Load information display device and circuit breaker

• US 20060085148A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kato, Kazuhiko, Kimura, Toshiko, Watanabe, Tetsunori, Aihara, Kazuya, Hayakawa, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/006 Provisions for user interfaces for electrical protection devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/14 Protecting elements, switches, relays or circuit breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

This invention is intended to reduce the cost by displaying the load information of a plurality of circuits with a single display device and transferring one of the two communication units in the measuring instruments from the measuring instruments to the display device to acquire the load information of a plurality of circuits. The display device and the measuring instruments are separated from each other, and the display device includes a plurality of communications units connectable with a plurality of devices, while each of many measuring instruments includes a single communication unit.

Claims

1. A load information display device connected with a plurality of measuring instruments to measure the load information including the current, voltage, power, wattage and power factor of an electrical circuit, comprising:

a means for storing the load information measured by said measuring instruments;

a means for displaying said stored load information;

a means for selecting the items displayed on said display means; and

digital signal communication means of two types including a first digital signal communication means connectable with a plurality of devices to acquire and display the load information measured by said measuring instruments and a second digital signal communication means connectable with a plurality of devices connected to a central processing unit to record and centrally managing the load information measured by said measuring instrument;

wherein a communication protocol to acquire the load information measured by said plurality of the measuring instruments and a communication protocol to transmit the load information measured by said plurality of the measuring instruments to the central processing unit for recording and centrally managing the load information are shared with each other; and

wherein a request is received from the central processing unit for the load information to be recorded and centrally managed, a request for the load information is issued from the central processing unit to the measuring instruments connected to the separated communication circuits, and the information acquired from the measuring instruments are transmitted to the central processing unit.

2. A load information display device according to claim 1,

wherein the unique addresses, the types and the number of the measuring instruments for measuring the load information at the time of switching on power are automatically recognized.

3. A load information display device according to claim 1,

wherein the load information measured by a plurality of measuring instruments can be displayed by being switched by an operation unit.

4. A load information display device according to claim 2,

wherein the load information measured by a plurality of measuring instruments can be displayed by being switched by an operation unit.

5. A circuit breaker having the functions of measuring, displaying and transmitting the load information, comprising:

a contact unit for opening and closing a main circuit;

an open/close mechanism for opening and closing said contact unit;

a means for detecting the current flowing in each phase;

a means for detecting the voltage between lines;

a control unit for controlling the opening of said contact point based on the current value detected by said current detection means and calculating the load information of the circuit based on the information acquired from said current detection means and said voltage detection means; and

a means for transmitting the calculated load information to other devices;

wherein the load information display devices according to claim 1 are connected to each other through the digital signal communication means.

6. A circuit breaker having the functions of measuring, displaying and transmitting the load information, comprising:

a contact unit for opening and closing a main circuit;

an open/close mechanism for opening and closing said contact unit;

a means for detecting the current flowing in each phase;

a means for detecting the voltage between lines;

a control unit for controlling the opening of said contact point based on the current value detected by said current detection means and calculating the load information of the circuit based on the information acquired from said current detection means and said voltage detection means; and

a means for transmitting the calculated load information to other devices;

wherein the load information display devices according to claim 2 are connected to each other through the digital signal communication means.

7. A circuit breaker having the functions of measuring, displaying and transmitting the load information, comprising:

a contact unit for opening and closing a main circuit;

an open/close mechanism for opening and closing said contact unit;

a means for detecting the current flowing in each phase;

a means for detecting the voltage between lines;

a control unit for controlling the opening of said contact point based on the current value detected by said current detection means and calculating the load information of the circuit based on the information acquired from said current detection means and said voltage detection means; and

a means for transmitting the calculated load information to other devices;

wherein the load information display devices according to claim 3 are connected to each other through the digital signal communication means.