Method and apparatus for adaptive configuration and control in a network of electronic circuit breakers

• US 6,195,243 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GSK Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: George A. Spencer
• Inventors: Spencer, George Auther, Clunn, Robert Henry, Blanton, LeRoy
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERRY, MICHAEL JUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/191,029
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 361/62-68, 361/93-- 9, 361/94-97, 361/102, 702/58, 702/64
• US Class Current: 361/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/00 Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems H02H7/00; systems for change-over to standby supply H02J9/00 ; integrated protection for motors H02H7/0822
• 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
• 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

Abstract

A system including a load center monitor (10) connected to a plurality of digitally enhanced circuit breakers (40) by a communication bus (26) forms a network of reconfigurable circuit breakers which provides advanced monitoring and control of an electrical power distribution system. A user port (20) and a service port (22) provide a communication interface with an external computer. Visual indicators (34) and an audible alarm (30) provide for alerting persons to certain conditions in the system. Buttons are provided for CLEAR (38), RESET (36), and TEST functions, and a diagnostic port (24) is also provided. The load center monitor (10) is operable to monitor the operation of the circuit breakers (40) and download information therefrom for storage in the load center monitor (10) as in the form of historical data. Further, the load center monitor (10) is operable to adaptively configure the trip profiles of individual circuit breakers (40) in the network by uploading the alternate selection or revision to the trip profile to an individual circuit breaker (40) in order to change the operation thereof.

Claims

1. In a circuit breaker system having one or more addressable circuit breakers, each having operating profiles stored in a memory therein and each coupled through a communication network with a central controller, a method for adaptively configuring the circuit breakers, comprising the steps of:

downloading via the communication network to the central controller power line data sampled and stored by an addressed one of the circuit breakers;

making a comparison of the power line data with historical power line data for the addressed circuit breaker stored in a memory of the central controller;

analyzing the comparison to produce update power line data;

selecting an operating profile for the addressed circuit breaker based on the update power line data;

uploading via the communication network the operating profile selection for storage in the memory of the addressed circuit breaker; and

repeating the foregoing steps for a next one of the addressable circuit breakers coupled to the communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of downloading comprises:

commanding the addressed circuit breaker to send identified power line data;

receiving and time-stamping the downloaded power line data; and

storing the downloaded power line data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of making a comparison comprises comparing historical power line data for two or more circuit breakers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of making a comparison comprises:

finding the difference between the present power line data value and the historical power line data value;

reading the status result corresponding to the difference; and

saving the status result.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the comparison comprises averaging the comparison over a plurality of successive cycles.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of averaging the comparison comprises:

repeating the step of making a comparison over T cycles;

accumulating the results of the comparison over T cycles in the third register; and

dividing the accumulated value by T and storing the resulting update value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises:

selecting a second operating profile if the update power line data value exceeds a first limit;

selecting a third operating profile if the update power line data value exceeds a second limit but not the first limit; and

selecting a first operating profile if the update power line data value is exceeded by both the first and second limits.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of uploading comprises:

accessing a memory location in the addressed circuit breaker for storing the selected operating profile; and

transmitting and storing the selected operating profile.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating profile comprises a set of data constants.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting an operating profile comprises replacing one or more of the data constants.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data constants represent present values for one or more parameters from the group including current, voltage, temperature, and a weighting factor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a data constant includes an associated time value.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the comparison comprises determining whether the power line data indicates an arcing event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of analyzing comprises determining the location of an arcing event.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of analyzing comprises determining whether the arcing sensitivity of the affected circuit breakers should be changed.

16. Apparatus for adaptively configuring individual circuit breakers in a system having one or more addressable circuit breakers, each having operating profiles stored in a memory therein and each coupled through a communication network with a central controller, comprising:

means for downloading via said communication network to said central controller power line data sampled and stored by an addressed one of said circuit breakers;

means for making a comparison of said power line data with historical power line data for said addressed circuit breaker stored in a memory of said central controller;

means for analyzing said comparison over a plurality of successive cycles to produce update power line data;

means for selecting an operating profile for said addressed circuit breaker based on said update power line data;

means for uploading via said communication network said operating profile selection for storage in said memory of said addressed circuit breaker; and

means for repeating the foregoing steps for a next one of said addressable circuit breakers coupled to said communication network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for downloading comprises:

means for commanding said addressed circuit breaker to send identified power line data;

means for receiving and time-stamping the downloaded power line data; and

means for storing the downloaded power line data.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for making a comparison comprises means for comparing historical power line data for two or more addressed circuit breakers.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for making a comparison comprises:

means for finding the difference between the present power line data value and the historical power line data value;

means for reading the status result corresponding to the difference; and

means for saving the status result.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for analyzing said comparison comprises means for averaging the comparison over a plurality of successive cycles.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for averaging said comparison comprises:

means for repeating the step of making a comparison over T cycles;

means for accumulating the results of the comparison over T cycles in the third register; and

means for dividing the accumulated value by T and storing the resulting update value.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for selecting comprises:

means for selecting a first operating profile if said update power line data value exceeds a first limit;

means for selecting a second operating profile if said update power line data value exceeds a second limit greater than said first limit; and

means for selecting a third operating profile if the update value is exceeded by each the first and second limits.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for uploading comprises:

means for accessing a memory location in said addressed circuit breaker for storing said selected operating profile; and

means for transmitting and storing the selected operating profiles.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said operating profile comprises a set of data constants.

25. The Apparatus of claim 24, wherein said means for selecting comprises means for replacing one or more of said data constants.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said data constants represent values for one or more parameters from the group including current, voltage, temperature, and a weighting factor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a data constant includes an associated time value.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for analyzing said comparison comprises means for determining whether said power line data indicated an arcing event.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the means for analyzing said comparison comprises means for determining the location of said arcing event.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the means for analyzing said comparison comprising means for determining whether the arcing sensitivity of the affected said circuit breakers should be changed.

31. In a circuit breaker system having one or more addressable circuit breakers, each having data gathering means and each coupled through a communication network with a central controller, a method for detecting and reporting conditions in the system, comprising the steps of:

downloading via the communication network to the central controller power line data sampled and stored by an addressed one of the circuit breakers;

making comparison of the power line data with historical power line data for the addressed circuit breaker stored in a memory of the central controller;

analyzing the comparison to produce status data; and

initiating a control action based on the status data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of downloading comprises:

commanding the addressed circuit breaker to send identified power line data;

receiving and time-stamping the downloaded power line data; and

storing the identified power line data.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of making a comparison comprises comparing historical power line data for two or more addressed circuit breakers.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of making a comparison comprises:

finding the difference between the present power line data value and the historical power line data value;

reading the status result corresponding to the difference; and

saving the status result.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of analyzing the comparison comprises averaging the comparison over a plurality of successive cycles.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of averaging the comparison comprises:

repeating the step of making a comparison over T cycles;

accumulating the results of the comparison over T cycles in the third register; and

dividing the accumulated value by T and storing the resulting update value.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of analyzing the comparison comprises determining whether the power line data indicates an arcing event.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of analyzing comprises determining the location of an arcing event.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the step of analyzing comprises determining whether the arcing sensitivity of the affected circuit breakers should be changed.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of initiating comprises outputting a report of the status data to an external processor via a communication bus.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of initiating comprises outputting an alarm signal based on the status data.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of initiating comprises outputting a control signal based on the status data via a communication bus.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of outputting comprises addressing one or more of the circuit breakers on the communication network.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the step of outputting comprises addressing an external processor via a communication bus.

45. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of making a comparison comprises determining whether a neutral fault exists in a power line of the system.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of determining comprises calculating whether, for substantially equal currents in first and second power line phases of the system having a common neutral conductor, measured voltages of the first and second power line phases differ more than a first difference threshold.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the step of calculating comprises setting the first difference threshold equal to at least two percent of the nominal voltage of either the first or second power line phase.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the step of determining comprises calculating whether, for first and second power line phases of the power line having a common neutral conductor, measured voltages of the first and second power line phases differ more than a second difference threshold.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the step of calculating comprises setting the second difference threshold equal to at least five percent of the nominal power line voltage in either phase.

50. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of comparing comprises determining whether a line fault exists in at least one phase of a power line in the system.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of determining comprises calculating whether, for substantially unequal currents in first and second power line phases of the power line having a common non-faulty neutral conductor, measured voltage in one of the first and second power line phases decreases more than a third difference threshold compared to its normal historical value.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the step of calculating comprises setting the third difference threshold equal to a fraction of the nominal voltage on the affected first or second power line phase.

53. An apparatus for detecting and reporting conditions in a circuit breaker system having one or more addressable circuit breakers, each having data gathering means and each coupled through a communication network with a central controller, comprising:

means for downloading via said communication network to said central controller power line data sampled and stored by an addressed one of said circuit breakers;

.

means for making a comparison of said power line data with historical power line data for said addressed circuit breaker stored in a memory of said central controller;

means for analyzing said comparison to produce status data; and

means for initiating a control action based on said status data.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for downloading comprises:

means for commanding said addressed circuit breaker to send identified power line data;

means for receiving and time-stamping said downloaded power line data; and

means for storing said identified power line data.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for making a comparison comprises means for comparing historical power line data for two or more addressed circuit breakers.

56. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for making a comparison comprises:

means for finding the difference between the present power line data value and the historical power line data value;

means for reading the status result corresponding to the difference; and

means for saving the status result.

57. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said means for analyzing said comparison comprises means for averaging said comparison over a plurality of successive cycles.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein said means for averaging said comparison comprises:

means for repeating said comparison over T cycles;

means for accumulating the results of said comparison over T cycles in said third register; and

means for dividing said accumulated value by T and storing said resulting update value.

59. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for analyzing said comparison comprises determining whether said power line data indicated an arcing event.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said means for analyzing comprises means for determining the location of an arcing event.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said means for analyzing comprises means for determining whether the arcing sensitivity of the affected circuit breakers should be changed.

62. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for initiating comprises means for outputting a report of said status data to an external processor via a communication bus.

63. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for initiating comprises means for outputting an alarm signal based on said status data.

64. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for initiating comprises means for outputting a control signal based on said status data via a communication bus.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said means for outputting comprises means for addressing one more of said circuit breakers on said communication network.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said means for outputting comprises means for addressing one or more of said circuit breakers on said communication network.

67. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein said means for making a comparison comprises means for determining whether a neutral fault exists in a power line of said system.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said means for determining comprises means for calculating whether, for substantially equal currents in first and second power line phases of said system having a common neutral conductor, measured voltages of said first and second power line phases differ more than a first difference threshold.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein said means for calculating comprises means for setting said first difference threshold equal to at least two percent of the nominal voltage of either said first or second power line phase.

70. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said means for determining comprises means for calculating whether, for first and second power line phases of said power line having a common neutral conductor, measured voltages of said first and second power line phases differ more than a second difference threshold.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein said means for calculating comprises means for setting said second difference threshold equal to at least five percent of the nominal power line voltage in either said phase.

72. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said means for comparing comprises means for determining whether a line fault exists in at least one phase of a power line in said system.

73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein said means for determining comprises means for calculating whether, for substantially unequal currents in first and second power line phases of said power line having a common non-faulty neutral conductor, measured voltage in one of said first and second power line phases decreases more than a third difference threshold compared to its normal historical value.

74. The apparatus of claim 73, wherein said means for calculating comprises means for setting said third difference threshold equal to at least five percent of the nominal power line voltage on the affected said first and second power line phase.