IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0297862
(2005-12-09)
|
등록번호 |
US-7796366
(2010-10-04)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Kilroy, Donald G.
- Oldenburg, Wayne H.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Carlson, Gaskey & Olds, P.C.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
4 |
초록
▼
An AC arc fault device and methodology includes acquiring a signal in response to an AC current and defining overcurrent regions that correspond to the alternating directions of the AC current and a normal region. A software module identifies a parallel AC arc event over a selected time period in re
An AC arc fault device and methodology includes acquiring a signal in response to an AC current and defining overcurrent regions that correspond to the alternating directions of the AC current and a normal region. A software module identifies a parallel AC arc event over a selected time period in response to multiple occurrences of the acquired signal moving into one of the overcurrent regions. The software module also determines average current values over multiple selected time periods and identifies a series AC arc event in response to the difference between the average values exceeding a pre-determined threshold.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. A method of alternating current (AC) arc event detection, comprising: (a) a controller determining a signal in response to a current that alternates between positive and negative half-cycles; (b) the controller defining a first overcurrent region that corresponds to the positive half-c
We claim: 1. A method of alternating current (AC) arc event detection, comprising: (a) a controller determining a signal in response to a current that alternates between positive and negative half-cycles; (b) the controller defining a first overcurrent region that corresponds to the positive half-cycle, a second overcurrent region that corresponds to the negative half-cycle, and a normal current region; and (c) the controller defining an AC arc event over a selected time period in response to a plurality of occurrences of the signal moving from the normal region to one of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region and moving from the normal region to another of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region. 2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (c) includes identifying a first signal peak within one of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region, identifying a second signal peak in the normal region, and identifying a third signal peak in one of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region. 3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step (b) includes defining the normal current region based upon a percentage of a device rating of a device that switches the current. 4. The method as recited in claim 1, including step (d) the controller commanding a solid-state switch to open in response to defining the AC arc event in said step (c). 5. The method as recited in claim 2, including step (d) defining all peaks in the first overcurrent region and the second overcurrent region within the selected time period as additional AC arc events. 6. The method as recited in claim 5, including step (e) the controller commanding a solid-state switch to open in response to a threshold number of second AC arc events in step (d). 7. The method as recited in claim 1, including step (d) providing an indication of the AC arc event of step (c). 8. The method as recited in claim 1, including (d) maintaining a solid-state switch in a closed state in response to defining the AC arc event in said step (c). 9. The method as recited in claim 1, including step (d) determining a first average signal value over the predetermined time period and a second average signal value over at least one additional time period and identifying a series AC arc event in response to a comparison of the average signal values. 10. The method as recited in claim 9, including step (e) selecting one of a plurality of output actions in response to identifying the series AC arc fault. 11. The method as recited in claim 1, including step (d) determining the selected time period independently of a frequency of the current. 12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein step (b) includes defining the second overcurrent region to correspond to an absolute value of the current over the negative half-cycle. 13. The method as recited in claim 1, including step (d) defining a dead zone region between the normal current region and at least one of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region. 14. The method of claim 1, including step (d) establishing an amplitude of the signal and determining whether the signal has moved from the normal region to one of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region based on the amplitude. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (c) includes defining an AC arc event in response to a plurality of normal peaks occurring between peaks in at least one of the first overcurrent region and the second overcurrent region. 16. The method as recited in claim 2, including step (d) defining all peaks in the first overcurrent region and the second overcurrent region within the selected time period as additional AC arc events in response to detection of an overcurrent signature. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein said first overcurrent region comprises only positive overcurrent values, and said second overcurrent region comprises only negative overcurrent values. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second overcurrent regions are separated by a normal current region. 19. A method of alternating current (AC) arc fault detection, comprising: (a) a controller acquiring a signal representing an alternating electric current over multiple selected time periods; (b) the controller determining a value for each selected time period in response to the signal; (c) the controller defining an AC arc event based at least partially upon the values in response to a plurality of occurrences of the signal moving from the normal region to one of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region and moving from the normal region to another of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region; (d) the controller adding a first value to a counter if a difference between values exceeds a predetermined threshold; and (e) the controller subtracting a second value that is smaller than the first value from the counter if the difference does not exceed the predetermined value. 20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said step (b) includes determining the value based upon an average signal value over one of the multiple selected time periods. 21. The method as recited in claim 19, including (d) commanding a solid-state switch to one of an open or closed state in response to defining the AC arc event in said step (c). 22. A device for detecting AC arc faults comprising: a solid-state switch that selectively transmits alternating current electrical power; and a software module that receives a signal representing said alternating current electrical power over a selected time period and identifies an arc event over the selected time period in response to a first signal peak in one of a first overcurrent region or a second overcurrent region, a second signal peak in a normal region, and a third signal peak in another of the first overcurrent region or the second overcurrent region, wherein said software module selects one of a plurality of output actions in response to said arc event. 23. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said software module acquires said signal over multiple selected time periods and commands the solid-state switch to an open state in response to an average signal value for each time period. 24. The device as recited in claim 23, wherein said software module includes a digital counter that increases by a first fixed value if a difference between the average signal values exceeds a predetermined threshold. 25. The device as recited in claim 24, wherein said digital counter decreases by a second value that is smaller than the first value if the difference does not exceed the predetermined value. 26. The device of claim 22, wherein the software module dynamically controls a magnitude of at least one of the first overcurrent region, the second overcurrent region, or the normal current region during operation of the device to alter an arc fault sensitivity of the device. 27. The device of claim 22, wherein the device measures an amplitude of the signal to determine a signal peak in the first overcurrent region, the second overcurrent region, or the normal region. 28. The device of claim 22, wherein said first overcurrent region comprises only positive overcurrent values, and said second overcurrent region comprises only negative overcurrent values. 29. The device of claim 22, wherein said first and second overcurrent regions are separated by a normal current region.
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