1510results about "Air-break switch details" patented technology

A method and apparatus for switching AC appliances and lights of residences and other automation systems through SPDT or DPDT relays connected in electrical circuit with SPDT or DPDT switch including a current sensor and/or a status sensor. The operating key of the relay and the key lever of the electric switch can each be used for operating a dedicated appliance or light, a group of appliance and lights and all appliance and/or lights including scenarios setup via the many well known two way, three way or four way light switches, by operating the switch lever or key in multi steps. The SPDT or DPDT relays are operated via RF, IR and fiber optic communicating two way signal for operating the lights and reporting statuses.

A robot mechanism adopts a dry cleaning method to clean the surface of live-line insulators without: using water and can perform cleaning and inspection of the surface of the live-line insulators while automatically moving along an insulator string. The robot mechanism includes a main unit having upper and lower wing frames connected with each other by a connecting bracket to surround the insulator string, a cleaning unit disposed between the upper and lower wing frames and including a base frame to perform dry cleaning with a rotational brush and a CM guide, a lift unit including a clamp and a ball-bearing screw to move the main unit up or down, and an inspection unit to electrically inspect the insulators; and a coupling unit to couple a pair of the main units to allow the pair of main units to move along a tension insulator string or a suspension insulator string.

A method of finding a power maximum of a photovoltaic generator using an MPP regulator of a photovoltaic current converter by means of which a maximum generator power is set at an operating point of the generator's characteristic curve is intended to supply improved efficiency when the generator is partially shadowed. This is achieved by switching the MPP regulator off in order to next load and/or unload the generator to allow a new operating point of the generator's characteristic curve to set and by next switching the MPP regulator on again.

Disclosed herein is a robot mechanism for inspection of a live-line suspension insulator string. A robot body of the robot mechanism reciprocates along the live-line suspension insulator string and includes upper and lower robot frames configured to encircle the insulator string, a battery module provided to either end of the robot body, an actuation module for moving the robot body along the insulator string, an inspection module for electrically inspecting an insulator, a connection module for coupling the robot body to an installation/dismantlement mechanism, a wing opening/closing module for manually separating the robot body from the insulator string, a measurement module for measuring electrical properties of the insulator, a controller for controlling operation of the robot body, and a crack detection unit for detecting cracks formed in the insulator.

Provided is a method of controlling a hybrid switch comprising a first individually controllable semiconductor switch operably coupled in parallel to a second individually controllable semiconductor switch. The first semiconductor switch has a faster switching speed and lower power-processing capability than the second semiconductor switch. A first reference value V_1REF for a first default turn-on transition time interval ΔT₁ and a second reference value V_2REF for a second default turn-off transition time interval ΔT₂ are accessed for the controllable hybrid switch, which is enabled and controlled so that it operates in accordance with V_1REF and V_2REF. The duration of the default ΔT₁ and ΔT₂ used to control operation of the controllable hybrid switch is dynamically adjusted to compensate for at least one of variations in a current to a load operably coupled to the controllable hybrid switch and environmental conditions at the controllable hybrid switch.

An insulation resistance determining system (50) comprises an insulation resistance determining portion configured by connecting a coupling capacitor (52), a detection resistor (54), and a pulse oscillating circuit (56) in series with a common mode potential measuring point (30), and an insulation resistance determining portion having a filter (58) which processes an AC signal (v_x) at a junction between the coupling capacitor (52) and the detection resistor (54), an amplifier (60), a wave-peak value detection circuit (62), and a controller (70). The controller (70) has functions for detecting a drop in insulation resistance in response to an output of the wave-peak value detection circuit (62); for requesting an HVCPU (40) to change the common mode potential so as to determine a failure of the insulation resistance determining portion; and for determining a failure of the insulation resistance determining portion from an output change of the wave-peak value determining circuit (62) between before and after the common mode potential change.

A battery system may include a plurality of battery modules connected in series. A battery module of the plurality of battery modules may include a cell stack array, a first solid state switch and a second solid state switch arranged in a half bridge configuration and configured to operate in a complementary fashion, and a solid state driver connected to both gates of the first solid state switch and second solid state switch and configured to turn on and off the first solid state switch and the second solid state switch. Further, the cell stack array is configured to be active when the first solid state switch is on and the second solid state switch is off, and configured to be bypassed when the first solid state switch is off and the second solid state switch is on.

A programmable wallbox dimmer is disclosed. Upon entering a programming mode, the dimmer presents a main menu from which the user may select one or more features to program. The user may scroll through a list of programmable features by actuating the dimmer's raise/lower intensity actuator. The user may select a highlighted feature by actuating the dimmer's control switch. The dimmer may enter a value selection mode that is associated with the selected feature. In the value selection mode, the user may scroll through a list of features that define the selected feature by actuating the dimmer's raise/lower intensity actuator. The user may select a value for the selected feature. The selected value may be stored in the dimmer's memory.

The apparatus for partial discharge detection of turn-to-turn insulation in motor has a surge generator for generating a surge voltage to the windings of the motor by applying a pulse voltage, and a partial discharge current detector for detecting partial discharge currents between the winding turns of the motor. The surge generator generates in and between the windings of the motor the surge voltage that has the rise time and fall time corresponding to the rise time of the surge voltage observed at the motor terminal when the motor is driven by an inverter, and that is repeated at a frequency of 50 Hz to 20 kHz.

A photovoltaic system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a first and second inputs adapted to couple to a first and second rails of a photovoltaic array; an inverter configured to convert DC power from the photovoltaic array to AC power; and an interface portion coupled to the first and second inputs and the inverter, the interface portion configured to isolate at least one of the first and second inputs from the inverter and to modulate an application of a voltage from the photovoltaic array to the inverter so as to increase a load on the photovoltaic array and to reduce the voltage applied from the photovoltaic array to the inverter.

At least one aspect is directed to a transfer switch including a first input to couple a first multiphase low voltage electrical supply to the transfer switch, and a second input to couple a second multiphase low voltage electrical supply to the transfer switch. The transfer switch also includes a first set of switches in electrical communication with the first input and a second set of switches in electrical communication with the second input. A control module monitors and controls operation of both the first set of switches and the second set of switches to detect a malfunction of any switches included in at least one of the first set of switches and the second set of switches and prevent the first input from being placed in electrical communication with the second input.

A system for probe-less non-invasive detection of electrical signals from integrated circuit devices is disclosed. The system includes an illumination source, collection optics, imaging optics, and a photon sensor. In a navigation mode, the light source is activated and the imaging optics is used to identify the target area on the chip and appropriately position the collection optics. Once the collection optics is appropriately positioned, the light source is deactivated and the photon sensor is used to detect photons emitted from the chip. No mention of cooling (active device measurement capability) and advanced optics to detect the features (SIL).

A rotary chuck with indexed rotation promotes rapid rotation of a device under test and increases the productivity of a probe station on which the device is being tested. A device mounting member of a rotatable chuck is supported for rotation on a first surface of a base until a vacuum is applied drawing the device mounting member into contact with a second surface of the base and constraining the device mounting member against rotation.

The current invention provides a shunt defect detection device that includes a device under test (DUT) that is fixedly held by a thermally isolating mount, a power source disposed to provide a directional bias condition to the DUT, a probe disposed to provide a localized power to the DUT from the power source, an emission detector disposed to measure a temporal emission from the DUT when in the directional bias condition, where the measured temporal emission is output as temporal data from the emission detector to a suitably programmed computer that uses the temporal data to determine a heating rate of the DUT and is disposed to estimate an overheat risk level of the DUT, where an output from the computer designates the DUT a pass status, an uncertain status, a fail status or a process to bin status according to the overheat risk level.

A smart dimmer switch for control of a lighting load from an AC voltage source can replace any switch in a three-way or four-way lighting control system. The smart dimmer switch can be connected on the line-side or the load-side of a three-way system with a standard three-way switch in the other location. Further, the dimmer switch can replace a four-way switch in a four-way system and is operable to be coupled to two standard three-way switches. The dimmer switch includes either one or two semiconductor switches to control the intensity of the connected lighting load. The dimmer switch preferably includes a sensing circuit for detecting an electrical characteristic (i.e., either a voltage or a current) at a terminal of the dimmer to determine the state of the connected three-way switch(s) or four-way switch. The dimmer switch preferably controls the state of the semiconductor switch in response to either a toggle of any of the other switches in the system or an actuation of a toggle button of the dimmer switch.

A method and system for testing a plurality of RFID devices disposed on a common carrier. In one embodiment, the RFID devices are evenly spaced along the length of the carrier, and the system comprises a short-range tester, a long-range tester and a computer, the short-range tester being coupled to the computer and having a short-range testing position, the long-range tester being coupled to the computer and having a long-range testing position, the long-range testing position being spaced downstream from the short-range testing position by a known number of device positions. In use, an RFID device of interest is first positioned at the short-range testing position, and the short-range tester reads a unique identifier for that RFID device and communicates the identifier to the computer. The carrier is then advanced so that subsequent RFID devices are read by the short-range tester. When the RFID device of interest has advanced to the long-range testing position, the long-range tester conducts a performance test and communicates any detected results to the computer. Because the distance between the two testing positions is known, the computer knows when the RFID device of interest is at the long-range testing position and uses the identifier to distinguish the results for that device from the results of any other devices.

A hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) electrical grid simulation system and method that combines a reactive divider with a variable frequency converter to better mimic and control expected and unexpected parameters in an electrical grid. The invention provides grid simulation in a manner to allow improved testing of variable power generators, such as wind turbines, and their operation once interconnected with an electrical grid in multiple countries. The system further comprises an improved variable fault reactance (reactive divider) capable of providing a variable fault reactance power output to control a voltage profile, therein creating an arbitrary recovery voltage. The system further comprises an improved isolation transformer designed to isolate zero-sequence current from either a primary or secondary winding in a transformer or pass the zero-sequence current from a primary to a secondary winding.

An electric socket is provided. The socket includes a power saving circuit determining operation status of an electronic apparatus or plural electronic apparatus connected to another electric socket according to a load signal to control to supply or automatically interrupt power. It is possible to control power according to operating status of the connected electronic apparatus and to control power supplied to the electronic apparatus connected to a home network. After time has elapsed when the electronic apparatus is not used, power is automatically interrupted so that undesired power consumption due to standby power can be prevented and costs thereof are significantly saved. The electronic apparatus is prevented from accident load inputted from the exterior so that the lifespan of the electronic apparatus can be elongated and user convenience is remarkably improved.

In one implementation, an integrated group III-V power stage includes a control switch including a first group III-V transistor coupled to a sync switch including a second group III-V transistor. The integrated group III-V power stage may also include one or more driver stages, which may be fabricated in a group die or dies. The driver stage or driver stages, the control switch, and the sync switch may all be situated in a single semiconductor package.

A bus terminal is isolated from ground potential during normal operation of the vehicle. A first current is applied to the bus terminal. A current level detector is arranged to detect a first level of the first current, or a corresponding observed voltage level, that exists or flows from the bus terminal to ground. A compensator is configured to compensate for a range in the detected first level by applying a corresponding compensating voltage level to a first resistor coupled to the current level detector. An electronic data processor is capable of estimating a first isolation level between the bus terminal and ground based on the detected first level.

A DC current path for DC power transmission includes at least a first switching element and a second switching element connected in series. A resonance circuit is configured to be connectable in parallel to the series connection of the at least one first switching element and second switching element by means of a switch.

A method and tamper resistant circuit for resisting tampering including reverse engineering in a semiconductor chip, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A sensing device for detecting a chip tampering state is formed with the semiconductor chip including the circuitry to be protected. A tamper resistant control signal generator is coupled to the sensing unit for generating a tamper resistant control signal responsive to a detected chip tampering state. A functional operation inhibit circuit is coupled to the tamper resistant control signal generator for inhibiting functional operation of the circuitry to be protected responsive to the tamper resistant control signal.

A motor driver capable of detecting the insulation deterioration of a motor easily and inexpensively is disclosed. The voltage supplied from an AC power supply (1) is rectified by a first rectifying circuit (D1 to D6) and smoothed by a capacitor (C) in a power supply unit (6). The output voltage of the power supply unit (6) is converted into an AC voltage of a frequency and a motor (M) is driven by a motor drive amplifier (8). Elements (R1, C2, R11, C21) are connected between at least one of the positive electrode (4) and the negative electrode (5) of the output line (4, 5) of the power supply unit (6) and the ground (G2, G4). An insulation deterioration circuit (10, 11, 12) detects at least one of the voltage between the elements and the current flowing through the elements.

The invention offers an improvement in lighting control systems by providing a simplified power switching control system (i.e., using direct AC line voltage or DC current power switches instead of low voltage switches that control higher-current-capable relays) that controls the power to the power supplies that drive the light producing devices in a plurality of luminaires or lighting fixtures in a given installation. The lighting control system facilitates multiple modes of lighting configurations while requiring fewer switches that the prior art and also being easier to operate. The system supports the simultaneous use of multiple lighting technologies. Other embodiments showing extensions to the invention are also disclosed.

A light system (FIG. 2) is disclosed. The light system includes a plurality of series connected light emitting diodes (240-246). Each of a plurality of switching devices (230-236) has a control terminal and each has a current path coupled in parallel with a respective LED. A plurality of fault detector circuits (220-226) are each coupled in parallel with a respective light emitting diode. Each fault detector circuit has a first comparator (FIG. 7,704) arranged to compare a voltage across the respective light emitting diode to a respective first reference voltage (708). When a fault is defected, a control signal is applied to the control terminal to turn on a respective switching device of the plurality of switching devices.

Disclosed herein is a hybrid type sensor for detecting high frequency partial discharge which can detect high frequency partial discharge at a high signal-to-noise ratio without being influenced by power noise and surrounding noise, and guarantee the safety of a test when breakdown occurs. The sensor forms two or three signal paths with different impedances wherein a low frequency power signal is bypassed to ground through a first path, and a high frequency partial discharge current is allowed to flow through a second path and is detected as a resistance component through a resistor. Further, a surge voltage input to the sensor due to breakdown is input to the ground through a third path.

An online insulation condition monitoring system for a rotating electric machine, includes a differential current sensor and a voltage sensor coupled to the machine, for measuring values for the instantaneous differential current and the instantaneous phase voltage respectively. A processing module is configured for converting the values for the instantaneous differential current and the instantaneous phase voltage to respective values for phasor current and phasor voltage. The processing module further calculates an angular relationship between phasor current and phasor voltage and generates an output based on the calculated angular relationship, as an indication of insulation condition.

A standing wave reflectometer (SWR) that generates a standing wave on a conductor, receives a reflected standing wave, converts the reflected standing wave to a digital representation, determines a plurality of curve fitted minima of the digital representation of the reflected standing wave, and determines a location along the conductor where there is an interruption in uniformity such as at the end of the conductor, or where the conductor is touching a liquid, and thereby determine integrity of the conductor, length of the conductor, or a level of the liquid.

The present invention is a high-sensitivity insulation resistance detection method and circuit for an ungrounded DC power supply systems. When the ratio of the voltage of the positive bus to that of the negative bus exceeds a preset range, the DC current is injected into the ungrounded DC power supply systems. DC power supply systems have essentially some grounded stray and external capacitors, so some of the injected DC current will flow into the grounded capacitor, increasing the voltage of the fault bus and the leakage current. The proposed method increases the leakage current by the injection of DC current, so the current sensor can detect the leakage current from which the insulation resistance can be calculated. The DC current injection method can significantly improve the detection of ground insulation faults in ungrounded DC power supply systems.

A remote controllable power outlet apparatus with grouping capability and a remote control grouping method thereof, includes a microprocessor, a communication module, a power protection and control module, a grouping unit, at least a controllable socket set, a switch, and an original remote control which belongs and corresponds to the remote controllable power outlet apparatus. Therein the switch is coupled between the microprocessor, the power protection and control module, and the controllable socket set, and the switch is for controlling whether or not the controllable socket set provides power. When the original remote control is plugged into the grouping unit, the remote controllable power outlet apparatus then activates a remote control grouping function, and the remote controllable power outlet apparatus can be controlled by another remote control other then the original remote control.