An electronic system that controls existing electrical devices, such as those typically found in buildings such as electrical outlets and single-pole single-throw switches, which can include a circuit board upon which is mounted a connector block, a controllable switch, an AC-to-DC power converter, electrically conductive jumpers, and a control circuit. The electronic system further provides a radio means for communicating with a system controller, which may be local or remote, which provides commands for controlling the electrical device. The electronic system is configured to compactly connect with the existing electrical device by way of the electrically conductive jumpers and to fit within the confines of a single gang electrical box.

A smart adapter includes an insulating body, a plug fastened to the insulating body, at least one socket, at least one seven-segment displayer, at least one button and a main control unit. The at least one socket is mounted in the insulating body and is exposed to a front surface of the insulating body. The at least one seven-segment displayer is mounted in the insulating body. The at least one button is mounted in the insulating body and is exposed to the insulating body. The main control unit is mounted in the insulating body and is connected with the at least one socket, the plug and the at least one seven-segment displayer. The main control unit includes a cloud unit and a central processing unit. The cloud unit is connected to the at least one button and the central processing unit.

A method and system for a distributed communications and control network that manages Distributed Energy Resources (DER) on a power utility grid. Such a network uses a three-tiered network architecture (FIG. 2) named DERCOM comprised of two or three components:

E-DERM An edge DER module (required)

D-DERM A distributed DER module (required)

C-DERM A centralized DER module (optional). The DERCOM network can begin as D-DERM/E-DERM installations (FIG. 3; FIG. 4) which can later integrate with an existing or future centralized C-DERM deployment. The E-DERM module being an edge device, physically located at each DER Point of Common Coupling (PCC), provides communications and protocol translations between DER and utility grid over wired or wireless connections. The E-DERM may also be located at utility device locations to control such devices. E-DERM communicates with D-DERM. The D-DERM module being a distributed system controller, physically located at the utility substation and managing multiple DER sites via E-DERM devices, on a circuit and substation aggregate basis. A D-DERM hosts multiple algorithms providing various grid optimization applications. The D-DERM may also manage non-DER utility devices for distribution automation and demand response applications. D-DERM communicates with E-DERM and C-DERM. The C-DERM module being a management software application typically located at a regional utility control center. The C-DERM communicates with one or many D-DERM substation controllers to implement broad overall control strategies. DERCOM provides the four fundamental roles of a DERM system:

Aggregate: Aggregates the services of many individual DER and presents them as a smaller, more manageable, number of aggregated virtual resources

Simplify: Handles the granular details of DER settings and presents simple grid-related services

Optimize: Optimizes the utilization of DER within various groups to get the desired outcome at minimal cost and maximum power quality

Translate: Translates individual DER languages, and presents to the upstream calling entity in a cohesive way.

A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state switch, an air-gap electromagnetic switch, switch control circuitry, a zero-crossing detection circuit, and a current sensor. The solid-state and air-gap switches are connected in series in an electrical path between line input and load output terminals of the circuit breaker. The switch control circuitry controls the solid-state and air-gap switches. The zero-crossing detection circuit detects zero crossings of an AC waveform on the electrical path. The current sensor senses current flow in the electrical path to detect a fault condition based on the sensed current flow. In response to a detected fault condition, the switch control circuitry generates control signals to place the solid-state switch into a switched-off state and place the air-gap switch into a switched-open state after the solid-state switch is placed into the switched-off state. The switch control circuitry utilizes zero-crossing detection signals output from the zero-crossing detection circuit to determine when to place the air-gap switch into the switched-open state.

An air monitoring system measures tan amount of pollutant in the air. The system includes a plurality of air quality sensor devices arranged within a selected area. Each of the air quality sensor devices is configured to measure air pollutant levels in the selected area, and includes at least one sensor operatively coupled to a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive a measured input from the at least one sensor. A wireless communication device is coupled to the controller, and is configured to communicate with a central server device.

A method for characterizing power quality events in an electrical system includes deriving electrical measurement data for at least one first virtual meter in an electrical system from (a) electrical measurement data from or derived from energy-related signals captured by at least one first IED in the electrical system, and (b) electrical measurement data from or derived from energy-related signals captured by at least one second IED in the electrical system. In embodiments, the at least one first IED is installed at a first metering point in the electrical system, the at least one second IED is installed at a second metering point in the electrical system, and the at least one first virtual meter is derived or located at a third metering point in the electrical system. The derived electrical measurement data may be used to generate or update a dynamic tolerance curve associated with the third metering point.

A power switch comprises a SPDT switch having a common side and a switch side; a first isolation switch electrically connected at the common side of the SPDT switch and a second isolation switch electrically connected at the switch side of the SPDT switch; a microprocessor for detecting a current direction and controlling the conduction state of one of the first isolation switch and the second isolation switch in response to the detected current direction; and a power converter converting AC power to DC power for powering the first isolation switch, the second isolation switch and the microprocessor.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for controlling part of an electric power distribution system using an intelligent electronic device that may rely on communication from wireless electrical measurement devices. Wireless electrical measurement devices associated with different phases of power on an electric power distribution system may send wireless messages containing electrical measurements for respective phases to an intelligent electronic device. When wireless communication with one of the wireless electrical measurement devices becomes inconsistent or lost, the intelligent electronic device may synthesize the electrical measurements of the missing phase using electrical measurements of remaining phases. The intelligent electronic device may use the synthesized electrical measurements to control part of the electric power distribution system.

Wireless power transfer systems, disclosed, include a wireless power transmission system and a wireless power receiver system. The wireless power transmission system includes a transmitter antenna configured to couple with a receiver antenna to transmit alternating current (AC) wireless signals to the receiver antenna. Antenna coupling may be inductive and may operate in conformance to a wireless power and data transfer protocol. A transmission controller drives the transmitter antenna at an operating frequency, and either the wireless power transmission system or the wireless power receiver system may damp the wireless power transmission to create a data signal containing a serial asynchronous data signal.

A method is disclosed for controlling the operating of a consumption appliance by way of a selector switch controlled by an energy saving device connected to a management center. The consumption appliance is kept in its default power mode, until receiving, by the energy saving device, an authentic secured control message sent by the management center. This message includes a command onto the mode in which the consumption appliance has to be switched. A counter is initialized with an initialization value before to be triggered. The consumption appliance is switched in the mode indicated by the command, either until the counter has reached a threshold value, or until receiving another authentic control message. If the counter has reached the threshold value, then the consumption appliance is switched in its default power mode. If another authentic secured control message has been received, then returning to the step of initializing the counter.