Patent ID: 7072779
Filing Date: 2006-07-04
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A power management integrated circuit for use in an intelligent electronic device for monitoring at least one parameter of an AC power system, the power management integrated circuit comprising: sensor interface circuitry formed as part of said power management integrated circuit, said sensor interface circuitry operative to receive and process signals representative of voltage and current in an AC power system; first logic formed as part of said power management integrated circuit and coupled with said sensor interface circuitry, said first logic operative to receive said signals and produce at least one power parameter, said first logic comprising at least one processor core; at least one random access memory formed as part of said power management integrated circuit and coupled with said first logic, wherein said at least one random access memory is operative to store said at least one power parameter; second logic formed as part of said power management integrated circuit and coupled with said first logic, said second logic operative to process at least one incoming communication packet and generate at least one outgoing communication packet encapsulating said at least one power parameter; and a communications interface formed as part of said power management integrated circuit, said communications interface operative to receive said at least one incoming communication packet from outside said power management integrated circuit and transmit said at least one outgoing communication packet out of said power management integrated circuit; wherein at least one of said at least one incoming communication packet or said at least one outgoing communication packet comprises an indicator of at least one of a source or a destination of said at least one incoming communication packet or said at least one outgoing communication packet, respectively, and wherein said communications interface comprises at least one of a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART), an Ethernet transceiver, a wireless interface or a powerline carrier transmitter/receiver, or combinations thereof.