197results about "Switch operated by abnormal voltage/current product/phase angle" patented technology

A cascode circuit with improved withstand voltage is provided. The cascode circuit includes three or more transistors, such as MOSFET transistors. Each transistor has a control terminal, such as a gate, and two conduction terminals, such as a drain and a source. The conduction terminals are coupled in series between two output terminals, such as where the drain of each transistor is coupled to the source of another transistor. A signal input is provided to the gate for the first transistor. Two or more control voltage sources, such as DC bias voltages, are provided to the gate of the remaining transistors. The DC bias voltages are selected so as to maintain the voltage across each transistor to a level below a breakdown voltage level.

A compact non-contact multi-function electrical switch for use in an electrical box mounted on a wall has a one or more capacitance sensors for detecting a presence of a hand placed adjacent to the switch, as well as the directional movements of the hand along an X and / or Y axis and / or Z axis, and for generating data values, and a CPU for receiving the values and for determining which function is to be performed, such as calculating a power output in response to a first data bit. The switch can communicate with nearby switches to avoid sensor interference. The CPU can be used to generate one or more control signals for controlling the predetermined function associated with the specific movements. A processing unit may be used with multiple switches in a gang assembly, so that the switch sensors form an array enabling the switches to perform more complex control functions.

A mild hybrid system according embodiments of the invention may include: a motor-alternator; an inverter for controlling electrical energy flow to and from the motor-alternator; an electrical energy storage for storing electrical energy generated by the motor-alternator; and a unidirectional DC / DC buck converter including a bypass means for providing a physical connection between the motor-alternator and a vehicle electrical load. With the system, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, packaging process can be simplified, and an additional cooling device is not required.

An electrical distribution system is designed to automatically connect a dedicated group of circuits, which are normally powered by a primary power source, to an auxiliary power source upon detection that there has been a disruption or failure in the primary power source. The system includes a switching arrangement that allows an operator to manually connect the auxiliary power source with other circuits that are not generally powered during disruption of the primary power source. The switching arrangement includes an interlinked switch or breaker arrangement that prevents any of the other circuits that are normally powered by the primary source from being automatically connected to the primary power source when primary power source is restored if those other circuits are connected to the auxiliary power source when the primary power source is restored.

A device and method including: an energy consumption sensor; a wireless communications component adapted for wireless communication; a processing unit, adapted to receive energy consumption data from the energy consumption sensor and transmit the energy consumption data via the wireless communications component; and a switch having: a closed state coupling the input end of the device to the output end of the device, and an open state, disconnecting the input end of the device from the output end of the device.

A power and signal distribution system for the building interior and a method for operating a power and signal distribution system for the building interior are provided. The system includes a plurality of conductors adjacent to at least one surface of a plurality of support members forming a grid. The system further includes at least one shunt switch in communication with at least two conductors, the shunt switch being configurable to selectively conduct power or signals between the at least two conductors.

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a method and circuit for reducing power consumption of a power strip is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a power strip is configured for reducing or eliminating power during idle mode by disengaging an outlet from power input. A power strip may include two or more outlets and two or more outlet circuits, with AC power input connected to the outlets through the outlet circuit(s), which may include a current transformer, a control circuit, and a switch. The current transformer secondary winding provides an output power level signal proportional to the outlet load. If behavior of the current transformer secondary winding indicates that the outlet is drawing substantially no power from the AC power input, the switch facilitates disengaging of the current transformer primary from the outlet.

A system and method utilizing virtual switching in an electrical panel meter. The virtual switching enables the meter to be upgraded or downgraded through a switching signal, by activating or deactivating the metering functions that are to be performed in the meter. Accordingly, when the upgrade or downgrade is necessary, the meter does not have to be replaced.

The present invention provides an electrical isolation apparatus having independently controllable contactors. The isolation apparatus includes a contactor for each phase or pole of an electrical device as well as each phase or pole of a load. Each contactor is constructed so that each includes multiple contact assemblies that may be independently controlled to open and close. Moreover, the contactors within a single contactor assembly or housing can be independently controlled so that the contacts of one contactor can be opened without opening the contacts of the other contactors in the contactor assembly. Additionally, the contactors are construct and controlled such that a single line side contactor and a single load contactor open simultaneously when an open circuit condition is desired.

The present invention provides a method, apparatus an device for reducing power loss by lowering an operating frequency of a power supply device in a standby state such as soft-off state, suspend state, or a state in which a line is not connected. In one aspect of the present invention, an AC adaptor connectable to a main body of an apparatus through a power line, comprising a rectifying and smoothing unit, a switching unit, and an operating frequency supplying unit, is provided for.

A fault diagnosis method of diagnosing a fault related to a PV PCS 150, configured to perform an interconnected operation in which a PV 100 is interconnected to a grid 10: supplies power from independent operation output of the PV PCS 150 to a storage PCS 250 by an independent operation that does not interconnect the PV 100 to the grid 10 after the grid interconnection apparatus stops the interconnected operation by detecting abnormality; measures an output power state of the PV 100 and / or the PV PCS 150 when power is supplied to the storage PCS 250; and determines that the fault occurs and performs an error process for notification to a user when the measured output power state does not satisfy a predetermined condition.

A power strip device includes a power plug, a master power outlet, multiple slave power outlets and a control circuit. The control circuit includes an inductor, a reed switch and a switching circuit. Under the control of the control circuit, the power strip device allows the slave power outlets to be automatically turned on or off simultaneous with the master power outlet being turned on or off.

A voltage conversion circuit is provided for efficiently converting the voltage of a DC power source into a lower voltage in accordance with load currents of voltage converters. An electronic apparatus includes: a DC power source for supplying a first DC supply voltage; a first DC voltage converter for converting the first DC supply voltage into a second DC supply voltage which is lower than the first DC supply voltage; a second DC voltage converter for converting either the first DC supply voltage or the second DC supply voltage at an input voltage terminal thereof into a third DC supply voltage which is lower than the second DC supply voltage; a switch for selecting and supplying one of the first DC supply voltage of the DC power source and the second DC supply voltage of the first DC voltage converter to the input voltage terminal of the second DC voltage converter, in accordance with a control signal; a switching controller for providing the control signal to the switch; and a plurality of components, ones of the components receiving the second DC supply voltage, ones of the components receiving the third DC supply voltage.

A semiconductor relay switch having two data ports receiving incoming signals and a power supply terminal receiving a power supply voltage is responsive to a power supply voltage level and an energy level of the incoming signals to open and close its conduction paths. The relay switch is open when a valid power supply level is detected and when there is no supply power on the power supply terminal but a high energy level is detected in the incoming signals. The relay switch is closed to allow conduction between the two data ports only when there is no power supply voltage on the power supply terminal and an energy level below a predetermined threshold is detected in the incoming signals. In one embodiment, the semiconductor relay switch includes a main conduction switch circuit, an energy detect circuit and a control signal generator.

An intelligent wall switch comprises an extend operation panel including sensor areas with a first conducting film; a glass on the back sides of the sensor areas including second conducting films; a first circuit board including a backlight LED and an infrared emitter and connected to a flexible cable connected to the second conducting film; a frame on a back side of the glass; a controller system including a second circuit board having an AC-DC power module, relays, AC output connectors, an AC input connector all on a back side thereof, and having a flat cable connector, an infrared receiver, and multiple indicating LEDs all on a front side thereof; a connecting piece and a housing being used to receive the AC-DC power module, the connecting piece being disposed on a back side of the frame, the AC-DC power module being connected to the cable by the flat cable connector.

A continuous grounding system for use in an alternating current system including a transformer is disclosed. The system includes a switch assembly connected between a transformer neutral of a transformer and a ground, the switch assembly having an open position and a closed position, the open position disrupting the path through the switch assembly between the electrical connection and the transformer neutral, and the closed position establishing a path connecting the electrical connection to the transformer neutral through the switch assembly, wherein in normal operation of the alternating current electrical device the switch assembly remains in a closed position. The system also includes a DC blocking component positioned in parallel with the switch assembly and connected between the transformer neutral and the ground. The system further includes a control circuit configured to control the switch assembly, the control circuit including a sensor configured to actuate the switch assembly to an open position upon detection of a predetermined harmonic signal threshold at one of the transformer phases or a predetermined threshold of DC current between the transformer neutral and ground.

A method and apparatus for an interface switch having an external terminal electrically connected to an AC voltage E at a frequency ω0 (for example a utility supply), and an internal terminal electrically connected to an AC voltage V at a selectable frequency ω (for example a microsource). In one embodiment, the interface switch is closed when the voltage difference between E and V and the relative phase angle δEV between E and V are both small, and when the higher frequency voltage (as between E and V) leads the lower frequency voltage. In another embodiment, the interface switch is closed when the envelope of the voltage difference between E and V reaches a local minimum at a point of inflection.

An energy management system for a home network comprising a plurality of power consuming devices including a pool pump is provided. The system comprises a central controller operatively connected to the power consuming devices and configured to receive and process a signal indicative of the current state of an associated utility, including at least a peak demand state and an off-peak demand state, and a display device. The central controller further includes a scheduling algorithm configured to enable a user to program a schedule for the pool pump.

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a method and circuit for reducing power consumption of a power module during idle conditions is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a power module is configured for reducing power during idle mode by disengaging at least one power output from a power input. A power module may include one or more power outputs and one or more power module circuits, with power input connected to the power outputs through the power module circuit(s). The power module circuit may include a current measuring system, a control circuit, and a switch. The current measuring system provides an output power level signal that is proportional to the load at the power output. If current measuring system behavior indicates that a power output is drawing substantially no power from the power input, the switch disengages the power input from the power output.

Controllable change-over apparatus for a solar module comprises an output terminal, a DC / DC converter, a controllable switching device and a control. The controllable switching device is implemented with a first switch position and a second switch position, wherein, in the first switch position, a power output of the solar module is connected to the output terminal via the DC / DC converter, and, in the second switch position, the power output of the solar module is connected to the output terminal by bypassing the DC / DC converter. The control switches the controllable switching device by using a performance characteristic for switching the same to the first or second switch position. In particular, the control is implemented to connect the solar module directly to its output terminal in the case of high power dissipation of the same, i.e. at strong solar radiation, and to connect the solar module to the output terminal via the DC / DC converter in the case of weak power dissipation of the same, i.e. during shading, which significantly increases the efficiency compared to a fixed connection of the solar module.

An automatically re-configurable solar array apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a solar array electrically connected to an inverter through a power switch controlled by a microprocessor. The solar array comprises a combination of solar panel strings wired in parallel. Each solar panel string comprises a plurality of solar panels wired in series. An output electrical parameter level of the combination of solar panel strings is capable of producing output power from the inverter. The output electrical parameter level of the combination of solar panel strings is equal to about a predetermined electrical parameter level under sunny conditions. The solar array is pre-wired to permit microprocessor-controlled switching to reconfigure the array into solar panel strings of varying lengths. The electrical parameter level is at least one of a voltage level, a current level, and a power level.

A power outlet apparatus with multiple sockets detection, and the detection method and module thereof are disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of socket groups, a plurality of current detection unit, a voltage detection unit, a processing unit, and an output unit. In which the current detection units are installed at the socket groups respectively, for detecting a current data corresponding to each socket group. And the voltage detection unit is for measuring a voltage data of the socket groups. The voltage data and the current data are processed by a processing unit for obtaining an electricity information of each socket group.

An automatic transfer switch to automatically electrically connect an electrical panel to a second power source, e.g., an electric generator, during interruption or failure of a first power source, e.g., a utility power supply, includes a powered interlock arrangement that is operative to prevent the electrical panel from being electrically connected to both power sources simultaneously.

An electronic equipment includes:a data transmission unit that transmits or receives content data to or from an external equipment;a power supply turned-on information acquisition unit that acquires power supply turned-on information concerning the external equipment;an information-on-manipulation acquisition unit that acquires information on a power supply turning-on manipulation; anda power supply state control unit that controls a power supply state into any of an off state, a standby state, and an on state,wherein when the power supply turned-on information concerning the external equipment with the power supply state set to the off state is acquired, the power supply state control unit changes the power supply state to the standby state; andwhen the information on the power supply turning-on manipulation with the power supply state set to the standby state is acquired, the power supply state control unit changes the power supply state to the on state.

An electrical power status-indicating device for integration with a Smart Grid network. The device comprises an electrical receptacle installed within a wall of a consumer premises, a communication module for retrieving and interpreting power status data from a centralized control module, and at least one indicator activated by the communication module, with activation based at least in part on the status data. In some embodiments, the device may comprise a power pass-through device for receiving at least one in-premise electronic device, and / or a light switch in communication with a lighting unit.

A branching unit, for use in optical communication systems, has three branches A, B and C each including a connection for a power feed and several inputs / outputs for optical fibers. Optical switches are provided for selectively coupling inputs / outputs of different branches to enable a routeing of optical signals through the unit. The routeing is effected in dependence upon the way in which each of the three branch connections are provided with an electrical power feed.