Apparatus and method for measuring electrical parameters of circuit

• US 9,063,169 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Cheng KUNG University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Cheng KUNG University (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Yang, Chu-Sing, Lee, Chao-Yang
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VINH P
• Application Number:
  US13/422,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2825 in household appliances or professional audio/video equipment testing LAN's H04L43/50; testing TV systems H04N17/00; testing loudspeakers H04R29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/18 using switches, relays or circuit breakers, e.g. intelligent electronic devices [IED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring an electrical parameter of a circuit includes a measuring unit, a plurality of connection terminals and a selection switch. The measuring unit measures the electrical parameter. The selection switch selectively causes a conduction between the selection switch and at least one of the plurality of connection terminals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring an electrical parameter of a circuit, wherein the circuit includes a plurality of appliances and a plurality of first connection terminals to be respectively electrically connected to the plurality of appliances, the plurality of appliances include an appliance having the electrical parameter, and the appliance is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of first connection terminals when the electrical parameter is measured, the apparatus comprising:

a first measuring unit including a first connection pin, and measuring the electrical parameter through a first conduction in a first period;

a second measuring unit including a second connection pin, and measuring the electrical parameter through a second conduction in a second period different from the first period;

a plurality of second connection terminals respectively electrically connected to the plurality of first connection terminals;

a plurality of third connection terminals respectively electrically connected to the plurality of first connection terminals;

a plurality of first selection switches respectively having a plurality of first switch terminals, and a plurality of second switch terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of first switch terminals, and causing the first conduction between the first connection pin and the respective corresponding first connection terminal in the first period, wherein the plurality of first switch terminals are commonly electrically connected to the first connection pin, and the plurality of second switch terminals are respectively electrically connected to the plurality of second connection terminals; and

a plurality of second selection switches respectively having a plurality of third switch terminals, and a plurality of fourth switch terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of third switch terminals, and causing the second conduction between the second connection pin and the respective corresponding first connection terminal in the second period, wherein the plurality of third switch terminals are commonly electrically connected to the second connection pin, and the plurality of fourth switch terminals are respectively electrically connected to the plurality of third connection terminals.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuit further includes:

a plurality of third selection switches respectively electrically connected between the plurality of appliances and the plurality of first connection terminals, and causing between the respective appliance and the respective corresponding first connection terminal a third conduction in the first period and a fourth conduction in the second period;

a plurality of first wires respectively connecting the plurality of first connection terminals to the plurality of second connection terminals; and

a plurality of second wires respectively connecting the plurality of first connection terminals to the plurality of third connection terminals.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a processing unit receiving an instruction;

a communication interface having a communication protocol, connected to the processing unit, and transforming the instruction into a first signal conforming to the communication protocol, wherein the communication interface includes one selected from a group consisting of an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) control interface, a serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) control interface, an RS-232 standard control interface and an infrared control interface; and

at least a decode unit connected to the communication interface and transforming the first signal into a control signal for controlling the plurality of first selection switches, the plurality of second selection switches and the plurality of third selection switches.

4. An apparatus for measuring a first electrical parameter of a circuit, wherein the circuit includes a plurality of appliances and a plurality of first connection terminals to be respectively electrically connected to the plurality of appliances, the plurality of appliances include a first appliance having the first electrical parameter, and the first appliance is electrically connected to a first corresponding one of the plurality of first connection terminals when the first electrical parameter is measured, the apparatus comprising:

a first measuring unit including a first connection pin, and measuring the first electrical parameter through a first conduction in a first period;

a second measuring unit including a second connection pin, and measuring the first electrical parameter through a second conduction in a second period different from the first period;

a plurality of second connection terminals respectively electrically connected to the plurality of first connection terminals;

a plurality of third connection terminals respectively electrically connected to the plurality of first connection terminals;

a first matrix switch unit having a plurality of first switch terminals and a plurality of second switch terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of first switch terminals, and causing the first conduction between the first connection pin and the respective first corresponding first connection terminal in the first period, wherein the plurality of first switch terminals are commonly electrically connected to the first connection pin, and the plurality of second switch terminals are respectively electrically connected to the plurality of second connection terminals; and

a second matrix switch unit having a plurality of third switch terminals and a plurality of fourth switch terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of third switch terminals, and causing the second conduction between the second connection pin and the respective first corresponding first connection terminal in the second period, wherein the plurality of third switch terminals are commonly electrically connected to the second connection pin, and the plurality of fourth switch terminals are respectively electrically connected to the plurality of third connection terminals.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the circuit further includes:

a plurality of selection switches respectively electrically connected between the plurality of appliances and the plurality of first connection terminals, and causing between the first appliance and the respective first corresponding first connection terminal a third conduction in the first period and a fourth conduction in the second period;

a plurality of first wires respectively connecting the plurality of first connection terminals to the plurality of second connection terminals; and

a plurality of second wires respectively connecting the plurality of first connection terminals to the plurality of third connection terminals.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the first measuring unit includes one of an intelligent socket and an intelligent meter;

the first electrical parameter includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a voltage, a current, a power consumption and an energy consumption; and

the first matrix switch unit includes one of a relay and a transistor.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first connection terminal group including the plurality of second connection terminals;

a second connection terminal group including the plurality of third connection terminals, wherein;

the circuit further includes a plurality of selection switches;

the plurality of selection switches are respectively electrically connected between the plurality of appliances and the plurality of first connection terminals, and cause between the first appliance and the respective first corresponding first connection terminal a third conduction in the first period and a fourth conduction in the second period;

the plurality of appliances further include a second appliance having a second electrical parameter;

the second appliance is electrically connected to a second corresponding one of the plurality of first connection terminals different from the respective first corresponding first connection terminal when the second electrical parameter is to be measured in the first period;

the second matrix switch unit further causes a fifth conduction between the second connection pin and the respective second corresponding first connection terminal in the first period; and

the second measuring unit further measures the second electrical parameter through the fifth conduction.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the plurality of selection switches further cause a sixth conduction between the second appliance and the respective second corresponding first connection terminal in the first period.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

each of the first and the second measuring units includes one of an intelligent socket and an intelligent meter;

the second electrical parameter includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a voltage, a current, a power consumption and an energy consumption; and

each of the plurality of selection switches includes one of a relay and a transistor.