Power distribution systems and methods of operating power distribution systems with a communication network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10673226-B2
Application number	US-201715439336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2017
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

An example electrical power distribution system includes a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads. Each circuit protection device includes a trip unit, a network interface, a processor, and a memory. The trip unit is configured to selectively trip to prevent a flow of electrical current through said circuit protection device. The network interface is communicatively coupled to a communication network including the plurality of circuit protection devices. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to transmit, using the network interface, circuit protection device data to the network. The circuit protection device data is formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical distribution system providing levels of protection and monitoring, comprising:
a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads, each circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices comprising:
a trip unit configured to selectively trip to prevent a flow of electrical current through said circuit protection device;
a network interface communicatively coupled to a communication network including said plurality of circuit protection devices;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to transmit, using said network interface, circuit protection device data to the network, the circuit protection device data formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network;

wherein the communication network includes at least one circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices configured to operate as a network bridge;
wherein the plurality of circuit protection devices is hierarchically arranged to comprise at least first and second tiers of circuit protection devices; and
wherein the plurality of circuit protection devices are configured to provide differing levels of protection for the electrical distribution system by selectively tripping based on the hierarchical arrangement of the plurality of circuit protection devices.

2. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the communication network comprises a wired communication network.

3. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said network interface of each circuit protection device comprises a wired network interface connected to the wired communication network.

4. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the network bridge is connected to the wired communication network, wherein said network interface of at least one circuit protection device of said plurality of circuit protection devices comprises a wireless network interface wirelessly coupled to said network bridge.

5. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the at least one circuit protection device configured to operate as the network bridge comprises a different circuit protection device from other circuit protection devices of the plurality of circuit protection devices, said different at least one circuit protection device including a network interface connected to the wired communication network and wirelessly communicatively coupled to said at least one circuit protection device.

6. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising a wireless access point connected to the wired communication network.

7. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said wireless access point is part of the at least one circuit protection device configured to operate as the network bridge.

8. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the communication network comprises a wireless communication network and said network interface of each circuit protection device of said plurality of circuit protection devices comprises a wireless network interface.

9. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the wireless communication network comprises a mesh network and each circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices is wirelessly and communicatively coupled to each other circuit protection device of said plurality of circuit protection devices within range of its wireless network interface.

10. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 8 , further comprising a network switch, said wireless network interface of each circuit protection device of said plurality of circuit protection devices communicatively coupled to said network switch to transmit the circuit protection device data to the network through said network switch.

11. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said network switch comprises one circuit protection device of said plurality of circuit protection devices.

12. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the network communication protocol comprises one of an Ethernet communication protocol and an IEEE 802.11 based communication protocol.

13. The electrical power distribution system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said network interface of at least one circuit protection device of said plurality of circuit protection devices is operable for communicative coupling to an external non-circuit protection device.

14. A circuit protection device configured as an access point for a communication network of an electrical distribution system, the circuit protection device comprising:
a trip unit configured to selectively trip to prevent a flow of electrical current through said circuit protection device;
a network interface configured for communicative coupling to the communication network;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to (i) transmit, using said network interface, circuit protection device data of another circuit protection device to the communication network, the circuit protection device data formatted according to a network communication protocol of the communication network and (ii) enter a restrained mode in response to the transmitted circuit protection device data;
wherein the circuit protection device is hierarchically arranged within one of at least a first tier and a second tier of a plurality of circuit protection devices; and
wherein the plurality of circuit protection devices are configured to provide differing levels of protection for the electrical distribution system by selectively tripping based on the hierarchical arrangement of the plurality of circuit protection devices.

15. The circuit protection device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said network interface comprises a wireless network interface.

16. The circuit protection device in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising a wired network interface.

17. The circuit protection device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein said network interface comprises a wired network interface.

18. A method of operating an electrical power distribution system comprising a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads, each circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices comprising a trip unit, a network interface communicatively coupled to a communication network including the plurality of circuit protection devices, a processor, and a memory, said method comprising:
arranging the plurality of circuit protection devices hierarchically to comprise at least first and second tiers of circuit protection devices;
configuring the plurality of circuit protection devices to provide differing levels of protection for the electrical power distribution system by selectively tripping based on the hierarchical arrangement of the plurality of circuit protection devices;
transmitting, by a first circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices, identification data of the first circuit protection device to the other circuit protection devices of the plurality of circu

Assignees

• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Louco Lathom Alexander
• Kubascik Jeffrey Marcel
• Morgan Shawn Alan
• Mallory Lucas Ray
• Williams Craig Benjamin

Classifications

• G05B19/0428

  Safety, monitoring (G05B19/0423 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02H3/08 Primary

  responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) · CPC title

• H02H1/0061 Primary

  concerning transmission of signals (transmission of measured quantities or switching orders; sectionalised protection involving signal transmission between at least two stations H02H7/261; comparison of the voltage or current values at two spaced portions of a single system H02H3/28; transferring the output of a sensing member to another variable G01D5/00; electrical measuring arrangements using modulation of electromagnetic waves, e.g. light beams G01R15/24, G01R15/26) · CPC title

• H02H3/033

  with several disconnections in a preferential order, {e.g. following priority of the users, load repartition}(H02H3/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02H7/261

  involving signal transmission between at least two stations (transmission of signals in general H02H1/0061) · CPC title