Patent ID: 8384554
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A meter for detecting current changes over a preset threshold in a circuit, the meter comprising: a housing for securing at least a circuit board therein, the circuit board including a micro-controller in electrical communication with a clock, a power source, and a memory; at least one alerting device in electrical communication with and controlled by the micro-controller; at least one input device fixed with the housing and configured so that a user may set conditions for the micro-controller, each input device in electrical communication with the micro-controller; and at least one detecting device in electrical communication with the micro-controller, each detecting device for measuring a current reading in a circuit; wherein at least one of the detecting devices includes a fuse adapter configured to physically replace a fuse of the circuit, such that the current reading may be taken at the location of the fuse in the circuit, and wherein one of the conditions that the micro-controller can automatically adjust based upon a sensed over current with the at least one input device is the current rating of the fuse; whereby when the micro-controller stores a current reading in the memory, the micro-controller then compares a subsequent current readings thereto to calculate a current change, upon which, if the current change is greater than the preset threshold, the micro-controller activates the at least one alerting device, and such that upon detection of a current below the rating of the fuse, the fuse value is incremented until the fuse value is greater than the measured current, whereby the micro-controller stores the fuse value as the threshold amount.