Current meter with voltage awareness

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10006948-B2
Application number	US-201213349088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2012
Priority date	Feb 25, 2011
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

The flexibility of a branch circuit monitor is improved by a signal conditioning unit that outputs a voltage in response to an input voltage and which is configurable to output the same range of output voltages in response to input voltages varying over different ranges.

First claim

I claim:

1. A branch circuit monitor comprising
(a) a signal conditioning unit including an amplifier producing an output voltage in response to an input voltage,
(b) the signal conditioning unit selectable to produce a minimum output voltage in response to an input voltage of a minimum input voltage and to output a maximum output voltage in response to a first maximum input voltage,
(c) the signal conditioning unit selectable to produce said minimum output voltage in response to an input voltage of said minimum input voltage and said maximum output voltage in response to a second maximum input voltage,
(d) said maximum output voltage of (b) and said maximum output voltage of (c) is the same output voltage, said second maximum input voltage is different than said first maximum input voltage;
(e) said signal conditioning unit providing a range of output voltages between said minimum output voltage and said maximum output voltage when selected in accordance with (b) and providing a range of output voltages between said minimum output voltage and said maximum output voltage when selected in accordance with (c).

2. The branch circuit monitor of claim 1 wherein said first maximum input voltage equals approximately one volt and said second maximum input voltage equals approximately three tenths of a volt.

3. The branch circuit monitor of claim 1 wherein said first maximum input voltage equals approximately one volt and said second maximum input voltage equals approximately five volts.

4. The branch circuit monitor of claim 1 wherein said first maximum input voltage equals approximately one volt and said second maximum input voltage equals approximately ten volts.

5. The branch circuit monitor of claim 1 wherein said signal conditioning unit comprises said amplifier having a variable gain.

6. The branch circuit monitor claim 5 wherein the gain of said amplifier is controlled by a resistance connected to said amplifier and said resistance is manually selected.

7. A branch circuit monitor comprising:
(a) a current transformer including an amplifier producing a transformer voltage quantitatively related to a magnitude of a current in a primary winding of said current transformer, said transformer voltage ranging between a minimum transformer voltage and a maximum transformer voltage;
(b) a signal conditioning unit producing an output voltage in response to said transformer voltage, said output voltage having a magnitude quantitatively related to a magnitude of said transformer voltage,
(c) said signal conditioning unit selectable to produce a minimum output voltage in response to a minimum transformer voltage and a maximum output voltage in response to a first maximum transformer voltage,
(d) said signal conditioning unit selectable to produce said minimum output voltage in response to said minimum transformer voltage and said maximum output voltage in response to a second maximum transformer voltage having a magnitude that is greater than a magnitude of said first maximum transformer voltage, said maximum output voltage of (c) and said maximum output voltage of (d) is the same output voltage;
(e) said signal conditioning unit providing a range of output voltages between said minimum output voltage and said maximum output voltage when selected in accordance with (c) and providing a range of output voltages between said minimum output voltage and said maximum output voltage when selected in accordance with (d);
(f) a data processing unit arranged to calculate a current in said primary winding of said current transformer from said output voltage of said signal conditioning unit.

8. The branch circuit monitor of claim 7 wherein said signal conditioning unit comprises said amplifier having a variable gain.

9. The branch circuit monitor claim 8 wherein the gain of said amplifier is controlled by a resistance connected to said amplifier and said resistance is manually selected.

Assignees

• Cook Martin
• Veris Industries Llc

Inventors

• Cook Martin

Classifications

• G01R15/183

  using transformers with a magnetic core · CPC title

• G01R1/025

  concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards (G01R31/31912 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R19/2513 Primary

  Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging · CPC title

• G01R21/133

  by using digital technique · CPC title