IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,479,003
Granted Patent B2
US 9,479,003 · App. 14/109,332 · Granted Oct 25, 2016

Power metering and control system adaptable to multi-standard device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,479,003
App. No.
14/109,332
Granted
Oct 25, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power control device has a voltage-regulator from power source to load, the load configurable to receive power at least at a first or second rate. The device has monitor circuitry to measure power; signal circuitry for signaling a power-reception rate to the load; and circuitry for resetting the load when the power source is overloaded. The device resets the load periodically to the second rate when the load is at the first rate. In embodiments, the power source is a thermoelectric generator or solar panel. In embodiments, the load couples through a USB connector. A companion method of charging smart loads includes applying power to the load; communicating power available to the load; configuring a battery charger in the load to absorb an amount of power less than that available; monitoring power, determining when changed configuration may optimize charging time of a smart load battery; and resetting the smart load to optimize current.

Claims (30)

1. A power control device comprising:

voltage-regulation circuitry configured to couple power from a power source to a load, the load configurable to receive power at least at a first and a second power-reception level, the second level greater than the first level;

power monitoring circuitry adapted to detect an overload of the power source and to indicate on a display a power absorbed by the load;

signaling circuitry configured to signal circuitry of the load with information regarding a power availability level at the power control device;

resetting circuitry configured to reset the load when the power source is incapable of providing sufficient power to the load at the second level, and to use the signaling circuitry to instruct the load to receive power at the first level; wherein

the resetting circuitry is further configured to periodically reset the load to the second power reception level when the load is receiving power at the first power-reception level and the power monitoring circuitry is not indicating overload of the power source; and wherein the power source comprises a solar panel.

2. The power control device of claim 1 wherein the power source comprises a thermoelectric generator.

3. The power control device of claim 1 wherein the voltage regulation circuitry has a USB connector configured for coupling to a load, and wherein the circuitry for resetting the load comprises circuitry for removing power from the USB connector for a period of time.

4. The power control device of claim 3 wherein the signaling circuitry comprises circuitry configured to apply voltage levels to data pins of the USB connector, the voltage levels being static levels indicative of a power-reception level.

5. The power control device of claim 3 wherein the signaling circuitry comprises circuitry adapted to serial communications with a load.

6. The power control device of claim 3 wherein the power monitoring circuitry comprises a bar-graph display of power absorbed by the load.

7. The power control device of claim 1 wherein the power monitoring circuitry comprises a bar-graph display of power absorbed by the load.

8. A method of operating a smart load with a charging system comprising:

applying power to the smart load;

Estimating an amount of power available from a solar panel of the charging system;

communicating the amount of power available from the charging system to the smart load;

configuring a battery charger of the smart load to accept from the charging system an amount of power less than the amount of power available;

monitoring an amount of power absorbed by the smart load;

determining whether a change in configuration is required to optimize charging time of a battery in the smart load; and

resetting the smart load and communicating to the smart load a different amount of estimated power available to the smart load.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein power is applied to the smart load through a USB connector, and wherein resetting the smart load comprises removing power from the USB connector for a period of time.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the communication is performed by applying static voltage levels to data pins of the USB connector.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising displaying power absorbed by the load on a bar-graph display.

12. An apparatus comprising:

coupling circuitry configured to couple power from a solar panel to a load, the load configurable to receive power at least at a first and a second power-reception level, the second level greater than the first level;

current measuring circuitry adapted to measure a current coupled into the load by the coupling circuitry;

display circuitry adapted to indicate a current measured by the current measuring circuitry; and

resetting circuitry configured to reset the load when the current measuring circuitry determines the load is attempting to draw power at the second power-reception level and the power source cannot provide sufficient power to the load at the second power reception level; and wherein the resetting circuitry is further configured to periodically reset the load to the second power reception level when the load is receiving power at the first power-reception level.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the display circuitry comprises a plurality of discrete light-emitting elements, and wherein the current measured by the current monitoring circuitry is indicated by illuminating a number of light-emitting elements determined according to a level of the measured current.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the coupling circuitry comprises voltage regulation circuitry.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2025
From: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
To: 22 THRASIO TWENTY TWO, INC.; DARK ORANGE DESIGN, INC.; 7 THRASIO SEVEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 072537/0031 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2024
From: 12 THRASIO TWELVE, INC.; 17 THRASIO SEVENTEEN, INC.; 19 THRASIO NINETEEN, INC.; 22 THRASIO TWENTY TWO, INC.; 7 THRASIO SEVEN, INC.; APRICOT IDEAS, INC.; CALIFORNIA POPPY PROJECTS, INC.; CARAMEL CREATIONS, INC.; CHILI FLAKES, INC.; COMET CREATIONS, INC.; DARK ORANGE DESIGN INC.; EMBERGLOW IDEAS, INC.; FAINT ORANGE HORIZON, INC.; GINGER CAT CREATIONS, INC.; GOLDEN GATE SOLUTIONS, INC.; IDEAL MONARCH INC.; IDEASTREAM CONSUMER PRODUCTS LLC; KHAKI TRIPS INC.; KOI CREATIONS, INC.; LIONFISH LOGISTICS, INC.; MAPLE MOVEMENTS, INC.; OCHRE ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANGE CRUSH ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANGE HOPE, INC.; ORANGE MARGARITA, INC.; ORANGE PEEL PROJECTS, INC.; ORANGE UMBRELLA CREATIONS, INC.; ORANGUTAN ORGANIZATION, INC.; OYSTER OASIS, INC.; PENNY ROSE SOLUTIONS, INC.; SUNNY OPERATIONS, INC.; SWEET NECTAR ENTERPRISE, INC.; TANGELO TENDENCIES, INC.; TANGERINE IDEAS, INC.; TOPAZ TRADITIONS, INC.; WILLIAMS EVANS RETAIL LTD.; AMBER IDEAS, INC.; PENTHE COMPANY
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
Reel/Frame 071380/0275 →
RELEASE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN IP RECORDED AT R/F 054866/0713 Recorded Jun 29, 2024
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
To: 12 THRASIO TWELVE, INC.; 17 THRASIO SEVENTEEN, INC.; 7 THRASIO SEVEN, INC.; APRICOT IDEAS, INC.; CALIFORNIA POPPY PROJECTS, INC.; DARK ORANGE DESIGN, INC.; EMBERGLOW IDEAS, INC.; IDEAL MONARCH, INC.; KOI CREATIONS, INC.; LIONFISH LOGISTICS, INC.; ORANGE CRUSH ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANGUTAN ORGANIZATION, INC.; TANGERINE IDEAS INC.; MAPLE MOVEMENTS, INC.; AMBER IDEAS, INC.; PENTHE COMPANY; HABANERO PEPPER PROJECTS, INC.; ORANGE PEEL PROJECTS, INC.; COMET CREATIONS, INC.; OCHRE ORGANIZATION, INC.; KOI CREATIONS, INC.; 19 THRASIO NINETEEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 068663/0523 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2024
From: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
To: THRASIO, LLC; 1 THRASIO ONE, INC.; 10 THRASIO TEN, INC.; 11 THRASIO ELEVEN, INC.; 12 THRASIO TWELVE, INC.; 14 THRASIO FOURTEEN, INC.; 15 THRASIO FIFTEEN, INC.; 16 THRASIO SIXTEEN, INC.; 17 THRASIO SEVENTEEN, INC.; 18 THRASIO EIGHTEEN, INC.; 19 THRASIO NINETEEN, INC.; 2 B BOUNTIFUL, INC.; 20 THRASIO TWENTY, INC.; 21 THRASIO TWENTY ONE, INC.; 22 THRASIO TWENTY TWO, INC.; 23 THRASIO TWENTY THREE, INC.; 24 THRASIO TWENTY FOUR, INC.; 25 THRASIO TWENTY FIVE, INC.; 3 THRASIO THREE, INC.; 5 THRASIO FIVE, INC.; 6 THRASIO SIX, INC.; 7 THRASIO SEVEN, INC.; 8 THRASIO EIGHT, INC.; 9 THRASIO NINE, INC.; ALLOY IDEAS, INC.; AMBER IDEAS, INC.; AMBER OASIS, INC.; APRICOT IDEAS, INC.; APRICOT IDEAS, INC.; ASH DEVELOPMENTS, LLC; ASSASSIN BUG INDUSTRIES, INC.; AUTUMN IDEAS, INC.; BITTERSWEET BILLOWS, INC.; BRONZE PROJECTS, INC.; BURNING NEON, INC.; BURNT SUMMER CITRUS, INC.; BUTTERCUP CREATIONS, INC.; BUTTERSCOTCH BEGINNINGS, INC.; CAFE CASA, INC.; CALIFORNIA POPPY PROJECTS, INC.; CANDLELIT CREATIONS, INC.; CARAMEL CREATIONS, INC.; CARNATION CREATIONS, INC.; CARROT SOLUTIONS, INC.; CAYENNE SOLUTIONS, INC.; CHAMPAGNE PROJECTS, INC.; CHEDDAR CREATIONS, INC.; CHILI FLAKES, INC.; CHRYSANTHEMUM CREATIONS, INC.; CINNABAR CREATIONS, INC.; CITRINE SOLUTIONS, INC.; CLASSY MANGO, INC.; CLASSY TANGERINE, INC.; CLEMENTINE CREATIONS, INC.; COMET CREATIONS INC.; CORAL CHROME, INC.; CORN SNAKE SURPRISES, INC.; CRAWFISH CREATIONS, INC.; DAFFODIL DESIGN, INC.; DARK ORANGE DESIGN, INC.; DAYBREAK DEVELOPMENTS, INC.; DAYLILY DREAMS, INC.; DMD GROUP, INC.; ECOM HEIGHTS LLC; EMBERGLOW IDEAS, INC.; FAINT ORANGE HORIZON, INC.; FALL FOUNDATIONS, INC.; FAWN FOUNDATIONS, INC.; FOXY CREATIONS, INC.; FROSTY DREAM, INC.; FYER TROPICS, INC.; GINGER CAT CREATIONS, INC.; GINGER CREATIONS, INC.; GINGERSNAP SOLUTIONS, INC.; GOLDEN GATE SOLUTIONS, INC.; GOLDEN KIWIFRUIT ENTERPRISES, INC.; HABANERO PEPPER PROJECTS, INC.; HARLEY ORANGE, INC.; HARVEST CHARM, INC.; HONEY SUNSET, INC.; IDEAL MONARCH, INC.; IDEASTREAM CONSUMER PRODUCTS, LLC; JASPER GESTURE, INC.; JUPITER GESTURE, INC.; KHAKI TRIPS, INC.; KOI CREATIONS, INC.; LACE DECISIONS, INC.; LARANJA LOGISTICS, INC.; LATTE LOGISTICS, INC.; LEMUR LOGISTICS, INC.; LEVITA HOLDINGS, LLC; LIONFISH LOGISTICS, INC.; LOBSTER LOGISTICS, INC.; MAGENTA PEEL SOLUTIONS, INC.; MAHOGANY MOVEMENTS, INC.; MALT DECISIONS, INC.; MANGO MOVEMENTS, INC.; MANGO WONDER, INC.; MAPLE MOVEMENTS, INC.; MARMALADE MOVEMENTS, INC.; MELON MOVEMENTS, INC.; METEOR MOVEMENTS, INC.; MIMOSA MOVEMENTS, INC.; OCHRE ORGANIZATION, INC.; OLD RUST ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANGE CRUSH ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANGE HOPE, INC.; ORANGE MARGARITA, INC.; ORANGE ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANGE PEACH PROJECTS, INC.; ORANGE PEEL PROJECTS, INC.; ORANGE UMBRELLA CREATIONS, INC.; ORANGUTAN ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANSSI ORGANIZATION, INC.; OYSTER OASIS, INC.; PANTONE PROJECTS, INC.; PAPAYA PROJECTS, INC.; PEACH PROJECTS, INC.; PENNY ROSE SOLUTIONS, INC.; PENTHE COMPANY; PERSIAN PROJECTS, INC.; PERSIMMON PROJECTS, INC.; PIZZA PROJECTS, INC.; PORTOCALE PROJECTS, INC.; PRIMROSE PROJECTS, INC.; RADIANT ORANGE, INC.; ROSE BUD CREATIONS, INC.; ROSEWOOD WISH, INC.; SAFEREST HOLDINGS, LLC; SALMON SOLUTIONS, INC.; SANDPAPER SOLUTIONS, INC.; SANDSNAKE VENTURES, INC.; SAPPHIRE MONKEY, INC.; SCARLET SOLUTIONS, INC.; SCOTCH SOLUTIONS, INC.; SEASHELL SOLUTIONS, INC.; SHERBERT SOLUTIONS, INC.; SHORTBREAD SOLUTIONS, INC.; SOFT SPICE, INC.
Reel/Frame 068903/0293 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 29, 2020
From: 12 THRASIO TWELVE, INC.; 17 THRASIO SEVENTEEN, INC.; 7 THRASIO SEVEN, INC.; APRICOT IDEAS, INC; CALIFORNIA POPPY PROJECTS, INC.; DARK ORANGE DESIGN, INC.; EMBERGLOW IDEAS, INC.; IDEAL MONARCH, INC.; KOI CREATIONS, INC.; LIONFISH LOGISTICS, INC.; ORANGE CRUSH ORGANIZATION, INC.; ORANGUTAN ORGANIZATION, INC.; TANGERINE IDEAS, INC.; MAPLE MOVEMENTS, INC.; AMBER IDEAS, INC.; PENTHE COMPANY; HABANERO PEPPER PROJECTS, INC.; ORANGE PEEL PROJECTS, INC.; COMET CREATIONS INC.; OCHRE ORGANIZATION INC.; 19 THRASIO NINETEEN, INC.
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 054866/0713 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2020
From: POWER PRACTICAL, INC.
To: DARK ORANGE DESIGN, INC.
Reel/Frame 052381/0171 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2019
From: ALTEN, LLC
To: POWER PRACTICAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 048907/0647 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2014
From: TOLEDO, DAVID; SLUSSER, PAUL
To: ALTEN, LLC
Reel/Frame 034188/0451 →