Patent ID: 7015599

Claim:
A residential backup power system connectable to a utility power source, an external controller, and a plurality of loads, the system comprising: a residential generator; a switch connected to the residential generator and connectable to the utility power source, the switch being adapted to controllably provide power received from one of the utility power source and the residential generator; a plurality of remotely operated first-level circuit branches, each first-level circuit branch being connected to the switch to receive power from the switch and connectable to at least one load, each first-level circuit branch further including at least one remotely operated circuit breaker and having one of an open state and a closed state; a remotely operated second-level circuit branch connected to the switch to receive power from the switch and connectable to at least one load, the second-level circuit branch including at least one remotely operated circuit breaker and having one of an open state and a closed state; and a controller connected to the circuit breakers and the external controller, the controller being adapted to control the circuit breakers thereby controlling the states of the first- and second-level circuit branches, the controlling of the first- and second-level circuit branches, after receiving power from the residential generator via the switch is done by, opening the second-level circuit branch; closing at least one branch of the first-level circuit branches; receiving an input from the external controller to close the second-level circuit branch; after receiving the input, opening at least one branch of the closed first-level circuit branches; after opening at least one branch of the closed first-level circuit branches, closing the second-level circuit branch; and after closing the second-level circuit branch, closing at least one branch of the opened first-level circuit branches.