METHOD FOR OPERATING A POWER DISTRIBUTOR

Abstract

A method for operating a power distributor, having a first controller, and having a plurality of connected connection modules, each having a base resistor, which form a resistor chain connected in series, which chain is supplied by means of a DC source of the first controller and is guided against a reference potential. Each connection module has a supply connector and a bus connector of a common bus system, which is signal-connected to the first controller. The connection modules are equipped with a circuit breaker, each having a second controller for detecting the electrical voltage dropping at the associated base resistor and a switch element operable by the respective second controller, which element is connected between the side of the associated base resistor facing away from the first controller and the reference potential, and which is signal-connected with the associated bus connector and energized by means of the supply connector.

Claims

1. A method for operating a power distributor having a first controller and a plurality of connected connection modules each comprising a base resistor which form a resistor chain connected in series, which is supplied by a DC power source of the first controller and is guided against a reference potential, wherein each connection module has a supply connector and a bus connector of a common bus system, which is signal-connected to the first controller, wherein the connection modules are adapted to be equipped with a circuit breaker, each of which has a second controller for detecting the electrical voltage dropping at the associated base resistor, and which have a switch element operated by the respective second controller, which is connected between the side of the associated base resistor facing away from the first controller and the reference potential and is signal-connected to the associated bus connector and energized by a supply connector, the method comprising: ensuring that the switch element of each circuit breaker is closed if the circuit breaker is not associated with a specific address; feeding a query via the first controller into the bus system; and feeding, via the second controller, a response into the bus system if an electrical voltage drops over the associated base resistor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein after feeding in the response, the switch element (30) is opened.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein via the first controller, a prompt to open the switching elements is fed into the bus system.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein after opening the switch element, the address of the respective circuit breaker is created as a function of the electrical voltage dropping over the associated base resistor.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the address of each circuit breaker is fed into the bus system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the feed-in of the query by the first controller is cyclically repeated.

7. A power distributor comprising: a first controller; and a plurality of connected connection modules, each with a base resistor that forms a resistor chain connected in series, which is supplied by a DC power source of the first controller and guided against a reference potential, wherein each connection module has a supply connector and a bus connector of a common bus system, which is signal-connected to the first controller, wherein the connection modules are each adapted to be equipped with a circuit breaker, each of which has a second controller for detecting the electrical voltage dropping at the associated base resistor, and each of which has a switch element operable via the second controller, which switch element is connected between the side of the associated base resistor facing away from the first controller and the reference potential, and which is signal-connected to the associated bus connector and energized by a supply connector, and wherein the first controller performs the method according to claim 1.

8. A circuit breaker, which is provided to equip a power distributor, the circuit breaker comprising: a first controller; and a plurality of connected connection modules, each comprising a base resistor which form a resistor chain connected in series, which is supplied by a DC power source of the first controller and is guided against a reference potential, wherein each connection module has a supply connector and a bus connector of a common bus system, which is signal-connected with the first controller, and which has a second controller for detecting the electrical voltage dropping at the associated base resistor, and which comprises a switch element operated by the second controller, which is adapted to be connected between the side of the associated base resistor facing away from the first controller and the reference potential, and which is adapted to be signal-connected to the associated bus connector and energized via supply connector, and wherein the second controller is configured to carry out the method according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0051] FIG. 1 is. a schematically simplified circuit diagram of a power distributor, and

[0052] FIG. 2 is a method for operating the power distributor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a power distributor 2 with a first controller 4. The power distributor 2 is a component of a building facility by means of which individual (electrical) secondary circuits of the building are energized. For this purpose, the power distributor 2 is arranged in a circuit of the building and connected there. Also, the power distributor 2 is connected to a main power line in a manner not shown. The first controller 4 has a power supply 6, by means of which a DC voltage of 24 V is provided. In addition, the first controller 4 comprises a direct current source 8, by means of which a direct current between 2 mA and 10 mA, in particular 4.8 mA, is provided. Here, the direct current source 8 is guided against a reference potential 10, that is ground. The first controller 4 also includes a bus interface 12 and a control unit 14, by means of which both the DC power source 8 and the power supply 6 as well as the bus interface 12 are controlled.

[0054] The power distributor 2 also includes a plurality of connection modules 16, which are identical to each other and connected in series to the first controller 4. Thus, a series is formed by means of the connection modules 16, the beginning of which is the first controller 4. Therefore, the installation of the power distributor 2 is also facilitated. Each of the connection modules 16 is associated with one of the secondary circuits that are energized by means of the main power line.

[0055] Each of the overall twenty connection modules 16 is retrofitted to accommodate a circuit breaker 18, so that each of the connection modules 16 can be equipped with a circuit breaker 18 each. In particular, the circuit breakers 18 are a component of the power distributor 2, provided that they are installed on the respective connection module 16. By means of the circuit breaker 18, the associated secondary circuit is protected. For this, each circuit breaker 18 has a suitable protective device, in particular a power semiconductor switch and/or a relay. These are expediently controlled and/or regulated by means of a second controller 20. Thus, there is no prevalence of excess power, no excess electrical current nor excess electrical voltage in the respective, associated secondary circuits. By means of further contacts not shown in more detail, the secondary circuit routed through the respective connection module 16 contacts the respective circuit breaker 18.

[0056] The second controller 20 is signal-connected in each case to a bus connector 22 of the respective, associated connection module 16. All bus connectors 22 of the connection modules 16 in turn are signal-connected to each other, so that a common bus system 24 is formed. The bus system 24 in turn is connected to the bus interface 12 of the first controller 4. Thus, all circuit breakers 18 are signal-connected to the first controller 4, which is why communication can take place between them.

[0057] Furthermore, each connection module 16 has a supply connector 26, which has two terminals, and which is electrically contacted by means of a power line 28 with the power supply 6 of the first controller 4. Consequently, the circuit breaker 18 is energized by means of the power supply 6 via the respective, associated supply connector 26.

[0058] In addition, each circuit breaker 18 has a switch element 30 in the form of a MOSFET, which is operated by means of the respective, second controller 20. Each switch element 30 is guided against the reference potential 10, i.e., against ground. Also, each switch element 30 is guided against a resistor chain 32, which overall has as many base resistors 34 as it has connection modules. In this case, each of the connection modules 16 is associated with one of the base resistors 34, which are electrically connected in series. The resistor chain 32 is supplied by means of the DC power source 8 of the first controller 4 and guided against the reference potential 10 via a further resistor 36. Thus, the resistor chain 32 is electrically connected in series with the further resistor 36. The ohmic value of all base resistors 34 and of the further resistor 36 is the same, namely 1 kΩ.

[0059] The second controller 20 is also connected with each associated connection module 16 via other connection contacts, so that these can be used to detect the electrical voltage dropping over the associated base resistor 34. Here, the second controller 20 has in each case a suitable sensor, and in particular suitable hardware. The switch element is connected between the side of the associated base resistor 34 facing away from the first controller 4 and the reference potential 10. Therefore, when activating the respective, associated switch element 30, the resistor chain 32 on the side facing away from the first controller 4 is already guided against the reference potential 10, so that no electrical voltage is generated over the subsequent base resistors 34.

[0060] The power distributor 2 and the circuit breakers 18 are operated according to a method 38, which is shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the method 2 is carried out or at least started in particular for the commissioning of the power distributor 2. In a first step 40, the control unit 14 is used to activate both the DC power source 8 and the power supply 6 and consequently, any existing circuit breakers 18 are also energized. The first controller 4 has no knowledge yet as to whether any circuit breakers 18 are present and how many.

[0061] In a second step 42, each of the circuit breakers 18 are checked to make sure that the respective switch element 30 is closed. This is done by means of the respective second controller 20, in particular as soon as an electrical voltage is applied to it. As a result, the resistor chain 32, downstream of the first, equipped connection module 16 as viewed from the first controller 4, is already guided against the reference potential 10, so that no electrical voltage is generated over the subsequent base resistors 34.

[0062] It is only ensured that the switch element 30 is closed if the respective circuit breaker 18 has not yet been assigned a specific address. In other words, at the first current feed, the circuit breaker 18 is checked for a specific address. The specific address may be stored in a volatile memory, which is deleted upon de-energizing. Thus, no specific address is yet associated with the initial power supply. In particular, if the memory is empty, a default address such as zero is used or the value of the specific address may be empty. The specific address is required for communication via the bus system 24. By means of the first controller 4, a master is provided, whereas the circuit breakers 18 are to act as slaves.

[0063] In a subsequent third step 44, the first controller 4 feeds a query 46 into the bus system 24. This is addressed to all possible circuit breakers 18 and is therefore received by all circuit breakers 18, namely their second controllers 20.

[0064] In a subsequent fourth step 48, each of the circuit breakers 18 who have received the query 46, are checked for an electrical voltage drop over the respective, associated base resistor 34. It is also determined as to whether a (specific) address has already been assigned to the respective circuit breaker 18. If an electrical voltage drops, and if no specific address has been associated so far, the circuit breaker 18 is used to feed a response 50 into the bus system 24, but not otherwise. In the example shown in FIG. 1, none of the circuit breakers 18 have a specific address. Therefore, only in the first circuit breaker 18 is there a drop in electrical voltage over the base resistor 34, so that only the former feeds the response 50 into the bus system 24. The response 50 is addressed to the first controller 4 and is received by this.

[0065] In a subsequent fifth step 52, a prompt 54 for opening the switch elements 30 is fed into the bus system 24 by means of the first controller 4. This prompt 54 is addressed to all the second controllers 50 and is received by them. In a subsequent sixth step 56, the second controllers 20, which have received the prompt 54, are used to activate the respective, associated switch elements 30, so that these are opened. As a result, an electrical voltage is generated at each of the base resistors 34.

[0066] In a subsequent seventh step 58, each of the second controllers 20 are used to determine the electrical voltage dropping over the respective, associated base resistor 34. Said voltage differs for each of the connection modules 16 and decreases in particular with increasing distance to the first controller 4. In particular, the electrical voltage is taken into account in relation to the reference potential 10. An address is generated on the basis of the electrical voltage. Since the electrical voltages that drop over the respective base resistors 40 differ, the address 60 is different in each case, and each circuit breaker 18 is assigned a unique address 60.

[0067] In a subsequent eighth step 62, certain time slots are fed into the bus system 24 by means of the first controller 4, or at the very least defined. Each of these time slots corresponds to a specific address 60. When the time slot corresponding to the associated address 60 occurs, every second controller 20 is used in a ninth step 64 to feed the address 60 into the bus system 24. Thus, the first controller 4 is informed that a circuit breaker 18 corresponding to the respective address 60 is present. Due to the time slots, a collision of the communication of the individual addresses 60 is ruled out. Subsequently, essentially uninterrupted communication of the first controller 4 with the circuit breakers 18 is made possible, wherein the communication is controlled by means of the first controller 4.

[0068] After completing the assignment of the addresses 60, the third step 44 is cyclically carried out again and thus the query 46 is fed into the bus system 24. The third step 44 is carried out every 500 ms. If there has been no change to the circuit breakers 18, none of these feed the response 50 into the bus system 24. Consequently, the response 50 is not received by the first controller 4, and it is determined in a tenth step 66 that nothing has changed in the configuration. If an additional circuit breaker 18 is installed, the second step 42 is also carried out in this case, so that when the query 46 is fed in, said circuit breaker generates a response 50. If the response 50 is not received when the power distributor 2 is first put into operation, the tenth step 66 is carried out, and the first controller 4 has the knowledge that no circuit breaker 18 is available.

[0069] In summary, the circuit breakers 18 do not, in particular, transmit their specific address unprompted. They operate exclusively in slave mode. The circuit breakers 18 preferably also do not determine their specific address unprompted. The address is appropriately determined on the basis of a prompt from the first controller 4 that the circuit breakers 18 may be addressed. However, before the first controller 4 sends this prompt to the bus system 24, it is necessary to recognize that at least one circuit breaker 18 is present/has been added, to which no specific address has been assigned so far. Therefore, suitably, a query such as “Is there a new circuit breaker?” is sent cyclically. In accordance with the method 38, exactly one previously unaddressed circuit breaker 18, i.e., a circuit breaker which does not yet have a specific address, will respond to this query. After receiving the response 50, the first controller 4 is suitably used to ensure that the DC power source 8, which is required for addressing, is in a stable state. If this is ensured, the first controller 4 expediently prompts the circuit breakers 18 to determine their (specific) address.

[0070] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, other variants of the invention can also be derived therefrom by the skilled person without departing from the subject matter of the invention. In particular, all the individual features described in connection with the exemplary embodiment can also be combined with each other in other ways without departing from the subject matter of the invention.