Patent ID: 8139337

Claim:
A system for reducing electrically-caused fires in wiring devices comprising: a wiring device having a terminal for attaching a wire; a first electronic temperature sensor in close proximity to the terminal; a second electronic temperature sensor; circuitry electrically connected to the first and second temperature sensors, the circuitry being configured to receive temperature information from the first and second temperature sensors and to interrupt power to the wiring device without interrupting power to the circuitry when a reference temperature is exceeded at the temperature sensor and wherein the circuitry is further configured to detect a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor and to interrupt power to the wiring device when the temperature differential exceeds a reference temperature differential, the circuitry further comprising additional safety circuitry for the wiring device, the additional safety circuitry selected from the group of: a circuit configured to detect a short circuit at the wiring device before supplying line voltage to the wiring device and to not deliver line voltage to the wiring device if a short circuit is detected; a circuit configured to detect a presence of a load at the wiring device before supplying line voltage to the wiring device and to not deliver line voltage to the wiring device if no load is detected; a circuit configured to detect an open circuit at the wiring device before supplying line voltage to the wiring device and to not deliver line voltage to the wiring device if an open circuit is detected; a circuit configured to detect a ground fault at the wiring device before supplying line voltage to the wiring device and to not deliver line voltage to the wiring device if a ground fault is detected; a circuit configured to detect a short circuit in the wiring device after line voltage is delivered to the wiring device and to interrupt power to the wiring device upon detection of a short circuit; and a circuit configured to detect an open circuit at the wiring device after line voltage is delivered to the wiring device and to interrupt power to the wiring device upon detection of an open circuit; and one of: an audible alarm activated by the circuitry upon detection of the thermal event and interruption of power to the wiring device; and a visible alarm activated by the circuitry upon detection of the thermal event and interruption of power to the wiring device.