Circuit Tracer

• US 20110208450A1
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panoramic Power Ltd. (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Panoramic Power Ltd. (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shamir, Adi, Salka, Corey
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/62
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/327 Testing of circuit interrupters, switches or circuit-breakers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/66 Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/167 Circuits for remote indication
• 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

Abstract

A circuit tracer for use with circuit breakers equipped with sensors capable of sensing at least a change in the power consumption of the circuit and transmitting, preferably wirelessly, such information. The information is received directly or indirectly by a circuit tracer having a display, the display showing all the circuit breakers equipped with the sensors. Upon changing the load of an electricity outlet, such as a wall outlet, a light source, HVAC, pump, electrical machinery, etc., the sensor equipped circuit breaker provides an indication of such power or current consumption change to the circuit tracer. This allows the user of the circuit tracer to associate on the circuit tracer the circuit breaker with the specific electricity outlet. The association information may be saved on a central server or database for future use.

Claims

1. A circuit tracer for associating a sensor with an electricity outlet or power consuming device comprising:

an interface to a network for receiving at least information from at least one self-powered power sensor (SPPS) coupled to the network;

a processor for processing a circuit tracer utility stored in memory of the circuit tracer;

a user interface displayed on a display of the circuit tracer under the control of the circuit tracer utility;

such that by using the user interface the circuit tracer receives an indication from an SPPS through which a change in current consumption was detected, and, makes an association between the SPPS and an electricity outlet or power consuming device.

2. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein the SPPS is associated with a circuit breaker.

3. The circuit tracer of claim 2, wherein the circuit tracer receives a message over the network when the SPPS responds with a message corresponding to a change in current flowing through the at least a circuit breaker, such that the circuit tracer can associate the electricity outlet that changed the current with its respective circuit breaker.

4. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein the electricity outlet is one of:

a wall outlet, a device connected to an outlet, a device connected through a switch, a device wired directly to the board, a light source, HVAC, pump, electrical machinery.

5. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein communication between the circuit tracer and the SPPS is performed through at least one of:

a management server, a communication bridge.

6. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein the utility is installed on one of a personal computer (PC), notebook computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), or smart phone, tablet PC, together comprising the circuit tracer.

7. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein the circuit tracer sends a message over the network with a message for the SPPS to enter a circuit trace mode.

8. The circuit tracer of claim 7, wherein the circuit tracer receives a message from the management server over the network when the SPPS enters the circuit trace mode.

9. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein the user interface provides an option to the user to enter the SPPS into a trace mode for a predefined period of time or indefinitely.

10. The circuit tracer of claim 9, wherein if the SPPS was put into trace mode indefinitely, the user interface provides an option to the user to cause the SPPS to exit the trace mode.

11. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein the circuit tracer identifies a message sent by the SPPS that is configured to send tracing messages.

12. The circuit tracer of claim 1, wherein the network is at least one of:

local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), metro area network (MAN), the internet, the worldwide web (WWW), a wireless network, any combination thereof.

13. A method for associating an electricity outlet with a circuit breaker, the circuit having a sensor associated therewith to provide feedback to a circuit tracer, the method comprising:

displaying the circuit breaker on the circuit tracer'"'"'s display;

sending a message from the circuit tracer to the sensor to enter trace mode;

receiving from the sensor a message that the circuit breaker has entered the trace mode;

displaying to the user of the circuit tracer that the circuit tracer is in trace mode and that drawing power out of the electricity outlet may commence;

receiving from the sensor a message informing that a change in current was detected; and

associating the electricity outlet with the circuit breaker.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the message is sent to and from the circuit tracer and to and from the sensor through at least one of:

a management server, a communication bridge.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the circuit tracer, the sensor, the communication bridge and the management server are communicatively coupled to a network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the network is at least one of:

local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), metro area network (MAN), the internet, the worldwide web (WWW), a wireless network, any combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the circuit tracer comprises one of a personal computer (PC), notebook computer, tablet PC, personal digital assistant (PDA), or smart phone.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the trace mode may be one of:

limited to a predefined period of time, indefinite.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein when the trace mode is entered indefinitely, than the method further comprises:

sending a message to the at least a circuit breaker to exit the trace mode.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the electricity outlet is one of:

an outlet, a device connected through an outlet, a device connected through a switch, a device connected directly to the electrical board, a light source, HVAC, pump, electrical machinery.

21. A method for associating an electricity outlet with a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker equipped with a sensor to provide feedback to at least a circuit tracer, the method comprising:

displaying on the circuit tracer'"'"'s display the electricity outlet and the at least a circuit breaker;

receiving from the sensor a message informing that a change in current was detected with respect to an electricity outlet drawing power; and

associating the electricity outlet with the at least a circuit breaker.

22. A method for associating an electricity outlet with a circuit breaker from among a plurality of circuit breakers, the circuit breakers each having a sensor associated therewith to provide feedback to a circuit tracer, the method comprising:

displaying the circuit breakers on the circuit tracer'"'"'s display;

receiving from one of the sensors a message informing that a change in current was detected with respect to the electricity outlet drawing power; and

associating the electricity outlet with the circuit breaker associated with the sensor receiving the message.