Apparatus and method for fault current interruption

A method of interrupting the flow of current in at least one circuit, the method comprising:

• providing a controller for determining the presence of at least one predetermined current in the at least one circuit, the at least one predetermined current stored in the controller;
• providing a circuit breaker comprising a trip mechanism for receiving a trip signal, a current sensor for providing an output proportional to a current in the at least one circuit, a switch for interrupting the flow of current in the at least one circuit, a control input for receipt of a operating signal by the trip mechanism from the controller, and proximate and distal circuit connectors connecting the circuit breaker to a power source and the at least one circuit, respectively;
• determining, by the controller, the presence of at least one predetermined current in the at least one circuit;
• receiving a trip signal at the trip mechanism of the circuit breaker from the controller, and
• interrupting the flow of current in the circuit by using a switch, when the current in the at least one circuit is determined by the controller to be a predetermined current.

A computer program product comprising:

• a program storage device readable by a circuit interrupter, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the circuit interrupter to perform a method for interrupting the flow of current in at least one circuit, the method comprising:
• providing a controller for determining the presence of at least one predetermined current in the at least one circuit, the at least one predetermined current stored in the controller;
• providing a circuit breaker comprising a trip mechanism for receiving a trip signal, a current sensor for providing an output proportional to a current in the at least one circuit, a switch for interrupting the flow of current in the at least one circuit, a control input for receipt of a operating signal by the trip mechanism from the controller, and proximate and distal circuit connectors connecting the circuit breaker to a power source and the at least one circuit, respectively;
• determining, by the controller, the presence of at least one predetermined current in the at least one circuit;
• receiving a trip signal at the trip mechanism of the circuit breaker from the controller, and
• interrupting the flow of current in the circuit by using a switch, when the current in the at least one circuit is determined by the controller to be a predetermined current.