Methods and systems for detecting a protection device operation

• US 20070103828A1
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Littelfuse Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SymCom, Inc. (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walker, Dee, Larson, Kip
• Application Number:
  US11/268,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/88
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/04 with warning or supervision in addition to disconnection, e.g. for indicating that protective apparatus has functioned watching of pilot wires H02H1/0084; protection of protective arrangements H02H7/008; indication of the state of electronic switches H03K17/18

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting a protection device operation. The disclosed systems and methods may include detecting a voltage across a protection device. The voltage may be produced when the protection device operates from a closed state to an opened state. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include latching, in response to the detected voltage, the indication that the protection device operated from the closed state to the opened state. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods may include transmitting, in response to the detected voltage, an indication that the protection device operated from a closed state to an opened state.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a protection device operation, the method comprising:

detecting a voltage across a protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from a closed state to an opened state; and

transmitting, in response to the detected voltage, an indication that the protection device operated from a closed state to an opened state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising latching, in response to the detected voltage, the indication that the protection device operated from the closed state to the opened state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the voltage across the protection device comprises detecting the voltage across the protection device comprising one of the following:

a fuse and a circuit breaker.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the voltage across the protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from the closed state to the opened state comprises detecting the voltage across the protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from the closed state to the opened state due to an over current condition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the voltage across the protection device comprises detecting the voltage comprising a momentary voltage.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the voltage comprising the momentary voltage comprises detecting the momentary voltage lasting less than or equal to 150 milliseconds.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting, in response to the detected voltage, the indication comprises transmitting, in response to the detected voltage, the indication comprising data identifying the protection device.

8. A system for detecting a protection device operation, the system comprising:

a first component configured to detect a voltage across a protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from a closed state to an opened state; and

a transmitting component configured for transmitting, in response to the detected voltage, an indication that the protection device operated from a closed state to an opened state.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a second component configured to latch, in response to the detected voltage, the indication that the protection device operated from the closed state to the opened state.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first component is photo isolated from the second component.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the protection device comprising one of the following:

a fuse and a circuit breaker.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein first component configured to detect the voltage across the protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from the closed state to the opened state comprises the first component configured to detect the voltage across the protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from the closed state to the opened state due to an over current condition.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first component configured to detect the voltage across the protection device comprises the first component configured to detect the voltage comprising a momentary voltage.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the momentary voltage lasting less than or equal to 150 milliseconds.

15. A system for detecting a protection device operation, the system comprising:

a memory storage for maintaining a database; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

detect a voltage across a protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from a closed state to an opened state; and

transmit, in response to the detected voltage, an indication that the protection device operated from a closed state to an opened state.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising the processing unit operative to latch, in response to the detected voltage, the indication that the protection device operated from the closed state to the opened state.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit operative to detect the voltage across the protection device comprises the processing unit operative to detect the voltage across the protection device comprising one of the following:

a fuse and a circuit breaker.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit operative to detect the voltage across the protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from the closed state to the opened state comprises the processing unit operative to detect the voltage across the protection device, the voltage produced when the protection device operates from the closed state to the opened state due to an over current condition.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit operative to detect the voltage across the protection device comprises the processing unit operative to detect the voltage comprising a momentary voltage.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the momentary voltage lasting less than or equal to 150 milliseconds.