# US 12,224,583 B2 · Highly flexible, electrical distribution grid edge energy manager and router

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- Number: US 12,224,583 B2
- Document ID: US12224583B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/197,550
- Filed: 2023-05-15
- Published: 2023-09-14
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-23
- Assignees: Gridbridge, Inc.
- Applicants: Gridbridge, Inc.
- Inventors: Chad Eckhardt; Stephen Timothy Watts
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224583B2

## CPC

- H02J 13/12: Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G06F 1/26: Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C)
- G06F 1/30: Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24)
- G06Q 50/06: Energy or water supply
- H02J 3/01: Arrangements for reducing harmonics or ripples
- H02J 3/02: using a single network for simultaneous distribution of AC power at different frequencies
- H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading
- H02J 3/18: Arrangements for adjusting, eliminating or compensating reactive power in networks
- H02J 3/38: Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel
- H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators}
- H02J 13/1311: {using the power network as support for the transmission}
- H02J 13/1321: {using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus}
- H02J 13/1323: {using optical fibres}
- H02J 13/1337: {involving the use of Internet protocols}
- H02J 13/14: the power network being locally controlled, e.g. home energy management systems [HEMS]
- H02J 13/333: the equipment forming part of substations
- H02M 1/42: Circuits or arrangements for compensating for or adjusting power factor in converters or inverters
- H02J 3/44: with means for ensuring correct phase sequence
- H02J 3/46: Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks
- H02J 2101/20: Dispersed power generation using renewable energy sources
- H02J 2105/42: Home appliances
- H02J 2105/55: according to an economic condition, e.g. tariff-based load management
- Y02B 70/30: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
- Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
- Y02E 40/70: Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
- Y02E 60/00: Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y04S 10/123: the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
- Y04S 10/30: State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
- Y04S 20/221: General power management systems
- Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
- Y04S 20/242: Home appliances
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

An electrical distribution grid energy management and router device, or GER device, may be installed in a distribution grid, and route power from power supply to one or more power consumers. The GER devices described herein may provide platforms to add one or more features to a distribution transformer, provide additional features and benefits to both the utility company and end consumer, and may serve as a platform for providing other features, such as multi-layer protection systems for detecting, among other things, one or more fault conditions, and responding to such conditions when detected. A GER device may include sensors to measure electrical properties of incoming and outgoing power, and may include an electrical circuit layer having a central DC power stage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrical distribution energy management device comprising:
(i) a primary electrical connection terminal for receiving or transmitting power to or from an electrical grid;
(ii) at least one secondary electrical connection terminal for bidirectional power transmission;
(iii) a modular electrical circuit layer coupled to the primary electrical connection terminal and the at least one secondary electrical connection terminals, the modular electrical circuit layer comprising a power processing circuit for processing a portion of the power by the device in either direction through a central DC power stage,
(iv) a controller layer configured to control the modular electrical circuit layer, the control layer comprising at least one computer processor and nonvolatile memory coupled to the computer processor, and
(v) a physical layer comprising at least one communication device in operable communication with the controller layer;
(vi) wherein the modular electrical circuit layer further comprises a multi-layer protection system for detecting one or more fault conditions, and responding to the one or more fault conditions when detected.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more fault conditions comprise one or more of a parameter measuring out of specification and a blown resettable or one-time fuse.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, wherein the parameter comprises one or more of temperature, humidity, voltage, and current.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein responding to the one or more fault conditions comprises one or more of shutting down the device, bypassing the modular electrical circuit layer, and de-rating the device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the physical layer includes a communication device configured to communicate with a second energy management device.

### Claim 6

An energy management device for placement on a portion of an electrical distribution grid downstream of a source connection and upstream of an energy consumer connection, the device comprising:
(i) a primary electrical connection terminal for receiving power from or transmitting power to a source connection, the primary electrical connection terminal comprising at least one of a first voltage sensor and a first current sensor;
(ii) at least one secondary electrical connection terminal for providing power to or receiving power from a consumer, the at least one secondary electrical connection terminal comprising at least one of a second voltage sensor and a second current sensor;
(iii) a modular electrical circuit layer in electrical communication with the primary electrical connection terminal and the at least one secondary electrical connection terminal comprising a processing circuit for processing a portion of the power received by the device;
(iv) a controller layer configured to control the electrical circuit layer, the control layer comprising at least one computer processor and nonvolatile memory coupled to the computer processor in operable communication with the at least one first and second sensors, so as to receive an output signal from the at least one first and second sensors;
(v) a physical layer comprising at least one communication device in operable communication with the controller layer, the communication device for transmitting data relating to the output signal to an end user;
(vi) wherein the modular electrical circuit layer further comprises a multi-layer protection system for detecting one or more fault conditions, and responding to the one or more fault conditions when detected.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the one or more fault conditions comprise one or more of a parameter measuring out of specification and a blown resettable or one-time fuse.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the parameter comprises one or more of temperature, humidity, voltage, and current.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein responding to the one or more fault conditions comprises one or more of shutting down the device, bypassing the modular electrical circuit layer, and de-rating the device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the physical layer includes a communication device configured to communicate with a second energy management device.