A solid state circuit breaker, including a solid state switch, an inductor connected with the solid state switch in series and a fault detection circuit. The solid state switch has a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The fault detection circuit is used for detecting health status of the solid state switch and identifying fault type of the solid state switch in a condition that a fault occurs on the solid state switch based on one or more of a measured voltage between the source electrode and the drain electrode of the solid state switch, a measured voltage of two terminals of the inductor, a reference voltage and a switching control signal provided to the gate electrode of the solid state switch. A motor driving system having the solid state circuit breaker is further disclosed.

Electrical power distribution systems with a bypass unit that electrically engages one of two alternate units for powering a load while electrically isolating the other using a power transfer switch with first and second contactors and mechanical and electrical interlocks to allow a technician to access one of the alternate units when de-energized and in position while the other of the alternate units is energized and powering the load.

Embodiments of the invention provide a variable frequency drive system and a method of controlling a pump driven by a motor with the pump in fluid communication with a fluid system. The drive system and method can provide one or more of the following: a sleep mode, pipe break detection, a line fill mode, an automatic start mode, dry run protection, an electromagnetic interference filter compatible with a ground fault circuit interrupter, two-wire and three-wire and three-phase motor compatibility, a simple start-up process, automatic password protection, a pump out mode, digital input/output terminals, and removable input and output power terminal blocks.

An apparatus for controlling a high-power drive device external to a package of a motor drive circuit includes a motor drive circuit. The motor drive circuit includes a driver to control the high-power drive device based on a first reference voltage, a second reference voltage, and a control signal based on a received control signal. A fault circuit generates a failure indicator based on a voltage across terminals of the high-power drive device. A fault condition is based on the failure indicator. A first terminal coupled to the driver charges a node of the high-power drive device over a first length of time in response to an absence of the fault condition and a first level of the control signal. A second terminal coupled to the driver discharges the node over a second length of time different from the first length of time.

Motor drive diagnostic and control methods and apparatus are provided in which rectifier and inverter switching devices are individually monitored for malfunctions, and detected malfunctions initiate implementation of a safety function to signal a drive controller to shut down non-safety-related processing, to discontinue command pulse signaling to the switching devices, and to disable optical transmitters between the drive controller and the rectifier and inverter switches, and an input contactor or other switching circuit is opened to disconnect input power from the motor drive after implementation of the safety function.

The present invention relates to a control unit (116) for a game or fish feeder (100). The control unit (116) is mounted on the feeder (100) and comprises: means (130) for controlling the powering of a drive unit (110) of said feeder (100) for controlled output of feed from the feeder (100); a wireless transmitter (138) arranged to communicate over a wireless network (146) with a remote unit (140); a sensor (132; 134) for measuring a parameter of the feeder (100); and means (124) for determining whether a measured parameter value provided by said sensor (132; 134) fulfills a predetermined condition in order to detect an action-requiring state of the feeder (100). In response to a detected action-requiring state, the wireless transmitter (138) is triggered to send a notification to said remote unit (140).

A method of operating a power tool having a motor and a controller is provided. The method includes: setting a protection time limit associated with a condition of the motor; taking protective action to shut down the motor if the condition of the motor persists for a duration of the protection time limit; and in response to occurrence of the condition during a start-up period of operation of the motor, extending the protection time limit for a duration of a constant-clutch time period to allow an output speed of the motor to reach or exceed a speed threshold, and taking protective action to shut down the motor if the output speed of the motor remains below the speed threshold for the duration of the constant-clutch time period.

A system for controlling a high-power drive device includes a fault detection integrated circuit product configured to provide an indication of a fault condition associated with the high-power drive device to a first terminal in a first voltage domain in response to detecting the fault condition in a second voltage domain. The system includes a gate driver controller integrated circuit product configured to drive a second terminal coupled to a control node in a second voltage domain based on a control signal and an enable signal received from a third terminal in the first voltage domain. The second voltage domain is higher than the first voltage domain. The system may include a redundant fault reporting integrated circuit product or an additional fault detection integrated circuit product configured to detect a second fault condition in the second voltage domain that is different from the fault condition.

A device assembly has one or more controllers that improve monitoring the condition of a device so that risks to the device are reduced. A controller of the device assembly calculates a state estimate of a device for a given time by performing a state estimation calculation based on data from a measuring instrument coupled to the device. The state estimate improves monitoring whether the device is at risk so that the controller can more accurately trigger the device to modify operation before failure, damage, and/or malfunctions of the device occurs. A controller of the device assembly more effectively monitors the condition of the device by merging data from one or more measuring instruments coupled to the device, and performing any state estimation calculation, such as to calculate a state of health estimate. The controller and measuring instrument are included in a system-in-package.

Techniques for detecting pulse-width modulation (PWM) duty cycle errors are disclosed. The techniques include receiving a PWM signal for output to a gate drive of a motor controller and detecting a first duty cycle error associated with the PWM signal based on a comparison of the PWM signal with a corresponding PWM command. The techniques further include triggering, in response to detecting the first duty cycle error, a safe state at the gate drive of the motor controller.