Battelle Memorial Institute

Richard M Pratt

Michael A Hughes

Donald J Hammerstrom

Francis K Tuffner

Michael C W Kintner-Meyer

Steven B Thompson

Michael Cw Kintner-Meyer

Jeffrey Wayne Scott

Michael A Lind

Wayne M Lechelt

Warren W Harper

Larry Runyon

Wayne M Gunter

Kevin L Priddy

Gary B Morgan

Jeff W Scott

Pamela M Aker

Emre Ertin

Michael C Kintner-Meyer

Transformer power management controllers and transformer power management methods are described. According to one aspect, a transformer power management controller includes processing circuitry configured to monitor an electrical characteristic of electrical energy which is received from a secondary of a transformer of an electric power system, use the monitored electrical characteristic to determine transformer loading information which is indicative of an amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer to a plurality of loads which are coupled with the secondary of the transformer, and use the transformer loading information to adjust an amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to at least one of the loads which is coupled with the secondary of the transformer.

Transformer power management controllers and transformer power management methods

Disclosed herein are representative embodiments of methods, apparatus, and systems for charging and discharging an energy storage device connected to an electrical power distribution system. In one exemplary embodiment, a controller monitors electrical characteristics of an electrical power distribution system and provides an output to a bi-directional charger causing the charger to charge or discharge an energy storage device (e.g., a battery in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)). The controller can help stabilize the electrical power distribution system by increasing the charging rate when there is excess power in the electrical power distribution system (e.g., when the frequency of an AC power grid exceeds an average value), or by discharging power from the energy storage device to stabilize the grid when there is a shortage of power in the electrical power distribution system (e.g., when the frequency of an AC power grid is below an average value).

Grid regulation services for energy storage devices based on grid frequency

In one aspect, a wireless communication device includes an antenna configured to receive electromagnetic energy corresponding to a wireless communication signal outputted using an interrogator and to output electrical energy corresponding to the received electromagnetic energy, communication circuitry coupled with the antenna and configured to sample the electrical energy to process the wireless communication signal, synchronization circuitry coupled with the antenna and the communication circuitry and configured to generate a clock signal to control sampling of the electrical energy using the communication circuitry, wherein the synchronization circuitry is configured to generate a plurality of transitions within the clock signal responsive to a plurality of transitions of the electrical energy during a first data period and wherein the synchronization circuitry is configured to generate a plurality of transitions within the clock signal during a second data period including generating at least one of the transitions independent of transitions of the electrical energy.

Methods of processing a wireless communication signal, wireless communication synchronization methods, and a radio frequency identification device communication method

Battery charging control methods, electric vehicle charging methods, battery charging apparatuses and rechargeable battery systems. According to one aspect, a battery charging control method includes accessing information regarding a presence of at least one of a surplus and a deficiency of electrical energy upon an electrical power distribution system at a plurality of different moments in time, and using the information, controlling an adjustment of an amount of the electrical energy provided from the electrical power distribution system to a rechargeable battery to charge the rechargeable battery.

Battery charging control methods, electric vehicle charging methods, battery charging apparatuses and rechargeable battery systems

Free space optical communication methods and systems, according to various aspects are described. The methods and systems are characterized by transmission of data through free space with a digitized optical signal acquired using wavelength modulation, and by discrimination between bit states in the digitized optical signal using a spectroscopic absorption feature of a chemical substance.

Systems and methods for free space optical communication

A modulated backscatter radio frequency identification device includes a diode detector configured to selectively modulate a reply signal onto an incoming continuous wave; communications circuitry configured to provide a modulation control signal to the diode detector, the diode detector being configured to modulate the reply signal in response to be modulation control signal; and circuitry configured to increase impedance change at the diode detector which would otherwise not occur because the diode detector rectifies the incoming continuous wave while modulating the reply signal, whereby reducing the rectified signal increases modulation depth by removing the reverse bias effects on impedance changes. Methods of improving depth of modulation in a modulated backscatter radio frequency identification device are also provided.

RFID tag modification for full depth backscatter modulation

A wireless communication device includes an antenna configured to receive electromagnetic energy corresponding to a wireless communication signal outputted using an interrogator and to output electrical energy corresponding to the received electromagnetic energy, communication circuitry coupled with the antenna and configured to sample the electrical energy to process the wireless communication signal, synchronization circuitry coupled with the antenna and the communication circuitry and configured to generate a clock signal to control sampling of the electrical energy using the communication circuitry, wherein the synchronization circuitry is configured to generate a plurality of transitions within the clock signal responsive to a plurality of transitions of the electrical energy during a first data period and wherein the synchronization circuitry is configured to generate a plurality of transitions within the clock signal during a second data period including generating at least one of the transitions independent of transitions of the electrical energy.

Wireless communications devices, methods of processing a wireless communication signal, wireless communication synchronization methods and a radio frequency identification device communication method

A radio frequency beacon device for use with a backscatter interrogator includes a processor; a receiver coupled to the processor; a backscatter modulator coupled to the processor; and an active transmitter coupled to the processor, the active transmitter being configured to transmit an RF signal, in response to a trigger signal, regardless of whether the interrogator is providing a carrier wave for backscatter modulation by the backscatter modulator. Other methods and apparatus are provided.

Semi-passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag with active beacon

Remote communications devices, wireless communications systems, and wireless communications methods are described. In one aspect, a remote communications device includes communication circuitry configured to communicate wireless communication signals externally of the remote communications device, sensor circuitry configured to sense at least one condition with respect to the remote communications device, and wherein the communication circuitry is coupled with the sensor circuitry and is configured to determine a plurality of different moments in time responsive to criteria originating within the remote communications device and to communicate data indicative of the at least one sensed condition externally of the remote communications device to a reader using the wireless communication signals at the different moments in time.

Remote communications devices, wireless communications systems, and wireless communications methods

Tags, wireless communication systems, tag communication methods, and wireless communications methods are described. In one aspect, a tag includes a plurality of antennas configured to receive a plurality of first wireless communication signals comprising data from a reader, a plurality of rectifying circuits coupled with. respective individual ones of the antennas and configured to provide rectified signals corresponding to the first wireless communication signals, wherein the rectified signals are combined to produce a composite signal, an adaptive reference circuit configured to vary a reference signal responsive to the composite signal, a comparator coupled with the adaptive reference circuit and the rectifying circuits and configured to compare the composite signal with respect to the reference signal and to output the data responsive to the comparison, and processing circuitry configured to receive the data from the comparator and to process the data.

Tags, wireless communication systems, tag communication methods, and wireless communications methods

Radio frequency identification devices, backscatter communication device wake-up methods, communication device wake-up methods and a radio frequency identification device wake-up method are described. In one aspect, a wireless communication device includes a processor configured to process a plurality of received wireless signals and to control the communication of a plurality of outputted wireless signals, wherein the processor is configured to control the communication of the outputted wireless signals using backscatter modulation, circuitry coupled with the processor and configured to control operations of the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to output a reference signal responsive to detection of radio frequency energy, the circuitry is configured to analyze the reference signal and the radio frequency energy, and the processor is configured to enter a predefined mode of operation utilizing an increased amount of electrical energy responsive to the analysis of the reference signal and the radio frequency energy by the circuitry.

Radio frequency identification devices, backscatter communication device wake-up methods, communication device wake-up methods and a radio frequency identification device wake-up method

Wireless communications systems, radio frequency identification devices, wireless communications methods, and radio frequency identification device communications methods are described. In one aspect, a wireless communications system includes a reader configured to output a plurality of wireless signals including different modulation frequencies and to receive a plurality of second wireless signals, a plurality of communication devices configured to receive the first wireless signals and to output the second wireless signals using backscatter modulation and wherein the communication devices are individually configured to respond to one of the first wireless signals having a first modulation frequency at a first moment in time and to respond to one of the first wireless signals having a second modulation frequency different than the first modulation frequency at a second moment in time.

Wireless communications systems, radio frequency identification devices, wireless communications methods, and radio frequency identification device communications methods

Growing community of inventors

Richland, WA, United States of America

Richard M Pratt