# US 10,310,006 B2 · DC high potential insulation breakdown test system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,006 B2 - Document ID: US10310006B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/067,568 - Filed: 2013-10-30 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: Hubbell Incorporated - Applicants: Hubbell Incorporated - Inventors: John Edward Brower - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310006B2 ## CPC - G01R 31/14: Circuits therefor {, e.g. for generating test voltages, sensing circuits (G01R31/1209 - G01R31/1227 take precedence; for testing switches G01R31/327)} - G01R 31/3336: {Synthetic testing, i.e. with separate current and voltage generators simulating distance fault conditions} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract Test system and method comprise a controller, which can be microprocessor derived and include operating system for programmability, to control low voltage signals and feedback for managing the test system. High potential test system can include an amplifier comprising solid-state and/or passive components amplifying lower voltage signal to produce higher voltage output signal based on signal monitoring and control provided by controller. Controlled higher voltage output signal can be injected into high voltage multiplier circuit resulting in high DC voltage output voltage up to 50 kV or higher range. The monitoring can include feedback indicative of higher voltage signal output of amplifier and/or high DC voltage output voltage of high voltage multiplier circuit. System feedback and control can be fully automated, or selectively user-controlled via a user interface providing continuous and/or selective monitoring and display of system parameters and measured signal inputs and/or outputs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A test system comprising: a driver circuit receiving a control signal and a first voltage signal, and outputting a second voltage signal based on the received control signal, said second voltage signal having a greater amplitude than said first voltage signal; an amplification circuit receiving the second voltage signal and amplifying the second voltage signal to output a high voltage signal; a controller outputting the control signal to the driver circuit, the controller receiving a first feedback signal from an output of said amplification circuit comprising at least one first characteristic of the high voltage signal, and the controller receiving a second feedback signal from an output of said driver circuit comprising at least one second characteristic of the second voltage signal, the controller selectively modifying the control signal based on at least one of the first and second feedback signals to control at least the second voltage signal output from the driver circuit; an interface for selective activation of automatic or manual operating mode, and selective entry or modification of a first information; and a control interface in communication with the interface, the control interface selectively transmitting the first information to the controller, and selectively transmitting second information comprising the least one of the first and second feedback signals to the interface, wherein when the automatic operating mode is selectively activated, the controller autonomously modifies the control signal based on the at least one of the control parameters with reference to the at least one of the first and second feedback signals, and when the manual operating mode is selectively activated, the controller selectively modifies the control signal based on at least one of the first information, the first feedback signal, and the second feedback signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The test system of claim 1, wherein: the system further comprises a power supply receiving an alternating current (AC) voltage from AC mains and outputting the first voltage to the driver circuit, the driver circuit comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) amplifier receiving the first voltage from the power supply and receiving the control signal from the controller, the control signal comprising a low voltage input signal, and the driver circuit outputs the second voltage signal comprising a PWM dependent AC signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The test system of claim 1, wherein: the driver circuit receives the first voltage signal comprising an alternating current (AC) voltage from AC mains, the driver circuit comprises an AC driver circuit receiving the first voltage signal and receiving the control signal from the controller, the control signal comprising an AC input control signal, the driver outputting the second voltage signal comprising an AC signal dependent on the AC input control signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the controller comprises a programmable microprocessor for selectively controlling the control signal output to the driver circuit and analyzing the least one of the first and second feedback signals according to a set of computer executable instructions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the instructions are stored on non-transient computer readable medium internal or external to the microprocessor, and the instructions are selectively accessible by the microprocessor via at least one of a wired and wireless communication. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller selectively receives the first information comprising at least one control parameter from the control interface, and selectively transmits the second information comprising the least one of the first and second feedback signals to the control interface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising: a user interface for selectively inputting the first information; and a display providing user accessible output indicative of the least one of the first and second feedback signals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller autonomously modifies the control signal based on at least one of preset and variable autonomous control parameters with reference to the least one of the first and second feedback signals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the autonomous control parameters are communicated to the controller via at least one of an internal user interface and an external user interface, using at least one of a wired communication and a wireless communication. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a user interface comprising a first user input for selective activation of the automatic or manual operating mode, and a second user input for selective entry or modification of the first information, the first information comprising at least one control parameter; and a memory storing the at least one control parameter. ### Claim 11 A test system comprising: a driver circuit receiving a control signal and a first voltage signal, and outputting a second voltage signal based on the received control signal, said second voltage signal having a greater amplitude than said first voltage signal; an amplification circuit receiving the second voltage signal and amplifying the second voltage signal to output a high voltage signal; and a controller outputting the control signal to the driver circuit, the controller receiving a first feedback signal from an output of said amplification circuit comprising at least one first characteristic of the high voltage signal, and the controller receiving a second feedback signal from an output of said driver circuit comprising at least one second characteristic of the second voltage signal, the controller selectively modifying the control signal based on at least one of the first and second feedback signals to control at least the second voltage signal output from the driver circuit, wherein the controller comprises: a user interface for selective entry or modification of a first information comprising at least one control parameter; a memory storing the at least one control parameter; and a programmable microprocessor outputting the control signal to the driver circuit; and at least one interface to the microprocessor providing to the microprocessor at least one of the first feedback signal, and the second feedback signal, wherein the microprocessor selectively modifies the control signal based on the at least one control parameter, stored in the memory or received from the user interface, and the at least one of the first and second feedback signals, to control at least the second voltage signal output from the driver circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor receives the at least one of the first and second feedback signals and selectively modifies the control signal based thereon essentially in real time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 further comprising a control interface, wherein the microprocessor selectively receives the first information from the control interface, and selectively transmits a second information comprising the least one of the first and second feedback signals to the control interface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the control interface comprises at least one of a wired or wireless communication interfaces for transmitting, receiving, or transmitting and receiving at least one of the first and second information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the driver circuit comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) amplifier receiving the control signal caused by the microprocessor, and the control signal comprising a low voltage signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the driver circuit comprises an AC driver circuit receiving the control signal caused by the microprocessor, the control signal comprising an AC input control signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the microprocessor is configured to adjust the low voltage control signal based on output from the control interface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor autonomously performs the selective modification of the control signal based on the at least one control parameter stored in the memory, with reference to the at least one of the first and second feedback signals. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor autonomously performs the selective modification of the control signal based on the first information received via the user interface, with reference to the at least one of the first and second feedback signals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the controller autonomously modifies the control signal in a test sequence selectively accessing the at least one of preset and variable autonomous control parameters. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the test sequence is selectively communicated to the controller via at least one of an internal user interface and an external user interface, using at least one of a wired communication and a wireless communication. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein microprocessor autonomously performs the selective modification of the control signal in a test sequence selectively accessing the at least one control parameter. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the test sequence is selectively communicated to the microprocessor via the user interface. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller selectively modifies the control signal based on the first and second feedback signals to control at least the second voltage signal output from the driver circuit.