Annunciating or power vending circuit breaker for an electric load

Abstract

A circuit breaker for an electric load includes first and second terminals; a number of first separable contacts each electrically connected between one of the first terminals and one of the second terminals; a first mechanism to open, close or trip open the first contacts; a number of second separable contacts each electrically connected in series with a corresponding one of the first contacts; a second mechanism to open or close the second contacts; a processor to cause the second mechanism to open or close the second contacts, annunciate through one of the second terminals a power circuit electrical parameter for the electric load, receive from a number of the second terminals a confirmation from or on behalf of the electric load to cause the second mechanism to close the second contacts, and determine a fault state operatively associated with current flowing through the second contacts.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A circuit breaker for an electric load, said circuit breaker comprising:
 a plurality of first terminals;   a plurality of second terminals;   a number of first separable contacts each of which is electrically connected between one of said first terminals and one of said second terminals;   a first mechanism structured to open, close or trip open said number of first separable contacts;   a number of second separable contacts each of which is electrically connected in series with a corresponding one of said number of first separable contacts and electrically connected between one of said first terminals and one of said second terminals;   a second mechanism structured to open or close said number of second separable contacts;   a processor structured to cause said second mechanism to open or close said number of second separable contacts, annunciate through one of said second terminals a power circuit electrical parameter for said electric load, receive from a number of said second terminals a confirmation from or on behalf of said electric load to cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts, and determine a fault state operatively associated with current flowing through said number of second separable contacts.   
     
     
         2 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said second terminals receives a remote reset input; wherein said processor inputs said remote reset input; and wherein when said remote reset input is active, said processor causes said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts after receiving said confirmation from or on behalf of said electric load. 
     
     
         3 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said second terminals receives an output from said processor; and wherein said processor is structured to determine if said output from said processor is momentarily electrically disconnected from and then electrically reconnected to a remote load and responsively cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts after receiving said confirmation from or on behalf of said electric load. 
     
     
         4 . The circuit breaker of  claim 3  wherein said output from said processor is a pulse width modulated signal. 
     
     
         5 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said processor is structured to determine a fault state and responsively cause said second mechanism to open said number of second separable contacts; wherein one of said second terminals receives an output from said processor; and wherein said processor is structured to determine if said output from said processor is momentarily electrically disconnected from and then electrically reconnected to a remote load and responsively cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts if said fault state is active. 
     
     
         6 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said second terminals receives a proximity input to said processor; and wherein said processor is structured to determine if said proximity input is momentarily electrically disconnected from and then electrically reconnected to a remote load and responsively cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts after receiving said confirmation from or on behalf of said electric load. 
     
     
         7 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said first terminals is a ground; and wherein one of said second terminals is said ground. 
     
     
         8 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said second terminals is a proximity input to said processor to indicate that said electric load is electrically connected to said number of second separable contacts and to a corresponding number of said second terminals. 
     
     
         9 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said processor further comprises a remote communications circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said processor further comprises a test/reset input structured to cause said processor to test said second mechanism or to cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts. 
     
     
         11 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said processor further comprises an alternating current to direct current power supply powered from said first terminals. 
     
     
         12 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said processor further comprises a number of indicators structured to indicate at least one of a fault state determined by said processor and current flowing through said number of second separable contacts. 
     
     
         13 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said first mechanism comprises a thermal-magnetic trip mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said first terminals comprise a first line input and one of a second line input and a neutral; and wherein said second terminals comprise a first load output and one of a second load output and a load neutral. 
     
     
         15 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein said processor and said second mechanism cooperate to provide a ground fault trip mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The circuit breaker of  claim 15  wherein one of said second terminals is electrically connected to a conductor having a pilot signal output by said processor to annunciate the maximum value of current permitted to flow through said number of second separable contacts and input by said processor to receive the confirmation from or on behalf of said electric load to cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts; wherein said processor is further structured to determine a fault state responsive to a ground fault detected by said ground fault trip mechanism or a pilot error operatively associated with said pilot signal and responsively cause said second mechanism to open said number of second separable contacts; and wherein said processor is further structured to cause said second mechanism to reclose said number of second separable contacts after a predetermined time. 
     
     
         17 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said second terminals receives an output from said processor; and wherein said processor is structured to determine if said output from said processor is momentarily electrically disconnected from and then electrically reconnected to a remote load and responsively cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts after receiving said confirmation from or on behalf of said load. 
     
     
         18 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said second terminals receives an output from said processor; and wherein said processor is structured to determine if said output from said processor is momentarily electrically disconnected from and then electrically reconnected to a remote resistance of said load and responsively cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts after receiving said confirmation from or on behalf of said load. 
     
     
         19 . The circuit breaker of  claim 1  wherein one of said second terminals receives a proximity input to said processor; and wherein said processor is structured to determine if said proximity input is momentarily electrically disconnected from and then electrically reconnected to a remote resistance of said load and responsively cause said second mechanism to close said number of second separable contacts after receiving said confirmation from or on behalf of said load. 
     
     
         21 . A power vending circuit breaker for an electric load, said power vending circuit breaker comprising:
 a plurality of first terminals;   a plurality of second terminals;   a number of separable contacts, at least one of said number of separable contacts being electrically connected between one of said first terminals and one of said second terminals;   a thermal-magnetic protection circuit electrically connected in series with said at least one of said number of separable contacts between said one of said first terminals and said one of said second terminals;   a metering circuit within said power vending circuit breaker and operatively associated with power flowing through said at least one of said number of separable contacts between said one of said first terminals and said one of said second terminals;   a mechanism structured to open or close said number of separable contacts;   a processor within said power vending circuit breaker and structured to cause said mechanism to open or close said number of separable contacts, to input a plurality of power values from said metering circuit and to determine a plurality of energy values; and   a communication mechanism cooperating with said processor to communicate said energy values to a remote location.   
     
     
         22 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 21  wherein said number of separable contacts comprises a plurality of sets of separable contacts; wherein said at least one of said number of separable contacts is a first one of said sets of separable contacts; and wherein said metering circuit comprises a first current sensor electrically connected in series with said first one of said sets of separable contacts between said one of said first terminals and said one of said second terminals, a second current sensor electrically connected in series with a second one of said sets of separable contacts between another one of said first terminals and another one of said second terminals, a first voltage sensor sensing a first voltage operatively associated with said first one of said sets of separable contacts, a second voltage sensor sensing a second voltage operatively associated with said second one of said sets of separable contacts, and a power metering circuit cooperating with said first and second current sensors and said first and second voltage sensors to provide the plurality of power values to said processor. 
     
     
         23 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 21  wherein said communication mechanism includes an expansion port communicating with a number of add-on modules. 
     
     
         24 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 23  wherein said electric load is an electric vehicle; and wherein said number of add-on modules is an electric vehicle add-on module interfacing said electric vehicle, said electric vehicle add-on module being structured to communicate with said electric vehicle, detect a ground fault in a power circuit between said power vending circuit breaker and said electric vehicle, and control said plurality of sets of separable contacts through said expansion port. 
     
     
         25 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 23  wherein said electric load is an inverter; and wherein said number of add-on modules is a solar or photovoltaic add-on module interfacing said inverter. 
     
     
         26 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 25  wherein said solar or photovoltaic add-on module comprises a communication circuit interfaced to said expansion port; said communication circuit including a first communication port structured to interface said inverter and a second communication port structured to interface an electric utility. 
     
     
         27 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 23  wherein said electric load is HVAC equipment; and wherein said number of add-on modules is an HVAC add-on module interfacing said HVAC equipment, said HVAC add-on module comprising a communication circuit interfaced to said expansion port, a wireless communication circuit interfaced to said communication circuit, a thermostat, a plurality of solid state relays, a plurality of terminals for HVAC signals driven by said solid state relays, and a processor cooperating with said communication circuit, said thermostat and said solid state relays to control and monitor said HVAC equipment. 
     
     
         28 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 23  wherein said number of add-on modules is a plurality of add-on modules comprising a first add-on module and a second add-on module, said first add-on module comprising a communication circuit interfaced to said expansion port, said second add-on module being interfaced to said first add-on module. 
     
     
         29 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 28  wherein said electric load is an electric vehicle; wherein said first add-on module is an electric vehicle add-on module interfacing said electric vehicle, said electric vehicle add-on module being structured to communicate with said electric vehicle, detect a ground fault in a power circuit between said power vending circuit breaker and said electric vehicle, and control said plurality of sets of separable contacts through said expansion port; and wherein said second add-on module is an RFID authentication add-on module structured to authenticate a user operatively associated with said electric vehicle. 
     
     
         30 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 23  wherein said power vending circuit breaker is a two-pole circuit breaker; and wherein said number of add-on modules is a two-pole add-on module coupled to one end of said two-pole circuit breaker or coupled to one side of said two-pole circuit breaker with a plurality of jumpers therebetween. 
     
     
         31 . The power vending circuit breaker of  claim 23  wherein said expansion port is a first expansion port comprising a plurality of conductors for a serial communication interface between said first expansion port and said add-on module, signal ground, neutral, control power, status of said power vending circuit breaker, and control of said number of separable contacts. 
     
     
         32 . A circuit breaker for an electric load, said circuit breaker comprising:
 a plurality of first terminals;   a plurality of second terminals;   a number of separable contacts each of which is electrically connected between one of said first terminals and one of said second terminals;   a mechanism structured to open or close said number of separable contacts; and   a processor structured to cause said mechanism to open or close said number of separable contacts, annunciate through one of said second terminals a power circuit electrical parameter for said electric load, receive from a number of said second terminals a confirmation from or on behalf of said electric load to cause said mechanism to close said number of separable contacts, and determine a fault state operatively associated with current flowing through said number of separable contacts.   
     
     
         33 . The circuit breaker of  claim 32  wherein said first terminals include a line terminal and a neutral terminal; and wherein said number of separable contacts are two sets of separable contacts; wherein said second terminals include a load terminal and a load neutral terminal; wherein a first set of said two sets of separable contacts is electrically connected between said line terminal and said load terminal; and wherein a second set of said two sets of separable contacts is electrically connected between said neutral terminal and said load neutral terminal. 
     
     
         34 . The circuit breaker of  claim 32  wherein a fuse is electrically connected in series with one of said number of separable contacts; and wherein each of said number of separable contacts is a solid state switching device.