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US5247454A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Reconfigurable circuit monitoring system

Assignee: Schneider Electric USA Inc
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Filing: 1990-07-09
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Granted: 1993-09-21
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Expires: 2010-07-09
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A circuit monitoring system for a distributed power network employs waveform capturing techniques for efficient and highly accurate monitoring. The system includes a plurality of circuit monitors and a control station, which is coupled to each of the circuit monitors via a multi-drop communications link. Each of the circuit monitors is disposed adjacent an associated one of the branches in the network for sensing power parameters in the branches and for generating and transmitting data representing the power parameters to the control station The control station is used for generating monitoring commands to each of the circuit monitors to provide the system with full system control and evaluation capability. Each of the circuit monitors also includes EEPROM memory for storing and retaining operational data, sent from the control station, in the absence of power. This allows a microcomputer in the circuit monitor to read the retained data for analyzing the sensed power parameter.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ronald L. Farrington
  • 👤 Lee D. Wallis

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 07:49
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/08; G01R31/088; G01R13/00; G01R13/04; G01R13/06; H; H02; H02J; H02J13/00; H02J13/12; H02J13/13; H02J13/1321; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y04; Y04S; Y04S10/00; Y04S10/30; Y04S40/00; Y04S40/12; Y04S40/124

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 131 words
A monitoring arrangement for monitoring power in a current path, comprising: an analysis circuit, which is susceptible to loss of data in the event of a power failure, including a sensor, disposed adjacent the power line, for sensing at least one power parameter associated with the current path, a microcomputer, responsive to said sensor, for analyzing the sensed power parameter, a non-volatile memory circuit, coupled to the microcomputer, for retaining operational data in the absence of power and for providing said operational data to the microcomputer; and data input means, communicatively coupled to the analysis circuit, for generating and sending data to the analysis circuit for storage in the non-volatile memory circuit wherefrom the microcomputer reads the data stored therein and uses the stored data for analyzing the sensed power parameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 131 words
A monitoring arrangement for monitoring power in a current path, comprising: an analysis circuit, which is susceptible to loss of data in the event of a power failure, including a sensor, disposed adjacent the power line, for sensing at least one power parameter associated with the current path, a microcomputer, responsive to said sensor, for analyzing the sensed power parameter, a non-volatile memory circuit, coupled to the microcomputer, for retaining operational data in the absence of power and for providing said operational data to the microcomputer; and data input means, communicatively coupled to the analysis circuit, for generating and sending data to the analysis circuit for storage in the non-volatile memory circuit wherefrom the microcomputer reads the data stored therein and uses the stored data for analyzing the sensed power parameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
A monitoring arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein the data input means is communicatively coupled to the microcomputer using a prescribed communication protocol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A monitoring arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory circuit includes an EEPROM.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 22 words
A monitoring arrangement, according to claim 1, wherein the data input means is used to program the analysis circuit with set-up data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 176 words
A monitoring arrangement for monitoring power distributed to a plurality of power equipment, wherein a power-related waveform passes from a non-residential load center to each of the power equipment through a power line, comprising: an analysis circuit, which is susceptible to loss of data in the event of a power failure, including a sensor, disposed adjacent the power line and between the load center and at least one of said power equipment, for sensing at least one power parameter associated with the power-related waveform, a microcomputer, responsive to said sensor, for analyzing the sensed power parameter, a non-volatile memory circuit, coupling to the microcomputer, for retaining set-up data in the absence of power and for providing said set-up data to the microcomputer; and a computer circuit, communicatively coupled to the analysis circuit, for generating and sending set-up data to the analysis circuit for storage in the non-volatile memory circuit wherefrom the microcomputer reads the data stored therein and uses the stored data for analyzing the power passed from the non-residential load center to the power equipment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 176 words
A monitoring arrangement for monitoring power distributed to a plurality of power equipment, wherein a power-related waveform passes from a non-residential load center to each of the power equipment through a power line, comprising: an analysis circuit, which is susceptible to loss of data in the event of a power failure, including a sensor, disposed adjacent the power line and between the load center and at least one of said power equipment, for sensing at least one power parameter associated with the power-related waveform, a microcomputer, responsive to said sensor, for analyzing the sensed power parameter, a non-volatile memory circuit, coupling to the microcomputer, for retaining set-up data in the absence of power and for providing said set-up data to the microcomputer; and a computer circuit, communicatively coupled to the analysis circuit, for generating and sending set-up data to the analysis circuit for storage in the non-volatile memory circuit wherefrom the microcomputer reads the data stored therein and uses the stored data for analyzing the power passed from the non-residential load center to the power equipment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
A monitoring arrangement, according to claim 9, further including a remotely situated control station for sending the set-up data to the computer circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
A monitoring arrangement, according to claim 9, wherein the non-volatile memory circuit includes an EEPROM.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 171 words
A circuit monitoring system for a distributed power network, wherein power-related waveforms are passed through a multitude of associated network branches and wherein zero-crossings of the waveforms define their respective cycles, the system comprising: a plurality of monitoring means, each of which is disposed adjacent an associated one of the branches, for sensing power parameters associated with the power-related waveforms and for generating and transmitting data representative thereof, each of the monitoring means including detection means for sensing the zero-crossings of the waveform and sampling means for sampling the power-related waveform over a plurality of integral cycles for a predetermined number of sample points, and each including a non-volatile memory circuit for retaining set-up data which defines a configuration of the monitoring means so that after a power outage the configuration is not lost; and a control station, communicatively coupled to each of the monitoring means, for sending monitoring commands and the set-up data to each of the plurality of monitoring means and for receiving and evaluating the data transmitted therefrom.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 171 words
A circuit monitoring system for a distributed power network, wherein power-related waveforms are passed through a multitude of associated network branches and wherein zero-crossings of the waveforms define their respective cycles, the system comprising: a plurality of monitoring means, each of which is disposed adjacent an associated one of the branches, for sensing power parameters associated with the power-related waveforms and for generating and transmitting data representative thereof, each of the monitoring means including detection means for sensing the zero-crossings of the waveform and sampling means for sampling the power-related waveform over a plurality of integral cycles for a predetermined number of sample points, and each including a non-volatile memory circuit for retaining set-up data which defines a configuration of the monitoring means so that after a power outage the configuration is not lost; and a control station, communicatively coupled to each of the monitoring means, for sending monitoring commands and the set-up data to each of the plurality of monitoring means and for receiving and evaluating the data transmitted therefrom.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4166975A Cited
US4197382A Cited
US4709339A Cited
US4855671A Cited
US4783748A Cited
US4717985A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-09-20 1997-03-22 1997-09-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-09-20 2001-03-22 2001-09-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-09-20 2005-03-22 2005-09-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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