Bizarre Patents
Ballistic resistant body covering
A ballistic resistant body covering for protecting the torso, groin and neck area from ballistic missiles.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7936163 | Method and system for detecting electricity theft A method for detecting electricity theft in an electricity meter is provided. The method includes determining a first power outage at the meter and determining whether load energy is flowing through the meter after power has been restored to the meter after the firs... | 05/03/2011 |
| 7884597 | Apparatus for testing a protective measuring or metering device as a constituent part of a high or medium voltage installation, more specifically of a utility protective relay, of a generator protective device, of a current meter, or of other protective, measuring or metering electrical devices in a high or medium voltage installation The subject matter of the invention is an apparatus for testing a protective, measuring or metering device as a constituent part of a high or medium voltage installation, more specifically of a utility protective relay, of a generator protective device, of a current... | 02/08/2011 |
| 7746054 | System and method for detecting the presence of an unsafe line condition in a disconnected power meter A method of detecting the presence of an unsafe line condition at a power metering device is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining if a disconnect switch is in the open position, and measuring a first voltage at a first load contact. The method me... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7692421 | Control meter with safety deactivation Control meter for controlling the supply of services, in particular the supply of electric energy, having a support base, anchored with which is a main power supply line, and a metering group detachable from the support base and with a measurement apparatus interpos... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7683603 | Automatic disconnect system, transfer system and method A transfer system includes an energy meter, a transfer switch, an automatic disconnect device, and a detector. The energy meter includes an input structured to receive a first power source, and a power output. The transfer switch includes a first input electrically ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7638998 | Electronic tamper detection circuit for an electricity meter An electronic meter tamper detection system and method for sensing the removal of an electricity meter from a meter socket and generating a tamper signal when such removal is detected. The tamper detection circuit includes a control unit having an energy storage dev... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7521916 | Apparatus for the detection of a current and method for operating such an apparatus An apparatus for the detection of a current in a protection and metering current range comprises one current sensor, which generates a voltage signal, and a voltage-limited electronic element. For metering voltage signals exceeding the upper metering voltage limit o... | 04/21/2009 |
| 7511470 | Electronic tamper detection circuit for an electricity meter An electronic meter tamper detection system and method for sensing the removal of an electricity meter from a meter socket and generating a tamper signal when such removal is detected. The tamper detection circuit includes a control unit having an energy storage dev... | 03/31/2009 |
| 7432823 | Tamper detection apparatus for electrical meters Tamper detection apparatus for an electric meter (M) installed at a facility supplied power through an electrical distribution system, the meter being connected to the facility using a receptacle (K) and monitoring electricity usage at the facility for electricity d... | 10/07/2008 |
| 7400986 | Usage monitoring apparatus An apparatus is disclosed for monitoring usage of multiple electrical devices. The apparatus comprises multiple non-invasive current sensors for sensing current in respective conductors associated with the electrical devices. Such conductors may for example be the e... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7368934 | Avalanche testing at final test of top and bottom FETs of a buck converter An avalanche test circuit for applying an avalanche test signal to a device under test, comprising a series combination of a voltage source and an inductance; a switching device connected in parallel with said series combination; a diode for being connected to a tes... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7362232 | Electrical service disconnect having external interface An arrangement is provided for use in an electrical utility meter that includes a metering unit, a service disconnect circuit, and a housing assembly. The service disconnect circuit has a connected state that operably couples utility power lines to a load, and a dis... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7320570 | Set screw with NiTi tip A set screw includes a threaded body having a hole defined therein, wherein the hole is situated along an axis of the threaded body. The set screw also includes a super-elastic alloy insert, such as a nickel-titanium alloy (NiTi) insert, partially received and secur... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7287169 | Electronic device and timer therefor with tamper event stamp features and related methods An electronic timer may include a clock reference signal generator and a real time clock (RTC) circuit for generating real time data based upon the clock reference signal. The RTC circuit may include a plurality of registers each for storing a respective bit of the ... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7283916 | Distributed utility monitoring, such as for monitoring the quality or existence of a electrical, gas, or water utility In a system for automatic meter reading of utility meters, a utility supply measuring system may include one or more collector units, wherein each one of the collector units accesses a supply of a utility, wherein the accessing occurs in addition to receiving meter ... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7278341 | Structural bolt security apparatus A structural bolt security apparatus includes a security nut forming a threaded central hole for a bolt; the security nut has a groove in an upper surface and/or a side surface. At least one groove is at least partially separated from the threaded central hole by th... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7274553 | Utility meter housing arrangement An arrangement includes a liquid crystal display having a length, a width and a thickness. The arrangement further includes an integrally formed housing having a display receptacle, the display receptacle including retention members operable to retain the liquid cry... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7271735 | System for the remote data acquisition and control of electric energy meters A system for the remote acquisition of data and for the remote control of electricity meters comprises a central server AMM in bi-directional communication with a plurality of concentrators. To each concentrator, a set of electricity meters is connected, such that b... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7239125 | Method and apparatus for electronic meter testing An electronic energy meter senses input voltage and current signals and processes the input voltage and current signals to generate measurements of multiple types of power. The meter comprises a processing system for selecting one of the multiple types of power and ... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7227380 | Synchronous first-in/first-out block memory for a field programmable gate array The present invention comprises a field programmable gate array that has a plurality of dedicated first-in/first-out memory logic components. The field programmable gate array includes a plurality of synchronous random access memory blocks that are coupled to a plur... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7224159 | Foldable multimeter A multimeter includes a body portion, a cover pivotally connected to the frame such that the cover is selectively moveable about a rotational axis between an open position and a closed position, and a probe assembly including a pair of measuring lines connectable to... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7218092 | Magnetic bridge type current sensor, magnetic bridge type current detecting method, and magnetic bridge for use in that sensor and detecting method A current sensor and a current detecting method in which a sensitivity in at least 100 μA region and a dynamic range of 80 dB are achieved through a simple structure. The current sensor comprises one middle leg magnetic circuit (1) having opposite ends, two ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7218223 | Magnetic field sensing for tamper identification The present technology involves a method and apparatus for detecting and reporting magnetic fields in the proximity of a utility meter as an approach to determining tampering of such meter. The sensitivity level of the magnetic field sensors may be adjustable allowi... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7216043 | Push communications architecture for intelligent electronic devices A power management architecture for an electrical power distribution system, or portion thereof, is disclosed. The architecture includes multiple intelligent electronic devices (“IED's”) distributed throughout the power distribution system to manage the flow and... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7209838 | System and method for energy monitoring and management using a backplane An energy monitoring and management system and method are provided herein. The system and method centralize load metering by utilizing at least one sensor for observing load characteristics (e.g., Volts, Amperes, Watts, active energy . . . ) communicatively coupled ... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7199572 | Method and system for improving the operational safety, reliability, and functionality of electrical power consumption monitoring devices A system and method for reducing the likelihood of a phase to phase or phase to neutral arcing failure, or a flashover in an electrical power consumption monitoring device. The method includes generating a reduced voltage from either a single phase or two phases of ... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7189109 | Modular watthour meter socket and test switch A watthour meter has, in one aspect, a flexible seal with a locking head carried on the meter base and a strap extending from the head and disposable in a loop around and through apertures in juxtaposed mounting flanges of the meter base and the meter dome to lockab... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7188003 | System and method for securing energy management systems A power management architecture for an electrical power distribution system, or portion thereof, is disclosed. The architecture includes multiple intelligent electronic devices (“IED's”) distributed throughout the power distribution system to manage the flow and... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7158012 | Non-invasive powerline communications system A non-invasive powerline communications system includes: means for generating communication signals at a first location for transmission on a powerline; means for reactively coupling the communication signals to the powerline; and means for receiving said communicat... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7146509 | Method and device for protecting integrated circuits against piracy Before a predetermined processing sequence, the integrated circuit detects the state of at least one timer. The circuit controls the activation of the timer if it is not activated, and disables itself if the timer is activated. ... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7126325 | Digital multi-meter with operational error prevention technology using LED and microprocessor with input sockets The present utility model provides a digital multi-meter that can not only; generate warning signal when the test probe is misplugged but also indicate the assigned socket before the probe is plugged in. The multi-meter contains a socket indicating a misplug warning... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7127328 | System and method for federated security in an energy management system A system and method are disclosed for providing authentication of data source and integrity between applications and users in different Non Affiliated Entities/organizations while limiting access to resources between private networks of energy management devices. A ... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7126374 | Multi-level routing architecture in a field programmable gate array having transmitters and receivers A routing architecture in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) having a plurality of logic clusters wherein each logic cluster has at least two sub-clusters. The logic clusters are arranged in rows and columns and each logic clusters has a plurality of receiver co... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7119573 | Field-programmable gate array low voltage differential signaling driver utilizing two complimentary output buffers A low voltage signaling differential signaling driver comprising a first output line coupled to a delay circuit, a first multiplexer and a first output buffer. The first output line is also coupled to an inverter, a second multiplexer and a second output buffer.... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7113063 | Rotation sensing Methods and apparatus implementing and using techniques for sensing rotations of a rotating device, including using at least one switch located in a first plane and a magnet rotating in a plane substantially parallel to the first plane about a rotation axis, the mag... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7111272 | Parallel programmable antifuse field programmable gate array device (FPGA) and a method for programming and testing an antifuse FPGA The present invention comprises apparatus and a method for simultaneously programming multiple antifuses in a multiple tile field programmable gate array (FPGA). The invention comprises an FPGA having a plurality of logic modules with programmable elements. The logi... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7106044 | Systems, methods, and apparatuses for detecting residential electricity theft in firmware Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed for electricity meters to detect electricity theft. An indication of electricity theft may be generated if after an occurrence of a first power outage, the meter detects received energy and if after the occurrence of a... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7102385 | Dedicated input/output first in/first out module for a field programmable gate array A field programmable gate array architecture having a plurality of input/output pads comprising: a plurality of logic clusters; a plurality of input/output clusters; a plurality of input/output buffers; a plurality of dedicated input/output first-in/first-out memory... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7091878 | Electrical service disconnect having tamper detection A tamper detection arrangement in a meter having a service disconnect switch employs a voltage sense circuit that requires only a single connection to digital processing circuitry for the feeder lines of typical residential service. In one embodiment, the voltage se... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7089089 | Methods and apparatus for retrieving energy readings from an energy monitoring device An energy monitoring device including procedures for secure communication of data from the device is disclosed. The energy monitoring device includes a public/private key pair used to encrypt and/or digitally sign communications by the device. This allows the receiv... | 08/08/2006 |
