Granted Patent B2

US 12,418,195 · App. 18/591,174 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Inventors: Stuart W. DeJonge (Riegelsville, PA); Robert C. Newman, Jr. (Emmaus, PA); Matthew W. Nuhfer (Medford, MA); Michael W. Pessina (Allentown, PA); Thomas M. Shearer (Macungie, PA)

Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC

H02J9/061H05B33/02H05B45/10H05B45/38H05B47/18H05B45/3725

Abstract

Claims (65)

1. An electrical distribution panel controller, comprising:

distribution panel control circuitry operatively coupled to an alternating current (AC) line feed to the electric distribution panel and operatively coupled to a direct current (DC) line feed to the electric distribution panel, the distribution panel control circuitry to:

detect an interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel; and

responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel, cause bridge inverter circuitry operatively coupled between the DC line feed and the AC line feed to transfer power from the DC line feed to the AC line feed.

2. The electrical distribution panel controller of claim 1 wherein the distribution panel control circuitry to further, responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel:

identify emergency electric load devices operatively coupled to the AC line feed; and

maintain AC line feed power to the identified emergency electric load devices.

3. The electrical distribution panel controller of claim 2 , further comprising:

memory circuitry operatively coupled to the distribution panel control circuitry;

wherein to identify emergency electric load devices operatively coupled to the AC line feed, the distribution panel control circuitry to further:

retrieve, from the memory circuitry, data representative of the emergency electric load devices.

4. The electrical distribution panel controller of claim 1 , further comprising:

communication interface circuitry operatively coupled to the distribution panel control circuitry;

wherein the distribution panel control circuitry to further:

transmit a signal that includes information indicative of the interruption of the AC line feed, responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed.

5. The electrical distribution panel controller of claim 1 wherein the distribution panel control circuitry to further:

receive at least one parameter from each of a plurality of DC power supplies disposed in the electrical distribution panel;

for each of the plurality of DC power supplies:

determine whether the at least one parameter falls outside an allowable range; and

responsive to the determination that the at least one parameter falls outside an allowable range, cause a switchover to a different DC power supply disposed in the electrical distribution panel.

6. The electrical distribution panel controller of claim 1 wherein the distribution panel control circuitry to further:

monitor DC line feed supply to the electrical distribution panel;

monitor DC demand in the electrical distribution panel; and

convert excess DC line feed supply to AC line feed via the bridge inverter circuitry.

7. An electrical distribution panel control method, comprising:

detecting, by distribution panel control circuitry an interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel;

wherein the distribution panel control circuitry operatively couples to an alternating current (AC) line feed to the electric distribution panel and operatively couples to a direct current (DC) line feed to the electric distribution panel; and

causing, by the distribution panel control circuitry, bridge inverter circuitry operatively coupled between the DC line feed and the AC line feed to transfer power from the DC line feed to the AC line feed responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: wherein the distribution panel control circuitry to further responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel:

identifying, by the distribution panel control circuitry, one or more emergency electric load devices operatively coupled to the AC line feed; and

maintaining, by the distribution panel control circuitry, AC line feed power to the identified one or more emergency electric load devices.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein identifying the one or more emergency electric load devices operatively coupled to the AC line feed further comprises:

retrieving, by the distribution panel control circuitry, from operatively coupled memory circuitry, data representative of the emergency electric load devices.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

causing, by the distribution panel control circuitry, operatively coupled communication interface circuitry to transmit a signal that includes information indicative of the interruption of the AC line feed, responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, by the distribution panel control circuitry, at least one parameter from each of a plurality of DC power supplies disposed in the electrical distribution panel; and

for each of the plurality of DC power supplies:

determining, by the distribution panel control circuitry, whether the at least one parameter falls outside an allowable range; and

causing, by the distribution panel control circuitry, a switchover to a different DC power supply disposed in the electrical distribution panel responsive to the determination that the at least one parameter falls outside an allowable range.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving, by the distribution panel control circuitry, a first input indicative of the DC line feed supply to the electrical distribution panel;

receiving, by the distribution panel control circuitry, a second input indicative of the DC demand in the electrical distribution panel; and

converting, by the distribution panel control circuitry, excess DC line feed supply to AC line feed via the bridge inverter circuitry.

13. A non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device that includes instructions that, when executed by distribution panel control circuitry, causes the distribution panel control circuitry to:

detect an interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel;

wherein the distribution panel control circuitry operatively couples to an alternating current (AC) line feed to the electric distribution panel and operatively couples to a direct current (DC) line feed to the electric distribution panel; and

cause bridge inverter circuitry operatively coupled between the DC line feed and the AC line feed to transfer power from the DC line feed to the AC line feed responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel.

14. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 13 wherein the instructions, when executed by the distribution panel control circuitry, further cause the distribution panel control circuitry to:

responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed to the electric distribution panel:

identify one or more emergency electric load devices operatively coupled to the AC line feed; and

maintain AC line feed power to the identified one or more emergency electric load devices.

15. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 14 wherein the instructions that cause the distribution panel control circuitry to identify the one or more emergency electric load devices operatively coupled to the AC line feed further cause the distribution panel control circuitry:

retrieve from operatively coupled memory circuitry, data representative of the emergency electric load devices.

16. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 13 wherein the instructions, when executed by the distribution panel control circuitry, further cause the distribution panel control circuitry to:

cause operatively coupled communication interface circuitry to transmit a signal that includes information indicative of the interruption of the AC line feed, responsive to detection of the interruption of the AC line feed.

17. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 13 wherein the instructions, when executed by the distribution panel control circuitry, further cause the distribution panel control circuitry to:

receive at least one parameter from each of a plurality of DC power supplies disposed in the electrical distribution panel; and

for each of the plurality of DC power supplies:

determine whether the at least one parameter falls outside an allowable range; and

cause a switchover to a different DC power supply disposed in the electrical distribution panel responsive to the determination that the at least one parameter falls outside an allowable range.

18. The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 13 wherein the instructions, when executed by the distribution panel control circuitry, further cause the distribution panel control circuitry to:

receive a first input indicative of the DC line feed supply to the electrical distribution panel;

receive a second input indicative of the DC demand in the electrical distribution panel; and

convert excess DC line feed supply to AC line feed via the bridge inverter circuitry.

Continuity (7)

References Cited (68)