Intelligent solid state relay/breaker

• US 7,304,828 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vladimir A. Shvartsman
• Original Assignee: Vladimir A. Shvartsman
• Inventors: Shvartsman, Vladimir A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherry; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAUER, SCOTT ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US10/946,841
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 361/93.1
• US Class Current: 361/93.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/085 making use of a thermal sensor, e.g. thermistor, heated by the excess current also responsive to the temperature of the protected device H02H5/041, thermal images H02H6/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/044 using a semiconductor device to sense the temperature

Abstract

A solid-state relay/breaker that can replace mechanical units to control any type of AC or DC load. Power MOSFETs or other transistors control a load current. A bypass current sensing path monitors MOSFET current and causes a shutdown through signal processing in the event of an over-current condition. This shutdown resembles that of a slow-blow fuse where the rate of shutdown is proportional to the value of the current. This prevents shutdown on momentary spikes or in-rush. In addition, temperature and internal power supply voltages are monitored to determine additional operational conditions where over-temperature or voltages out of range can also cause shutdown. The MOSFET and current sensing path are turned on and off in staggered timing with different slew rates to provide built-in hysteresis. The device can be manufactured in any type of package to match any type of environment or existing replacement requirement.

Claims

1. A solid-state power relay/breaker comprising:

at least one solid-state power switching device, said power switching device connected to a load;

a bypass current sensing path coupled to said power switching device, said bypass current sensing path providing a bypass current proportional to current through said power switching device;

a signal processing circuit connected to said bypass current sensing path, said signal processing circuit sensing said bypass current in at least three different frequency bands to turn off said power switching device within a delayed time, said delayed time depending on said bypass current;

said power switching device being turned on by a first control signal and said bypass current sensing path being turned on by a second control signal, both of said control signals produced by said signal processing circuit in response to a command signal;

said first and said second control signals having controlled slew rate wherein turn-on slew rate is faster than turn-off slew rate.

2. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 1 wherein said signal processing circuit senses at least one other parameter related to said power switching device, said signal processing circuit turning said power switching device off when said other parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold.

3. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 2 wherein said other parameter is temperature.

4. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 1 wherein upon a turn-on command signal, said signal processing circuit turns on said power switching device before said current bypass sensing path.

5. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 4 wherein said power switching device is turned on around 100 ns before said current bypass sensing path.

6. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 1 wherein upon a turn-off command, said signal processing circuit turns off said power switching device after said current bypass sensing path.

7. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 6 wherein said current bypass sensing path is turned off around 70 ns before said power switching device.

8. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 1 further comprising a power sensing circuit monitoring a plurality of internal voltages, said power sensing circuit turning off said power switching device if any of said plurality of internal voltages is outside of a particular predetermined range for that voltage.

9. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 1 wherein said signal processing circuit is controlled by a processor.

10. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 9 wherein said processor receives at least one command signal from an external circuit.

11. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 9 wherein said processor transmits at least one alarm signal to an external circuit.

12. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 1 wherein said solid-state power switch transistor includes at least one pair of power MOSFET transistors.

13. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 1 wherein said current sensing path contains a MOSFET transistor.

14. The solid-state power relay/breaker of claim 9 wherein said processor is optically isolated from said signal processing circuit.

15. A solid-state relay/breaker having over-current characteristics of a slow-blow fuse of the type used to control high power AC or DC loads, the relay/breaker being commanded to turn on or off by a digital control signal comprising:

at least one pair of MOSFET power transistors controlling a load current;

a current sense path sensitive to at least three different frequency bands providing a feedback value proportional to said load current, said current sense path being sensitive to both AC and DC load currents;

a signal processing circuit coupled to said current sense path for turning off said MOSFET power transistors after a delay using a pair of control signals when said load current exceeds a predetermined threshold, said delay being related to said load current, said control signals having a fast turn-on slew rate and a slower turn-off slew rate;

said signal processing circuit also acting in response to a turn-on/turn-off command to switch said MOSFET power transistors and said current sense path off or on, switching of said MOSFET power transistors and said current sense path occurring with staggered timing.

16. The relay/breaker of claim 15 further comprising a CPU optically coupled to said signal processing circuit.

17. The relay/breaker of claim 16 wherein said CPU accepts standard logic inputs and provides standard logic outputs.

18. The relay/breaker of claim 15 further comprising temperature monitoring, wherein said signal processing circuit turns off said MOSFET power transistors upon occurrence of an over-temperature condition.

19. The relay/breaker of claim 15 further comprising internal voltage monitoring, wherein said signal processing circuit turns off said MOSFET power transistors upon detection of over-voltage or under-voltage conditions of one or more internal voltages.

20. A method for providing a slow-blow solid-state relay breaker action comprising the steps of:

providing a MOSFET power switch transistor pair to switch current from a load;

providing a current sense transistor to provide a bypass current proportional to load current flowing through said MOSFET power switch transistor pair;

providing signals in at least three different frequency bands for determining if said bypass current is within range;

providing delayed turnoff to said MOSFET power switch transistor pair using a first control signal when said bypass current exceeds a predetermined threshold, said delayed turnoff related to said bypass current;

turning on said MOSFET power switch transistor pair using a second control signal before turning on said current sense transistor when starting said solid-state relay/breaker;

and wherein said first control signal has a faster slew-rate than said second control signal.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of turning off said current sense transistor before turning off said MOSFET power switch transistor pair when stopping said solid-state relay/breaker.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of monitoring temperature of said MOSFET power switch transistor pair and shutting off said MOSFET power switch transistor pair in an over-temperature condition.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of monitoring internal voltages and shutting off said MOSFET power switch transistor pair when any monitored internal voltage goes out of range.