Digital sensor apparatus and system for protection, control and management of electricity distribution systems

A protection device for protecting a multi-phase multi-conductor electric circuit from fault conditions on said electric circuit, the device comprising:

• a plurality of digital sensors coupled to said electric circuit, each of said plurality of digital sensors generating digital data representative of a current in each of phase conductors of said electric circuit;
• a data transmission network, coupled to said plurality of digital sensors, that receives said digital data representative of the current in each of said phase conductors of said electric circuit from said plurality of digital sensors;
• a communications port that receives said digital data representative of the current in each of said phase conductors of said electric circuit from said data transmission network;
• a processor, coupled to said communications port, that receives said digital data representative of the current in each of said phase conductors of said electric circuit and executes one or more protection algorithms to determine whether the current through any of said phase conductors exceeds a predetermined safe operating limit;
• and
• a circuit breaker, coupled to said processor, that opens said electric circuit if the current through any of said phase conductors exceeds said predetermined safe operating limit.

A protection device for protecting a multi-phase multi-conductor electric circuit from fault conditions on said electric circuit, the device comprising:

• a plurality of digital sensors coupled to said electric circuit, each of said plurality of digital sensors generating digital data representative of a current in each of phase conductors of said electric circuit;
• a data transmission network, coupled to said plurality of digital sensors, that receives said digital data representative of the current in each of said phase conductors of said electric circuit from said plurality of digital sensors;
• a communications port that receives said digital data representative of the current in each of said phase conductors of said electric circuit from said data transmission network;
• a processor, coupled to said communications port, that receives said digital data representative of the current in each of said phase conductors of said electric circuit and executes one or more protection algorithms to determine whether the current through any of said phase conductors exceeds a predetermined safe operating limit;
• a trip apparatus, coupled to said processor, that outputs a trip signal if the current through any of said phase conductors exceeds said predetermined safe operating limit;
• and
• a circuit breaker, coupled to said trip apparatus, that opens said electric circuit if said trip signal indicates that the current through any of said phase conductors exceeds said predetermined safe operating limit.