Patent · US Expired

Automatic circuit breaker detector

US6392395B1 · kind B1 · utility

14Cited by
11References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 4, 2000
Grant dateMay 21, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 4, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R29/085
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a method and system for detecting a particular AC circuit from among a plurality of AC circuits at a circuit box, a transmitter is plugged into the particular AC circuit to be detected, the transmitter creating a high amplitude high-frequency current pulse. With a receiver, sensing the particular circuit at the circuit box by use of a sensing coil and employing a variable gain stage in conjunction with a threshold comparator and latch to pick off a signal caused by the high amplitude high frequency current pulse. The signal is latched so that a microprocessor can read the signal to activate an indication to a user when the particular AC circuit has been located at the circuit box. The microprocessor can be programmed after it is mounted into the receiver by use of a computer which transfers a program to the microprocessor. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, instead of the latch, the threshold comparator connects to an interrupt input of the microprocessor.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.