# US 9,438,027 B2 · Systems and methods for power interruption > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,027 B2 - Document ID: US9438027B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/836,841 - Filed: 2013-03-15 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Gary Jay Turner; Darwin Drake Smith; Tab O. Walter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438027B2 ## CPC - H02H 3/20: responsive to excess voltage - H02H 3/42: responsive to product of voltage and current - 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) ## Abstract A power interruption circuit for use in a power distribution module is provided. The power interruption circuit is configured to provide power to a load and includes a shunt resistor, a plurality of switches, and microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to determine a digitized value of a current flowing through the shunt resistor, determine a digitized value of an output voltage of the power interruption circuit, calculate, from the digitized current value and the digitized output voltage value, a power provided by the power interruption circuit to the load, compare the calculated power to a threshold power level, and control the plurality of switches based on the comparison. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power interruption circuit for use in a power distribution module, said power interruption circuit configured to provide direct current (DC) power to a load and comprising: a shunt resistor; a plurality of switches; a microprocessor configured to: calculate a resistance of said shunt resistor based on a measured temperature of said shunt resistor; determine a digitized value of a current flowing through said shunt resistor; determine a digitized value of a DC output voltage of said power interruption circuit; calculate, from the digitized current value and the digitized output voltage value, a power provided by said power interruption circuit to the load; adjust the calculated power to correct errors determined based on a measured ambient temperature; compare the calculated power to a threshold power level; and control said plurality of switches based on the comparison; an amplifier configured to amplify a DC voltage across said shunt resistor; and an analog to digital converter configured to convert the amplified voltage into a digitized shunt voltage value, wherein said microprocessor is further configured to: determine the digitized value of the current based on the digitized shunt voltage value and the calculated resistance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A power interruption circuit in accordance with claim 1, wherein said shunt resistor is coupled in series with at least one of said plurality of switches. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A power interruption circuit in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of switches comprises two switches. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A power interruption circuit in accordance with claim 1, wherein to control said plurality of switches based on the comparison, said microprocessor is configured to: maintain said plurality of switches in a closed position when the calculated power is less than or equal to the threshold power level; and switch said plurality of switches from the closed position to an open position when the calculated power is greater than the threshold power level. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A power interruption circuit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the threshold power level is 100 Volt-amperes (VA). ### Claim 6 A power distribution module for use in a power distribution system, said power distribution module comprising: a plurality of power interruption circuits, wherein each of said plurality of power interruption circuits is configured to provide direct current (DC) power to a respective load, each of said plurality of power interruption circuits comprising: a shunt resistor; a plurality of switches; an amplifier configured to amplify a DC voltage across said shunt resistor; an analog to digital converter configured to convert the amplified voltage into a digitized shunt voltage value; and a microprocessor configured to: calculate a resistance of said shunt resistor based on a measured temperature of said shunt resistor; determine a digitized value of a current flowing through said shunt resistor based on the digitized shunt voltage value and the calculated resistance; determine a digitized value of a DC output voltage of said power interruption circuit; calculate, from the digitized current value and the digitized output voltage value, a power provided by said power interruption circuit to the respective load; adjust the calculated power to correct errors determined based on an age of said power distribution module; compare the calculated power to a threshold power level; and control said plurality of switches based on the comparison. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A power distribution module in accordance with claim 6, wherein said shunt resistor is coupled in series with at least one of said plurality of switches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A power distribution module in accordance with claim 6, wherein said plurality of switches comprises two switches. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A power distribution module in accordance with claim 6, wherein to control said plurality of switches based on the comparison, said microprocessor is configured to: maintain said plurality of switches in a closed position when the calculated power is less than or equal to the threshold power level; and switch said plurality of switches from the closed position to an open position when the calculated power is greater than the threshold power level. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A power distribution module in accordance with claim 6, wherein said plurality of power interruption circuits comprises eight power interruption circuits. ### Claim 11 A method for controlling direct current (DC) power supplied to a load through a current interruption circuit, said method comprising: determining, using a processing device, a digitized value of a current flowing through a shunt resistor in the current interruption circuit, the determining comprising: amplifying a DC shunt voltage across the shunt resistor; and converting the DC shunt voltage into a digitized value of the DC shunt voltage; calculating a resistance of the shunt resistor based on a measured temperature of the shunt resistor; and determining the digitized value of the current based on the digitized DC shunt voltage value and the calculated resistance; calculating, using the processing device, a DC power provided by the current interruption circuit to the load, the power calculated from the digitized current value and the digitized output voltage value; adjusting the calculated DC power to correct errors determined based on an age of the power distribution module; comparing the calculated DC power to a threshold power level; and controlling at least one switch in the current interruption circuit based on the comparison. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein controlling at least one switch in the current interruption circuit based on the comparison comprises: maintaining the at least one switch in a closed position when the calculated power is less than or equal to the threshold power level; and switching the at least one switch from the closed position to an open position when the calculated power is greater than the threshold power level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein comparing the calculated power to a threshold power level comprises comparing the calculated power to a threshold power level of 100 Volt-amperes (VA). ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising storing the calculated power on a memory device communicatively coupled to the processing device.