Patent ID: 8076885

Claim:
A power management module for an electrical winch system of a vehicle, the power management module comprising: an overload interrupt module that determines an operating current of the winch system and that provides a first interrupt signal when said current is greater than a threshold current, wherein said overload interrupt module includes a toroid that, to detect said operating current, encircles a wire that provides said operating current from a power source of said vehicle; a low voltage interrupt module that determines a voltage of said power source and that provides a second interrupt signal when said voltage is less than a threshold voltage; and a housing, wherein each of said overload interrupt module, said toroid, and said low voltage interrupt module are located within said housing; a printed circuit board (PCB) located within said housing, wherein: said PCB includes said low voltage interrupt module; and said PCB has an annular shape and encircles said wire; and a Hall Effect sensor that generates an output voltage indicative of said operating current, wherein: said toroid includes an air gap; and said Hall Effect sensor is located on said PCB within said air gap.