Intelligent circuit breaker apparatus and methods

Abstract

A system and associated components for providing an intelligent circuit breaker being adapted to communicate with, monitor and control various devices within a commercial or residential premises. In one embodiment, the system is adapted for low cost, ease of installation and operation, and ease of manufacture. The intelligent circuit breaker may also be adapted to send data relating to sensed parameter or conditions to, and receive commands from, a user interface. Methods for operating such breakers and converting existing circuit breakers to intelligent circuit breakers consistent with the aforementioned system and components are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A method of utilizing a circuit breaker apparatus to evaluate one of a plurality of powered devices associated with said apparatus, said method comprising:
 receiving data from at least one sensor apparatus configured to sense activity occurring on at least one of a plurality powered devices;   comparing said data to a plurality of standard data stored on a storage apparatus;   determining a state of said at least one of said plurality of powered devices as at least one of:   (i) a powered-on state in normal operation;   (ii) a powered-on state in an error condition; and/or   (iii) a powered-off state;   communicating state of said individual ones of said plurality of powered devices to a user; and   communicating an action to said at least one powered device, based at least in part on said act of comparing;   wherein said powered-on state in normal operation is determined when said data approximates individual ones of said plurality of standard data indicative of normal operation of said at least one powered device;   wherein said powered-off state is determined when said data approximates individual ones of said plurality of standard data indicative of said at least one powered device being turned off; and   wherein said powered-on state in error condition is determined when said data is outside an acceptable range of said plurality of standard data.   
     
     
         50 . The method of claim  48 , wherein said at least one sensor apparatus is configured to measure at least one of power, current, voltage, power factor, temperature, frequency, or harmonics. 
     
     
         51 . The method of claim  48 , wherein said standard data comprises at least one of: data recorded from normal operation of said at least one powered device, data downloaded from a data source via secure communication therewith, and/or data stored on said circuit breaker apparatus by a manufacturer thereof. 
     
     
         52 . The method of claim  48 , wherein said act of comparing comprises evaluating said received data and said reference data, and determining, based at least in part on said evaluation, whether a predetermined criterion has been met. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein said act of communicating an action to said at least one powered device, based at least in part on said act of comparing comprises causing a shutdown of said at least one powered device when said predetermined criterion is met. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein said act of communicating an action to said at least one powered device, based at least in part on said act of comparing comprises:
 communicating at least one of said received data and said reference data to a user device;   receiving at said user device at least one user command; and   communicating said at least one user command to said at least one powered device.   
     
     
         55 . The method of claim  48 , wherein said act of comparing comprises diagnosing at least one operational problem with said at least one powered device by using said received data to categorize a state of said at least one powered device according to at least one of a plurality of stored categories, and said act of communicating an action to said at least one powered device based at least in part on said act of comparing comprises communicating said categorization to said at least one powered device. 
     
     
         56 . A system configured to evaluate and schedule operation of one of a plurality of powered devices associated with a circuit breaker apparatus, said system comprising:
 a circuit breaker apparatus comprising at least a control module, a plurality of mechanical components effecting circuit breaking function, and at least one sensor apparatus;   a web-based user interface; and   a plurality of powered devices associated with said circuit breaker apparatus;   wherein said circuit breaker apparatus is adapted to communicate with and control said plurality of powered devices; and   wherein said web-based interface is further configured to enable a user to view data relating to said plurality of powered devices, and enter one or more commands for communication to said powered devices from a computerized device in communication with said circuit breaker apparatus via an internetwork.   
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein said control module is configured to evaluate at least one of said plurality of powered devices via:
 receipt of data regarding activity occurring on said at least one powered device sensed at said sensor apparatus;   categorization of said data according to at least one of a plurality of categories;   communication, via a secure connection, of said categorization to said user interface;   receipt of an input from said user interface indicating an action to be taken in response to said categorization; and   causation of said action to be carried out on said at least one powered device.   
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein said communication, via a secure connection, comprises communication subsequent to password confirmation at a user interface. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein said password confirmation comprises a mechanism disabling said system when an incorrect password is given more than a prescribed number of times. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein said plurality of categories comprise at least one of: a category calculated from normal operation of said at least one powered device, a category downloaded from a data source via secure communication therewith, and/or a category stored on said circuit breaker apparatus by a manufacturer thereof. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein said control module is configured to schedule operation of at least one of said plurality of powered devices via:
 receipt of information regarding at least first and second time ranges from said user interface via a secure connection thereto;   determination of a current time; and   management of a function of said at least one powered device based at least in part on said stored time ranges and said current time.   
     
     
         62 . A circuit breaker apparatus, comprising:
 a power supply;   a control module comprising at least one mechanism configured to determine time; and   a plurality of mechanical components configured to provide a circuit breaking function of said circuit breaker;   wherein said control module is in data communication with at least one user device, and is adapted to control operation of at least one of a plurality of powered devices associated with said circuit breaker based at least in part on said at least one mechanism configured to determine time and a plurality of digital data signals received from said at least one of said plurality of powered devices; and   wherein said control module is configured to utilize a determined time and said plurality of digital data signals to generate an estimate of future power consumption of said at least one of said plurality of powered devices.   
     
     
         63 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein said power supply comprises at least one of:
 (i) a transistor, zener diode and an opto-isolator with shunt resistor that provides both a 5V converter regulation as well as a 3.3V output; or   (ii) a power supply without a tapped inductor, said power supply comprising a series capacitor with a Zener diode and rectifier adapted to drop input AC voltage to approximately 30V and a 30V low voltage converter to power at a voltage less than 30V.   
     
     
         64 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein said control module is adapted to communicate with and control said one or more powered devices via power conductors associated with said devices. 
     
     
         65 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein said control module is adapted to communicate with and control said one or more powered devices via wireless apparatus. 
     
     
         66 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein said mechanism configured to determine time comprises a real-time clock, or a periodically updated software clock. 
     
     
         67 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein said plurality of mechanical components configured to provide said circuit breaking function comprise at least one of: a magnetically latching activator, a solid state switch, a relay, a solenoid actuator, and/or a mechanical latch. 
     
     
         68 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein said user-entered schedule comprises:
 (i) prevention of said at least one powered device from receiving power when said mechanism for measuring time indicates a time within a first time range; and/or   (ii) permission to said at least one powered device to receive power when said mechanism for measuring time indicates a time within a second time range.   
     
     
         69 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 68 , wherein said first and second time ranges comprise one of: pre-set time ranges or user-entered time ranges; and
 wherein when said first and second time ranges comprise said user-entered time ranges, said user-entered time ranges being entered by at least one user input at said user device via communication therewith.   
     
     
         70 . The circuit breaker apparatus of  claim 68 , wherein said at least one powered device is prevented from receiving power by said control module configured to interrupt a circuit associated with said circuit breaker via manipulation of at least one of said plurality of mechanical components configured to provide said circuit breaking function; and
 wherein said at least one powered device is permitted to receive power by said control module via manipulating at least one of said plurality of mechanical components configured to provide said circuit breaking function.