Patent ID: 7643257
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
1. An electrical wiring device comprising: a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals, the plurality of line terminals being coupled to the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and decoupled therefrom in a tripped state; a wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the wiring state detection circuit being configured to perform a wiring state test cycle to determine a wiring state based on sampling a plurality of AC signal characteristics, the wiring state detection circuit being configured to perform the wiring state test cycle each time the wiring state detection circuit transitions from a deenergized state to an energized state and discontinue performing the wiring state test cycle when the wiring state is determined to be properly wired, the wiring state detection circuit generating a miswire detection signal if the wiring state is determined to be miswired; a fault detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals, the fault detection circuit being configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition; an electronic switch actuator configured to generate a trip signal in response to the miswire detection signal or the fault detection signal; and a circuit interrupter coupled to the electronic switch actuator, the circuit interrupter being configured to drive the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals into the tripped state in response to the trip signal.