Kathleen O O'Brien

US Patent:

7542250, Jun 2, 2009

Filed:

Jan 10, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/621623

Inventors:

William James Premerlani - Scotia NY, US
Fengfeng Tao - Clifton Park NY, US
Joshua Isaac Wright - Arlington VA, US
John Norton Park - Rexford NY, US
Robert Joseph Caggiano - Wolcott CT, US
David James Lesslie - Plainville CT, US
Brent Charles Kumfer - Fort Wayne IN, US
Charles Stephan Pitzen - Farmington CT, US
Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Albany NY, US
Edward Keith Howell - Hendersonville NC, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H02H 7/00

US Classification:

361 2, 361 1, 361 3, 361 8, 361 13, 361 4, 361 31

Abstract:

A motor starter is provided. The motor starter includes micro-electromechanical system switching circuitry. The system may further include solid state switching circuitry coupled in a parallel circuit with the electromechanical switching circuitry, and a controller coupled to the electromechanical switching circuitry and the solid state switching circuitry. The controller may be configured to perform selective switching of a load current from a motor connected to the motor starter. The switching may be performed between the electromechanical switching circuitry and the solid state switching circuitry in response to a load current condition appropriate to an operational capability of a respective one of the switching circuitries.

US Patent:

7808764, Oct 5, 2010

Filed:

Oct 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/931353

Inventors:

Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Albany NY, US
Nicole Christine Reeves Hedges - Albany NY, US
Michael Solomon Idelchik - Niskayuna NY, US
Owen Jannis Schelenz - Schenectady NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H01H 47/00

US Classification:

361166

Abstract:

A system that includes micro-electromechanical system switching circuitry, such as may be made up of a plurality of micro-electromechanical switches, is provided. The plurality of micro-electromechanical switches may generally operate in a closed switching condition during system operation. A controller is coupled to the electromechanical switching circuitry. The controller may be configured to actuate at least one of the micro-electromechanical switches to a temporary open switching condition while a remainder of micro-electromechanical switches remains in the closed switching condition to conduct a load current and avoid interrupting system operation. The temporary open switching condition of the switch is useful to avoid a tendency of switch contacts to stick to one another.

US Patent:

7903382, Mar 8, 2011

Filed:

Jun 19, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/764871

Inventors:

William James Premerlani - Scotia NY, US
Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Albany NY, US
John Norton Park - Rexford NY, US
Brent Charles Kumfer - Farmington CT, US
Parag Thakre - Bangalore, IN

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H01H 9/30
H01H 9/56
H01H 73/18
H02H 3/08
H02H 9/02

US Classification:

361 931, 361 13

Abstract:

The present invention comprises a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) micro-switch array based current limiting enabled circuit interrupting apparatus. The apparatus comprising an over-current protective component, wherein the over-current protective component comprises a switching circuit, wherein the switching circuit comprises a plurality of micro-electromechanical system switching devices. The apparatus also comprises a circuit breaker or switching component, wherein the circuit breaker or switching component is in operable communication with the over-current protective component.

US Patent:

8054589, Nov 8, 2011

Filed:

Dec 16, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/639060

Inventors:

Arun Virupaksha Gowda - Rexford NY, US
Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Niskayuna NY, US
John Norton Park - Rexford NY, US
William James Premerlani - Scotia NY, US
Owen Jannis Samuel Schelenz - Schenectady NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H01H 9/42
H01H 73/18

US Classification:

361 2, 361 8, 361 11, 361 13, 338 61

Abstract:

An apparatus, such as a switch module, is provided. The apparatus can include an electromechanical switch structure configured to move between an open configuration and a fully-closed configuration (associated with a minimum characteristic resistance) over a characteristic time. A commutation circuit can be connected in parallel with the electromechanical switch structure, and can include a balanced diode bridge configured to suppress arc formation between contacts of the electromechanical switch structure and a pulse circuit including a pulse capacitor configured to form a pulse signal (in connection with a switching event of the electromechanical switch structure) for causing flow of a pulse current through the balanced diode bridge. The electromechanical switch structure and the balanced diode bridge can be disposed such that a total inductance associated with the commutation circuit is less than or equal to a product of the characteristic time and the minimum characteristic resistance.

US Patent:

8101898, Jan 24, 2012

Filed:

Mar 23, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/408937

Inventors:

Glen Peter Koste - Niskayuna NY, US
Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Niskayuna NY, US
John Norton Park - Rexford NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

G01J 1/44
H01J 40/14

US Classification:

250206, 2502141, 136244

Abstract:

An optically powered MEMS gate driver includes a photovoltaic converter configured to receive a light signal from a light source and output a DC supply voltage for a MEMS gate driver in response thereto. The MEMS gate driver further includes a DC to DC converter electrically coupled to the photovoltaic converter and configured to output a line level DC voltage in response to the DC supply voltage. An electrical circuit, also included as a portion of the MEMS gate driver is electrically coupled to both the photovoltaic converter and the DC to DC converter is configured to receive the supply voltage and the line level voltage and to output a line level drive signal in response thereto. The optically powered MEMS gate driver is self-contained within a common EMI enclosure thus providing isolation between the gate driver and command signal electronics.

US Patent:

8121738, Feb 21, 2012

Filed:

Aug 26, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/869522

Inventors:

Ralph Teichmann - Niskayuna NY, US
Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Niskayuna NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G05D 17/00
H02P 9/00

US Classification:

700287, 290 44

Abstract:

A method of controlling a wind turbine farm includes programming at least one algorithm within at least one processor. The wind turbine farm has at least one wind turbine that includes a generator. The at least one algorithm is representative of a relationship between at least one electric power grid tolerance range and an electric power generation rating. The method also includes determining the electric power grid tolerance range. The method further includes generating at least one wind turbine farm tolerance adjustment signal representative of a wind turbine farm tolerance range. The method also includes changing the wind turbine farm tolerance range.

US Patent:

8184460, May 22, 2012

Filed:

May 28, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/473700

Inventors:

Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Niskayuna NY, US
Ralph Teichmann - Niskayuna NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H02M 7/44

US Classification:

363 97

Abstract:

A power generation system including a photovoltaic (PV) module to generate direct current (DC) power is provided. The system includes a controller to determine a maximum power point for the power generation system and a boost converter for receiving control signals from the controller to boost the power from the PV module to a threshold voltage required to inject sinusoidal currents into the grid. A DC to alternating current (AC) multilevel inverter is provided in the system to supply the power from the PV module to a power grid. The system also includes a bypass circuit to bypass the boost converter when an input voltage of the DC to AC multilevel inverter is higher than or equal to the threshold voltage.

US Patent:

8338987, Dec 25, 2012

Filed:

Feb 26, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/713717

Inventors:

Kathleen Ann O'Brien - Niskayuna NY, US
Robert William Delmerico - Clifton Park NY, US
Owen Jannis Samuel Schelenz - Schenectady NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H02J 1/00

US Classification:

307 82, 307 73, 136244

Abstract:

A solar power generation system includes a control system and a DC to AC converter coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) module and for supplying power to a power network. The control system includes a power point tracker to extract either maximum power available from the PV module or less than maximum power available from the PV module, a frequency monitor to obtain a network frequency from the power network, an internal reference frame element to provide an internal reference frequency of the solar power generation system, a frequency comparator to compare the network frequency and the internal reference frequency, and a command signal generator to use the frequency comparison to determine whether a transient increase or decrease in commanded output power is warranted and to provide a command signal.