Patent ID: 11899441
Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A method for calculating a remaining lifetime of a switch, comprising:
providing a switch, including a circuit breaker, that performs a first switching process, generally assignable to regular operation, and a second switching process, generally assignable to a protective function, comprising short circuit switching;
turning on the first switching process;
detecting, switching events relevant to the lifetime of the switch, where switching events of the second switching process are detected via at least one sensor of the switch;
evaluating, via a processor, the switching events detected, relevant to the lifetime of the switch, with respect to a frequency of an occurrence of the switching events;
detecting switching events, according to the first switching process and the second switching process, as switching events relevant to the lifetime of the switch;
turning on the second switching process that is for the protective function upon receipt of a command from the at least one sensor of a short circuit;
determining, via the processor, a current state of aging of the switch, wherein previously detected switching events relevant to the lifetime of the switch are taken into account for calculating the current state of aging of the switch, irrespective of the frequency of the occurrence of the switching events, and wherein switching events according to the first switching process and second switching process are taken into account in the determining of the current state of aging of the switch;
calculating the remaining lifetime of the switch based on the determined current state of aging of the switch, wherein future switching events according to the first switching process are taken into account, and future switching events according to the second switching process are not taken into account, in the calculating of the remaining lifetime of the switch; and
providing the calculated remaining lifetime information to users or maintenance personnel.