Devices and methods for surge protection device monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022252661-A1
Application number	US-202217732896-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2022
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

Example devices and methods for compensating for monitoring a surge protection device are provided. In some embodiments, a device is configured to couple to a surge protection device. The device comprises a processor that is capable of sending a DC current signal. A serial data interface is electrically connected to the processor and includes at least one shift register. The device also comprises a multiplexer coupled to the serial data interface. The serial data interface is operable to direct the DC current through the multiplexer. The device also comprises an analog to digital converter (optionally embedded within the processor) that is operable to output a digital signal corresponding to a voltage induced by the DC current signal. Returned DC signals represent surge protection device's health and a multitude of other surge module information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
generating, by a monitoring device, a list of measurement locations based on a detected presence of one or more surge protection device components; measuring, by the monitoring device, for each measurement location, a status of the one or more surge protection device components; and generating, by the monitoring device, an output, wherein the output is based at least in part on the status of the one or more surge protection device components.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting the presence of one or more surge protection device components.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing the one or more surge protection device components to one of a database or a list of surge protection device configurations to determine the measurement locations.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the output provides an indication of a change in the status of the one or more surge protection device components.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring, for each measurement location, an indication of a percentage health of a module containing the one or more surge protection device components.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring, for each measurement location, an indication of a percentage health of a protection mode of a plurality of protection modes.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining information relating to the one or more surge protection device components.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determined information comprises an identification of at least one of a surge protection device technology, mode setup, or calibration setting.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determined information comprises an identification of at least one of a surge protection device surge capacity or temperature.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein an identification of a surge capacity comprises a determination of how many of the one or more surge protection device components are connected in series.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determined information comprises an identification of a surge protection device component configuration.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the surge protection device component configuration comprises at least one of 7-mode protection or 10-mode protection.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein determining information related to the one or more surge protection device components comprises using a database of a manufacturer of surge protection devices.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring a status of the one or more surge protection device components comprises measuring a temperature of the one or more surge protection device components.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more surge protection device components comprises at least one of a varistor, a thermistor, a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor, a fuse or a sensor.

16 . A monitoring device comprising:
a processor; and a memory including computer program code, which when executed by the processor, causes the monitoring device to: generate a list of measurement locations based on a detected presence of one or more surge protection device components; measure, for each measurement location, a status of the one or more surge protection device components; and generate an output, wherein the output is based at least in part on the status of the one or more surge protection device components.

17 . The monitoring device of claim 16 , wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to:
compare the one or more surge protection device components to one of a database or a list of surge protection device configurations to determine the measurement locations.

18 . The monitoring device of claim 16 , wherein the output provides an indication of a change in the status of the one or more surge protection device components.

19 . The monitoring device of claim 16 , wherein the computer program code, when executed by the processor, causes the apparatus to:
measure, for each measurement location, an indication of a percentage health of a module containing the one or more surge protection device components.

20 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, causes a monitoring device to:
generate a list of measurement locations based on a detected presence of one or more surge protection device components; measure, for each measurement location, a status of the one or more surge protection device components; and generate an output, wherein the output is based at least in part on the status of the one or more surge protection device components.

Assignees

• Asco Power Technologies Lp

Inventors

• Wilson Glenn Edward
• Scott Matthew Arthur
• Buchanan Daniel George

Classifications

• H02H9/042

  comprising means to limit the absorbed power or indicate damaged over-voltage protection device · CPC title

• G01R31/2827 Primary

  Testing of electronic protection circuits (testing switches G01R31/327; checking alarm systems G08B29/00; self test of summation current transformers H02H3/335) · CPC title