Non-intrusive transient power detection system

• US 9,829,516 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ernst, Richard Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Trung
• Application Number:
  US14/494,475
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 324 7611, 32475001, 324509, 324426, 324437, 324 96, 32476201-7621, 324 97, 324 74
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0084 measuring voltage only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/00 Arrangements for measuring electric power or power factor G01R7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

A technology is described for a non-intrusive power detection system. An example system may include a non-intrusive power detector configured to be electrically coupled to an alternating current (AC) power line to non-intrusively detect at least one of an alternating current or a voltage in the AC power line. A power change trigger may be coupled to the non-intrusive power detector and configured to detect a change in power in the AC power line. An indicator may be coupled to the power change trigger. The indicator may be configured to indicate when a power change occurs based on an output of the power change trigger.

Claims

1. A non-intrusive transient current detection system for an alternating current (AC) power cord, comprising:

a split-core current transformer operable to wrap around at least one conductor of an alternating current (AC) power cord and configured to non-intrusively detect an alternating current in the AC power cord;

a power outage trigger coupled to the split-core current transformer and configured to send an outage signal when the alternating current ceases; and

an indicator coupled to the power outage trigger and a timer, wherein the indicator and the timer are configured to indicate when the alternating current ceases based on the outage signal received from the power outage trigger for a threshold amount of time after the outage signal.

2. The non-intrusive current detection system of claim 1, wherein the timer is coupled to the power outage trigger and the indicator, the timer being configured to communicate the outage signal to the indicator after the outage signal of the power outage trigger indicates the alternating current has ceased for the threshold amount of time.

3. The non-intrusive current detection system of claim 1, wherein the power outage trigger is at least one of a falling edge latch or a rising edge latch configured to output the outage signal to the timer, and the timer is configured to communicate the outage signal to the indicator after an output of the falling edge latch indicates that the alternating current has ceased for the threshold amount of time.

4. The non-intrusive current detection system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator of a current loss in the AC power cord.

5. The non-intrusive current detection system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an audible indicator of a current loss in the AC power cord.

6. The non-intrusive current detection system of claim 1, wherein the power outage trigger is a falling edge latch configured to output the outage signal to the indicator when the alternating current in the AC power cord ceases.

7. A non-intrusive power detection system, comprising:

a non-intrusive power detector configured to be electrically coupled to an alternating current (AC) power line to non-intrusively detect at least one of an alternating current or a voltage in the AC power line;

a power change trigger coupled to the non-intrusive power detector and configured to detect a change in power in the AC power line; and

an indicator coupled to the power change trigger and a timer, wherein the indicator and the timer are configured to indicate when a power change occurs based on an output of the power change trigger for a threshold amount of time after an outage signal from the power change trigger.

8. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the timer is coupled to the power change trigger and the indicator, the output indicating that the power change comprises a change in at least one of the voltage or the alternating current in the AC power line for the threshold amount of time.

9. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the non-intrusive power detector is a split-core current transformer configured to detect a magnetic field emitted by the AC power line, wherein the magnetic field is proportional to the alternating current in the AC power line.

10. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the non-intrusive power detector is a capacitively coupled AC voltage detector configured to non-intrusively detect a voltage in the AC power line.

11. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the non-intrusive power detector is at least one of:

a current detector that is electrically coupled to an electrical outlet in a power strip that is connected to an electrical grid;

or

a voltage detector that is electrically coupled to the electrical outlet in the power strip that is connected to the electrical grid.

12. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the power change trigger is a falling edge latch configured to output a signal to the indicator when the alternating current in the AC power line ceases.

13. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the power change trigger is triggered when the voltage is less than a first voltage threshold or greater than a second voltage threshold.

14. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the power change trigger is triggered when the current is less than a first current threshold or greater than a second current threshold.

15. The non-intrusive power detection system of claim 7, wherein the indicator is at least one of:

a visual indicator of a power loss in the AC power line;

or

an audible indicator of a power loss in the AC power line.

16. A non-intrusive voltage detection system for an alternating current (AC) power line, comprising:

a capacitively coupled AC voltage detector configured to non-intrusively detect a voltage in the AC power line, wherein the detected voltage is proportional to a voltage in the AC power line;

a voltage change detector coupled to the capacitively coupled AC voltage detector and configured to detect a change in voltage in the AC power line;

an indicator coupled to the voltage change detector and a timer, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate when the voltage changes more than a selected threshold based on an output of the voltage change detector; and

a timer coupled to the voltage change detector and the indicator, the timer being configured to communicate a voltage change signal to the indicator after an output of the voltage change detector indicates the voltage has changed for more than the selected threshold for a predetermined amount of time.

17. The non-intrusive voltage detection system of claim 16, wherein the timer is configured to filter brief changes in the voltage in the AC power line.

18. The non-intrusive voltage detection system of claim 16, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate at least one of a blackout or a brownout based on the detected change in voltage in the AC power line.

19. The non-intrusive voltage detection system of claim 16, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator of a voltage change in the AC power line.

20. The non-intrusive voltage detection system of claim 16, wherein the indicator is an audible indicator of a voltage change in the AC power line.