An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.

Example devices and methods for compensating for monitoring a surge protection device are provided. In some embodiments, a device is configured to couple to a surge protection device. The device comprises a processor that is capable of sending a DC current signal. A serial data interface is electrically connected to the processor and includes at least one shift register. The device also comprises a multiplexer coupled to the serial data interface. The serial data interface is operable to direct the DC current through the multiplexer. The device also comprises an analog to digital converter (optionally embedded within the processor) that is operable to output a digital signal corresponding to a voltage induced by the DC current signal. Returned DC signals represent surge protection device’s health and a multitude of other surge module information.

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device includes: a first resistor coupled between a first input terminal of the ESD protection device and a first node of the ESD protection device; a second resistor coupled between the first node and a first output terminal of the ESD protection device; and a first ESD protection component coupled between the first node and a reference voltage terminal of the ESD protection device, where the reference voltage terminal is configured to be coupled to a reference voltage.

An electronic circuit breaker is configured to provide a fail-safe mode. It comprises an overvoltage protection device, a sensing and control circuit configured to open an air gap and a differential current transformer disposed directly on a current path of the overvoltage protection device to monitor a leakage current and detect the leakage current of the overvoltage protection device and hence leave the circuit breaker in a safe mode before component failure. The differential current transformer to see a net current of I.sub.M, and trigger the sensing and control circuit to open the air gap and leave the circuit breaker in a trip position in some circuit breakers.

A method comprises: forming a first metallization layer on a semiconductor die, the first metallization layer including a metal fuse; and forming a second metallization layer on the first metallization layer, in which the second metallization layer includes a thermal conductor spaced from the metal fuse, and the first metallization layer is between the second metallization layer and the semiconductor die.

An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.

The object of the invention is interference filter arrangements with surge protection having, an input for a conductive phase and a neutral phase of a three-wire alternating-current voltage system, an output for a protected conductive phase and a protected neutral phase of a three-wire alternating-current voltage system, at least one terminal for a protective earth, at least one first coil arranged as a filter element between the input of the conductive phase and the output of the protected conductive phase, at least one second coil arranged as a filter element between the input of the neutral phase and the output of the protected neutral phase, at least one first three-pole gas-filled surge arrester arranged with its two external poles parallel to the first coil, at least one second three-pole gas-filled surge arrester arranged with its two external poles parallel to the second coil.

The interference filter arrangements also have an evaluation circuit.

The disclosed technology generally relates to electrical overstress protection devices, and more particularly to electrical overstress monitoring devices for detecting electrical overstress events in semiconductor devices. In one aspect, an electrical overstress monitor and/or protection device includes a two different conductive structures configured to electrically arc in response to an EOS event and a sensing circuit configured to detect a change in a physical property of the two conductive structures caused by the EOS event. The two conductive structures have facing surfaces that have different shapes;

An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.

An apparatus includes a surge protection device, a current sensor configured to sense a current through the surge protection device, and a surge discriminator circuit coupled to the current sensor and configured to discriminate among a plurality of surge levels for the surge protective device responsive to the sensed current. The current sensor may include a current transformer configured to generate a secondary current responsive to the sensed current and the surge discriminator circuit may be configured to discriminate among a plurality of surge levels responsive to the generated secondary current.