The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 08, 1996
George Auther Spencer, Plano, TX (US);
LeRoy Blanton, Garland, TX (US);
Robert Henry Clunn, Richardson, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
A digitally controlled circuit breaker includes a conventional thermal circuit breaker (10) which is controlled by a solenoid (16) to override the thermal aspect thereof. The solenoid (16) is controlled by a digital processing section (20). The digital processing section (20) has a digital control module (22) with multiple profile tables associated therewith. The profile tables allow the digital control module (22) to compare a sensed current from a sensor (24) with a predetermined current value as a function of time and to generate the control signal for the solenoid (16) if the sensed current exceeds that in the profile. The profiles can optionally be downloaded to the module (22) through a serial communication port (36). The digital control module (22) is also operable to sense the voltage of the circuit breaker to determine zero crossing points and phase angle, which phase angle can be utilized to determine the type of load and, therefore, can alter the profile to be utilized. Display (30) provides a visual communication device for the control module (22). Various self-test features including generating a simulated current to the digital control module (22) and automatic recovery if the execution of the stored program in the digital control module (22) is disrupted.