248 results about "Power utility" patented technology

A vehicle battery charger and a vehicle battery charging system are described and illustrated, and can include a controller enabling a user to enter a time of day at which the vehicle battery charger or system begins and/or ends charging of the vehicle battery. The vehicle battery charger can be separate from the vehicle, can be at least partially integrated into the vehicle, can include a transmitter and/or a receiver capable of communication with a controller that is remote from the vehicle and vehicle charger, and can be controlled by a user or another party (e.g., a power utility) to control battery charging based upon a time of day, cost of power, or other factors.

An interruptible power supply module, located at a customer's premise, functions to reduce the demand on a power utility company. As a power utility senses a critical power supply demand situation, it sends an “interrupt power” control signal through an alternative communications network (a telecommunications network, for example), to each subscribing customer. Upon receipt of the “interrupt” control signal, a switch is activated in the customer's interruptible power supply module to remove a pre-defined “interruptible” load for a predetermined period of time (perhaps not to exceed 15 minutes in any hour). The module may also be used to “gracefully” add interruptible loads back onto the system after a complete power outage.

A system for the control of a set of powered utilities is disclosed. The system comprises a first device which in turn comprises a processor capable of altering a state of a first powered utility. This first device further comprises a data port configured to transmit a set of messages. These messages include a transmitted message delivered from the processor. The system additionally comprises a second device which in turn comprises a second processor capable of altering a state of a second powered utility. The second processor is configured to selectively alter the state of the second powered utility based on the transmitted message.

A system measures electrical energy usage and combines the measured energy usage with other utility commodity usage for communication and data collection. The system is capable of metering electrical power utility services to residential homes and apartments or other users and combining electrical usage and other utility metering functions for utilities for multiple utility end users. The system thus integrates and communicates the results of utility usage, and eliminates the need for an individual electric metering device for each end user. The system serves as a single metering data collection point for multiple utilities and facilitates interactive communication technologies between the utility service delivery points and utility consumers or consumer devices. The system also includes a plurality of meter ports and a memory for storing meter data from each metered user. The UCI provides for injection of broadband signals onto the service conductors from multiple broadband sources.

An organizer serving as a safeguard for electrical cords during charging intervals of electrically-operated consumer products provided by a compartment having internally a strip of uniformly spaced apart female sockets electrically connected to a power company wall socket and externally the consumer products' charging components similarly uniformly spaced apart, wherein the correlation of the uniform spacing maintains the electrical cords in neatly coiled conditions without entanglement with each other within the compartment.

Disclosed is a technique using an electric vehicle. The technique enables a user to set the operation plan of the electric vehicle and the price of electricity used to charge/discharge an electric vehicle battery. The electric vehicle battery is charged, or the electric energy charged in the electric vehicle battery is collected, according to the set information. Accordingly, it is possible to charge the electric vehicle battery at the price approved by the user under variable pricing of electric energy. When the price of electricity increases or there is no operation plan of the electric vehicle, the electric energy stored in the battery is collected to operate electric devices or resell the stored electric energy to an electric power company, thereby obtaining economic benefit. As the spread of electric vehicles are extended, it can be expected to save a considerable amount of electric energy throughout the whole society.

A safety device can provide electrical shock protection for an electrical appliance. Voltage sensors can monitor voltage levels among a power conductor, a neutral conductor, and a ground conductor. When sensed voltages indicate that these conductors are properly wired to an electrical power utility, inline switches can close to allow power to pass through the safety device to the appliance. When one or more of the sensed voltages indicates that the power level is too low to operate the appliance, one or more switches of the safety device can open to block power from passing through to the appliance. When one or more of the sensed voltages indicates that an electrical problem posing a shock hazard exists in the electrical appliance, one or more switches of the safety device can open to interrupt power from transmitting to the appliance.

An electronic electric meter for use in a networked automatic meter reading environment. The electric meter retrofits into existing meter sockets and is available for new meter installations for both single phase and three phase electric power connections. The electric meter utilizes a modular design which allows the interface modules to be changed depending upon the desired communication network interface. The meter measures electricity usage and monitors power quality parameters for transmission to the utility. The gateway node transmits this data to the utility over a commercially available fixed wide area network (WAN). The meter also provides direct communication to the utility over a commercially available network interface that plugs into the meter's backplane or bus system bypassing the local area network communication link and gateway node.

A power system specifically designed to provide reliable electrical power to a telecommunication facility is disclosed. The system includes a number of microturbine generators adapted to provide AC power that is then rectified to DC power by an array of rectifiers. The system is configured so that the microturbine generators are fueled initially by utility-supplied natural gas. In the event the utility-supplied natural gas fails, the system provides propane from a storage tank to fuel the microturbine generators. If both microturbine generator fuel sources fail or their fuel supply becomes exhausted, power is supplied to the rectifiers by a commercial electrical utility. The system also includes a number of hydrogen-powered proton exchange membranes that are operable to supply DC power directly to the facility if both the microturbine generators and the electrical utility fail. Finally, a number of super capacitors are coupled to the bus line directly connected to the facility in order to maintain power if it becomes necessary to switch power sources.

A system and method are provided for calculating power using a voltage waveform shape measurement from a contactless sensor. An electrically conductive medium carries alternating current (AC) electrical current, associated with an AC voltage, from a source node to a destination node. AC current is measured through the electrically conductive medium. Using a contactless sensor, an AC voltage waveform shape is measured. The power usage at the destination node is calculated in response to the AC current measurement, the measurement of the AC voltage waveform shape, and an AC voltage potential. For simplicity, the AC current and AC voltage waveform shape may both be measured at a first node located between the source node and the destination node. The AC voltage potential used in the power usage calculation may be an estimate, an actual measurement, or a value supplied by an external source (e.g., the power utility).

A method and a system for the optimal allocation of investment funds to construct an investment portfolio by using a two-segment, risk-averse utility function, where the first segment is a log-utility function indicative of the portfolio holder's utility for positive rates of return and reflects the portfolio holder's desire for maximizing portfolio growth, and the second segment is a power-utility function with a zero or negative power indicative of the degree to which the portfolio holder is averse to losses. An optimization algorithm determines the optimal investment weights for the assets in the investment portfolio to maximize the portfolio's expected utility, which is based on the two-segment utility function. A computer software includes modules for carrying out the optimization to determine the optimal investment weights for the assets and to thereby construct the investment portfolio. The computer software is in the form of codes executed by a processor.

A method is provided for efficiently managing energy consumption using stored energy. The method accepts input energy (e.g., from a power utility) and maintains a record of energy consumption. An energy consumption peak is predicted in response to analyzing the record of energy consumption, and the input energy is augmented with stored energy during the predicted energy consumption peaks. More explicitly, a peak shaving value is selected based on a fraction of the predicted energy consumption peak, and the stored energy is used when energy consumption exceeds the peak shaving value. In one aspect, after a determination is made to use stored energy, it is simply used while it is available. Otherwise, it is supplied based upon an analysis of a predicted value of the stored energy.

A method, system and apparatus for controlling a pulse width modulator (PMW) converter for direct AC/AC conversion and/or AC voltage regulation. According to some embodiments of the invention, an output voltage may be provided, independent of the input voltage quality, thereby avoiding or minimizing power company irregularities, brownouts and the like. Embodiments of the present invention may be useful, for example, for use in connection with motors and motored devices or other applications.

The invention discloses an intelligent power utilization cell system, which comprises an electric power company master station, wherein the electric power company master station is at least connected with a power supply part working station; each power supply part working station is at least connected with an intelligent cell power supply system; the electric power company master station comprises a power utilization information acquisition system server, and the power utilization information acquisition system server is connected with an intermediate database server and a website server by a backbone network arranged in the electric power company master station, and the intermediate database server and the website server are arranged in the master station; and the intermediate database server is connected with at least one intelligent cell power supply system through a network I, and the intelligent cell power supply system is connected with a website server through a network II. The intelligent power utilization cell system disclosed by the invention has the beneficial effects that: the satisfaction degree of clients on a company is promoted; the power supply reliability and the fault processing timeliness are improved; the high-quality power utilization service is met; the requirements of clients on environment-friendly power utilization, energy-saving power utilization, planning power utilization and reasonable power utilization are met.

In a method, operation of an electric power system which has a power utility automation system (1981-1984, 1991-1994) is monitored. The power utility automation system (1981-1984, 1991-1994) comprises a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) (1981-1984, 1991-1994) communicating via a communication network. During operation of the electric power system, properties of the electric power system are monitored, the monitored properties comprising monitored data messages which are transmitted by the plurality of IEDs (1981-1984, 1991-1994) over the communication network. The monitored data messages are evaluated based on configuration information for the power utility automation system (1981-1984, 1991-1994) to detect a critical event. An alert signal is generated in response to detection of the critical event.

A line of kitchen and/or food service-type appliances that have decorative covers that are interchangeable. Each interchangeable cover may be a form fitting cover or a façade panel. The appliance units may be modified to change their appearance with interchangeable decorative covers, such that interchangeability and modification are made quick, easy and affordable. Preferably, the appliances are within their own modular reconfigurable appliance receptacle having an array of connectors to accommodate to hold a plurality of different appliance units. Each receptacle has a frame for holding various appliance units in different spatial configuration, generally horizontal and vertical, and connectors to quickly connect and/or disconnect the appliance units to the type of power utility necessary, such as gas for a stove, and electricity for a microwave oven. The appliance units are removably attached within the frame, and are interchangeable such that they are configurable as desired and may be removed for repair or replacement, with ease. To add to the configurablity of the receptacle, the frame permits one or more appliance units in both vertical and horizontal spaces within and on the frame.