초록 ▼

An electrical distribution system having a load center for programmably and remotely controlling a plurality of circuit breakers, an expander unit coupled to the load center and a plurality of external switches for providing signals to the load center representative of the status of the switches. Th

An electrical distribution system having a load center for programmably and remotely controlling a plurality of circuit breakers, an expander unit coupled to the load center and a plurality of external switches for providing signals to the load center representative of the status of the switches. The load center contains a control module that continually receives inputs from the expander unit via an interface module. It also contains a keyboard and display for programming instructions for closing and opening the individual circuit breakers and for displaying the status of the circuit breakers. The interface module, coupled to the control module, causes the circuit breakers to open and close according to programmed instructions received from the control module or another external device. The expander unit contains a plurality of input circuits coupled to external switches. An expander circuit having a microprocessor receives signals from the input circuits, which are representative of the status of the external switches, and continually provides signals representative of the status of the switches to the load center for the load center to cause the circuit breakers to open and close as a function of the status of the external switches. The expander circuit also continually receives information from the load center about the status of the individual circuit breakers and provides, to a plurality of output terminals, signals representative of the status of the circuit breakers. The output terminals are coupled to a display device for displaying the status of individual circuit breakers. The output terminal also may be used to activate other devices.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A circuit arrangement for use with an electrical distribution unit used to control current paths through a plurality of associated electrical switching devices, each such switching device operable in an open position and a closed position:(a) a plurality of input circuits

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A circuit arrangement for use with an electrical distribution unit used to control current paths through a plurality of associated electrical switching devices, each such switching device operable in an open position and a closed position:(a) a plurality of input circuits, each said input circuit adapted to be coupled to an associated external element having an on state and off state, each said input circuit generating signals representative of the on state and the off state of its associated external element;(b) a control and logic circuit coupled to the electrical distribution unit and the input circuits for receiving therefrom digital signals representative of the on and off states of the external elements associated with said input circuits, said control and logic circuit continually providing digital signals representative of the on and off states of the external elements to the electrical distribution unit to operate the switching devices between their respective open and closed positions corresponding to the on and off states of the external elements, said control and logic circuit receiving from the electrical distribution unit digital signals for each of the switching devices which are representative of the open and closed positions of each such switching devices; and(c) a separate output terminal corresponding to each of the switching devices in said plurality of switching devices coupled to the control and logic circuit for receiving therefrom digital signals representative of the open and close position of their corresponding switching devices.