System, method, and apparatus for power distribution in an electric mobile application using a combined breaker and relay

A system, comprising:

• a vehicle having a motive electrical power path;
• a power distribution unit comprising a current protection circuit disposed in the motive electrical power path, the current protection circuit comprising a breaker/relay, the breaker/relay comprising:
• a fixed contact electrically coupled to a motive power circuit for a mobile application;
• a moveable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the moveable contact in a first position allows power to flow through the motive power circuit, and the moveable contact in a second position does not allow power to flow through the motive power circuit;
• and
• a physical opening response portion responsive to a current value in the motive power circuit, wherein the physical opening response portion is configured to move the moveable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value;
• a current source circuit electrically coupled to the breaker/relay and structured to inject a current across the fixed contact;
• and
• a voltage determination circuit electrically coupled to the breaker/relay and structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a contactor impedance value, wherein the voltage determination circuit comprises an analog hardware filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to a frequency of the injected current, wherein the power distribution unit further comprises a plurality of breaker/relay devices disposed therein, and wherein the current source circuit is further electrically coupled to the plurality of breaker/relay devices, and to sequentially inject a current across each fixed contact of the plurality of breaker/relay devices;
• and
• wherein the voltage determination circuit is further electrically coupled to each of the plurality of breaker/relay devices, and further structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a contactor impedance value for each of the plurality of breaker/relay devices.

A breaker/relay comprising:

• a fixed contact electrically coupled to a motive power circuit for a mobile application;
• a moveable contact selectively electrically coupled to the fixed contact, wherein the moveable contact in a first position allows power to flow through the motive power circuit, and the moveable contact in a second position does not allow power to flow through the motive power circuit;
• a physical opening response portion responsive to a current value in the motive power circuit, wherein the physical opening response portion is configured to move the moveable contact to the second position in response to the current value exceeding a threshold current value;
• a current source circuit electrically coupled to the breaker/relay and structured to inject a current across the fixed contact;
• and
• a voltage determination circuit electrically coupled to the breaker/relay and structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a contactor impedance value, wherein the voltage determination circuit comprises an analog hardware filter having a cutoff frequency selected in response to a frequency of the injected current, wherein the current source circuit is further electrically coupled to a plurality of breaker/relay devices, and to sequentially inject a current across each fixed contact of the plurality of breaker/relay devices;
• and
• wherein the voltage determination circuit is further electrically coupled to each of the plurality of breaker/relay devices, and further structured to determine at least one of an injected voltage amount and a contactor impedance value for each of the plurality of breaker/relay devices.