# US 10,374,369 B2 · Testing and monitoring of an electrical connection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,369 B2 - Document ID: US10374369B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/757,614 - Filed: 2015-12-23 - Published: 2016-06-23 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-23 - Assignees: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Applicants: David Austin Eldridge; Maximilian Abel Mueller; Ronald Lee Thompson; Charles John Luebke - Inventors: David Austin Eldridge; Maximilian Abel Mueller; Ronald Lee Thompson; Charles John Luebke - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374369B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/713: the switch being a safety switch - G01R 31/088: {Aspects of digital computing} - G01R 31/69: of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances - H02H 11/00: Emergency protective circuit arrangements for preventing the switching-on in case an undesired electric working condition might result - H01R 13/665: {with built-in electronic circuit (H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence)} - H02H 3/17: by means of an auxiliary voltage injected into the installation to be protected {(using summation current transformers H02H3/33)} - H02H 3/33: using summation current transformers (H02H3/347 takes precedence) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) ## Abstract A system and method for testing of electrical connections, conductors, and loads prior to energizing those connections is disclosed. For example, an interlocking socket can comprise a receptacle designed to be coupled to a connector of a load. The interlocking socket can comprise a microprocessor coupled to the receptacle, the microcontroller operable for testing one or more faults in the connector, a conductor, or the load coupled to the connector. In another example, a microprocessor can be coupled to a switch comprising a conductor, where the microprocessor is operable for testing one or more faults in the conductor or a load coupled to the conductor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interlocking socket for coupling to a connector of a load, the interlocking socket comprising: a receptacle configured to receive the connector; a microcontroller coupled to the receptacle, the microcontroller operable for testing for one or more faults in the connector, a conductor coupling the load and the connector, or the load; a breaker coupled to the receptacle and the microcontroller; and a signal transformer coupled on a first side of the interlocking socket at a power cord conductor and coupled to a second side of the interlocking socket at a line conductor, wherein the breaker is located between the first side and the second side of the interlocking socket. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, wherein the one or more faults include a bolted fault, a ground fault, one or more open phases, and an electrical arcing condition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, wherein the breaker is coupled to the receptacle and the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is further operable for preventing power from being delivered from the breaker to the connector when a result of the testing performed indicates an unsafe condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is operable for testing one or more of: a ground fault circuit interrupter within the breaker; that the connector is grounded; a temperature within the receptacle; and that the connector is completely inserted into the receptacle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is mounted in one of the following positions: to the exterior of the breaker, within the breaker, within an enclosure surrounding the interlocking socket, or to the exterior of the enclosure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, further comprising an indicator of a result of the testing performed by the microcontroller, the indicator being visual, audible, or both visual and audible. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, further comprising a power line communication module for transmitting a result of the testing performed by the microcontroller to a remote computer system, the power line communication module comprising the signal transformer and a pair of capacitors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller is further operable for: monitoring the breaker, the connector, the conductor, and the load after the breaker is closed; and opening the breaker if a fault is detected, the fault being one or more of a bolted fault, a ground fault, one or more open phases, and an electrical arcing condition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The interlocking socket of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller performs the following steps: measuring an amount of energy consumed by the load during a time period; and transmitting the measured amount of energy consumed to a remote computer system that comprises a billing system. ### Claim 10 A switching device for coupling to a load, the switching device comprising: a line conductor; a power cord conductor; a breaker disposed between the line conductor and the power cord conductor; a microcontroller coupled to the breaker and the power cord conductor, the microcontroller operable for testing for one or more faults in the power cord conductor or the load coupled to the power cord conductor; and a power line communication module comprising a signal transformer, the signal transformer coupled on a first side of the switching device to the power cord conductor and coupled on a second side of the switching device to the line conductor, the signal transformer for transmitting communication signals between the load and a remote device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The switching device of claim 10, wherein the one or more faults include a bolted fault, a ground fault, one or more open phases, and an electrical arcing condition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The switching device of claim 10, wherein the microcontroller is mounted in one of the following positions: to the exterior of the switching device, within an enclosure surrounding the switching device, or to the exterior of the enclosure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The switching device of claim 10, further comprising an indicator of a result of the testing performed by the microcontroller, the indicator being visual, audible, or both visual and audible. ### Claim 14 An indicator device for coupling to a load, the indicator device comprising: a line conductor; a power cord conductor; a breaker disposed between the line conductor and the power cord conductor; a microcontroller coupled to the breaker and the power cord conductor, the microcontroller operable for testing for one or more faults in the power cord conductor or the load coupled to the power cord conductor; a power line communication module comprising a signal transformer, the signal transformer coupled on a first side of the indicator device to the power cord conductor and coupled on a second side of the indicator device to the line conductor, the signal transformer for transmitting communication signals between the load and a remote device; and an indicator for providing a result of the testing performed by the microcontroller, the indicator being visual, audible, or both visual and audible. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The indicator device of claim 14, wherein the one or more faults include a bolted fault, a ground fault, one or more open phases, and an electrical arcing condition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The indicator device of claim 14, wherein the microcontroller is mounted in one of the following positions: to the exterior of the indicator device, within an enclosure surrounding the indicator device, or to the exterior of the enclosure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The indicator device of claim 14, wherein the power line communication module further comprises a second signal transformer and a transceiver disposed between the signal transformer and the second signal transformer.