Method for identification of components in an electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly

• US 8,917,164 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2008
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Thamm, Peter, Frhlich, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghayour, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUN, NAY L
• Application Number:
  US12/671,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20110193690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,373 Days
• Field of Search: 3406861-6864, 340/687, 340/5.8, 340/5.92, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/10.42, 340 721-5729, 439/38, 439/43, 439/151, 439/133, 439/488, 439/491, 235/375, 700/291, 700/295
• US Class Current: 340/10.42
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/03 Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/0271 Mounting several complete assembled circuit breakers together interconnected mechanisms H01H71/1009
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 11/02 Details
• 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

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for identification of components in an electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly is disclosed. The electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly according to one embodiment of the invention includes at least one truck module, which can be positioned in a truck slot. In at least one embodiment, both the truck slot and the truck module include associated devices for wire-free communication, wherein the communication devices are designed to transmit and/or receive data which is relevant for an automatic identification of the truck slot and/or the truck module, and allow automatic association of these components with one another.

Claims

1. A method for identifying components in an electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly associated with at least one truck module which is positionable in a truck slot, the method comprising:

transmitting data by a first wireless communication device associated with one of the truck slot and the truck module, relevant for the identification of at least one of the truck slot and the truck module at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot, wirelessly;

receiving the data wirelessly by a second wireless communication device associated with the other of the truck slot and the truck module at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot, such that automatic identification of at least one of the truck slot and the truck module results, allowing automatic association of the truck module and the truck slot with one another;

transmitting the received data to a data processing unit;

determining whether to enable the truck module to operate in the truck slot in the electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly based on the transmitted and received data at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot; and

supplying the truck module with suitable operating parameters as a function of the truck slot in which the truck module is positioned based on the identification data when operation of the truck module is not enabled at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot, wherein the identification data includes information required to determine whether modification of the truck module is required to be operable in the truck slot.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device associated with the truck slot receives data that is relevant for identification of the truck module from the communication device associated with the truck module and the communication device associated with the truck module receives data that is relevant for identification of the truck slot from the communication device which is associated with the truck slot.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein transmitting the received data includes transmitting the received data to at least one of a local enabling unit that is in the at least one of the truck slot and the truck module.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the truck module and the truck slot is enabled to operate with the corresponding component upon verification of the identification-related data being completed successfully.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, after enabling has taken place, at least one of the truck module and the truck slot is supplied with data which is adapted to operation with the corresponding component.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein, upon verification of the identification-related data not being completed successfully, at least one of the truck module and the truck slot remains or is blocked for such operation.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the truck module and the truck slot is adapted for operation with the other of the truck module and the truck slot before enabling takes place.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein, after enabling has taken place, at least one of the truck module and the truck slot is supplied with data which is adapted to operation with the corresponding component.

12. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein transmitting the received data includes transmitting the received data to a remote enabling unit associated with at least one of the truck slot and the truck module.

9. An electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly for at least one truck module which is positionable in a truck slot, comprising:

a first wireless communication module associated with a truck module housed in the low-voltage switchgear assembly; and

a second wireless communication module associated with a truck slot housed in the low-voltage switchgear assembly, wherein

the first and second communication modules are configured to at least one of transmit and receive data, relevant for automatic identification of at least one of the truck slot and the at least one truck module, to allow automatic association of the truck slot and the at least one truck module with one another and to determine whether to enable the truck module to operate in the truck slot in the electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly based on the transmitted and received data at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot, and

at least one of the first and second communication modules is configured to supply the truck module with suitable operating parameters as a function of the truck slot in which the truck module is positioned based on the identification data at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot, wherein the data includes information required to determine whether modification of the truck module is required to be operable in the truck slot.

10. The electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly as claimed in claim 9, further comprising at least one of:

a local enabling unit associated with at least one of the truck slot and the at least one truck module, and

a remote enabling unit associated with at least one of the truck slot and the at least one truck module,

the local enabling unit and the remote enabling unit being configured to verify the data that is relevant for automatic identification and to make a decision regarding the enabling of at least one of the truck slot and the at least one truck module.

11. A method for an electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly associated with at least one truck module which is positionable in a truck slot, the method comprising:

receiving data, relevant for the identification of at least one of the truck slot and the at least one truck module at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot, wirelessly at communication devices, the communication devices being respectively associated with the truck module and the truck slot, such that automatic identification of at least one of the truck slot and the truck module results, allowing automatic association of the truck module and the truck slot with one another;

determining whether to enable the truck module to operate in the truck slot in the electrical low-voltage switchgear assembly based on the transmitted and received data at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot; and

supplying the truck module with suitable operating parameters as a function of the truck slot in which the truck module is positioned based on the identification data when operation of the truck module is not enabled at least one of during and after assembly of the truck module in the truck slot, wherein the identification data includes information required to determine whether modification of the truck module is required to be operable in the truck slot.