Patent ID: 7961111
Filing Date: 2011-06-14
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
1. A home control protection system, which comprises: at least one surge protection strip having a plurality of power outlet receptacles and being electrically connectible to a source of power, the at least one surge protection strip including: a housing, the plurality of power outlet receptacles being mounted on the housing, the housing defining an internal cavity; an electronic circuit at least partially situated within the internal cavity of the housing, the electronic circuit providing surge protected power to each power outlet receptacle; a removable surge protector module mounted on the housing and electrically coupled to the electronic circuit, the surge protector module being removable from the housing and electrically disconnectable from the electronic circuit by a user of the home control protection system, and being replaceable by the user with another surge protector module, the surge protector module having one or more surge protection devices which selectively change from a high impedance state to a low impedance state when the at least one surge protection strip receives a power surge at least equal to a predetermined magnitude from the source of power to which it is connectable, the electronic circuit including: means for counting the number of power surges at least equal to the predetermined magnitude received by the at least one surge protection strip and providing a counted number of power surges signal in response thereto; means for determining the rate of power surges at least equal to the predetermined magnitude received by the at least one surge protection strip in response to the counted number of power surges signal, and providing a rate of power surges signal in response thereto; means for storing a threshold maximum power surge number corresponding to a predicted maximum number of power surges before failure of the one or more surge protection devices of the surge protection module will occur; means for estimating the viability of the one or more surge protection devices of the surge protector module in response to at least the counted number of power surges signal and the threshold maximum power surge number, and providing a surge protection viability signal in response thereto; means for determining a projected relative time when the one or more surge protection devices of the surge protector module will fail by being incapable of selectively changing from a high impedance state to a low impedance state in response to at least the counted number of power surges signal, the threshold maximum power surge number and the rate of power surges signal, and providing a projected failure time signal in response thereto; and a central control unit in electrical communication with the at least one surge protection strip, the central control unit including: means for indicating to the user of the home control protection system an estimated viability of the one or more surge protection devices of the surge protector module of the at least one surge protection strip in response to the surge protection viability signal; and means for indicating to at least one of the user of the home control protection system and a third party to replace the surge protector module of the at least one surge protection strip in response to the projected failure time signal.