H02J13/00022

Detecting actuations of buttons of a control device

A load control device may be used to control and deliver power to an electrical load. The load control device may comprise a control circuit for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load. The load control device may comprise multiple actuators, where each of the actuators is connected between a terminal of the control circuit and a current regulating device. The number of the actuators may be greater than the number of the terminals. The control circuit may measure signals at the terminals and determine a state configuration for the actuators based on the measured signals. The control circuit may compare the state configuration to a predetermined dataset to detect a ghosting condition.

Autonomous operation of an electrical power outlet device

In an electrical power outlet device, a processor and a memory are configured to execute an application within the outlet device, which computes a pattern of usage of the outlet device. A set of sensors in the outlet device includes a first sensor that is usable to detect an event in an environment in which the outlet device is supplying power. The environment includes elements that are not participating in an electrical circuit that receives power from the outlet device and the event is usable by the application to alter the pattern of usage. An autonomous modification of an operation of the outlet device is performed in response to the pattern of usage, the event, or both. The operation changes a power supplying state of the outlet device without using an external switching apparatus or an external logic implemented outside the outlet device.

Systems and methods for monitoring and presenting battery information

The system may be configured to perform operations including receiving battery information, such as voltage data, temperature data, battery-specific data, and/or application-specific data; and displaying at least a portion of such data on a graphical user interface on a display screen. The operations may further include analyzing at least a portion of the battery information to monitor or determine battery health and performance, and displaying the results of such analysis on the display screen.

HEARING AID SYSTEM COMPRISING A HEARING AID AND A CHARGING STATION, AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING A SIGNAL PROCESSING PARAMETER
20210092529 · 2021-03-25 ·

A hearing aid system includes a hearing aid with a rechargeable battery and a first data memory for storing operating data, and a charging station with a nonvolatile second data memory. The charging station charges the battery of the hearing aid at least intermittently while the hearing aid is arranged in a charging position. The hearing aid transmits operating data from the first data memory to the charging station when the hearing aid is arranged in a transmission position. The charging station stores operating data transmitted from the hearing aid in the second data memory, and the charging station transmits operating data stored in the second data memory to the hearing aid. A computer unit of the hearing aid adjusts at least one parameter relating to signal processing of the hearing aid based on the operating data transmitted from the charging station to the hearing aid.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC INTERLEAVING OF CYCLED LOADS IN A MICROGRID
20210057910 · 2021-02-25 ·

A method and apparatus for autonomous, automatic interleaving of cycled loads coupled to a grid. In one or more embodiments, the method comprises (i) determining, by a smart load coupled to a grid, a first grid stress value; (ii) comparing, by the smart load, the first grid stress value to an activation threshold; (iii) waiting, by the smart load, when the first grid stress value is less than the activation threshold, a delay period; (iv) determining, by the smart load and after the delay period ends, a second grid stress value; (v) comparing, by the smart load, the second grid stress value to the activation threshold; and (iv) activating, by the smart load, when the second grid stress value is less than the activation threshold.

Modular device backbone for a network of user-swappable products

A modular device backbone may include a controller and two or more backplates configured to be distributed throughout a user space and further configured to couple with swappable devices. Any of the two or more backplates may include a configuration storage device to store backplate-based configuration information including a backplate identifier and a controller address for communicating with the controller, and a communication unit to transmit the backplate-based configuration information. Upon coupling of a particular swappable device to a particular backplate, the particular swappable device may receive the backplate-based configuration information from the particular backplate and further communicate with the controller using the controller address to receive controller-based configuration information from the controller, which may include information for communicating with additional swappable devices.

VEHICLE MANAGEMENT APPARATUS, VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE MANAGEMENT METHOD
20210039518 · 2021-02-11 ·

A server performs a process including: when the server receives a second DR. execution instruction, the step of obtaining a vehicle list; the step of turning off a determination flag of each candidate vehicle; the step of obtaining a number of times of turning on and off a relay at a time of DR for one of candidate vehicles each showing a determination flag in an OFF state; when the number of times of turning on and off the relay is greater than a threshold value, the step of turning on an exclusion flag; the step of performing a notification process; when a determining process ends, the step of performing a process of allocating a DR amount; and the step of transmitting a DR signal.

Grid-isolated solar system
10944268 · 2021-03-09 ·

Grid-isolated solar system and method to use a solar electrical power regulator to control each battery commander and control each micro-inverter that produce AC electrical power from one or more solar cell panels. One embodiment is a system to regulate the total AC electrical power to avoid sending electrical power to an outside electrical utility grid. A second embodiment is an apparatus to regulate the total AC electrical power produced by one or more solar cell panels to avoid sending electrical power to an outside electrical utility grid.

Methods and systems for synchronizing energy management between neighboring microgrids
10938216 · 2021-03-02 · ·

A method and system for operating neighbouring microgrids is disclosed. The method includes creating a first set of energy management policies associated with a predefined area and a second set of energy management policies associated with a microgrid. The method includes measuring power usage data associated with predefined area and current charge level of batteries within the predefined area. The method further includes determining future power demand of the predefined area, based on predefined analytics performed on the measured power usage data and the current charge level of the batteries. The method includes adapting the data models of predefined area with the data models used in microgrid and utility operations for seamless integration of operations and to optimize overall operations while complying with local, edge and overall policies. The method includes applying the first set of energy management policies within the predefined area based on the determined future power demand.

BATTERY MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF, AND BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

A battery management apparatus includes: a first transceiver configured to receive a first infrared (IR) signal output from a neighbor battery management apparatus and process the first IR signal; a controller configured to extract information from the processed first IR signal; and a second transceiver configured to output a second IR signal based on the extracted information.