Abstract: An electrical wiring device including: a plurality of line terminals comprising a line-side phase terminal and a line-side neutral terminal; a plurality of load terminals comprising a load-side phase terminal and a load-side neutral terminal; a line conductor electrically coupling the line-side phase terminal to the load-side phase terminal; a neutral conductor electrically coupling the line-side neutral terminal to the load-side neutral terminal; and a controller configured to trigger a trip mechanism to electrically decouple the at least one of the plurality of line terminals from at least one of the plurality of load terminals based, at least in part, on comparing a magnitude of the current differential to a threshold, wherein the threshold is a function of the frequency of the current differential.

Abstract: An electrical wiring device having a solid-state switch element positioned between the fault detection switch element and the solenoid coil to prevent the solenoid coil from being energized when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The solid-state switch element may have a gate that receives a gate signal that turns the solid-state switch element on when the circuit interrupter is in the reset state and does not receive the gate signal so that the second switch element is turned off when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The gate may be connected to the line terminals and to ground by a mechanical switch responsive to the circuit interrupter state or by another solid-state switch driven by a processor that is programmed to detect whether the circuit interrupter is in the reset state or the tripped state.

Abstract: A tester for a frequency-dependent ground fault interrupt wiring device, including: a tester circuit, including: a switch disposed between a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein a leakage current flows through a leakage path between the first terminal and the second terminal when a voltage is applied across the first terminal and the second terminal, a magnitude of the leakage current being determined, at least in part, by a conductivity of the switch; and a waveform generator configured to generate a periodic output signal having a frequency, wherein the switch is driven to modulate the magnitude of the leakage current such that the leakage current has a frequency substantially equal to a frequency of the waveform generator.

Abstract: An electrical wiring device including: a plurality of line terminals comprising a line-side phase terminal and a line-side neutral terminal; a plurality of load terminals comprising a load-side phase terminal and a load-side neutral terminal; a line conductor electrically coupling the line-side phase terminal to the load-side phase terminal; a neutral conductor electrically coupling the line-side neutral terminal to the load-side neutral terminal; and a controller configured to trigger a trip mechanism to electrically decouple the at least one of the plurality of line terminals from at least one of the plurality of load terminals based, at least in part, on comparing a magnitude of the current differential to a threshold, wherein the threshold is a function of the frequency of the current differential.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes an automatic test circuit configured to commence an automatic test at a predetermined time such that a test current propagates on a test conductor. The sensor assembly provides a sensor test output responsive to the test current only if both the differential transformer and the grounded neutral transformer are operative. A fault detector circuit is configured to generate a test detection signal in response to the sensor test output only if the fault detector circuit is operable and the at least one power supply is substantially charged. A device integrity evaluation circuit includes a timer that effects a tripped state when a time measurement exceeds a threshold, the test detection signal resetting the time measurement when properly wired before the time measurement exceeds the predetermined threshold but does not reset the time measurement when miswired.

Abstract: An arc fault protective wiring device disposed in an electrical distribution system is disclosed, the device including a pulse frequency digitizer, the pulse frequency digitizer being configured to receive a plurality of pulses, each pulse being representative of an instance that the derivative of the current through a neutral conductor exceeds a first predetermined threshold, the pulse frequency digitizer further being configured to produce a digital signal, the digital signal being representative of the instances at which a frequency of the plurality of pulses exceeds a predetermined threshold; and at least one processor configured to trigger a trip mechanism to electrically decouple a line terminal from a load terminal based, at least in part, on the digital signal.

Abstract: An electrical wiring device having a solid-state switch element positioned between the fault detection switch element and the solenoid coil to prevent the solenoid coil from being energized when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The solid-state switch element may have a gate that receives a gate signal that turns the solid-state switch element on when the circuit interrupter is in the reset state and does not receive the gate signal so that the second switch element is turned off when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The gate may be connected to the line terminals and to ground by a mechanical switch responsive to the circuit interrupter state or by another solid-state switch driven by a processor that is programmed to detect whether the circuit interrupter is in the reset state or the tripped state.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes an automatic test circuit configured to commence an automatic test at a predetermined time such that a test current propagates on a test conductor. The sensor assembly provides a sensor test output responsive to the test current only if both the differential transformer and the grounded neutral transformer are operative. A fault detector circuit is configured to generate a test detection signal in response to the sensor test output only if the fault detector circuit is operable and the at least one power supply is substantially charged. A device integrity evaluation circuit includes a timer that effects a tripped state when a time measurement exceeds a threshold, the test detection signal resetting the time measurement when properly wired before the time measurement exceeds the predetermined threshold but does not reset the time measurement when miswired.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a processing circuit is configured to determine the wiring state based on detecting a wiring state parameter at the plurality of line terminals during a predetermined period after the tripped state has been established. The processing circuit is configured to store a wiring state indicator in a wiring state register based on a wiring state determination. The wiring state register being preset to trip the circuit interrupter when the AC power source is applied by an installer to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals for the first time.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes an automatic test circuit configured to commence an automatic test at a predetermined time such that a test current propagates on a test conductor. The sensor assembly provides a sensor test output responsive to the test current only if both the differential transformer and the grounded neutral transformer are operative. A fault detector circuit is configured to generate a test detection signal in response to the sensor test output only if the fault detector circuit is operable and the at least one power supply is substantially charged. A device integrity evaluation circuit includes a timer that effects a tripped state when a time measurement exceeds a threshold, the test detection signal resetting the time measurement when properly wired before the time measurement exceeds the predetermined threshold but does not reset the time measurement when miswired.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes an automatic test circuit configured to commence an automatic test at a predetermined time such that a test current propagates on a test conductor. The sensor assembly provides a sensor test output responsive to the test current only if both the differential transformer and the grounded neutral transformer are operative. A fault detector circuit is configured to generate a test detection signal in response to the sensor test output only if the fault detector circuit is operable and the at least one power supply is substantially charged. A device integrity evaluation circuit includes a timer that effects a tripped state when a time measurement exceeds a threshold, the test detection signal resetting the time measurement when properly wired before the time measurement exceeds the predetermined threshold but does not reset the time measurement when miswired.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a detection assembly coupled to a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals, the detection assembly being configured to detect a wiring state associated with the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The detection assembly includes a primary wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals, and a secondary wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of load terminals.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a detection assembly coupled to a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals, the detection assembly being configured to detect a wiring state associated with the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The detection assembly includes a primary wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of line terminals, and a secondary wiring state detection circuit coupled to the plurality of load terminals.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device including a plurality of line terminals configured to be connected to a source of AC power, and a plurality of load terminals. A detection assembly is coupled to the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The detection assembly is configured to detect a wiring state associated with the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The detection assembly includes a primary wiring state detection circuit, a secondary wiring state detection circuit, and an isolation circuit disposed therebetween, the isolation circuit being configured to electrically isolate the line terminals from the secondary wiring state detection circuit in the tripped state.

Abstract: A sync detect circuit for detecting a sync code in a stream of digital data includes a counter that converts locally generated clock pulses to a plurality of discrete addresses that occur every bit period of time. The addresses are applied to a PROM which upon being addressed provides a sync verify code. The sync verify code is applied to a sync verify detector which provides an enable signal to the address generator if the code compares with the logic levels of a coincident bit in the stream of digital data provided from the PROM and after the full sync code has been rectified a sync detect signal is provided from a sync detector circuit.