US 12,744,455 B2Granted

Adaptive electrical power distribution panel

AssigneeKoolbridge Energy, Inc.

InventorPaul Wilkinson Dent

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Abstract

An adaptive electrical power distribution panel receives electrical power from at least an alternative power source other than a utility electric grid, and selectively outputs power to a plurality of branch circuits, appliances, or devices. An internal or remote controller monitors conditions. In response to the monitored conditions, the controller algorithmically divides the plurality of branch circuits, appliances, or devices into a first group to receive power from the alternative power source and a second group to not receive power from the alternative power source, and breaks electrical connections between the alternative power source and the second group. The monitored conditions may include operating parameters the grid; an instantaneous or average individual current flow; and a charge state of storage batteries. The division into groups may also be in response to stored information, such as a priority of, or history of current usage by, each branch circuit, appliance, or device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An energy management device for use in an electrical installation having access to AC electrical power from an electrical utility grid and a secondary source of AC electrical power and configured to distribute AC power to a plurality of branch circuits or appliances, comprising:

power input terminals configured to receive split-phase AC electrical power from the electrical utility grid and secondary source of split-phase AC electrical power;
processing circuitry configured to select between the electrical utility grid and secondary source of split-phase AC electrical power for each of a plurality of electrical paths, based on available information;
communication circuitry operatively connected to the processing circuitry and configured to communicate with external devices;
a plurality of power output terminals, each configured to distribute AC electrical power to a branch circuit or appliance;
a corresponding plurality of electrical paths, each associated with a different branch circuit or appliance, each electrical path including:
a relay controlled by the processing circuitry and configured to permit or inhibit power flow to the branch circuit or appliance from either of said electrical utility grid or secondary AC electrical power source;
an electrical current sensor configured to measure AC electrical current consumed by the branch circuit or appliances, and to provide the measurement as part of the information available to the processing circuitry;
and
a circuit breaker compliant with the National Electrical Code for overcurrent protection of the branch circuit or appliance, and configured such that all AC electrical power distributed to the branch circuit or appliance flows through this circuit breaker, whether the power originates from the grid or secondary source of AC electrical power;
wherein the available information includes one of a current tariff rate for consuming energy from the electrical utility grid, and tariff rates for consuming energy from the electrical utility at certain times.

7 more elements

A smart electrical panel for use in an electrical installation having access to split-phase AC electrical power from an electrical utility grid and a secondary source of split-phase AC electrical power and configured to distribute AC power to a plurality of branch circuits or appliances, comprising:

power input terminals configured to receive split-phase AC electrical power from the electrical utility grid and secondary source of split-phase AC electrical power;
a plurality of power output terminals, each configured to distribute AC electrical power to a branch circuit or appliance;
one or more neutral busses configured to terminate neutral conductors from the branch circuits or appliances;
one or more ground busses configured to terminate grounding conductors from the branch circuits or appliances;
a multiconductor power distribution buss configured to distribute the split-phase AC power from the power input terminals;
a plurality of breaker slots, each housing a relay, a current sensor, and a breaker stab operatively connected together, wherein the relay is connected to the multiconductor power distribution buss and configured to enable or inhibit power flow from one leg of the electrical utility grid or the corresponding leg of the secondary split-phase AC electrical power source to the associated branch circuit or appliance, whereby the selected AC electrical power flows through the same associated circuit breaker whichever source is selected;
and
processing circuitry configured to execute energy management algorithms based on available information, including controlling the relays to dynamically determine which of the branch circuits or appliances receive power from the electrical utility grid and which of the branch circuits or appliances receive power from the secondary AC electrical power source, the processing circuitry comprising a communication interface configured to communicate with external devices to receive the available information;
wherein the available information includes one of a current tariff rate for consuming energy from the electrical utility grid, and tariff rates for consuming energy from the electrical utility at certain times.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/927,404Filed 25 Oct 2024 · continuation
Priority: 8 May 2011
Published: US 2025/0047193 A16 Feb 2025
Granted: 22 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

H02M 1/32
Details of apparatus for conversion: means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
H02J 3/00
Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
H02J 3/007
Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks: arrangements for selectively connecting one or more loads to one or more power…
H02J 3/38
Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks: arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in…

Family

Application13/103,070Parent of this continuation · filed 8 May 2011
Application14/062,884Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Oct 2013
US 8,937,822 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Jan 2015
Application14/749,339Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Jun 2015
Application15/676,826Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Aug 2017
US 9,735,703 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Aug 2017
Application16/233,556Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Dec 2018
US 10,205,324 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Feb 2019
Application16/532,163Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 5 Aug 2019
US 10,666,161 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 26 May 2020
Application17/525,535Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 12 Nov 2021
Application17/889,131Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Aug 2022
US 11,460,488 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Oct 2022
US 11,509,163 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Nov 2022
Application18/420,448Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Jan 2024
US 11,901,810 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Feb 2024
US 2025/0047193 A1Pre-grant publication · published 6 Feb 2025
US 12,160,168 B2Parent of this continuation
US 12,362,647 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application17/889,131Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application16/532,163Parent of this continuation
US 2012/0281444 A1Published application
US 2014/0084687 A1Published application
US 2015/0295413 A1Published application
US 2016/0365731 A9Published application
US 2019/0049493 A1Published application
US 2019/0140556 A1Published application
US 2020/0028447 A1Published application
US 2022/0140644 A1Published application
US 2023/0155482 A1Published application
US 2024/0171062 A1Published application
US 12,744,455 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.