Method and apparatus for removal of harmonic noise

• US 8,749,098 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Deane, Geoffrey F., Fyke, Aaron, Gross, William, Hyde, Roderick A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Kare, Jordin T., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz M
• Application Number:
  US13/663,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20130200633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 307/105
• US Class Current: 307/105
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/01 Arrangements for reducing harmonics or ripples
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/40 Arrangements for reducing harmonics

Abstract

An apparatus for removing harmonic noise from a power transmission line transmitting electricity at a primary frequency includes a filter and a controller coupled to the sensor and to an actuator-generator. The filter separates electricity at a harmonic of a primary frequency from the electrical signal transmitted by the power transmission line. The controller is configured to modulate consumption of electricity from the power transmission line. The consumption is controlled by electrical actuation of the actuator-generator, such that the electrical actuation of the actuator-generator causes consumption of electricity from the power transmission line at a harmonic of the primary frequency. The actuator-generator is coupled to an elastically deformable component, such that electrical actuation of the actuator-generator generates tension in the elastically deformable component.

Claims

1. A method for removing harmonic noise from an electrical signal transmitted by a power transmission line, the electrical signal transmitting electricity at a primary frequency, the method comprising:

separating, via a filter, electricity at a harmonic of the primary frequency from the electrical signal transmitted by the power transmission line; and

controlling, via a controller, consumption of the separated electricity at the harmonic of the primary frequency from the power transmission line, the consumption controlled by electrical actuation of a motor coupled to an elastically deformable component, the consumption controlled such that the separated electricity at the harmonic of the primary frequency is consumed through the electrical actuation of the motor,

wherein the motor is coupled to the elastically deformable component, such that electrically actuating the motor causes the motor to generate tension in the elastically deformable component.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising actuating a generator coupled to the elastically deformable component via restoring force produced by the elastically deformable component during a release of at least part of the tension generated in the elastically deformable component, whereby electricity is generated.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising regulating the modulation and actuation of the electrical generator via a controller.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising transmitting the electricity generated by the generator to the electrical signal transmitted by the power transmission line.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the motor and the generator are coupled.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the motor includes a drive shaft coupled to the generator.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable component is a cable.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable is pre-tensioned.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the tension is applied to an end of the cable.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the tension is applied at a point on the cable disposed between a first end of the cable and a second end of the cable.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the tension is applied by applying a transverse force to the cable.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable is a non-rotating cable.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable is a monolithic cable.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable is a stranded cable.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable is a straight stranded cable.

16. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable is a twisted stranded cable.

17. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable has a circular cross section.

18. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable has a rectangular cross-section.

19. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable has a ribbon-like cross-section.

20. The method according to claim 7, wherein the cable is a hanging cable.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising weights coupled to the hanging cable.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein a torsional tension is generated.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein a linear tension is generated.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a rotary motor.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a linear motor.

26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising regulating the modulation via a controller.

27. The method according to claim 1, further comprising measuring, via a sensor coupled to an elastically deformable component or the motor, the amount of tension generated in the elastically deformable component.

28. The method according to claim 1, further comprising measuring, via a strain gauge, strain in the elastically deformable component.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein the harmonic is at an interval of 60 Hz.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein the harmonic is at an interval of 50 Hz.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein the harmonic is at an interval of 10 Hz.

32. A computer program product comprising computer readable code stored on a tangible storage medium, the computer readable code forming a computer program executable by a computer for removing harmonic noise from a power transmission line transmitting electricity at a primary frequency, the computer program comprising,

computer code for causing a filter to separate electricity at a harmonic of the primary frequency from the electrical signal transmitted by the power transmission line;

and

computer code for controlling, via a controller, consumption of electricity from the power transmission line, the consumption controlled by electrical actuation of a motor coupled to an elastically deformable component, the consumption controlled modulated such that the separated electricity at the harmonic of the primary frequency is consumed through the electrical actuation of the motor,

wherein the motor is coupled to the elastically deformable component, such that electrically actuating the actuator generator causes the motor to generate tension in the elastically deformable component.

33. The computer program product according to claim 32, further comprising actuating an generator coupled to the elastically deformable component via restoring force produced by the elastically deformable component during a release of at least part of the tension applied to the elastically deformable component, whereby electricity is generated.