18448results about "Emergency power supply arrangements" patented technology

A portable power supply device comprises a stackable battery housing locating a plurality of batteries therein and an inverter housing locating an inverter therein which is arranged to convert the direct current from the batteries to an alternating current. The inverter housing is readily separable from the battery housing such that one or more battery housings can be readily interchangeable to provide a constant supply of power and to allow a variety of charging configurations of the batteries. First electrical connectors on the battery housing and second electrical connectors on the inverter housing automatically connect the inverter to the batteries upon stacking of the inverter housing on the battery housing. Furthermore charging terminals are mounted externally on the inverter housing for ready access to connect to a charging device in a convenient manner without requiring the housings to be opened or separated form one another.

A power management system for a lighting circuit may include a grid shifting controller that includes a processor and a connection to an external power source. The power management system may also include a communication interface associated with the grid shifting controller. The grid shifting controller may be configured to provide control information to a processor of at least one grid shifting electrical fixture over the communication interface, the control information being configured to direct the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture on the use of power from the external power source and an energy storage device associated with the at least one grid shifting electrical fixture.

A surgical instrument includes a shaft, an end effector extending distally from the shaft, and a housing extending proximally from the shaft. The housing includes a motor configured to generate at least one motion to effectuate the end effector, and a power source configured to supply power to the surgical instrument, wherein the power source includes a casing, a data storage unit, and a deactivation mechanism configured to interrupt access to data stored in the data storage unit. In addition, the power source includes a battery pack and a deactivation mechanism configured to deactivate the battery pack if the casing is breached.

A system includes a power device and an electronic device. The electronic device includes a rechargeable power source and device electrical circuitry. The power device supplies power to the rechargeable power source according to at least one of a charging mode, an extended use mode, and a defined energy mode.

A surgical instrument includes a shaft, an end effector extending distally from the shaft, and a housing extending proximally from the shaft. The housing includes a motor configured to generate at least one motion to effectuate the end effector, and a power source configured to supply power to the surgical instrument, wherein the power source includes a casing, a data storage unit, and a deactivation mechanism configured to interrupt access to data stored in the data storage unit. In addition, the power source includes a battery pack and a deactivation mechanism configured to deactivate the battery pack if the casing is breached.

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for providing intelligent power control in response to an external power interruption, causing a processor is in an electrical fixture to interrogate an external power control switch to gain an understanding of the switch's state, where prior to the external power interruption the electrical fixture may be powered by external power and where external power may be connected and disconnected by a user of the switch. In the event that the switch's state is determined to be such that it would normally pass power to the electrical fixture, the processor causes the electrical fixture to operate using a backup power supply. In the event that the switch's state is determined to be such that it would normally not pass power to the electrical fixture, the processor causes the electrical fixture to act as if the user of the switch has intentionally removed power. In response to a return of external power, powering the electrical fixture is then through external power where the user of the switch switches external power.

Systems and methods for managing power supplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and/or other market participants to multiplicity of grid elements and devices for supply and/or load curtailment as supply, each of which having a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumption and/or reduction in consumption and/or supply, and wherein messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements and devices, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators.

Solar power systems and structures are mountable to a power distribution structure, e.g. a power pole or tower, which supports alternating current (AC) power transmission lines. An exemplary power generation structure is fixedly attached to and extends from the power distribution structure, and comprises a mounting rack. A solar array, comprising at least one solar panel, is affixed to the mounting rack. A DC to AC invertor is connected between the DC outputs of the solar array and the AC power transmission lines. The length of the solar array is generally in alignment with the power distribution structure, and the width of the solar array is greater than half the is circumference of the power distribution structure. The mounting rack and solar array may preferably be rotatable, such as based on any of location, time of day, or available light.

A look-up table assists a source of logic of an apparatus in determining the power requirements of an unknown battery-powered device, so that a configurable power supply adjusts its output to provide the correct power to the device. The functions of the look-up table, in conjunction with generic templates and update-able historical information, if available, are substantially based on determining a “power signature” of the device. As a secondary function, the look-up table enables detection of battery charging activity and, when necessary, provides various means of disabling charging operations. More than one look-up table is available, and a look-up table can be located at any inter-connected device, apparatus, or power source. Inter-device communications further enhance the functionality of the look-up table, especially for collaborative data-acquisition.

There is provided a power transmitting apparatus including a power transmission side communication unit for communicating with a power receiving apparatus, a power transmission unit for transmitting power to the power receiving apparatus in a non-contact manner, a transmission power information deriving unit for increasing discretely a first transmission power to transmit from the power transmission unit to the power receiving apparatus, and deriving information related to power transmission for determining a second transmission power corresponding to power desired by the power receiving apparatus based on reception of received power information transmitted from the power receiving apparatus at the power transmission side communication unit, indicating that a received power level meet a predetermined level, and a transmission power determining unit for determining the second transmission power to transmit to the power receiving apparatus based on information related to power transmission derived by the transmission power information deriving unit.

The Electric Power Converter has the qualifications for an uninterruptable power supply, battery management, energy conversion, micro-grid formation, Power Factor Correction including Total Harmonic Distortion correction in real time. Uninterruptable power supply's use is for always-on, real-time, all-time, reduced distortion with functions of load reduction and management during peak load events. The Electric Power Converter as well has the ability to provide maintenance for most types of batteries including charging and discharge regiments to increase the overall lifetime of a battery, the maintenance, incorporating restorative functions that can refurbish dead batteries or can further increase the overall efficiency and useful function of weaker/aged/defective batteries. Energy conversion capabilities allow for the conversion of AC or DC to AC or DC with high efficiency and ability to actively vary the frequency in accordance to the required parameters. The Electric Power Converter is able to establish and sustain a micro-grid with multiple and varying sources of power generation and load conditions. The Electric Power Converter is achieving dynamic, real-time, interactive Power Factor Correction (PFC) function with advanced voltage harmonic distortion correction with a high efficiency ratio. The Electric Power converter is designed to function with the emerging Smart Grid technologies and provide an overall higher level of operating efficiency and higher quality of electrical power.

A power supply system has a power input to receive input power from a power source, a power output to provide output power to a load, at least one battery module having a battery output that provides battery power, at least one power module coupled to the power input to receive the input power, coupled to the battery output to receive the battery power and coupled to the power output to provide the output power, a controller, coupled to the at least one power module, constructed and arranged to monitor and control the output power from the at least one power module, and a redundant controller, coupled to the at least one power module and to the controller, constructed and arranged to provide redundant monitoring and controlling of the output power from the at least one power module.

A grid-connected power system includes a primary power source, a back-up power source, a DC/AC inverter and a DC/DC converter. Direct current from the primary power source is supplied to the DC/AC inverter to obtain an alternating current output supplied to a utility grid when power from the utility grid is available to power a load. The output of the inverter is supplied to a selected portion of the load when power from the utility grid is unavailable to the load. Direct current from the back-up power source is supplied to the inverter through a DC/DC converter when power from the utility grid is unavailable to the load. The DC/DC converter converts the voltage of direct current from the back-up power source to direct current having a voltage compatible with the voltage of the primary power source and the inverter. The back-up power source may be charged by the primary power source or by the utility grid. Methods of providing back-up power include converting the voltage of direct current from a back-up power source to direct current of converted voltage and supplying the direct current of converted voltage to a DC/AC inverter.

A soft-switched single-phase quasi-single-stage (QSS) bi-directional inverter/charger converts AC-DC or DC-AC. The inverter/charger comprises a push-pull inverter/rectifier on the dc-side, an isolation transformer which provides ohmic isolation and voltage scaling, two full-bridges on the ac side in cascade, a voltage clamp branch comprising a capacitive energy storage element in series with an active switch with its anti-parallel diode, a passive filter at the ac side to smooth out the high frequency switching voltage ripple at the output, and a corresponding PWM scheme to seamlessly control the converter to operate in all four quadrant operation modes in the output voltage and output current plane, and is capable of converting power in both directions.

A power transmission control device included in a contactless power transmission system in which power is transmitted from a power transmission device to a power receiving device by electromagnetically coupling a primary coil and a secondary coil and the power is supplied to a load of the power receiving device, includes a controller controlling the power transmission control device, and a load condition detection circuit detecting a load condition on a power receiving side. The controller determines the load condition on the power receiving side based on threshold information received from the power receiving device and load condition detection information from the load condition detection circuit.

A smart device is discussed, which is connected to a smart grid to perform a power saving function. According to an embodiment, the smart device includes a power information receiving unit configured to receive power information through the smart grid network; a power saving control unit configured to perform the power saving function for at least one apparatus based on the power information in a power saving mode; at least one mode switching unit configured to switch from the power saving mode to a manual mode according to a user command; and a manual mode operational time determining unit configured to determine a manual mode operational time for operating the at least one apparatus in the manual mode, the at least one mode switching unit further configured to switch from the manual mode back to the power saving mode, automatically, when the manual mode operational time expires.

A distributed power system including multiple (DC) batteries each DC battery with positive and negative poles. Multiple power converters are coupled respectively to the DC batteries. Each power converter includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal and a fourth terminal. The first terminal is adapted for coupling to the positive pole. The second terminal is adapted for coupling to the negative pole. The power converter includes: (i) a control loop adapted for setting the voltage between or current through the first and second terminals, and (ii) a power conversion portion adapted to selectively either: convert power from said first and second terminals to said third and fourth terminals to discharge the battery connected thereto, or to convert power from the third and fourth terminals to the first and second terminals to charge the battery connected thereto. Each of the power converters is adapted for serial connection to at least one other power converter by connecting respectively the third and fourth terminals, thereby forming a serial string. A power controller is adapted for coupling to the serial string. The power controller includes a control part adapted to maintain current through or voltage across the serial string at a predetermined value.

A large-scale, capacitor-based electrical energy storage and distribution system capable of effectuating load-leveling during periods of peak demand on a utility, and of effectuating a cost savings associated with the purchase of electrical energy. A capacitor or multitude of capacitors may be charged with electrical energy produced by the utility, such as during periods of low demand or low cost, and discharged during periods of high electrical energy consumption or high electrical energy cost. One or more capacitors may be located at a consumer's residence or business. Alternatively, a farm of capacitors may be provided at or near a utility, or at or near a location experiencing high demand. In another embodiment, one or more capacitors may be located in or on a vehicle, such as an automobile, a truck, or a train of a light rail system.