supply phase load imbalances through software commands to adjust the coupling of power supply phases to circuit or equipment loads. Embodiments are intended to help power administrators maintain power supply phase load balance effectively in a managed scope. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Satya Vardharajan
  • Patent number: 11561564
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for smart electric power grid communication are disclosed in the present invention. At least one grid element is constructed and configured in network-based communication with a server via at least one coordinator. The at least one grid element is transformed into at least one active grid element automatically and/or autonomously after initial connection with the server. The at least one active grid element sends and receives messages to and from the server via at least one coordinator. The at least one coordinator matches and prioritizes the at least one active grid element. The at least one coordinator provides a priority flag on the messages. The at least one coordinator tracks an actual amount of power introduced to and available for an electric power grid or a curtailment power available from the at least one active grid element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: CAUSAM ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Forbes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11482855
    Abstract: An electrical protection system arranged to detect and isolate faults either in a electrical power distribution. The system comprises at least a first busbar and a second busbar in electrical communication with each other through s powerline having a first end electrically coupled to the first busbar by a first circuit breaker and a second end connected to the second busbar by a second circuit breaker. It is connected to the at least two busbars, and configured to simultaneously collect/determine a first electrical quantity at each of the at least two busbars and compare the collected/determined electrical quantity to a second. When the first electrical quantity value less than the second quantity value, the system causes the first and second circuit breakers to open so as to decouple the electrical connection between first and second busbars. The system 100 detects and isolates fault efficiently while using voltage measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
    Inventors: Patrick Tendayi Manditereza, Ramesh Chand Bansal
  • Patent number: 11482093
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for automatically determining compliant operation of a power supply panel integrated in a fire alarm system, the method including the steps of receiving a first input in a first selectable field relating to a manufacturer type of the fire alarm system; receiving a second input in a second selectable field relating to a circuit class associated with circuits of the fire alarm system; receiving a third input in a third selectable field relating to an end-of-line resistor size; receiving one or more additional inputs relating to at least one of the power supply panel or the fire alarm system; and performing one or more calculations based on the first, second, and third inputs and the one or more additional inputs to generate outputs for determining compliant operation of the power supply panel integrated in the fire alarm system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: GREAT SOUTHWESTERN FIRE & SAFETY, INC.
    Inventor: Eugene R. Reichert, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11461857
    Abstract: A management device is connected to an AC power line provided with a plurality of connection ports, each of which can be connected to an electric device including a power storage unit. The management device includes a measurement unit configured to measure an electric signal on the AC power line, a determination unit configured to determine a type of the electric device connected to the AC power line via a connection port in the plurality of connection ports based on a measurement result of the measurement unit, and a first prediction unit configured to predict an amount of power supply on the AC power line due to discharge of the power storage unit based on a determination result of the determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Oshima, Nobuyuki Sasaki, Mitsuhiro Ito, Mio Oshima, Yoshihiro Matsunaga, Sho Takada
  • Patent number: 11460490
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a photovoltaic (PV) system includes receiving PV system information for a predetermined timeframe; displaying a power flow based on the received PV system information corresponding to the predetermined timeframe; displaying energy storage system information based on the received PV system information corresponding to the predetermined timeframe; and displaying an energy mix analysis based on the received PV system information corresponding to the predetermined timeframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yiping Lu, Daniel Daniil, Luca Del Bianco, Juan Heber, Patrick Franz, Miltiadis Vratimos, Christos Voutsaras, Jonathan Tucker Thompson, Richard E. Mellor
  • Patent number: 11463447
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an application platform with flexible permissioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventors: Asim Razzaq, Musaab At-Taras, Damon Hougland, Yuliya Gorbunova, Saleem Shafi
  • Patent number: 11458913
    Abstract: A wiring module includes: a common power supply line whose one end is electrically connected to a power source; and a power supply branch part provided halfway through the common power supply line, wherein the power supply branch part includes at least one group of a power supply branch line branched halfway through the common power supply line and an overcurrent blocking part provided in the power supply branch line to enter a non-continuity state when current exceeding allowable current flows in the power supply branch line. A wiring module is a wiring module disposed along a fixing target member, and includes: a power supply flat wiring body disposed along a surface of a fixing target member; and a ground flat wiring body disposed along a surface of the power supply flat wiring body on an opposite side from the fixing target member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Haruka Nakano, Shigeki Ikeda, Daisuke Fukai, Tetsuya Nishimura, Motohiro Yokoi, Housei Mizuno, Yuichi Nakamura, Kenta Itou, Masaki Mizushita, Susumu Hiei, Kohei Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11456619
    Abstract: Included are an energy management apparatus that manages at least one or more management target that consumes energy; and a user terminal that transmits and receives information to and from the energy management apparatus via a network. The energy management apparatus includes an energy management controller that prepares a question regarding a behavior of a user who uses the at least one or more management target, and transmits it to the user terminal. The user terminal includes a user terminal controller that transmits a question answer regarding the received question to the energy management controller when receiving the question transmitted from the energy management controller. The energy management controller predicts an energy consumption amount of the at least one or more management target based on the received question answer when receiving the question answer transmitted from the user terminal controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kawamura, Masatoshi Kumagai, Hirotaka Takahashi, Ryousuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11456855
    Abstract: A method for obfuscating data at-transit can include receiving a request for communicating data, determining a sequence of data at-transit for a window of time; and providing the sequence of the data at transit for performing communications across interconnect to another component. The described method can be carried out by an obfuscation engine implemented in an electronic system such as within a secure element. A secure element can include a processor and a memory. The obfuscation engine can be part of the processor, part of the memory, or a stand-alone component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: ARM LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Weiner, Oded Golombek, Harel Adani
  • Patent number: 11451055
    Abstract: An electricity meter includes a power line interface circuit configured to generate measurements of parameters for at least two electricity transmission paths. The meter also includes a balance determination circuit configured to generate at least one balance metric that indicates a balance between the electricity transmission paths from the generated measurements. The meter further includes a communications circuit configured to transmit balance information to an external recipient responsive to the at least one balance metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Sensus Spectrum, LLC
    Inventor: Andrew Dudding
  • Patent number: 11438452
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to propagating context information from a first electronic device to a second electronic device. In one example, in response to detecting the second electronic device satisfies a distance criterion with respect to the first electronic device, the first electronic device determines whether propagation of the context to the second electronic device is permitted. If propagation of the context to the second electronic device is permitted and while the second electronic device satisfies the distance criterion with respect to the first electronic device, the context is transmitted to the second electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Golnaz Abdollahian, Nathaniel B. Chapman, Aaron R. Zinman
  • Patent number: 11418032
    Abstract: An energy monitoring system is provided including a device such as an inductive clamp associated with an electric circuit and configured to measure current load of the electric circuit and an energy monitoring device. The energy monitoring device comprises a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer programming code configured to, with the processor, cause the monitoring device to receive circuit data including the measured current from the inductive clamp, determine a Power Set for one or more intermittent loads associated with the electric circuit based at least in part on the circuit data, determine a solution for the circuit data based on determined Solution Sets of the Power Set, and determine an energy usage for an appliance based on the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Willdan Energy Co.
    Inventors: Arjun Saroya, Stuart James Woolley, Liam Relihan
  • Patent number: 11394238
    Abstract: The present invention includes a hunting determination unit configured to determine whether hunting has occurred or not for each of control devices in a power transmission and distribution system based on a control history of the control devices, a time constant calculation unit configured to calculate an adjustment time constant in which a time constant of the control device having state information indicating a state of the control device, with a high significance level, is increased, when the hunting determination unit determines that the hunting has occurred in one or more of the control devices, and a time constant transmission unit configured to transmit the adjustment time constant to the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Ueda, Tomihiro Takano
  • Patent number: 11390181
    Abstract: In an aspect a system for charging from an electric vehicle charger to an electric grid, the system comprising an electric grid, wherein the electric grid is configured to trickle charge the electric vehicle recharging component, an electric vehicle recharging component connected to at least the electric grid, the electric vehicle recharging component comprising, at least a battery storage system, a power delivery station configured to deliver power to an energy source of an electric vehicle, and a computer device, the computer device configured to detect a failure of the electric grid, and power the electric grid in an event of the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle B. Clark, Vincent Moeykens, Alexander Hoekje List, Herman Wiegman
  • Patent number: 11387672
    Abstract: Smart electricity monitors with unique identities placed at individual power outlets within a building communicate frequent power measurements to a service which determines, from this power usage data, which outlets are associated with occupied seats within the building. This occupancy information can be used to update an occupancy model for the building that is used to forecast the building's occupancy. Based on present occupancy, projected occupancy, and other data, in some instances, the building's thermostats can be controlled and unoccupied seats can be assigned dynamically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SAW CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC
    Inventor: Nana Wilberforce
  • Patent number: 11330692
    Abstract: A multiple light controlling system where a primary control pod receives a lighting schedule wirelessly and re-communicates the lighting schedule to a plurality of slaved secondary control pods via power line communication. Each of the control pods may in turn control several lights in a growing zone. Each zone may have its own lighting schedule to promote optimal plant development. Each of the control pods may also gather environmental or operational information and return that information to the primary control pod and ultimately to a remote computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Alejandro Sanchez
  • Patent number: 11301022
    Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more low-power context sensors, one or more high-power context sensors, and one or more processors operable with the one or more low-power context sensors and the one or more high-power context sensors. The one or more processors, working with context engines associated with the sensors, minimize usage of the high-power context sensors when determining a context of the electronic device, where that determined context has a confidence score above a predefined confidence level threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Rachid Alameh, Zhengping Ji, Jarrett Simerson
  • Patent number: 11281279
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processing circuit, a power processing module, and a power management circuit. The power management circuit is configured to estimate, over time, energy consumption of the processing circuit, and to sample the estimated energy consumption using a plurality of different sampling frequencies. Each of the different sampling frequencies is used to generate a respective set of power values. The power management circuit is further configured to track a particular characteristic for each set of power values, and then to provide, for each set of power values, a particular power value that corresponds to the particular characteristic to the power processing module. Based on at least one of the particular power values, the power processing module is configured to adjust an operating parameter of the processing circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Inder M. Sodhi, Daniel U. Becker, Achmed R. Zahir
  • Patent number: 11262386
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for non-intrusive monitoring by sensing physical parameters such as electric and/or magnetic fields. Such apparatus and techniques may find application in a variety of fields, such as monitoring consumption of electricity, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: John Sebastian Donnal, James Paris, Steven B. Leeb, David Lawrence
  • Patent number: 11258298
    Abstract: Reliability of devices such as lighting fixtures, is improved by replacing an inductor based voltage inverter to power the device with a switching constant current PWM controller. Avoiding use of an inductor and matching capacitor is made possible by a high voltage power input that exceeds the voltage requirements of the device. The power is pulse width modulated with a current feedback to control duty cycle, and thus average device current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Inventor: Marvin Motsenbocker
  • Patent number: 11250523
    Abstract: An expandable combination electric meter comprises a first electric meter and a second electric meter. The first electric meter includes a processing unit, a first electricity measuring unit, a power supply unit and an expansion connecting unit. The processing unit is coupled with the first electricity measuring unit, the power supply unit and the expansion connecting unit. The power supply unit outputs a working power to the processing unit, the first electricity measuring unit, and the expansion connecting unit. The second electric meter is connected with the first electric meter through the expansion connecting unit. The working power is transmitted to the second electric meter through the expansion connecting unit for enabling the second electric meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: CHICONY POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wen-Ning Tseng
  • Patent number: 11240310
    Abstract: A smart sensor group management service may be used to establish groups of smart sensors that are associated with one or more common characteristics, such as a common application associated with the smart sensors. The group management service may establish multiple physical groups per application so that multiple entities may have access to managing the groups. The physical groups may be associated with a virtual group that facilitates management of the physical groups and may be accessible by the entities. The entities may perform different types of management operations using the group management service, such as creating groups, adding smart sensors to groups, removing smart sensors from groups, and adjusting settings of features of the applications that are associated with the groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Estes
  • Patent number: 11221639
    Abstract: A method of predicting energy usage having the steps of providing a computer, providing a temperature database, providing a building asset rating database, receiving inputs from a user having a floor area measure of a building, an energy usage measurement, an energy usage start date, an energy usage end date, and a geographic location identifier, determining an estimated energy rating as a function of the inputs, the temperature database, and the building asset rating database, and providing the estimated energy rating to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: AREVS, LLC
    Inventor: Dean H. Durst
  • Patent number: 11217039
    Abstract: An illustrative example method of monitoring value added activity includes positioning a detector near a selected portion of a machine using a clip for situating the detector in a position where the detector can detect at least one electrical characteristic associated with operation of a machine; communicating an indication of the detected electrical characteristic between the detector and a user interface; and displaying a visual representation of value added activity information based the indication. The value added activity corresponds to human operator performance that is distinct from machine performance during a manufacturing or assembly process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FREEPOINT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Paul Hogendoorn, Sophear Net, William Favaro, Michael J. Foster, Daniel Kaptur, Gregory Jacobs
  • Patent number: 11204376
    Abstract: A DSP-based electrical energy metering device is provided. After determining a current application mode, a DSP controller compares an execution rate of each computing task with a corresponding preset comparison value, and outputs a first condition value to a condition general register based on a comparison result, so as to control an execution rate of each computing task in the DSP controller. A jump condition controller outputs a second condition value corresponding to the current application mode to the condition general register based on a change in the execution rate of each computing task compared with an execution rate of the computing task in a previous application mode, so that all computing tasks are executed. An adaptive word length controller adjusts an effective bit width of the electrical signal read by a data general register from a data memory at execution rates of different computing tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: HANGZHOU VANGO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Boqiang Wu, Nick Nianxiong Tan
  • Patent number: 11193792
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an electric meter assembly including a meter support platform or base able to reversibly electrically couple to a transformer providing inputs including an AC power supply, phase voltage, and/or a phase current. Output of the meter support platform or base can be DC power, AC phase voltage signals and/or AC phase current. Further, a removable or portable meter can couple to the meter support platform or base and to an electric meter system including a meter core coupled to a wireless transmitter, an antenna, an integrated power sensor, and data meter front end. The system includes a data manager configured for electric service analysis including energy usage, and/or interval temperature, phase voltage, current and phase angle in real time, electric energy kWh and kVARh values in a user-specified period, wrong meter base installation detection, physical location of the removable or portable meter, and tamper detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ed Padrones, Earle Davis, Young D Nguyen, Shelley Williams, Alex Yan, Quoc Hoang, Lomi Negash, Albert Pham, Jimmy Chong, Tri Q. Nguyen, Kulwinder Sharma, Alan Jones
  • Patent number: 11181407
    Abstract: Techniques for the design and operation of an efficient battery-powered meter are described herein. A metrology unit of the meter may be at least partially located in the gas flow of a pipe, and measures gas flow rate data according to a static flow sensor. The metrology unit calculates raw gas-volume data using at least the flow rate data as input. The metrology unit measures gas temperature to produce gas temperature data, and adjusts the raw gas-volume data, based at least in part on the gas temperature data, to produce corrected gas-volume data. The metrology unit accumulates the corrected gas-volume data over multiple minutes, hours or even days, and then sends the accumulated corrected gas-volume data to an index unit of the meter. By accumulating the data over time, fewer data transmissions are required. The index unit may send the accumulated the accumulated corrected gas-volume data to a utility server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Itron, Inc.
    Inventor: George Iliev
  • Patent number: 11159332
    Abstract: A constrained device includes an exterior surface affixed with a public key associated with the constrained device. Alternatively, or in addition, the public key may be included in a container that stores the constrained device. The constrained device also includes memory, which stores a private key, wherein the private key corresponds to the public key that is affixed on the exterior surface of the constrained device. By displaying the public key on the constrained device, a system administrator may document the public key and related information about the device and its intended role in the network without requiring any human interface or any establishment of power or network at the installation site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Entrust, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Edward Moses
  • Patent number: 11151666
    Abstract: A distribution grid management apparatus that is a power generation amount estimation apparatus includes a communication unit to acquire a solar radiation amount that is a measurement value measured by a solar radiation meter at an interval shorter than a data collection interval that is an interval at which a measurement value from a smart meter that measures the amount of electric power is collected; and a power generation amount calculation unit to estimate, on the basis of the solar radiation amount, the power generation amount of each of a plurality of photovoltaic facilities connected to a distribution line of a high-voltage grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Itaya
  • Patent number: 11137421
    Abstract: An energy metering system includes a plurality of current sensors suitable to sense current levels in a respective power conductor and each of said plurality of current sensors providing a respective first signal indicating respective the current levels. The energy metering system includes a plurality of non-contact voltage sensors suitable to sense voltage levels in a respective power conductor and each of the plurality of non-contact voltage sensors providing a respective second signal indicating respective the voltage levels. The energy metering system includes a monitoring device that receives each of the respective first signals and receives each of the respective second signals, and the monitoring device provides an indication of whether a circuit breaker has tripped based upon a respective first signal corresponding with one of the power conductors and whether the second signal indicates an insubstantial voltage level for the corresponding one of the power conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Parker, Melissa Amoree, Girish Thorat, Linda Schwartz
  • Patent number: 11118938
    Abstract: A method for collecting data, preferably in connection with a consumption, a physical or physico-chemical parameter and/or an operating state in a supply network for consumables. A measuring element of a local sensor provides elementary measuring units, which correspond to at least one physical or physico-chemical variable or parameter, as raw measurement data. In order to determine the measurement resolution of the sensor, the conditions for generating time stamps are determined in advance using a correlation model, time stamps of successive raw measurement data are generated in the sensor on the basis of the correlation model, the time stamps are transmitted and the raw measurement data acquired by the measuring element are reconstructed and evaluated on the basis of the time stamps using the correlation model. The temporal offset between a sensor and a receiver is corrected by transmitting telegrams to compensate for the temporal offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignees: Diehl Metering Systems GmbH, Diehl Metering S.A.S.
    Inventors: Achim Schmidt, Thomas Kauppert, Petra Joppich-Dohlus, Stefan Schmitz, Christoph Sosna, Klaus Gottschalk, Guy Bach, Aster Breton
  • Patent number: 11099604
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods of a wearable computing device communicating with a controller device and a host computing device are disclosed. The wearable computing device includes a memory; a processor configured to execute at least one application program; a data routing service executed by the processor that receives the one or more data messages from the at least one application program, encapsulates the one or more data messages, and routes the one or more data messages; and a personal area network service executed by the processor that data communicatively couples the data routing service with the controller device and the host computing device via at least one personal area network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Mark Oliver Slevinsky, Roland Edwin Vane