PROCESSOR-BASED CIRCUIT INTERRUPTING DEVICES
First Claim
1. A fault circuit interrupting device comprising:
- a fault sensor configured to output a sensor signal;
a voltage sensor configured to sense a reference voltage; and
a controller configured to determine an occurrence of an actual fault based on the sensor signal and the reference voltage;
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Circuit interrupting devices are provided. One circuit interrupting device includes a fault sensor configured to output a sensor signal; a voltage sensor configured to sense a reference voltage; and a controller configured to determine an occurrence of an actual fault based on the sensor signal and the reference voltage. The circuit interrupting device further includes an amplifier configured to receive the sensor signal and the reference voltage and output an amplified signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive the reference voltage and the amplified signal and output respective digital signals corresponding to the reference voltage and the amplified signal; and a line interrupt assembly configured to interrupt current flow through a conductive path when a characteristic of the sensor signal exceeds an actual fault threshold.
-
Citations
49 Claims
-
1. A fault circuit interrupting device comprising:
-
a fault sensor configured to output a sensor signal; a voltage sensor configured to sense a reference voltage; and a controller configured to determine an occurrence of an actual fault based on the sensor signal and the reference voltage; - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33)
-
-
32. A fault circuit interrupting device comprising:
-
a fault circuit interrupting circuit for interrupting current flow through a conductive path after detection of a fault condition; a voltage regulator in operative communication with the fault interrupting circuit and configured to receive a voltage; and a controller configured to monitor the voltage for detecting failure of a diode of a bridge rectifier.
-
-
34. A fault circuit interrupting device comprising:
-
a first sensor configured to output a first signal having a first frequency and a first characteristic; a second sensor positioned in proximity to the first sensor; a gain circuit including a frequency dependent component configured to adjust a gain based on the frequency of the first signal such that when the first signal has a first frequency, the gain is adjusted to a first adjusted gain, and when the first signal has a second frequency, the gain is adjusted to a second adjusted gain that is different than the first adjusted gain; an amplifier configured to receive the first signal and amplify the first characteristic in accordance with either the first or second adjusted gain, and outputting a corresponding amplified signal having a second characteristic and the same frequency as the first signal; a line interrupt assembly configured to interrupt flow of current through a conductor when triggered; and a controller configured to trigger the line interrupt assembly when the second characteristic exceeds an actual fault threshold. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A method for monitoring a circuit for an electrical fault condition, the method comprising:
-
receiving a voltage signal and generating a reference voltage signal; digitizing the reference voltage signal using an analog-to-digital converter and generating a digital signal corresponding to the reference voltage signal; and processing the digital signal corresponding to the reference voltage signal and a sensor signal outputted from a transformer for determining the occurrence of an electrical fault condition. - View Dependent Claims (43)
-
-
44. A circuit interrupting device comprising:
-
a sensing device in operative communication with a solenoid, the sensing device configured for sensing an electrical fault condition and generating a signal in response to the sensed electrical fault condition for moving the solenoid, the electrical fault condition associated with current flowing through a conductor electrically coupled to a power source which generates a current output; an amplifier configured for receiving the signal and generating an amplified signal; a test circuit configured to generate a simulated fault condition along the conductor; a line interrupt assembly configured to interrupt current flow through the conductor; and a controller configured to control the test circuit for initiating a test operation which includes triggering the test circuit to generate the simulated fault condition, wherein the test operation terminates after a predetermined time interval, and wherein the predetermined time interval is less than a time required to trigger the line interrupt assembly after occurrence of an actual fault. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
Specification