Patent ID: 8023238

Claim:
A universal trip unit for use with any one of multiple circuit breaker apparatuses each having a personality module and into each one of which the universal trip unit is installable, the universal trip unit comprising: a communication unit configured to communicate with the personality module of the one of the multiple circuit breaker apparatuses and to thereby receive from the personality module key breaker personality parameters that relate to operational characteristics of the circuit breaker apparatus; and a controller, including: a memory on which a universal register, previously stored key parameters and the received key breaker personality parameters are stored, the controller being configured to control the communication unit to receive the key breaker personality parameters of the selected-one of the multiple circuit breaker apparatuses from the personality module thereof in accordance with information determined from the universal register upon installation of the universal trip unit in the one of the multiple circuit breaker apparatuses, and components to execute trip protection when at least one of a current and a voltage within the circuit breaker apparatus exceeds a respective predetermined threshold as defined by the previously stored key parameters and the received key breaker personality parameters.