Smart circuit breaker with integrated energy management interface

• US 8,310,370 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc. (Southern Company)
• Original Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc. (Southern Company)
• Inventors: Williams, Olin A. Jr., Solomon, Arnold C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US12/645,839
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 340/635, 34063612-63618, 340/643, 340/646, 340/650, 340/651, 340/652, 340/657, 340/660, 340/661, 340/664, 361/42, 361/93.2, 361/96, 361/103, 324/424, 324/684, 324/685, 324/713, 702/51, 702/67, 702/57, 702/61
• US Class Current: 340/636.18
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for monitoring electrical safety conditions and managing energy consumption using a microcontroller embedded in a circuit breaker. The microcontroller receives a plurality of inputs detected by a plurality of sensors in the circuit breaker. An amount of energy consumed during a preset interval of time is determined. A temperature of a circuit breaker panel board detected by a temperature sensor is received and compared with a preset temperature alarm threshold value to determine a panel board overheating condition. A condition of the neutral conductor is determined based on a plurality of line voltages and currents received from a plurality of voltage and current sensors by comparing a voltage differential with a preset threshold differential voltage value. A plurality of data values derived from the plurality of sensor inputs and indicative of electrical safety conditions and energy consumption is transmitted via a secure communications link to a data processing system for translation, storage, and presentation to an energy consumer.

Claims

1. A method for continuous monitoring of electrical safety conditions and managing of energy consumption in a branch electrical circuit using a microcontroller embedded in a smart circuit breaker, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of inputs detected by a plurality of sensors in the circuit breaker, including a temperature sensor, a plurality of voltage sensors, and a plurality of current sensors;

determining, by the microcontroller, an amount of energy consumed during a preset interval of time;

receiving a temperature of a circuit breaker panel board detected by the temperature sensor, and comparing the temperature with a preset temperature alarm threshold value to determine if the panel board is overheating;

determining, by the microcontroller, a neutral conductor condition based on a plurality of voltages and currents received from the plurality of voltage and current sensors by comparing a voltage differential with a first preset threshold differential voltage value; and

transmitting, by the microcontroller, a plurality of data values derived from the plurality of sensor inputs via a secure communications link to a data processing system for storage and presentation to an energy consumer.

2. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the microcontroller, if a time base flag is set wherein a time base is obtained from a wide area network or an integrated circuit internal to the microcontroller and is used to clock the preset interval of time.

3. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the microcontroller, a leakage current condition based on the plurality of currents received from the plurality of current sensors by comparing a differential current flow with a preset threshold differential current value.

4. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 3 further comprising transmitting a leakage current alarm indication to the data processing system if the differential current flow exceeds the preset threshold differential current value.

5. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the microcontroller, a ground system deterioration condition based on a ratio of currents in a ground conductor and the neutral conductor that is compared to a preset threshold differential current ratio value.

6. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 5 further comprising transmitting a ground system deterioration alarm indication to the data processing system if the ratio of currents in the ground conductor and the neutral conductor exceeds the preset threshold differential current ratio value.

7. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 further comprising determining, by the microcontroller, a phase loss condition for a three phase system based on the plurality of voltages and currents received from the plurality of voltage and current sensors by comparing the voltage differential with a second preset threshold differential voltage value.

8. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 7 further comprising transmitting a phase loss alarm indication for the three phase system to the data processing system if the voltage differential exceeds the second preset threshold differential voltage value.

9. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a temperature alarm indication to the data processing system if the temperature exceeds the preset temperature alarm threshold value.

10. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a neutral conductor deterioration alarm indication to the data processing system if the line voltage differential exceeds the first preset threshold differential voltage value.

11. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 further comprising embedding a firmware into the microcontroller, the firmware comprising processing logic for monitoring electrical safety conditions and managing energy consumption.

12. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 11 wherein the firmware stores a plurality of preset threshold values for determining a plurality of alarm conditions for the circuit breaker.

13. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 11 further comprising modifying the embedded firmware via a firmware update received by the microcontroller from a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server.

14. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 wherein the communications link uses at least one of an Ethernet protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) protocol, a Power Line Carrier (PLC) protocol, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) protocol, a HomePlug protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and a fiber optic cable protocol.

15. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 1 wherein the plurality of data values are transmitted via the secure communications link to at least one of a web-based translation service, a personal computer, or an embedded monitor/controller.

16. The method for monitoring and managing of claim 15 wherein the translation service stores the data values received from the microcontroller and formats the data values for storage on an independent service provider'"'"'s monitoring service.

17. A system for continuous monitoring of electrical safety conditions and managing of energy consumption in a branch electrical circuit, comprising:

a smart circuit breaker including an embedded microcontroller, a memory, a plurality of sensors, and a network interface, the microcontroller receiving a plurality of inputs from the plurality of sensors, including a temperature sensor, a plurality of voltage sensors, and a plurality of current sensors;

a communications link for communicating, via the network interface, a plurality of data values indicative of electrical safety conditions and energy consumption in the branch electrical circuit derived by the microcontroller from the sensor inputs;

a data processing device for receiving, storing and reformatting the plurality of data values for presentation to a consumer; and

a router for receiving the data values communicated over the communications link via the network interface, and transmitting the data values to the data processing device.

18. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the microcontroller memory stores firmware for monitoring electrical safety conditions and managing energy consumption when executed by the microcontroller.

19. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 18 wherein the firmware stores a plurality of preset threshold values for determining a plurality of alarm conditions for the circuit breaker.

20. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the plurality of current sensors comprises a Hall Effect current sensor.

21. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the communications link uses at least one of an Ethernet protocol, a Bluetooth protocol, a Broadband over Power Line (BPL) protocol, a Power Line Carrier (PLC) protocol, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) protocol, a HomePlug protocol, a ZigBee protocol, and a fiber optic cable protocol.

22. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the microcontroller determines an amount of energy consumed during a preset interval of time.

23. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the microcontroller receives a temperature of a circuit breaker panel board detected by the temperature sensor, compares the temperature with a preset temperature alarm threshold value to determine if the panel board is overheating, and transmits a temperature alarm indication to the data processing device if the temperature exceeds the preset temperature alarm threshold value.

24. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the microcontroller determines a neutral conductor condition based on a plurality of voltages and currents received from a plurality of voltage and current sensors by comparing the voltage differential with a first preset threshold differential voltage value, and transmits a neutral conductor deterioration alarm indication to the data processing device if the line voltage differential exceeds the first preset threshold differential voltage value.

25. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the microcontroller determines a leakage current condition based on the plurality of currents received from the plurality of current sensors by comparing a differential current flow with a preset threshold differential current value, and transmits a leakage current alarm indication to the data processing device if the differential current flow exceeds the preset threshold differential current value.

26. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the microcontroller determines a ground system deterioration condition based on a ratio of currents in a ground conductor and the neutral conductor by comparing the ratio to a preset threshold differential current ratio value, and transmits a ground system deterioration alarm indication to the data processing device if the ratio of currents in the ground conductor and the neutral conductor exceeds the preset threshold differential current ratio value.

27. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 wherein the microcontroller determines a phase loss condition for a three phase system based on the plurality of voltages and currents received from the plurality of voltage and current sensors by comparing the voltage differential with a second preset threshold differential voltage value, and transmits a phase loss alarm indication for the three phase system to the processing device if the voltage differential exceeds the second preset threshold differential voltage value.

28. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 further comprising a local area network based appliance in communications with the router and configured to provide local storage of the plurality of data values on at least one memory device.

29. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 17 further comprising a local area network based appliance in communications with the router for hosting an energy management portal.

30. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 29 further comprising a local area network based appliance in communications with the router for hosting a secure web server to enable remote users to authenticate and communicate with the energy management portal via a wide area network.

31. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 29 wherein the local area network based appliance comprises a software module enabling the appliance to function as a control gateway.

32. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 31 further comprising an electrical device including a power control element for enabling remote control via the local area network based appliance.

33. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 32 wherein the power control element comprises at least one of an electromechanical enable/disable switch, a push/pull operator, a rotary operator, and a removable pin operator.

34. The system for monitoring and managing of claim 32 wherein the power control element is linked to a color-coded warning indicator to signify a remote control enablement condition.

35. A smart circuit breaker for a branch electrical circuit, comprising:

an embedded microcontroller, with firmware stored in a memory, for continuously determining a plurality of energy consumption and electrical safety conditions for the electrical circuit;

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature associated with the circuit breaker, and inputting the temperature to the microcontroller for determination of a circuit breaker panel overheating condition;

a plurality of voltage sensors for detecting a voltage associated with each of a plurality of conductors in the circuit breaker, and inputting the plurality of voltages to the microcontroller for determination of a neutral conductor deterioration condition;

a plurality of current sensors for detecting a current flow through each of the plurality of conductors, and inputting the plurality of current flows to the microcontroller for determination of a leakage current condition;

a network interface for communicating a plurality of data values, indicative of the energy consumption and electrical safety conditions in the branch electrical circuit determined by the firmware stored in the microcontroller from the sensor temperature, voltage, and current inputs, to a data processing system over a communications network.

36. The circuit breaker for an electrical circuit of claim 35 wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

37. The circuit breaker for an electrical circuit of claim 35 wherein the temperature sensor comprises an integrated circuit sensor.

38. The circuit breaker for an electrical circuit of claim 35 wherein the current sensors include at least one Hall Effect current sensor for detecting current in the neutral conductor.

39. The circuit breaker for an electrical circuit of claim 35 wherein the current sensors include at least one Hall Effect current sensor for detecting current in a building ground system.

40. The circuit breaker for an electrical circuit of claim 35 wherein the network interface is a HomePlug network interface.

41. The circuit breaker for an electrical circuit of claim 35 wherein the microcontroller determines a ground system deterioration condition based on a ratio of currents in a ground conductor and a neutral conductor by comparing the ratio to a preset threshold differential current ratio value, and transmits a ground system deterioration alarm indication to the data processing system if the ratio of currents in the ground conductor and the neutral conductor exceeds the preset threshold differential current ratio value.

42. The circuit breaker for an electrical circuit of claim 35 wherein the microcontroller determines a phase loss condition for a three phase system based on the plurality of voltages and currents received from the plurality of voltage and current sensors by comparing a voltage differential with a preset threshold differential voltage value, and transmits a phase loss alarm indication for the three phase system to the processing device if the voltage differential exceeds the preset threshold differential voltage value.