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Arc fault circuit interrupter and method of detecting an arc fault

  • US 7,440,245 B2
  • Filed: 09/28/2004
  • Issued: 10/21/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of detecting an arc fault in a power circuit, said method comprising:

  • determining a peak amplitude of a current pulse of a current flowing in said power circuit;

    determining whether the peak amplitude of said current pulse is greater than a predetermined magnitude;

    responsively employing at least one algorithm and said peak amplitude to determine whether an are fault condition exists in said power circuit;

    determining that said current pulse has said peak amplitude of greater than said predetermined magnitude and responsively activating said at least one algorithm from said inactive state;

    employing a plurality of half-cycles of said current flowing in said power circuit including a present half-cycle and a previous half-cycle; and

    employing as one of said at least one algorithms;

    determining the peak amplitude of said current pulse for the present half-cycle and the previous half-cycle,determining that the peak amplitude of said current pulse for the previous half-cycle is greater than about zero and responsively adding an amount equivalent to an increase in said peak amplitude from the previous half cycle to the present half-cycle to an accumulator, and otherwise, adding an amount equivalent to said peak amplitude of said present half-cycle to said accumulator,decaying the amount stored in said accumulator over time, anddetermining an arc fault condition in said power circuit if the amount stored in said accumulator exceeds a predetermined value.

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