Patent ID: 6594125
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
A motor vehicle comprising:an engine; a transmission coupled to the engine for transferring mechanical energy to at least one wheel of the vehicle; an electric power source coupled to the engine to generate electrical energy; an electrical energy storage device coupled to the electrical power source to store generated electrical energy; at least one electrical load having a function, wherein the load requires electrical energy to accomplish the function; an electrical distribution system including and electrical conductor configured to couple the electrical load to at least one of the electrical energy storage device and the electric power source; a circuit protection system coupled to the electrical distribution system; and, an electrical arc detection circuit coupled to the circuit protection system including a current transformer coupled to the electrical conductor and the arc detection circuit configured to monitor the electrical energy and generated an arc signal representative of an electrical arc when the detection circuit detects an electrical arc, wherein the electrical detection system includes: a superheterodyne circuit configured to monitor the electrical system; an oscillator circuit configured to generate an oscillator frequency which cycles between a low frequency and a high frequency, with the oscillator circuit coupled to the superheterodyne circuit; a comparator circuit configured to eliminate background and spurious noise, the comparator circuit coupled to the superheterodyne circuit and a reference voltage terminal; an arc timing monitor circuit configured to monitor time of the arcing fault based on signal from the comparator circuit; a compensating circuit configured to compensate for arcing drop outs when signal from the arc timing monitor circuit is received by the compensating circuit; an accumulating circuit configured to receive the signal from the compensating circuit and generate a further signal indicative of the arc fault if a predetermined time period is exceeded; and, a trip signal generation circuit configured to receive the further signal from the accumulating circuit and generate an arc signal to operate the circuit protection system.