# US 12,015,261 B2 · Intelligent circuit breakers with solid-state bidirectional switches > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,261 B2 - Document ID: US12015261B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/094,738 - Filed: 2023-01-09 - Published: 2023-05-25 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-18 - Assignees: Amber Semiconductor, Inc. - Applicants: Amber Semiconductor, Inc. - Inventors: Mark Telefus; Stephen C. Gerber; Damon M. Baker; Kenneth D. Alton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015261B2 ## CPC - H02H 3/08: responsive to excess current (responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04) - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - G01R 15/202: {using Hall-effect devices (Hall elements in arrangements for measuring electrical power G01R21/08)} - G01R 19/175: Indicating the instants of passage of current or voltage through a given value, e.g. passage through zero - G01R 19/2513: {Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging} - G01R 31/52: Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults - H01H 9/542: {Contacts shunted by static switch means} - H01H 9/548: {Electromechanical and static switch connected in series} - H01H 9/56: for ensuring operation of the switch at a predetermined point in the AC cycle - H01H 9/563: {for multipolar switches, e.g. different timing for different phases, selecting phase with first zero-crossing} - H01H 33/593: {for ensuring operation of the switch at a predetermined point of the AC cycle (for multipolar switches H01H9/563)} - H01H 71/04: Means for indicating condition of the switching device {(by means of an auxiliary contact H01H71/46)} - H01H 71/128: {Manual release or trip mechanisms, e.g. for test purposes (two similar push buttons for closing or resetting and opening or tripping H01H71/58; test switches for earth fault circuit breakers H01H83/04)} - H01H 71/24: Electromagnetic mechanisms - H02H 1/0007: {concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445)} - H02H 1/0092: {concerning the data processing means, e.g. expert systems, neural networks} - H02H 3/023: {by short-circuiting} - H02H 3/044: {Checking correct functioning of protective arrangements, e.g. by simulating a fault (for differential current circuit breakers H02H3/335)} - H02H 3/33: using summation current transformers (H02H3/347 takes precedence) - H02J 13/1331: {using wireless data transmission} - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - H02M 1/083: {for the ignition at the zero crossing of the voltage or the current} - H02M 1/096: the power supply of the control circuit being connected in parallel to the main switching element (H02M1/092 takes precedence) - H02M 7/217: using semiconductor devices only - H01H 9/54: Circuit arrangements not adapted to a particular application of the switching device and for which no provision exists elsewhere - H01H 2009/543: {third parallel branch comprising an energy absorber, e.g. MOV, PTC, Zener} - H01H 2009/546: {the static switching means being triggered by the voltage over the mechanical switch contacts} - H01H 2300/03: Application domotique, e.g. for house automation, bus connected switches, sensors, loads or intelligent wiring - H02H 3/021: {concerning the disconnection itself, e.g. at a particular instant, particularly at zero value of current, disconnection in a predetermined order (disconnection at zero value in general H03K17/18)} - H02H 3/085: {making use of a thermal sensor, e.g. thermistor, heated by the excess current (also responsive to the temperature of the protected device H02H5/041, thermal images H02H6/00)} - H02M 1/0009: {Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter} - H02M 1/0064: {Magnetic structures combining different functions, e.g. storage, filtering or transformation} - H02M 7/06: using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode - Y02E 60/00: Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation - 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) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A circuit breaker comprises a solid-state bidirectional switch, a switch control circuit, current and voltage sensors, and a processor. The solid-state bidirectional switch is connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-on state and a switched-off state. The switch control circuit control operation of the bidirectional switch. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in an electrical path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage on the electrical path and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to process the current and voltage sense signals to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker, a fault event, and power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit breaker, comprising: a solid-state bidirectional switch coupled between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in one of (i) a switched-on state and (ii) a switched-off state; a first switch control circuit configured to control operation of the solid-state bidirectional switch by placing the solid-state bidirectional switch in one of the switched-on state and the switched-off state; a current sensor configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in an electrical path between the line input terminal and the load output terminal and generate a current sense signal; a voltage sensor configured to sense a magnitude of voltage at a point in the electrical path between the line input terminal and the load output terminal and generate a voltage sense signal; and a processor configured to process the current sense and voltage sense signals to determine an occurrence of a fault event, and cause the first switch control circuit to place the solid-state bidirectional switch in the switched-off state in response to the occurrence of the fault event. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to process the current sense and voltage sense signals to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker, and to determine power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The circuit breaker of claim 2, further comprising a radio frequency transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the radio frequency transceiver is configured to transmit the operational status information and the power usage information to a remote computing node, and to receive remote control commands transmitted from the remote computing node, wherein the processor is configured to process the remote control commands and perform one or more actions as directed by the remote control commands. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the voltage sensor comprises: a first voltage sensor coupled to the electrical path upstream of the solid-state bidirectional switch and configured to sense a magnitude of a supply voltage applied to the line input terminal; and a second voltage sensor coupled to the electrical path downstream of the solid-state bidirectional switch and configured to sense a magnitude of load voltage of a load connected to the load output terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the current sensor comprises circuitry that is configured to detect an over-current condition, generate a control signal which is indicative of the detected over-current condition, and output the control signal to the processor to notify the processor of the detected over-current condition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, further comprising: an air-gap electromagnetic switch serially connected with the solid-state bidirectional switch between the line input terminal and the load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed into one of (i) a switched-open state and (ii) a switched-closed state; and a second switch control circuit configured to control operation of the air-gap electromagnetic switch; wherein the processor generates respective switch control signals to control the first and second switch control circuits so that the air-gap electromagnetic switch is (i) placed into the switched-closed state prior to placing the solid-state bidirectional switch into the switched-on state, and (ii) placed into the switched-open state in response to the solid-state bidirectional switch being placed into the switched-off state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The circuit breaker of claim 6, further comprising: a manual switch which is configured to cause the air-gap electromagnetic switch to switch from the switched-closed state to the switched-open state in response to an actuation of the manual switch; wherein the processor is configured to monitor and detect the actuation of the manual switch, and output a control signal to the first switch control circuit to cause the first switch control circuit to place the solid-state bidirectional switch into the switched-off state, in response to the processor detecting the actuation of the manual switch. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The circuit breaker of claim 6, wherein the first and second switch control circuits are configured to operate the circuit breaker in a standby state in which the solid-state bidirectional switch is in the switched-off state and the air-gap electromagnetic switch is in the switched-closed state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The circuit breaker of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to analyze sensor signals from the voltage and current sensors to detect a failure of the solid-state bidirectional switch, and output a control signal to the second switch control circuit to place the air-gap electromagnetic switch into the switched-open state, in response to the processor detecting the failure of the solid-state bidirectional switch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the current sensor comprises energy metering circuitry, wherein the energy metering circuitry is configured to generate energy usage data based at least in part on sensed current flowing through the circuit breaker, and output the energy usage data to the processor for analysis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to identify a type of load connected to the circuit breaker and control power applied to the load based on the identified type of load. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to at least one of (i) determine an arc-fault event and implement arc-fault circuit interruption, and (ii) determine a ground-fault event and implement ground-fault circuit interruption. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, wherein: the first switch control circuit comprises a short-circuit detection circuit coupled to the solid-state bidirectional switch, wherein the short-circuit detection circuit is configured to detect current flow through the solid-state bidirectional switch, and generate a control signal to place the solid-state bidirectional switch into the switched-off state in response the detected current flow being indicative of a short-circuit fault event of a load connected to the load output terminal of the circuit breaker; and the short-circuit detection circuit is configured to sense a voltage across a sense resistor coupled between a first solid-state switch and a second solid-state switch of the solid-state bidirectional switch, and utilize the sensed voltage to detect a level of current flow that is indicative of the short-circuit fault event. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, further comprising a power converter circuit configured to generate a direct current (DC) supply voltage from an alternating current (AC) supply voltage applied to the line input terminal, wherein the DC supply voltage is utilized to provide DC power to the processor and one or more circuit components of the circuit breaker. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The circuit breaker of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor that is configured to sense an occurrence of a hazardous environmental condition and generate sensor data which is indicative of the occurrence of the hazardous environmental condition and which causes the processor to generate a control signal to cause the first switch control circuit to place the solid-state bidirectional switch in the switched-off state in response to the occurrence of the hazardous environmental condition. ### Claim 16 A method, comprising: connecting a circuit breaker between a utility power source and a branch circuit comprising a load, wherein the circuit breaker comprises a solid-state bidirectional switch which is configured to be placed in one of (i) a switched-on state to connect the utility power source to the branch circuit and (ii) a switched-off state to disconnect the utility power source from the branch circuit; sensing current flow through the circuit breaker and generating a current sense signal that is indicative of a magnitude of the sensed current flow through the circuit breaker; sensing a voltage at a point in an electrical path through the circuit breaker and generating a voltage sense signal that is indicative of a magnitude of the sensed voltage; applying the current sense and voltage sense signals to a processor of the circuit breaker to process the current sense and voltage sense signals to determine an occurrence of a fault event; generating, by the processor, a control signal that is applied to a switch control circuit of the circuit breaker to cause the switch control circuit to place the solid-state bidirectional switch in the switched-off state in response to the occurrence of the fault event. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein: the circuit breaker comprises an air-gap electromagnetic switch which is serially connected with the solid-state bidirectional switch and which is configured to be placed into one of (i) a switched-open state and (ii) a switched-closed state; and the method further comprises generating control signals to synchronize switching operations of the air-gap electromagnetic switch and the solid-state bidirectional switch so that the air-gap electromagnetic switch is (i) placed into the switched-closed state prior to placing the solid-state bidirectional switch into the switched-on state, and (ii) placed into the switched-open state in response to the solid-state bidirectional switch being placed into the switched-off state. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: sensing an actuation of a manual switch which is configured to cause the air-gap electromagnetic switch to switch from the switched-closed state to the switched-open state; and generating a control signal to place the solid-state bidirectional switch into the switched-off state, in response to sensing the actuation of the manual switch. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: analyzing sensor signals obtained from the voltage and current sensors to detect a failure of the solid-state bidirectional switch; and generating a control signal to place the air-gap electromagnetic switch into the switched-open state, in response to detecting the failure of the solid-state bidirectional switch. ### Claim 20 A circuit breaker, comprising: a solid-state bidirectional switch coupled between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in one of (i) a switched-on state and (ii) a switched-off state; a switch control circuit configured to control operation of the solid-state bidirectional switch by placing the solid-state bidirectional switch in one of the switched-on state and the switched-off state; a current sensor configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in an electrical path between the line input terminal and the load output terminal and generate a current sense signal; a voltage sensor configured to sense a magnitude of voltage at a point in the electrical path between the line input terminal and the load output terminal and generate a voltage sense signal; and a processor configured to process the current sense and voltage sense signals to determine an impending occurrence of a fault event, and cause the switch control circuit to place the solid-state bidirectional switch in the switched-off state in response to the determined impending occurrence of the fault event.