According to one example, an electrical device is provided comprising electrical-device components, a first memory configured to store data temporarily, a second memory, the second memory being non-volatile memory, and a control device configured to acquire data indicative of at least one parameter of at least one electrical-device component of the electrical-device components responsive to a sample condition being met, store the acquired data in the first memory, determine that a fault condition exists based on the acquired data, the fault condition being indicative of a fault of one or more of the electrical-device components, and store the acquired data in the second memory responsive to determining that the fault condition exists.

Communication enabled circuit breakers and circuit breaker panels are described. Methods associated with such communication enabled circuit breakers and circuit breaker panels are also described. A circuit breaker panel may include a circuit breaker controller and one or more communication enabled circuit breakers. Two-way wireless communication is possible between the circuit breaker controller and the one or more communication enabled circuit breakers.

Passive monitoring the integrity of current sensing devices and associated circuitry in GFCI and AFCI protective devices is provided. A protection circuit interrupter employs a capacitively coupled noise signal obtained by an arrangement of one or both of line side arms relative to a Rogowski coil. The noise signal is monitored while the line and load sides of a protective circuit interrupter are disconnected, and the connection of the line and load sides disabled if the noise signal fails to correlate sufficiently to a reference noise cycle. When the line and load sides are connected, the RMS value of the observed current signal is monitored such that the line and load sides are disconnected if the observed current signal fails to meet an RMS threshold. The observed current signal is compensated by subtracting the reference noise cycle prior to monitoring for the fault condition applicable to the protective device.

A switch assembly configured to determine when input received from a switch is caused by proper actuation of the switch and should be accepted, or is caused instead by a fault in the switch or in the intervening circuitry and should be ignored and/or reported. The switch assembly optionally includes a logic circuit that is electrically connected to the switch. The logic circuit may provide power to the switch, for example, as a time varying signal, which may then be presented to the logic circuit as input when the switch is properly actuated. The logic circuit may then compare the input from the switch with the signal sent to the switch to determine if a fault is present, or if the switch is operating properly.

A method and a device for monitoring a plurality of parallel-connected semiconductor switches. The method includes subjecting the plurality of semiconductor switches to a heating pulse, in which a predefined load current flows for a predefined period of time in order to achieve a predefined temperature change of the semiconductor switches, a variable of a semiconductor switch to be monitored from the plurality of semiconductor switches being detected both before and after the application of the heating pulse, and a state of the semiconductor switch to be monitored and/or an electronics packaging, which corresponds to the semiconductor switch to be monitored, being ascertained on the basis of a deviation of the change of the at least one variable from a predefined reference value. The method enables a measurement of individual semiconductor switches to be monitored from the plurality of semiconductor switches.

According to one example, an electrical device is provided comprising an input configured to receive power from at least one power supply, an output configured to provide the power to at least one load, a first memory configured to store data temporarily, a second memory, the second memory being non-volatile memory, and at least one control device configured to acquire data indicative of at least one parameter of the power responsive to a sample condition being met, store the acquired data in the first memory, determine that a fault condition exists based on the acquired data, the fault condition being indicative of a fault of one or more electrical-device components, and store the acquired data in the second memory responsive to determining that the fault condition exists.

A switching assembly configured to use different sensing technologies to detect a button press and to thereby determine when the switch is malfunctioning. The switch assembly may include an actuator that is configured to selectively open or close an electric circuit, and may also include a sensor responsive to the position of the actuator. A logic circuit may be included that is configured to compare input from the sensor with input from the circuit the switch is electrically connected to so as to determine whether the switch assembly is operating properly. The logic circuit may generate a signal indicating the operational status of the switch and may optionally provide this signal to a fault detection circuit. The actuator, sensor, and logic circuit may also be mounted within a common housing thus providing a single installation package.

A system, a method, a device, and an apparatus include a control unit configured to determine contact resistance of one or more electrical contacts of one or more circuits, and remove, via a wetting current, residue on the one or more electrical contacts.

The invention relates to an input device (1) for safety-relevant functions of a motor vehicle, having a switch contact (3) with a first connection (4) and a mating contact (5) with a second connection (6). A first resistor (9) is connected between a voltage supply connection (8) and one connection (4, 6) of the switch element (2) and a second voltage supply connection (7) is connected to the other connection (4, 6) of the switch element (2). A measuring node (10), via which an actuation-dependent voltage can be captured, is provided between the first resistor (9) and the associated connection (4, 6). The problem addressed by the invention is that of developing input devices of the type in question such that they can be used for safety-relevant applications in the motor vehicle. This problem is solved by the switch contact (3) having a third connection (12) at which a second resistor (13), which is connected to the second connection (6) of the switch element (2), is provided.

A method for checking an output stage for controlling a load, wherein the output stage for controlling the load can be switched to a first switching state or to a second switching state. In the first switching state, a check for a first fault state may be carried out; in the second switching state, a check for a second fault state may be carried out; when the output stage is operated in the first switching state, the output stage is switched to the second switching state for a first control duration, the check for the second fault state is performed, and the output stage is switched back to the first switching state after the first control duration.