Patent ID: 6456471
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: H01H,H02H,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
An arc fault circuit interrupter system for use with an electrical circuit, comprising:an arc fault circuit interrupter; an arcing fault detector which monitors said electrical circuit and a controller which generates a trip signal for the arc fault circuit interrupter in response to the detection of arcing faults; said controller also generating one or more communication signals corresponding to information relating to the operation of the arc fault circuit interrupter; a communication port which communicates to a user said information relating to operation of the arc fault circuit interrupter in response to said communication signals; wherein said arcing fault detector includes a sensor which detects a current in said electrical circuit and develops a corresponding sensor signal, a circuit which determines the presence of broadband noise in said sensor signal and produces a corresponding output signal, and wherein said controller processes said sensor signal and said output signal in a predetermined fashion to determine whether an arcing fault is present in said electrical circuit, and wherein the information relating to operation includes information corresponding to a standby condition, a tripped condition, at least one of a self-test passed condition and a self-test failed condition, the time elapsed since the last trip, at least one of the present current level, the present voltage level and the power consumption, and the reason for tripping.