Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Talking Lights, LLC

Other

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

The Whitaker Corporation

Medlogic Global Corporation

Gel Sciences, Inc.

Steven B Leeb

Elmer C Lupton

George B Hovorka

Al-Thaddeus Avestruz

Deron Jackson

Arthur Hsu Chen Chang

David J Perreault

John Jacob Cooley

Khurram K Afridi

Minjie Chen

Roderick T Hinman

Gary Livshin

Xiaohong Yu

James Paris

Billie L Bentzen

Zachary A Clifford

Leslie K Norford

John Rodriguez

John Sebastian Donnal

Nels R Peterson

Arijit Banerjee

James L Kirtley, Jr

E C Lupton

Shahriar Khushrushahi

Ahmed Mitwalli

Elmer C Lupton, Jr

Umair A Khan

Steven R Shaw

Mes Peterson

Adedayo O Aderibole

Erik K Saathoff

Kevin Kircher

John K Nowocin

Peter Lindahl

Spencer Shabshab

David Lawrence

Jinyeong Moon

Christopher Schantz

Aaron M Schultz

George C Varghese

Described are systems and techniques for extracting frequency and voltage harmonic transients corresponding to individual load events. Such systems and techniques can be used to make electrical loads aware of the operation of other loads in an electric grid. Thus, awareness is achieved using information derived only from a utility voltage waveform at a load. Also described are systems and techniques for incorporating such awareness into load controllers which allows loads to autonomously meet system level objectives in addition to their individual requirements.

Voltage waveform transient identification and autonomous load coordination

Described are power line communication (PLC) systems, devices and techniques which are reliable and suitable for use in control applications which can operate with relatively low data rates while complying with governing regulatory rules. Such systems, devices and techniques enable demand-side management of electrical loads in a building or facility or other environment.

Power line communication for low-bandwidth control and sensing

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.

Non-intrusive monitoring

A stacked switched capacitor (SSC) energy buffer circuit includes a switching network and a plurality of energy storage capacitors. The switching network need operate at only a relatively low switching frequency and can take advantage of soft charging of the energy storage capacitors to reduce loss. Thus, efficiency of the SSC energy buffer circuit can be extremely high compared with the efficiency of other energy buffer circuits. Since circuits utilizing the SSC energy buffer architecture need not utilize electrolytic capacitors, circuits utilizing the SSC energy buffer architecture overcome limitations of energy buffers utilizing electrolytic capacitors. Circuits utilizing the SSC energy buffer architecture (without electrolytic capacitors) can achieve an effective energy density characteristic comparable to energy buffers utilizing electrolytic capacitors. The SSC energy buffer architecture exhibits losses that scale with the amount of energy buffered, such that a relatively high efficiency can be achieved across a desired operating range.

Stacked switched capacitor energy buffer circuit

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, water, etc., in homes or businesses, for example, or industrial process monitoring.

A system for generating an asymmetric magnetic field. The system includes a drive circuit and a stacked winding structure coupled to the drive circuit. The stacked winding structure includes a plurality of winding layers. The plurality of winding layers includes a first winding layer including a first conductive winding having first turns and a second winding layer including a second conductive winding having second turns ion. The plurality of winding layers is arranged to produce a first magnetic field at a first side of the stacked winding structure and a second magnetic field at a second side of the stacked winding structure when the drive circuit electrically drives the plurality of winding layers. The first magnetic field is greater than the second magnetic field.

Method and apparatus for producing an asymmetric magnetic field

Enhanced stacked switched capacitor energy buffer circuit

Described is a method and apparatus for per-panel photovoltaic energy extraction with integrated converters. Also described are switched-capacitor (SC) converters have been evaluated for many applications because of the possibility for on-chip integration; applications to solar arrays are no exception. Also described is a comprehensive system-level look at solar installations, finding possibilities for optimization at and between all levels of operation in an array. Specifically, novel concepts include new arrangements and options for applying switched-capacitor circuits at 3 levels: for the panel and sub-panel level, as part of the overall control strategy, and for ensuring stable and robust interface to the grid with the possibility of eliminating or reducing the use of electrolytic capacitors.

Systems approach to photovoltaic energy extraction

Described herein is a stacked switched capacitor (SSC) energy buffer circuit architecture and related design and control techniques.

Stacked switched capacitor energy buffer circuit architecture

Switched capacitor multilevel output DC-DC converters can be used as panel integrated modules in a solar maximum power point tracking system. The system can also include a central input current-controlled ripple port inverter. The system can implement per panel MPPT without inter-panel communication, electrolytic capacitors or per panel magnetics. A Marx converter implementation of the switched capacitor module is studied. Average total efficiencies (tracking&#xd7;conversion) greater than 93% can be achieved for a simulated 510 W, 3 panel, DC-DC system.

Photovoltaic energy extraction with multilevel output DC-DC switched capacitor converters

Methods and apparatus for non-intrusive power monitoring and current measurement in a circuit breaker without modification of the breaker panel or the circuit breaker itself. In one example, an inductive pickup sensor senses current from the breaker face, an inductive link transmits power through a steel breaker panel door, and a passive balanced JFET modulator circuit modulates a carrier signal on the inductive link with information regarding the sensed current. A demodulated breaker current signal is available outside of the breaker panel door. The JFET modulator circuit does not require DC power to modulate the carrier signal with the information regarding the sensed current from the breaker. Such methods and apparatus may be interfaced with a spectral envelope load detection system that can monitor multiple loads from a central location.

Non-intrusive monitoring of power and other parameters

The present invention relates to the dual-use of radiation, for example, but not limited to, visible or infrared light, for both a conventional application, e.g., illumination, combined with the additional or 'dual-use' application of transmitting information without wires.

Multi-frequency dual-use system

A fluorescent lamp sensor system is provided. The fluorescent lamp sensor system includes a plurality of bulbs and a plurality of electrodes coupled to the bulbs. A balanced differential circuit measures changes in electric fields produced by the bulbs in front of the electrodes. The balanced differential circuit includes a symmetric current source associated with alternating the surface potential of the bulbs. A current mode detection circuit detects the current associated with the capacitive effects of the balanced differential circuit. A synchronous detection circuit isolates the capacitive effects of the symmetrical current source from stray signals that differ in either frequency or phase.

Flourescent lamp with integral proximity sensor for building energy management

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, MA, United States of America

Steven B Leeb