/Patent Tracker
GoogleGranted patentChips & hardwareInterest 2/10

Google patents method to check wiring direction in power sensors

This patent describes a way to verify that current transformers, which measure electrical flow, are wired correctly. The system sends a small test current through the sensor and checks if the resulting signal flows in the expected direction to confirm the polarity is right.

Why it mattersThis helps ensure electrical safety systems work correctly by catching wiring errors during installation or maintenance.

In the filing’s own words

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for verifying current transformer polarity for one or more current transformers. In one aspect, a method comprises for each input power leg of a protected device, injecting a first test current into a first primary node H 1 of a respective current transformer to induce a second test current in a first secondary node S 1 of the respective current transformer, determining a positive test result based on the flow of the second current, and determining a polarity verification for each of the input power legs of the protected device when a positive test result is determined for each of the one or more input legs of the protected device.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A method of verifying current transformer polarity for one or more current transformers, wherein: each of one or more phases of a protected device includes an input power leg, and each input power leg is coupled to an electronic sensor device by a respective current transformer; each respective current transformer is associated with a first primary node H 1, a second primary node H 2, a first secondary node S 1, and a second secondary node S 2, wherein the first secondary node S 1 and the second secondary node S 2 are connected to respective first and second nodes of the electronic sensor device, and the second primary node H 2 of the respective current transformer is adjacent an input of an input power leg of the protected device; the method comprising: for each input power leg of the protected device: injecting a first test current into a first primary node H 1 of the respective current transformer to induce a second test current in a first secondary node S 1 of the respective current transformer; determining a positive test result when the second test current i) flows into a first node of the electronic sensor device and flows out of a second node of the electronic sensor device and ii) flows into the second secondary node S 2 of the respective current transformer; and determining a negative test result otherwise; and determining a polarity verification for each of the input power legs of the protected device when a positive test result is determined for each of the one or more input power legs of the protected device.

Facts

Company
Google (Google LLC)
Official title
Current transformer polarity verification
Patent number
US12738416B2
Application number
18738876
Filed
Jun 10, 2024
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Inventors
3
Claims
20

Classified under

H01F 38/32 Electricity & electronicsG01R 31/62 Physics & computingH01F 38/30 Electricity & electronicsG01R 35/02 Physics & computingH02M 3/33571 Electricity & electronics
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

More from Google in Chips & hardware

Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.