Amber Semiconductor, Inc.

Amber Solutions, Inc.

Damon M Baker

Mark D Telefus

Kenneth D Alton

Stephen Charles Gerber

David James Tostenson

Timothy David Burkhard

Graham L Maxwell

Techniques are provided for controlling alternating current (AC) power which is supplied to an inductive load by an AC switch. For example, the AC power is controlled by a process which comprises detecting zero-voltage crossings of an AC voltage waveform of the AC power, monitoring a load voltage to detect for a presence of inductive flyback voltage when the AC switch is placed into a turned-off state, and determining a delay time to place the AC switch into the turned-off state subsequent to a detected zero-voltage crossing of the AC voltage waveform, when inductive flyback voltage is detected in the load voltage, so that the AC switch is placed into the turned-off state at a time which substantially coincides with a zero-current crossing of load current of the inductive load, to thereby suppress the generation of inductive flyback voltage when the AC switch is placed into the turned-off state.

Controlling AC power to inductive loads

An electrical switch comprises a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a solid-state AC switch connected in an electrical path between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a microcontroller configured to control operation of the solid-state AC switch to control power flow between the first terminal and the second terminal. The microcontroller is configured to communicate with a second electrical switch over a data line that is connected to the third terminal of the electrical switch and to the second electrical switch, to implement multi-way switch control for controlling power to a load. The microcontroller is configured, upon power up, to perform a master/slave self-identification process to determine whether to operate the electrical switch in a master mode or a slave mode, based on sensing a voltage level on the data line that is connected to the third terminal of the electrical switch.

Intelligent electrical switches

A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state bidirectional switch, a switch control circuit, current and voltage sensors, and a processor. The solid-state bidirectional switch is connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-on state and a switched-off state. The switch control circuit control operation of the bidirectional switch. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in an electrical path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage on the electrical path and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to process the current and voltage sense signals to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker, a fault event, and power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal.

Intelligent circuit breakers with solid-state bidirectional switches

A circuit breaker includes an electromechanical switch, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, and a processor. The electromechanical switch is serially connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-closed state or a switched-open state. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in a path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage at a point on the path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to receive and process the current sense signal and the voltage sense signal to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker and determine power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal.

Intelligent circuit breakers with internal short circuit control system

Intelligent circuit breakers

A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state switch, an air-gap electromagnetic switch, switch control circuitry, a zero-crossing detection circuit, and a current sensor. The solid-state and air-gap switches are connected in series in an electrical path between line input and load output terminals of the circuit breaker. The switch control circuitry controls the solid-state and air-gap switches. The zero-crossing detection circuit detects zero crossings of an AC waveform on the electrical path. The current sensor senses current flow in the electrical path to detect a fault condition based on the sensed current flow. In response to a detected fault condition, the switch control circuitry generates control signals to place the solid-state switch into a switched-off state and place the air-gap switch into a switched-open state after the solid-state switch is placed into the switched-off state. The switch control circuitry utilizes zero-crossing detection signals output from the zero-crossing detection circuit to determine when to place the air-gap switch into the switched-open state.

Intelligent circuit breakers with air-gap and solid-state switches

A circuit breaker includes a circuit breaker housing, an air-gap switch disposed within the housing, and a first visual indicator configured to provide an indication of an open state and a closed state of the air-gap switch. The first visual indicator includes a first window that is formed as part of the circuit breaker housing, and first and second indicator elements disposed within the circuit breaker housing. The first indicator element is configured to move into position behind the first window as the air-gap switch is placed into the open state and thereby provide a visual indication of the open state of the air-gap switch. The second indicator element is configured to move into position behind the first window as the air-gap switch is placed into the closed state and thereby provide a visual indication of the closed state of the air-gap switch.

Intelligent circuit breakers with visual indicators to provide operational status

A circuit breaker includes a solid-state switch, a sense resistor, a current detection circuit, and a switch control circuit. The solid-state switch and sense resistor are connected in series in an electrical path between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker. The current detection circuit is configured to (i) sample a sense voltage that is generated across the sense resistor in response to load current flowing through the sense resistor, (ii) detect an over-current fault condition based on the sampled sense voltage, and (iii) output a fault detection signal in response to detecting the over-current fault condition. The switch control circuit is configured to control the solid-state switch, wherein the switch control circuit is configured to switch off the solid-state switch in response to the fault detection signal output from the current detection circuit.

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Livermore, CA, United States of America

Damon M Baker