Erskine R Barbour

6836121, Dec 28, 2004

Jun 6, 2001

09/875059

Erskine R. Barbour - Benson NC
Carl J. LaPlace - Raleigh NC

ABB Inc. - Raleigh NC

G01R 3302

324418, 324256, 324424, 3611681, 3611691

A power switching control device and methods for using the same to control a magnetic actuator within a power switching device are disclosed. The power switching control device uses a series of modulated current pulses to control a magnetic actuator within a power switching device. The power switching control device inputs a power signal and applies a series of modulated current pulses through the coil of the magnetic actuator in a first direction such that the actuator moves from a first position to a second position. Certain operating characteristics of a power switching device can be ascertained by analyzing the impedance of the magnetic actuator coil within the power switching device. The power switching device control device also has an improved energy management system therein. In this manner, the controller includes a voltage regulator that has the ability to switch between operating modes.

6940868, Sep 6, 2005

Apr 20, 1999

09/295163

Erskine R. Barbour - Benson NC, US

ABB Inc. - Norwalk CT

H04J003/16
H04J003/22
H04B007/14
H04B003/36
H04B001/38

370466, 370279, 370315, 370293, 375222

A digital serial communications hub has the ability to delay, route and regenerate data on the fly at mixed baud rates, mixed character framing bits, and mixed protocols without prior setup. In addition, the communications hub stores and retrieves serial data in the time domain, and employs a simple and reliable error correction routine that takes advantage of the time domain format of the data. Physically, the communications hub is implemented as a circuit card integrating a central processor with several serial communications ports. The serial ports connect to a combination of electrical interfaces that include RS232, RS485, TTL, and Fiber Optic. The serial communication ports are routed through a central flow processor that controls data flow into and out of the circuit card via serial communications connectors.

7275001, Sep 25, 2007

May 10, 2005

11/125969

Marty L. Trivette - Cary NC, US
Erskine R. Barbour - Benson NC, US
David C. Whyte - Fayetteville NC, US

ABB Technology AG - Zurich

G06F 3/01

702 64, 702 65, 702188, 702189

A method for determining an electrical current value using at least two current sensing circuits. One current sensing circuit is provided if the current value is below a switching threshold. The other current sensing is provided if the current value is above a switching threshold. Both current sensing circuits having a processing means to process the current signal and a determining means to determine the value of the current signal.

7508645, Mar 24, 2009

Jul 9, 2005

11/177151

Marty L. Trivette - Cary NC, US
Erskine R. Barbour - Benson NC, US
Bryan A. Shang - Raleigh NC, US

ABB Technology AG - Zurich

H01H 47/04
H01H 47/32

361139, 361154, 361152, 361194

A method and apparatus for operating a magnetic actuator in a power switching device by transmitting at least two different electrical current waveforms to the actuator. Both waveforms are sent to the actuator from a controller in the same direction to move an actuator's armature from a first position to a second position. The first current waveform causes the armature to move from the first position to the second position. The second waveform is transmitted to the actuator to keep the armature moving towards the second position without overdriving the armature.

7519438, Apr 14, 2009

Nov 9, 2005

11/269925

Erskine R. Barbour - Benson NC, US
Varagur R. Ramanan - Cary NC, US

ABB Technology AG - Zurich

G05B 11/01
G01R 31/00

700 22, 700286, 700291, 702 58, 705412, 345418

A method and tool for an integrated power switching device configuration tool and fault response tolerance calculator determines the fault response tolerance characteristics of a power switching device, adjusts the predicted fault responses based on the fault response tolerances and displays the adjusted fault response results. The fault response tolerance calculation tool uses configuration information defined during the configuring of the power switching device and applies this information to an over current response curve selected by a user. The tool calculates the different fault response tolerances and adjusts predicted response times accordingly. The adjusted fault responses are displayed to the user along with a range of recommended fault response values.

7550960, Jun 23, 2009

Jun 21, 2005

11/157595

Erskine R. Barbour - Benson NC, US
Mietek T. Glinkowski - Raleigh NC, US

ABB Technology AG - Zurich

G01R 31/02

324 725, 324658, 324 7611, 324117 R

A method and apparatus for determining a voltage potential in a power switching device. The method and apparatus uses a conductive shield surrounding a coil positioned around a connector in a power switching device. The coil is used to provide a current measuring device within the power switching device. The combination of the shield, connector and the dielectric between them forms a capacitor, which is the high voltage leg of a capacitive voltage divider circuit. The capacitive voltage divider has a low voltage leg made of one or more capacitors. The capacitors of the low voltage leg may be removed in order to adjust the output of the capacitive voltage divider. The output of the voltage divider circuit is measured, converted and displayed to a user.

57291195, Mar 17, 1998

Jun 28, 1996

8/675442

Erskine Barbour - Benson NC

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. - Alpharetta GA

G05F 140
G05F 1652
G05F 1613

323222

An under voltage trip device for low and medium voltage breakers is disclosed. Briefly stated, a first power supply receives unregulated power from a control voltage supply, such as typically used in switchgear type substations, which is rectified and regulated with portions of the power supply monitored by a processor. The output of the first power supply is supplied to a second power supply which allows pulsing modulating power to be supplied to a solenoid connected thereto. The current supplied to the solenoid is measured so as to represent the solenoid armature position which is measured and calculated by a processor and stored therein as well as being compared to stored values, thereby determining solenoid armature position and predicting or warning of solenoid failure. Connected to the second power supply is a third power supply which operates in a voltage regulator supply mode and a switcher mode during start-up and continuous running operation respectively, such mode being controlled by the processor. Switches are connected to the processor with the result that multiple control voltage sources may be selected while the position and condition of the solenoid armature and coil are determined.

59074671, May 25, 1999

Jun 28, 1996

8/675443

Erskine Barbour - Benson NC

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. - Alpharetta GA

H01H 4704

361170

An under voltage trip device for low and medium voltage breakers is disclosed. A first power supply receives unregulated power from a control voltage supply which is rectified and regulated with portions of the power supply monitored by a processor. The output of the first power supply is supplied to a second power supply which allows pulsing modulating power to be supplied to a solenoid connected thereto. The current supplied to the solenoid is measured and calculated by the processor and stored therein as well as being compared to stored values, thereby determining solenoid armature position and predicting or warning of solenoid failure. Connected to the second power supply is a third power supply which operates in a voltage regulator supply mode and a switcher mode during start-up and continuous running operation respectively, such mode being controlled by the processor. Switches are connected to the processor so that multiple control voltage sources may be selected as well as adjusting the delay time and pick-up or drop-out points with respect to the control voltage in order to determine operation of the solenoid and the position and condition of the solenoid armature and coil. The solenoid is pulsed with higher than rated voltages in order to firmly lock in the solenoid and to delay its decay during an undervoltage condition from the control power.