John F Dougherty

US Patent:

6356426, Mar 12, 2002

Filed:

Jul 19, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/356155

Inventors:

John J. Dougherty - Collegeville PA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H02H 300

US Classification:

361102, 361 64, 361 936, 361115

Abstract:

In one aspect of the present invention, a residential circuit breaker is presented. The residential circuit breaker comprises an electronic residential circuit breaker having a selectable current rating which permits the user to easily set and reset the current rating depending upon the desired use and environment in which the current breaker is to be used. In another aspect, common power line carrier (PLC) communications are used to provide an effective signaling system for load control. In yet another aspect of the present invention, an interface between the electrical infrastructure and a home automation system for the purpose of load control is provided.

US Patent:

6405104, Jun 11, 2002

Filed:

Mar 24, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/275347

Inventors:

John James Dougherty - Collegeville PA

Assignee:

General Electric Corporation - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G06F 1900

US Classification:

700292, 700 4, 700 79, 702 62

Abstract:

A system and method for synchronizing power system data gathered in response to unscheduled power system events such as faults. A plurality of protective devices communicate over a peer-to-peer communication network, and when a first device detects the occurrence of a power system event, the device records cycles of power system data before, after, or surrounding the power system event. The first device informs remote devices via the network of the event and a time tag associated with the event, and the remote devices record synchronized power system data.

US Patent:

6466023, Oct 15, 2002

Filed:

Feb 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/778698

Inventors:

John J. Dougherty - Collegeville PA
Bo L. Andersen - Burlington CT

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01R 3102

US Classification:

324424, 324422, 361 932, 702 64

Abstract:

A method of determining contact wear in a trip unit of a circuit breaker and a circuit breaker employing such a method are presented. The trip unit includes a microcontroller and associated memories. An algorithm (program) stored in a memory of the trip unit calculates cumulative energy dissipated in the breaker contacts using the current signal detected at the time of separation. Measurement of cumulative energy dissipated in the breaker contacts is proportional to contact wear. Maintenance setpoints are determined based on industry standard endurance tests and alarm threshold and trip thresholds further based on industry standards are provided within the algorithm for notifying local or remote personnel of a necessary maintenance procedure.

US Patent:

6466927, Oct 15, 2002

Filed:

Nov 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/437139

Inventors:

John J. Dougherty - Collegeville PA
Thomas R. Campbell - Washington CT
Alan L. Arvidson - Burlington CT

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G06N 502

US Classification:

706 45, 173177, 205 82, 438 14

Abstract:

A procedure and method for eliciting expert information on process capability and thereafter manipulating the elicited information in such a manner that it can effectively be used in a process capability database that is operating in a six sigma regime. The manipulation preferably includes converting the expert elicited information from a tolerance-type metric to a short term standard deviation (or sigma) metric, whereby the result of the manipulation is used to populate directly a process capability database and, as appropriate, thereby augment, replace or modulate the data already stored therein.

US Patent:

6545849, Apr 8, 2003

Filed:

Dec 20, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/467744

Inventors:

John J. Dougherty - Collegeville PA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H02H 308

US Classification:

361 932, 361 931, 361 936

Abstract:

An algorithmic system for an electronic trip unit is provided whereby reliable instantaneous protection is provided. A multi-algorithmic approach uses an algorithm to detect bolted faults based on a direct comparison of the current and a threshold value, and an additional algorithm to detect current overloads based on a comparison of a peak-to-peak current and an additional current threshold.

US Patent:

6546342, Apr 8, 2003

Filed:

Dec 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/683289

Inventors:

John James Dougherty - Collegeville PA
Michael Sullivan Tignor - Watertown CT

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H02H 300

US Classification:

702 58, 702 57, 702 64, 361 42

Abstract:

A method for ground fault circuit interruption is disclosed in which the method includes determining a minimum ground fault setting for detected phase currents, comparing the minimum ground fault setting to a customer provided threshold, determining a maximum value between the minimum ground fault setting and the customer provided threshold, and, utilizing the maximum value as a ground fault threshold. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for determining a ground fault threshold may include instructions for causing a circuit breaker microprocessor to implement the method. A trip unit and a circuit breaker including the trip unit are also disclosed which may include phase protection circuits, a ground fault protection circuit, and, a phase current qualification circuit intermediate the phase protection circuits and the ground fault protection circuit, wherein the phase current qualification circuit includes circuitry for determining a minimum ground fault setting for detected phase currents.

US Patent:

6751528, Jun 15, 2004

Filed:

Nov 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/722187

Inventors:

John James Dougherty - Collegeville PA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G05D 312

US Classification:

700293, 702 58, 324536, 361 5, 361 931

Abstract:

An electronically controlled circuit breaker for detecting arc and a method for detecting arc conditions are disclosed. The circuit breaker and method uses digital Fourier transformation on sampled line current signals and bins the even, odd, and fundamental transforms. Even arc signals and non-harmonic arc signals are calculated from the values in the bins and used within an expert arc algorithm which uses an accumulator to sum an increment based on whether the even arc signals and non harmonic arc signals exceed a fixed threshold. A trip signal is issued when the increment exceeds a predetermined value.

US Patent:

6757626, Jun 29, 2004

Filed:

Mar 17, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/249111

Inventors:

John James Dougherty - Collegeville PA
Michael Sullivan Tignor - Watertown CT

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H02H 300

US Classification:

702 58, 702 57, 702 64, 361 42

Abstract:

A trip unit and circuit breaker including the trip unit include phase protection circuits, a ground fault protection circuit, and, a phase current qualification circuit intermediate the phase protection circuits and the ground fault protection circuit, wherein the phase current qualification circuit includes circuitry for determining a minimum ground fault setting for detected phase currents.