Various embodiments of kiosks for purchasing mobile phones and other mobile electronic devices from users are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the kiosks include an apparatus to position an electrical connector for connection to a mobile device. This apparatus enables the kiosk to connect to the mobile device to electrically inspect the mobile device, and the associated electrical connectors and cables are not subjected to repeated pulling and other rough handling that can lead to premature wear and tear. Accordingly, use of connector carriers configured in accordance with the present technology can lead to longer connector/cable service life, reduced maintenance, and greater kiosk up-time. In some embodiments, the apparatus can include a camshaft having one or more cam lobes positioned to act against one or more cam followers, e.g., carrying one or more electrical connectors.

A modular photovoltaic (PV) array system includes a PV array installed onto a fleet vehicle such as a trailer, bus etc., a host control system into which a plurality of fleet vehicles can connect to collectively generate electricity, and a subscriber system which collectively tracks energy generation and allocates respective contributions to the system.

A power distribution network monitoring system includes a CT sensor and a power management device. The CT sensor includes a measurement component and a transmitter. The measurement component is installed at a plurality of predetermined positions along a power line constituting the power distribution network, and measures current of the power line at each predetermined position. The transmitter wirelessly transmits, as transmission data, the power spectrums of the fundamental wave, third harmonic, and fifth harmonic, as well as the effective current values used to detect abnormalities in the power distribution network, the data being at least part of the data measured by the measurement components. The power management device includes a receiver and a management database. The receiver receives the transmission data. The management database stores the received data.

A personal power plant stores energy at the load site from renewable sources and through connection with a utility, enabling the personal power plant to support real time or near real time system load balancing and to eliminate net-metering. The personal power plant determines a charging profile based on predicted energy usage for a next 24-hour period. The personal power plant can provide an indication of the excess amount of electrical energy stored, but not needed for the next 24-hour period. When times of high demand are anticipated, the utility can reallocate energy to other users which it would otherwise provide to participating personal power plants aggregating the excess energy from a plurality of personal power plants. At such times, inverse power generation occurs as the personal power plants do not draw power from the grid which, in aggregation, reduces grid load.

A method includes performing by a local processor corresponding to a power consumer: detecting a power system frequency that is less than a low frequency threshold, receiving a ratio of a power demand reduction goal to a total responsive load from a power grid management processor, determining a portion of all of the appliances that are managed by the power consumer to be deactivated based on the ratio responsive to detecting the power system frequency being less than the low frequency threshold, and deactivating respective ones of the portion of appliances based on the ratio.

A method recognizes topology in low-voltage networks including local substations each having a plurality of output lines connected to a controllable electrical resource, and a control apparatus of each local substation. The method uses a computer arrangement assigning resources to the control apparatuses based on geographical proximity, selecting an assigned resource, transmitting a test control command specific to the selected resource from the control apparatus to the assigned resources, the test control command configured to trigger a change in power consumption or power output of the selected resource, measuring a change in an electrical variable on the output lines of the local substation by using a measuring apparatus, and assigning the selected electrical resource to that output line of that local substation on which a correlation between test control command and change is recognized. An arrangement for recognizing a topology in a low-voltage network is also provided.

A device, system, and a computer-implemented method a for identifying an anomaly in an operation of a device includes comparing, by an electrical power analyzer, a current power draw signature of the device with a known power draw signature of the device. There is a determining as to whether at least one anomaly is present in the current power draw signature. A warning is generated in response to determining the at least one anomaly is present in the current power draw signature.

Aspects of the present disclosure include anonymous, asynchronous, and randomized control schemes for distributed energy resources (DERs). Such control schemes may include packetized energy management (PEM) control schemes for managing DERs that may provide near-optimal tracking performance under imperfect information and consumer quality of service (QoS) constraints.

A multi-functional cord that can be used in connection with one or more user devices specified by a user associated with the cord. The user may program the multi-functional cord to enable the multi-functional cord to operate in a particular manner when associated with a first user device and may preclude the multi-functional cord from operating when associated with a second user device. The multi-functional cord may also, or alternatively, be pre-programmed to work with a particular user device, such as, in a non-limiting example, when the multi-functional cord is sold with the user device. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provided may be implemented within electric vehicle charging systems and electric vehicle supply equipment comprising wired and wireless power and data interfaces.

A device and method are provided for monitoring quality and performance parameters of an electricity distribution component in an electricity distribution network and detecting any deviation of operating parameters from the specified regulatory set and enforced limits. The critical and increasing problem is mitigated for the myriad of private domestic and commercial DEG devices being installed and connected to the distribution networks which were not initially designed for, or even not anticipated with, the recent DEG evolution, and the increasing complex electrical components with changing loads and power factors across the distribution network.