US 11,934,169 B2
Configurable binary circuits for protection relays in electric power systems
Brian James Peterson, Moscow, ID (US); Evan J. Penberthy, Moscow, ID (US); and Greg Rzepka, Pullman, WA (US)
Assigned to Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc., Pullman, WA (US)
Filed by Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc., Pullman, WA (US)
Filed on May 5, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/308,152.
Prior Publication US 2022/0359142 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. G05B 19/042 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01); H01H 47/00 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/0425 (2013.01) [H02H 1/0092 (2013.01); G05B 2219/1157 (2013.01); G05B 2219/1182 (2013.01); G05B 2219/21117 (2013.01); G05B 2219/21127 (2013.01); G05B 2219/21157 (2013.01); G05B 2219/21159 (2013.01); H01H 47/007 (2013.01); H02H 1/0061 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A configurable binary circuit for use in an electrical power system, comprising:
an input/output port to at least one of receive a binary signal input as an input port or transmit a binary signal output as an output port;
a binary input subsystem for receiving the binary signal input via the input/output port operating as the input port;
a binary output subsystem for transmitting the binary signal output via the input/output port operating as the output port;
a switch subsystem for selecting one of the binary input subsystem or the binary output subsystem for operation such that the configurable binary circuit operates as either a binary input circuit when the binary input subsystem is selected or a binary output circuit when the binary output subsystem is selected; and
another configurable binary circuit with another input/output port;
wherein one lead of the input/output port comprises a common terminal with a lead of the another input/output port of the another configurable binary circuit.
 
9. An intelligent electronic device (IED) of an electric power system, comprising:
configurable binary circuits, each configurable binary circuit comprising:
an input/output port to at least one of receive an input signal as an input port or transmit an output signal as an output port;
a binary input subsystem for receiving the input signal via the input/output port operating as the input port;
a binary output subsystem for transmitting the output signal via the input/output port operating as the output port; and
a switch subsystem for selecting the binary input subsystem or the binary output subsystem for operation such that the configurable binary circuit operates as either a binary input circuit when the binary input subsystem is selected or a binary output circuit when the binary output subsystem is selected; and
one or more controllers in communication with and for operating the binary input subsystem of each of the configurable binary circuits and the binary output subsystem of each of the configurable binary circuits;
wherein the binary input subsystem of at least one of the configurable binary circuits that is selected as the binary output circuit is programmed to monitor the output port for outgoing signals to verify that the binary output subsystem is transmitting an expected signal.
 
15. A configurable binary circuit for use in an electrical power system, comprising:
an input/output port to at least one of receive a binary signal input as an input port or transmit a binary signal output as an output port;
a binary input subsystem for receiving the binary signal input via the input/output port operating as the input port;
a binary output subsystem for transmitting the binary signal output via the input/output port operating as the output port;
a switch subsystem for selecting one of the binary input subsystem or the binary output subsystem for operation such that the configurable binary circuit operates as either a binary input circuit when the binary input subsystem is selected or a binary output circuit when the binary output subsystem is selected;
wherein, when the configurable binary circuit operates as the binary output circuit when the binary output subsystem is selected by the switch subsystem, the binary input subsystem is programmed to monitor the output port for outgoing signals to verify that the binary output subsystem is transmitting an expected signal.