Square D Company

Schneider Electric Usa, Inc.

Mark Kocher

Roy Stephen Colby

Gerald Benjamin Carson

Alexander Filippenko

Timothy B Phillips

Scott Robert Brown

Julius Michael Liptak

Gary W Scott

Barry Noel Rodgers

Rodney B Washington

Michael Baron Carter

George E Burke, Jr

Dennis J Dube

John Kenneth Mackenzie, Iv

Gary Myron Kuzkin

Andy Allen Haun

Robert Joseph Dwulet

Robert J Dwulet

An example embodiment of the invention is a method and device for detecting foreign objects (FO) near the primary coil of an induction charger used in charging electric vehicle batteries. Individual sensors of a sensor array are configured to output a sensing signal in response to magnetically coupling the high frequency alternating magnetic field produced by the primary coil. A disable signal line is configured to disable the power source when a controller determines from scanned sensor signals, that a FO is present. An alarm can be activated by the microprocessor to alert the user to the presence of a FO on or near the primary coil. In this manner, damage can be avoided that could otherwise be caused from the presence of a FO near the primary coil. Moreover, a more efficient charging operation can be achieved by avoiding dissipating energy by heating a FO.

Method and device for foreign object detection in induction electric charger

The invention detects foreign objects FO near a primary coilof an induction charger. A sensorsof a sensor arrayoutput sensing signals in response to magnetically coupling the alternating magnetic fieldproduced by the primary coil. A controllerconnected to each sensorscans the sensing signals and determines whether there is a foreign object perturbing the magnetic fieldnear a sensor. The magnetic field has a spatial distribution that varies by location across the primary coil area. Each sensor has a magnetic field sensing sensitivity that is inversely proportional to the magnetic intensity of the magnetic field produced by the primary coil at a location of the sensor, to reduce the collective dynamic range of the signals, thereby contributing to maintaining a high accuracy in signal sampling. A reference sensor coilcompensates for magnetic field drift of the primary coil.

Sensor and method for foreign object detection in induction electric charger

A system and method of measuring atmospheric parameters in an enclosed space using instrumented objects having measurement sensors. The instrumented objects travel through the space randomly or along defined flight paths. As the instrumented objects travel through the space, the measurement sensors measure atmospheric parameters and store the measurements to a memory. The devices periodically upload the measured atmospheric parameters to a controller circuit. By using self-propelled objects to carry measurement sensors, the system and method disclosed herein allow for periodically sampling atmospheric parameters in the interior of an enclosed space at a number of locations greater than the number of measurement devices employed. With data points taken from various locations within a volume of an enclosed space, the system and method can realize a more efficient utilization of energy by adjusting mechanical controls of an HVAC system or a ventilation system, for example.

System and method for measuring atmospheric parameters in enclosed spaces

A vehicle charging and selection system for kiosk operated electrical vehicles. The system includes a utility connected AC charging source, a battery-to-battery DC charging source, a number of vehicle charging stations, a local power bus connectable to both charging sources and each of the charging stations and a system controller connected to each of the charging stations. The system controller evaluates the vehicle battery condition of each electric vehicle connected to one of the charging stations and determines the most efficient method for charging the largest number of vehicle batteries based on current condition of the individual batteries, weather conditions, time of day, status of the utility electrical grid, etc. The system controller also selects one of the connected electric vehicles for customer use by using the battery charging information and additional information about the desired trip provided by the customer and other external data sources monitored by the system controller.

Kiosk vehicle charging and selecting systems

A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit provides ac devices, such as power inverters and power measurement devices, with a reliable means for synchronizing to ac electrical systems. In an exemplary embodiment, the PLL circuit is configured for operation with single-phase electrical systems and offers substantial noise immunity by basing its locking operations on measured fundamental components, i.e., measured x-y phasors, of the electrical system voltage. Further, with its phasor-based locking operations and with its timer/counter-based operation, the PLL circuit can be implemented partly or wholly in digital processing logic.

Method and apparatus for signal phase locking

An intelligent power management system that includes a circuit breaker containing a PLC module that spans open contacts of the circuit breaker to provide a communication path for PLC messages between communication paths on each of the line and load sides of the circuit when the contacts are open. The contacts are motorized to permit remote operation through PLC messaging. Coupled to the PLC module is a controller, which controls the opening and closing of the motorized contacts under user control or via an adaptive load management algorithm that reduces peak power consumption and adapts a set of loads to changed power supply conditions. The controller can also dynamically alter operational current and fault threshold levels on a real-time basis based upon circuit requirements or environmental conditions. The algorithm runs a state machine and also manages loads in a limited power source environment such as when loads are powered by a generator.

Method of facilitating communications across open circuit breaker contacts

A control circuit synchronizes an ac power inverter to the mains voltage of an electrical grid by matching the fundamental phasor components of the inverter's output voltage to the fundamental phasor components of the mains voltage. Once such matching meets an acceptable voltage error threshold, the control circuit initiates contactor closure, verifies contactor closure, and then initiates a changeover from voltage-mode control used in synchronization operations to a current-mode control of the inverter's output. The control circuit provides corresponding disconnection control when disconnection from the grid is desired, wherein the regulated power of the inverter is ramped down in controlled fashion until it reaches a lower threshold whereupon contactor opening is initiated. Once contactor opening is verified, regulation control reverts to stand-alone voltage mode control or to shut down, as needed or desired.

Method and apparatus for power inverter synchronization

A power inverter comprises a push-pull inverter circuit that includes a transformer having a primary winding coupled to a DC bus and a secondary winding coupled to an AC bus, main power switches coupling each end of the primary winding to a DC return, and one or more supplemental power switches coupling at least one end of the primary winding to a snubber bus. The supplemental switch at a given end of the primary winding forms a buck-mode converter in combination with the primary winding and the associated free-wheeling diode at that end of the primary winding, and can be controlled by a switching controller to effect energy transfer between the snubber bus and DC bus. The switching controller can be configured to control power flow between the DC, AC, and snubber buses by controlling the common-mode and differential-mode voltages of the primary winding via main/supplemental power switch control.

Push-pull inverter with snubber energy recovery

A multivariable control system provides regulation for a plurality of control variables of interest based on selecting a particular one of the variables for regulation relative to a corresponding setpoint, while continuing to monitor the other variables and switching regulation control over to another one of the variables as needed to maintain all of them within their allowed ranges. The system includes one or more PID regulators that tune themselves for the particular variables selected for regulation control. In an exemplary embodiment, the control system is configured for controlling an alternative energy system, wherein it includes one or more power flow devices that control power flow between electrical energy storage devices (EESDs) and a common dc bus and/or power flow between the dc bus and an external ac electrical system.

Alternative energy system control method and apparatus

An economical digital voltage sag compensator for overcoming sags in distributed electrical power. The voltage sag compensator employs an inexpensive micro-controller, a full wave bridge rectifier, a DC power supply, a voltage divider and an output switch. The micro-controller continuously monitors and evaluates, with respect to a setpoint measured in volt-seconds, the rectified DC voltage. At regularly spaced trigger events, as determined by the micro-controller, the micro-controller concurrently monitors the rectified DC voltage, evaluates the monitored voltage with respect to the setpoint, produces an output signal and sends that output signal to the output switch. The output switch supplies an electrical device, connected electrically in series with the full wave bridge rectifier and the output switch, with a constant average current of sufficient level to maintain the electrical device in a desired operating condition. The constant average current is obtained by applying constant volt-seconds to the electrical device. The circuit also provides overvoltage protection to the electrical device.

Real-time digital voltage sag compensator

A power inverter includes a regulator circuit that controls real and reactive power output by the inverter. The regulator measures real and reactive output power by calculating x-phasor components of the inverter's voltage and current output waveforms. Phasor calculation can be adapted for one or more pairs of single-phase voltages and currents. Determining the fundamental in-phase and quadrature components of output voltage and current reduces computational complexity by permitting the regulator to perform its power control processing largely in a dc signal domain, and enables separate real and reactive power control. The power inverter can include islanding detection logic, which exploits the ability to separately control reactive power. Exemplary islanding detection logic is based on determining whether changing the amount of reactive power output by the inverter induces an output frequency shift.

Power regulator for power inverter

A data error detection method for a bit, byte or word oriented network wherein a protected data unit 46 and an associated data check unit 50 are addressed to a particular field device located on the network, 10 or 26. The data check unit 50 is derived in a particular manner either solely from the protected data unit 46 or from the protected data unit 46 and particular binary codes representing attributes of the network 10 or 26 and the field device sending the protected data unit 46. The particular configuration of the checking data unit 50 is such that the receiving field device or the host 22 can perform a bit-by-bit comparison of either the received protected data unit 46 or data check unit 50 with a protected data unit 46 or data check unit 50 derived in the particular manner by the receiving host 22 or field device 14 or 18.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Mark Kocher