Duke Energy Corporation

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abb Inc.

Duke Energy Coporation

Stuart Laval

Raiford Smith

Jason P Handley

Aleksandar Vukojevic

Madhav Manjrekar

Ehab H Shoubaki

Somasundaram Essakiappan

David Crawford Lawrence

Douglas A Voda

Wei Huang

Khoi Nguyen

Tom Fenimore

Apparatuses including power electronics circuitry are provided. The power electronics circuitry includes at least one power converter that is coupled to a DC bus. Moreover, in some embodiments, the at least one power converter is configured to regulate a voltage of the DC bus. Related methods of operating an apparatus including power electronics circuitry are also provided.

Apparatuses including power electronics circuitry, and related methods of operation

Methods of microgrid communications and connection transitions are provided. The methods include methods of operating recloser and/or switch systems. The methods of operating recloser and/or switch systems include transmitting a communication from a recloser and/or switch system of a microgrid to an inverter of the microgrid to trigger a control state change of the inverter. Related methods of operating inverters are also provided.

Methods of microgrid communications and connection transitions

Apparatuses including utility meter, power electronics, and communications circuitry are provided. The utility meter circuitry is configured to measure usage of electricity supplied by an electric utility to a premise of a customer of the electric utility. The power electronics circuitry is configured to regulate a voltage level supplied to the premise of the customer. Moreover, the communications circuitry is configured to provide communications with a first electronic device of the customer at the premise of the customer and to provide communications with a second electronic device that is upstream from the apparatus. Related methods of operating an apparatus including utility meter, power electronics, and communications circuitry are also provided.

Apparatuses including utility meter, power electronics, and communications circuitry, and related methods of operation

Methods of operating a communication node are provided. A method of operating a communication node may include receiving data from an electric grid device via a network interface. The method may include processing the data from the electric grid device at the communication node. Moreover, the method may include transmitting a filtered portion of the data to an electric utility head end system, after processing the data at the communication node. In some embodiments, a method of operating a communication node may include using a message broker controlled by a virtual machine in the communication node to provide a protocol to interface with a field message bus that includes a standards-based or open-source Application Programming Interface (API). Related communication nodes and computer program products are also described.

Methods of processing data corresponding to a device that corresponds to a gas, water, or electric grid, and related devices and computer program products

Methods of operating a communication node are provided. A method of operating a communication node may include transmitting a first power line communication signal from the communication node to a sensor device that is at or adjacent an electric grid device. The method may include receiving from the sensor device a second power line communication signal that is responsive to the first power line communication signal, at the communication node. Moreover, the method may include determining a distance between the communication node and the electric grid device by measuring an electrical parameter of the second power line communication signal, at the communication node. Related communication nodes are also described.

Communication nodes and sensor devices configured to use power line communication signals, and related methods of operation

A system and method for developing, deploying and implementing computer applications for a power system has an open software framework for developing mobile applications. The mobile applications are developed by combining predefined modules having functionality to monitor a power system, change configuration settings within devices installed on the power system and allow utility personnel to quickly respond to events occurring on the power system.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Mill, SC, United States of America

Stuart Laval