Method and apparatus pertaining to automatic electrical-fault detection
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- at an automatic fault detector;
momentarily interrupting a provision of operating power to a load having a minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to provide a testing window;
during the testing window applying a test voltage that is less than the minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to the load and monitoring for a power-to-ground fault.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic fault detector momentarily interrupts a provision of operating power to a load having a minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to thereby provide a testing window and then applies a test voltage during this window that is less than the minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to the load and monitors for a power-to-ground fault. By one approach the aforementioned momentarily interruption of power is neither frequent enough nor long enough in duration to substantially impair the provision of power to the load. Accordingly, load performance is not noticeably diminished. One can then responsively prohibit subsequent provision of the operating power to the load. One can then continue to monitor for the power-to-ground fault while continuing to prohibit provision of operating power to the load. If and when the fault disappears, these teachings will then accommodate automatically resuming an ordinary provision of power to the load.
18 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
at an automatic fault detector; momentarily interrupting a provision of operating power to a load having a minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to provide a testing window; during the testing window applying a test voltage that is less than the minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to the load and monitoring for a power-to-ground fault. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus comprising:
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a power-supply interface; a load interface; a control circuit operably coupled to the power-supply interface and the load interface and configured to; provide a testing window by momentarily interrupting a provision of operating power from a power supply that is coupled to the power-supply interface to a load that is coupled to the load interface and that has a minimal forward-bias voltage requirement; during the testing window apply a test voltage that is less than the minimal forward-bias voltage requirement to the load and monitor for a power-to-ground fault. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification