Patent ID: 8159793
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for facilitating interruption of current in an electrical circuit, the apparatus comprising: a current sensing device disposed in the electrical circuit to service an electrical load, the current sensing device being productive of an output signal representative of a load current passing therethrough; a detection unit, in signal communication with the current sensing device such that the output signal produced by the current sensing device is received by the detection unit, the detection unit being configured and disposed to output a secondary signal based on the output signal; and a microcontroller, coupled to the detection unit, being responsive to computer executable instructions which, when executed by the microcontroller, cause the microcontroller to receive and to decompose the secondary signal into detailed and approximate coefficients, and to generate a trip signal for use in interrupting an operation of the electrical circuit when a current of the sensed load is above a predetermined threshold and the detailed and approximate coefficients cooperatively indicate that threshold conditions for trip signal generation are satisfied.