Circuit breaker with integrated control features

An intelligent circuit breaker for detecting arcs in a line, which circuit breaker is operable to modify the current supplied to the load in response to receiving a generated control signal, comprising:

• a current sensor for detecting the AC current waveform for current flowing to a load disposed on the line;
• a peak detector for measuring current at the substantially peak level thereof for a substantially complete cycle of the present AC waveform to provide a present detected value;
• a comparator for comparing the present detected value with the detected value for the previous cycle and generating a true result when a predetermined number of comparisons exhibit a predetermined imbalance;
• and
• a control circuit for generating the control signal when a true result is output by said comparator.

A method for controlling the current flow from an AC main to a load with a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker having a series breaker element associated therewith that can be controlled by a generated control signal to control current flow to the load through the breaker element, comprising the steps of:

• sensing the parameters of the circuit breaker with a parameter sensor relating to current flowing through the circuit breaker from the AC main to the load;
• storing in a storage device predetermined performance parameters for desired relationships between the current and the load that define acceptable operating current constraints of the load;
• selecting various ones of the predetermined performance parameters for varying the operating current constraints of the load with time according to the load;
• and
• comparing the sensed parameters sensed by the parameter sensor to the stored predetermined performance parameters and generating the control signal when the sensed parameters fall outside of the acceptable operating current constraints.