Systems and methods for displaying an electronic circuit breaker

Abstract

Disclosed is a system comprising a display, the display including: a plurality of electronic circuit breakers, wherein an electronic circuit breaker among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers includes: a load label indicating a load associated with the electronic circuit breaker; a current label indicating a current rating of the electronic circuit breaker; and a state indicator indicating a state of the electronic circuit breaker among a plurality of states.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISPLAYING AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUITBREAKERCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 575,145, filed April 5, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Embodiments of this disclosure are directed to systems and methods for displaying an electronic circuit breaker, and more particularly to an interactive electronic circuit breaker.BACKGROUND

[0003] Circuit breaker panels provide centralized control of electrical loads in a variety of environments, such as homes, commercial buildings, watercraft, and aerial vehicles, among others. However, circuit breaker panels are not efficient in terms of size, weight, and modifiability.

[0004] The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art, or suggestions of the prior art, by inclusion in this section.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including a display, the display including: a plurality of electronic circuit breakers, wherein an electronic circuit breaker among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers includes: a load label indicating a load associated with the electronic circuit breaker; a current label indicating a current rating of the electronic circuit breaker; and a state indicator indicating a state of the electronic circuit breaker among a plurality of states.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method including: displaying, on one or more displays, a plurality of electronic circuit breakers, wherein an electronic circuit breaker among the plurality of electroniccircuit breakers includes: a load label indicating a load associated with the electronic circuit breaker; a current label indicating a current rating of the electronic circuit breaker; and a state indicator indicating a state of the electronic circuit breaker among a plurality of states.In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including: a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker configured to be controlled by a user interface including: a plurality of electronic circuit breakers, wherein an electronic circuit breaker among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers includes: a load label indicating a load associated with the electronic circuit breaker; a current label indicating a current rating of the electronic circuit breaker; and a state indicator indicating a state of the electronic circuit breaker among a plurality of states.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0007] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various examples and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed examples and embodiments.

[0008] Aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented in connection with embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings. These drawings show different aspects of the present disclosure and, where appropriate, reference numerals illustrating like structures, components, materials, and / or elements in different figures are labeled similarly. It is understood that various combinations of the structures, components, and / or elements, other than those specifically shown, are contemplated and are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] Moreover, there are many embodiments described and illustrated herein. The present disclosure is neither limited to any single aspect or embodiment thereof, nor is it limited to any combinations and / or permutations of such aspects and / or embodiments. Moreover, each of the aspects of the present disclosure, and / or embodiments thereof, may be employed alone or in combination with one or more of the other aspects of the present disclosure and / or embodiments thereof. For the sake of brevity, certain permutations and combinations are not discussed and / or illustrated separately herein. Notably, an embodiment or implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not to be construed as preferred or advantageous, forexample, over other embodiments or implementations; rather, it is intended to reflect or indicate the embodiment(s) is / are “example” embodiment(s).

[0010] FIG. 1 depicts a system including an aerial vehicle, according to one or more embodiments.

[0011] FIG. 2 depicts an aerial vehicle flight deck, according to one or more embodiments.

[0012] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary electronic circuit breaker (ECB) display, according to one or more embodiments.

[0013] FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary ECB display, according to one or more embodiments.

[0014] FIG. 5A, FIG. 5B, and FIG. 5C depict an exemplary ECB display upon interaction with a user, according to one or more embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary ECB display, according to one or more embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary ECB display, according to one or more embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 8A depicts an exemplary ECB display, according to one or more embodiments.

[0018] FIG. 8B depicts an exemplary ECB display, according to one or more embodiments.

[0019] FIG. 9 depicts an implementation of a computer system that executes techniques presented herein, according to one or more embodiments.

[0020] As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. The term “exemplary” is used in the sense of “example,” rather than “ideal.” In addition, the terms “first,” “second,” and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish an element or a structure from another. Moreover, the terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of one or more of the referenced items.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to examples of the present disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. In the discussion that follows, relative terms such as “about,” “substantially,” “approximately,” etc. are used to indicate a possible variation of a numerical range in a stated numeric value, as will be designated below.

[0022] Circuit breaker panels provide centralized control of electrical loads in a variety of environments, such as homes, commercial buildings, watercraft, and aerial vehicles, among others. However, circuit breaker panels are not efficient in terms of size, weight, and modifiability. Some electronic circuit breaker panels, or electronic circuit breakers, provide a user interface for monitoring and controlling circuit breakers, but lack the intuitive and familiar layout of a conventional circuit breaker panel.

[0023] The present disclosure is directed to advancements in the usability and user experience of electronic controls for circuit breakers, where the electronic controls are hereinafter referred to as electronic circuit breakers. Specifically, one or more embodiments may provide intuitive interfaces that facilitate seamless interaction with circuit breaker systems, such as in the context of aerial vehicles, for example. However, the disclosure is not limited to electronic circuit breakers for aerial vehicles, and may be used in any system that uses circuit breakers.

[0024] These advancements include the development of user-friendly features and design elements that prioritize ease of navigation and comprehension. By incorporating intuitive interfaces, the process of monitoring, diagnosing, and managing electrical systems onboard an aerial vehicle may be streamlined. This not only enhances the efficiency of operations, but also reduces the likelihood of errors and delays in critical situations.

[0025] For example, if personnel are unable to easily discern the status of circuit breakers due to complex displays, there is a risk of misinterpreting whether a circuit is open, closed, or tripped. This could lead to incorrect troubleshooting actions or failure to address an actual issue promptly. In situations where rapid identification and resolution of electrical faults are crucial, a cumbersome interface could lead to delays in response times. Additionally, difficulty in navigating the electronic circuit breaker displays may result in longer troubleshooting times. This can lead toincreased aerial vehicle downtime as maintenance personnel spend more time diagnosing and rectifying electrical issues.

[0026] In situations where quick decisions are necessary, such as during inflight emergencies or time-sensitive maintenance tasks, a non-intuitive interface can impede operational efficiency. Pilots and maintenance personnel may waste valuable time deciphering the display layout instead of taking prompt and decisive actions. Overall, these efficiency concerns underscore the critical importance of intuitive and user-friendly electronic circuit breaker systems in ensuring the efficient operation of systems, such as in aerial vehicles, for example.

[0027] The description of FIG. 1 below provides an aerial vehicle as an exemplary system for using the systems and methods described in the disclosure. However, the disclosure is not limited to using the systems and methods in an aerial vehicle. For example, the systems and methods described below may be applied to any system that uses circuit breakers.

[0028] FIG. 1 depicts a system 100 including an aerial vehicle 102, a controller 104, a network 106, and a flight deck 200. Aerial vehicle 102 may be a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle, for example, and may use one or more of a battery or fuel, for example, to generate power for flight. Aerial vehicle 102 may function to travel short and long distances to provide transportation to one or more passengers, luggage, cargo, and / or other objects. Aerial vehicle 102 may include one or more of a fuselage, front wing, rear wing, tilt-capable rotor, fixed rotor, or control surface. Aerial vehicle 102 may be configured to maneuver in a plurality (e.g., six) of degrees of freedom. For example, aerial vehicle 102 may travel about a vertical axis throughout a flight (e.g., during climbing, descending, takeoff, and / or landing). Aerial vehicle 102 may rotate about the vertical axis for a yaw movement. Aerial vehicle 102 may also move along a longitudinal axis in a generally backward or forward direction. Aerial vehicle 102 may rotate (roll) relative to the longitudinal axis. Aerial vehicle 102 may travel (e.g., translate) along a lateral axis, as well as rotate about the lateral axis to cause a pitch movement.

[0029] Although the present disclosure makes reference to an aerial vehicle, specifically a VTOL aerial vehicle, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that reference to an aerial vehicle is exemplary, and that the concepts of the present disclosure may be used in conjunction with any suitable or comparable aerial vehicle, e.g., airplanes, helicopters, aerostats, flight simulators, space crafts,commercial airplanes, or electrical vertical takeoff and landing aerial vehicles (eVTOL aerial vehicles). The above list does not, in any matter, signify a limited list of what the term “aerial vehicle” defines in terms of structure.

[0030] Aerial vehicle 102 may include a controller 104. Controller 104 may include one or more controllers, for example, as discussed with reference to computer system 900 of FIG. 9. Controller 104 may be configured to control an operation of aerial vehicle 102, such as maneuvering in the plurality of degrees of freedom. Controller 104 may control operations associated with flight deck 200 and may be integrated into flight deck 200.

[0031] Controller 104 may communicate with flight deck 200 or other external components using network 106. Network 106 may be a wireless network, for example. Although flight deck 200 is depicted as being a separate component of system 100 from controller 104, flight deck 200 is an onboard component of aerial vehicle 102 and controller 104 may be integrated into flight deck 200.

[0032] The description of FIG. 1 above is provided as an exemplary system for using the systems and methods described in the disclosure. However, the disclosure is not limited to using the systems and methods in an aerial vehicle. For example, the systems and methods described below may be applied to any electronic circuit breaker, such as within a home, commercial building, or onboard land- or sea-based vehicles, for example.

[0033] FIG. 2 depicts an aerial vehicle flight deck, according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 2 depicts an aerial vehicle flight deck 200 for use with some implementations of the present technology. The aerial vehicle flight deck 200 comprises various human-machine interfaces allowing one or more crew members to interact with and / or control various systems of an aerial vehicle. In some embodiments, the aerial vehicle flight deck 200 may equally be referred to as an aerial vehicle cockpit. In the illustrated embodiment, the aerial vehicle flight deck 200 comprises multiple aerial vehicle controllers that crew members, such as a pilot and a co-pilot, may use to input aerial vehicle control inputs. In some embodiments, the aerial vehicle control inputs, also referred to as aerial vehicle control commands or commands, are provided by the pilot or the co-pilot via a physical displacement of one or more of the aerial vehicle controllers. In some embodiments, each control input may be associated with an orientation (also referred to as a direction) and an amplitude.

[0034] Typically, when the aerial vehicle is in flight, the orientation allows the pilot or co-pilot to control one or more of a pitch, roll and / or yaw of the aerial vehicle and the amplitude allows the pilot or co-pilot to control an intensity of a modification of the pitch, roll and / or yaw of the aerial vehicle. In some embodiments, the intensity may be associated with angle variations of the pitch, roll and / or yaw of the aerial vehicle. In some embodiments, the one or more aerial vehicle controllers translate a physical displacement into analog or digital signals which may then be transmitted to aerial vehicle systems such as, but not limited to, a flight computer (such as computer system 900 illustrated a FIG. 9 ). In some embodiments, the aerial vehicle controllers may comprise, for example, a first yoke 202 and a second yoke 204.

[0035] Even though the first yoke 202 and the second yoke 204 are depicted in the form illustrated in FIG. 2, other variations of aerial vehicle controllers may equally be envisioned, such as aerial vehicle control columns implemented in the form of a side stick. In some instances, the first yoke 202 and the second yoke 204 are located on side consoles of the aerial vehicle flight deck 200 so as to be handled by either a right hand or a left hand of the pilot or the co-pilot. Other locations may also be envisioned, in particular when the aerial vehicle controller is implemented via a yoke, such as, but not limited to, in a space located between the legs of the pilot and co-pilot when they are sitting in their respective seats. Other variations as to how the first yoke 202 and the second yoke 204 may be implemented and where they may be located in the aerial vehicle flight deck 200 may be envisioned without departing from the scope of the present technology and will become apparent to the person skilled in the art of the present technology.

[0036] The flight deck 200 may include a variety of display surfaces, such as left display 206, center display 208, right display 210, left console display 212, and right console display 214. One or more remote displays may also be included in the flight deck 200. A remote display may be included on a user device, such as a smart phone or tablet, etc. In some embodiments, the left display 206 and the right display 210 are implemented as touch screens to both display information and receive inputs. In some embodiments, the left display 206, center display 208, right display 210, left console display 212, and right console display 214 present parameters relating to the operation of the aerial vehicle and / or navigational information, and / or information relating to operations of one or more engines and other systems of the aerial vehicle.

[0037] The left display 206, center display 208, right display 210, left console display 212, and right console display 214 are examples of display surfaces on which a single visual indication generated in accordance with the present technology may be displayed. Other variations may be envisioned, whether via display systems attached to the aerial vehicle flight deck 200 or display systems which may be brought into the aerial vehicle flight deck 200 (such as a tablet, a phablet, a phone, etc.) or even worn by the pilot and / or co-pilot such as, but not limited to, an augmented reality helmet, augmented reality glasses, augmented reality lenses, etc. Other variations as to how a display surface may be implemented may be envisioned and will become apparent to the person skilled in the art of the present technology.

[0038] The flight deck 200 may include a combination of tactile hardware buttons, e.g., button 216, and touch screen controls, such as touch screen button 218. The touchscreen controls may incorporate various interactive elements such as icons and menus to further enhance usability. Users can interact with on-screen icons and menus using familiar touch gestures, such as tapping, swiping, and pinching, to access functions and settings.

[0039] The left display 206, center display 208, right display 210, left console display 212, and right console display 214 may be configured to display information about a plurality of aerial vehicle systems, sub-systems and system functions. At least one display may include electronic circuit breakers.

[0040] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary electronic circuit breaker (ECB) display, according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 3 depicts a first sample electronic circuit breaker (ECB) display 300. In some embodiments, the ECB display 300 may be displayed on the left display 206, center display 208, right display 210, left console display 212, and / or right console display 214 or a sub-portion thereof. In some embodiments, a same ECB display 300 may be presented on multiple displays.

[0041] In some embodiments, the ECB display 300 may be presented to the pilot and / or the co-pilot in response to an event relating to a change in state of a circuit breaker, such as a tripped circuit, a failed circuit, a shed circuit, etc. In some embodiments, the ECB display 300 may be manually activated by the pilot and / or the co-pilot. As a result, it should be understood that both a permanent display and a temporary display may be envisioned. In addition, in some embodiments, only specific graphical components may be permanently or temporarily displayed.

[0042] ECB display 300 may be a touch screen display and may include one or more drop down menus, such as a sorting menu 302 with a drop down button 304 and filtering menu 306 with a drop down button 308, and may include one or more icons 310 representing a respective circuit breaker, with each icon 310 including one or more of a load label 312 indicating the load represented by the icon 310, a state indicator label 314 indicating a state of the circuit breaker graphically, a current label 316 indicating the current rating of the circuit breaker, and a state label 318 indicating the state of the circuit breaker textually. The state label 318 may be applied in some or all circumstances. For example, in some embodiments, the state label 318 is not applied if the circuit breaker is in an IN state.

[0043] The load label 312, current label 316, and state label 318 on the ECB display 300 are structured to emulate the layout and presentation style commonly associated with traditional hardware circuit breaker panels, with the load label 312 positioned above the current label 316 and the state label 318 encircling the current label 316. Furthermore, the organization of icons 310, each representing an individual circuit breaker, arranged into rows and columns, as depicted in FIG. 3, is deliberately designed to enhance user intuitiveness by resembling the intuitive and familiar layout of a conventional circuit breaker panel.

[0044] Users may interact with the icons 310 and menus of ECB display 300 using familiar touch gestures, such as tapping, swiping, and pinching, to access functions and settings. Tapping an icon 310 may present information about the circuit breaker represented by the icon 310 or, in some instances described with respect to FIGS. 4-8, provide further options for interacting with the circuit breaker. Sorting menu 302 may be used to organize circuit breakers on ECB display 300 based on a variety of criteria, such as a location of the breaker within the aerial vehicle, a current rating, or respective states. The sorting menu 302 may also be used to filter the electronic circuit breakers using a designated state or parameter. These states encompass various operational statuses described in detail below. The states listed below may be provided, for example, when a user touches the drop down button 308 on filtering menu 306. Filtering menu 306 may be used to further organize circuit breakers on ECB display 300. In the example shown in FIG. 3, all circuit breakers are shown as the filter criteria is set to “All.” In later examples and use cases, the filtering menu 306 will be described in more detail.

[0045] Load label 312 indicates which load is represented by a given circuit breaker icon. Loads may include, for example, a lift rotor, a flaperon, cabin lights, coffee makers, and other such loads that may be found on an aerial vehicle. State indicator label 314 and state label 318 indicate the state of the load. States may include, for example, Offline, Out, In, Trip, Shed, Fail, Lock, and Unlock. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. The states are defined and may be represented as indicated in the Table below:

[0046] Current label 316 indicates the current rating for the circuit breaker. For example, the current rating of the circuit breaker of lift rotor 3 in FIG. 3 is 5A. State label 318 may or may not be included within each icon 310 for each load. Some or all loads may have the state represented solely by the graphical state indicator label 314 for efficiency of space. In the example shown in FIG. 3, a state label 318 is provided for load “Lift Rotor 3” indicating that the state of the load is “Out.” Loads 2- 11 are currently in state “In,” and do not include a state label 318. The last load listed, “L IB Flaperon” is currently in a lock position, as indicated by the collar 320 and the state label “Lock” 322. The collar is a large ring around the circular current label 316 that may be of a solid color and colored white or red or orange or another color to quickly and easily indicate to a user that views ECB display 300 that the load is locked.

[0047] FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary ECB display, according to one or more embodiments. FIG. 4 depicts a sample ECB display 400 sorted by “State- Offline” via the drop down button 404 of sorting menu 402. Drop down button 408 of filtering menu 406 remains set to “All.” Sorting by “State- Offline” results in the ECB display 400, where only circuit breakers in the “Offline” state are shown. The Offline state includes all states that are not “In,” which includes the states of “Fail,” “Trip,” “Shed,” and “Lock.” All states which are not “In” may also be referred to as “Out.” In a conventional circuit breaker, it is not possible to determine why a load is Offline from the circuit breaker panel alone, and it is only apparent that the load is “Out.” However, in the present disclosure, the electronic circuit breakers in the “Offline” state may include a state label 318 for each of the states, such as “Fail” 410, “Trip” 412, and “Shed” 414.

[0048] An electronic circuit breaker may fail in either the “In” or “Out” state. An electronic circuit breaker in “Trip” or “Shed” is always in the “Out” state, as a trip or shed event results in removing the load from being on-line. In the example shown in FIG. 4, load ADC 1 is in an out state indicated by the state indicator label comprising two concentric rings 416. A user may interact with the icon for the load ADC 1 from the touch screen ECB display 400 to initiate a dialog box in a separate dialog box window 420. An interaction may take the form of, for example, touching or tapping the icon, as indicated at interaction 415. The dialog box window 420 may be launched on a same display as the ECB display 400 or on a different display within the flight deck 200.

[0049] The dialog box window 420, in some embodiments, includes an informational banner 426 with the load information 422 and the current rating 424 of the circuit breaker. The dialog box window 420 further includes information related to the system ID 428 and the Bus ID 430 of the load. For example, the load ADC 1 belongs to system 34-navigation and Bus ID XXXXXX. The dialog box window 420 may further include a radio button widget 432 providing the user the option to change the state of the load. For a load that is currently in the “Out” position, the options provided are to switch the load to “In,” maintain the load in “Out,” or to “Lock” the load. The option to Lock is only available in maintenance situations, indicated when a maintenance switch is triggered.

[0050] A textual state label is not used for the load ADC 1 . However, for loads L IB Flaperon, R OB Flaperon, RDAU, and Lift Rotor 3, the textual state labels for“Lock,” “Trip,” “Shed,” and “Fail” are displayed, respectively. Textual labels may be used in addition to the graphical labels when it is deemed necessary or helpful to provide more information to an operator, such as when a load is tripped or failed. A user may wish to remove the textual state labels when this information is no longer necessary or useful.

[0051] FIGS. 5A-5C depict an example interaction with an ECB display to acknowledge certain load displays. At ECB display 500A in FIG. 5A, load LIB flaperon is shown in a “Trip” position 502A as indicated by the textual label “Trip” and the two concentric rings around the current rating. Display 500A may include a selectable “Acknowledge ALL ECB” button 504A. The text of the button may vary, but a selection of button 504A is used by a user to acknowledge the “trip” state. ECB display 500B in FIG. 5B depicts the display after the user has selected button 504A. Button 504A is now grayed out and is no longer selectable, as depicted at 504B, and the icon for the load L IB Flaperon is not indicated as “Out” 502B rather than “trip” as the “trip” state was acknowledged by the user, and the state was updated and converted from “trip” to “Out.” A refresh button 506 may appear after the acknowledgement, and upon a selection of the refresh button, the load no longer appears in ECB display 500C in FIG. 5C where the filtering criteria included the state “Trip.” Instead, in place of the load is an indication of “No Result” as indicated at 502C.

[0052] FIG. 6 depicts an example ECB display 600 filtered by Offline via the sort criteria drop down menu 604 and further filtered by Auto Shed via the filter criteria drop down menu 608. In the context of aerial vehicles, the term "shed" may refer to the process of reducing the overall electrical load by removing power to less critical loads in response to encountering an emergency or abnormal situation. This may be accomplished by selectively switching less critical or lower priority loads to an "out" state, effectively minimizing power consumption to optimize operational efficiency and resource allocation. Users may be provided with a notification of a shed occurrence via a pop-up of ECB display 600 or may navigate to the sorting menu 602 and filter menu 606 to ascertain which loads have been shed. These loads are identified by icons featuring concentric rings indicating the "out" status, along with a textual label "shed." Users have the option to acknowledge all shed ECBs collectively via button 610, or alternatively, they may individually acknowledge each load, such as load 612, by tapping the respective load on the touchscreen (asindicated at 614) to launch dialog box window 620 and switching its state to "out" in dialog box 622. The dialog box window 620 may also include the information that the load has been shed at box 624.

[0053] FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary ECB display 700 filtered by locked loads. A locked load, such as load L IB Flaperon, is indicated by the collar 712. The collar 712, which may be colored red, white, orange, or any other color chosen for clear user comprehension, indicates a locked state. This visual cue serves to communicate to a user that the circuit breaker is secured and cannot be accessed or altered except in a maintenance mode. Upon an interaction 714 with the collar 712, the dialog box window 720 is launched and provides the option of unlocking the load in dialog box 722 if the aerial vehicle is in a maintenance mode.

[0054] FIG. 8A depicts an ECB display 800A filtered by “Fail” in the filter criteria drop down menu 802A. When filtering by “Fail,” failed loads may be presented in the ECB display 800A including their icons and the textual label “Fail.” For example, load RDAU is depicted by icon 804A, indicating by the two concentric rings that the circuit breaker had failed in the OUT position, and load IRS 2 is depicted by icon 806A, indicating by the single ring that the circuit breaker had failed in the IN position.

[0055] FIG. 8B depicts an ECB display 800B filtered by “Invalid” in the filter criteria drop down menu 802B. When filtering by “Invalid,” invalid loads may be presented in the ECB display 800A including only their load identification and dashed lines. For example, load RDAU is depicted by icon 804B, and load IRS 2 is depicted by icon 806B, indicating that these loads are among the invalid loads. Failed and invalid loads may be colored red, white, orange, or any other color chosen for clear user comprehension, indicates a failed or invalid state. This visual cue serves to communicate to a user that the circuit breaker is not functioning and requires maintenance. The colors for failed and invalid states may be a same color or different colors from each other, and may be a same color or different colors from the color of the locked collar.

[0056] FIG. 9 depicts an implementation of a computer system that executes techniques presented herein, according to one or more embodiments. Computer system 900 can include a set of instructions that can be executed to cause the computer system 900 to perform any one or more of the methods or computer-based functions disclosed herein. The computer system 900 operates as a standalonedevice or is connected, e.g., using a network, to other computer systems or peripheral devices.

[0057] Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specification, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," “determining”, “analyzing,” or the like, refer to the action and / or processes of a computer or computing system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and / or transform data represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities into other data similarly represented as physical quantities.

[0058] In a similar manner, the term “"processor" refers to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data, e.g., from registers and / or memory to transform that electronic data into other electronic data that, e.g., is stored in registers and / or memory. A “computer,” a “computing machine,” a "computing platform," a “computing device,” a “controller,” or a “server” includes one or more processors.

[0059] In a networked deployment, the computer system 900 operates in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The computer system 900 can also be implemented as or incorporated into various devices, such as a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a printer, a pager, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any other machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. In a particular implementation, the computer system 900 can be implemented using electronic devices that provide voice, video, or data communication. Further, while the computer system 900 is illustrated as a single system, the term “system” shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions.

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the computer system 900 includes a processor 902, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both.The processor 902 can be a component in a variety of systems. For example, the processor 902 is part of a standard personal computer or a workstation. The processor 902 is one or more processors, digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, servers, networks, digital circuits, analog circuits, combinations thereof, or other now known or later developed devices for analyzing and processing data. The processor 902 implements a software program, such as code generated manually (e.g., programmed).

[0061] The computer system 900 includes a memory 904 that can communicate via a bus 908. The memory 904 is a main memory, a static memory, or a dynamic memory. The memory 904 includes, but is not limited to computer readable storage media such as various types of volatile and non-volatile storage media, including but not limited to random access memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable read-only memory, flash memory, magnetic tape or disk, optical media, and the like. In one implementation, the memory 904 includes a cache or random-access memory for the processor 902. In alternative implementations, the memory 904 is separate from the processor 902, such as a cache memory of a processor, the system memory, or other memory. The memory 904 can be an external storage device or database for storing data. Examples include a hard drive, compact disc (“CD”), digital video disc (“DVD”), memory card, memory stick, floppy disc, universal serial bus (“USB”) memory device, or any other device operative to store data. The memory 904 is operable to store instructions executable by the processor 902. The functions, acts or tasks illustrated in the figures or described herein are performed by the processor 902 executing the instructions stored in the memory 904. The functions, acts or tasks are independent of the particular type of instructions set, storage media, processor or processing strategy and are performed by software, hardware, integrated circuits, firm-ware, micro-code and the like, operating alone or in combination. Likewise, processing strategies can include multiprocessing, multitasking, parallel processing, and the like.

[0062] As depicted, the computer system 900 further included a display 910, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, a solid-state display, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a projector, a printer or other now known or later developed display device for outputting determined information. The display 910 acts as an interface for the user to see the functioningof the processor 902, or specifically as an interface with the software stored in the memory 904 or in a drive unit 906.

[0063] Additionally or alternatively, the computer system 900 includes an input / output device 912 configured to allow a user to interact with any of the components of the computer system 900. The input / output device 912 is a number pad, a keyboard, or a cursor control device, such as a mouse, or a joystick, touch screen display, remote control, or any other device operative to interact with the computer system 900.

[0064] The computer system 900 also or alternatively includes the drive unit 906 implemented as a disk or optical drive. The drive unit 906 includes a computer- readable medium 922 in which one or more sets of instructions 924, e.g., software, can be embedded. Further, the sets of instructions 924 embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. The instructions 924 reside completely or partially within the memory 904 and / or within the processor 902 during execution by the computer system 900. The memory 904 and the processor 902 can also include computer-readable media as discussed above.

[0065] In some systems, the computer-readable medium 922 includes the sets of instructions 924 or receives and executes the sets of instructions 924 responsive to a propagated signal so that a device connected to a network 106 can communicate voice, video, audio, images, or any other data over the network 106. Further, the sets of instructions 924 are transmitted or received over the network 106 via a communication port or interface 920, and / or using the bus 908. The communication port or interface 920 is a part of the processor 902 or is a separate component. The communication port or interface 920 is created in software or is a physical connection in hardware. The communication port or interface 920 are configured to connect with the network 106, external media, the display 910, or any other components in the computer system 900, or combinations thereof. The connection with the network 106 is a physical connection, such as a wired Ethernet connection or is established wirelessly as discussed below. Likewise, the additional connections with other components of the computer system 900 are physical connections or are established wirelessly. The network 106 is alternatively directly connected to the bus 908.

[0066] While the computer-readable medium 922 is depicted to be a single medium, the term "computer-readable medium" includes a single medium or multiplemedia, such as a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The term "computer-readable medium" also includes any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein. In some examples, the computer-readable medium 922 is non-transitory, and is tangible.

[0067] The computer-readable medium 922 can include a solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more non-volatile readonly memories. The computer-readable medium 922 can be a random-access memory or other volatile re-writable memory. Additionally or alternatively, the computer-readable medium 922 can include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a disk or tapes or other storage device to capture carrier wave signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium. A digital file attachment to an e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives are considered a distribution medium that is a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a computer-readable medium or a distribution medium and other equivalents and successor media, in which data or instructions are storable.

[0068] In an alternative implementation, dedicated hardware implementations, such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices, can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods described herein. Applications that include the apparatus and systems of various implementations can broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. One or more implementations described herein implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that can be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations.

[0069] The computer system 900 is connected to the network 106. The network 106 defines one or more networks including wired or wireless networks, such as the network 106 described in FIG. 1 . The wireless network can be a cellular telephone network, a 902.11 , 902.18, 902.20, or WiMAX network. Further, such networks include a public network, such as the Internet, a private network, such as an intranet, or combinations thereof, and utilize a variety of networking protocols nowavailable or later developed including, but not limited to TCP / IP based networking protocols. The network 106 can include wide area networks (WAN), such as the Internet, local area networks (LAN), campus area networks, metropolitan area networks, a direct connection such as through a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, or any other networks that allow for data communication. The network 106 is configured to couple one computing device to another computing device to enable communication of data between the devices. The network 106 generally is enabled to employ any form of machine-readable media for communicating information from one device to another. The network 106 includes communication methods by which information travels between computing devices. The network 106 can be divided into sub-networks. The sub-networks allow access to all of the other components connected thereto or the sub-networks restrict access between the components. The network 106 can be regarded as a public or private network connection and can include, for example, a virtual private network or an encryption or other security mechanism employed over the public Internet, or the like.

[0070] It should be appreciated that in the above description of example embodiments of the present disclosure, various features of the present disclosure are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiment requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this disclosure.

[0071] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the disclosure, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0072] Furthermore, some of the embodiments are described herein as a method or combination of elements of a method that can be implemented by aprocessor of a computer system or by other means of carrying out the function. Thus, a processor with the necessary instructions for carrying out such a method or element of a method forms a means for carrying out the method or element of a method. Furthermore, an element described herein of an apparatus embodiment is an example of a means for carrying out the function performed by the element for the purpose of carrying out the embodiments.

[0073] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[0074] Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications can be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the embodiments, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as falling within the scope of the embodiments. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that can be used. Functionality can be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations are interchangeable among functional blocks. Steps can be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0075] The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other implementations, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. While various implementations of the disclosure have been described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more implementations and implementations are possible within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:1 . A system comprising a display, the display including: a plurality of electronic circuit breakers, wherein an electronic circuit breaker among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers includes: a load label indicating a load associated with the electronic circuit breaker; a current label indicating a current rating of the electronic circuit breaker; and a state indicator indicating a state of the electronic circuit breaker among a plurality of states.

2. The system of claim 1 , the display further including: a sort criteria filter including a plurality of sort selections to sort the plurality of electronic circuit breakers; and a filter criteria filter including a plurality of filter selections to filter the plurality of electronic circuit breakers.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is a touch screen display configured to, upon a touch selection of the electronic circuit breaker, launch a dialog box, wherein the dialog box includes an option to change the state of the electronic circuit breaker.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of states include: one or more of an in state, an out state, a trip state, a shed state, a fail state, or a lock state, wherein each state of the plurality of states is indicated on the display by a different state indicator encircling the current label.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the state indicator for the lock state is a collar with a solid color encircling the current label.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of electronic circuit breakers are arranged in rows and columns on the display.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display is a touch screen display, and the display includes a button that, when selected, converts one or more electronic circuit breakers among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers from a trip state to an out state or from a shed state to the out state.

8. A method comprising: displaying, on one or more displays, a plurality of electronic circuit breakers, wherein an electronic circuit breaker among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers includes: a load label indicating a load associated with the electronic circuit breaker; a current label indicating a current rating of the electronic circuit breaker; and a state indicator indicating a state of the electronic circuit breaker among a plurality of states.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: displaying, on the one or more displays, a sort criteria filter including a plurality of sort selections to sort the plurality of electronic circuit breakers; displaying, on the one or more displays, a filter criteria filter including a plurality of filter selections to filter the plurality of electronic circuit breakers; and updating one or more of the plurality of electronic circuit breakers based on an interaction with the electronic circuit breaker, the sort criteria filter, or the filter criteria filter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more displays is a touch screen display, and the interaction with the electronic circuit breaker includes selecting the electronic circuit breaker; the method further comprising: launching a dialog box window upon a selection of the electronic circuit breaker, the dialog box window including a dialog box, wherein the dialog box includes an option to update the state of the electronic circuit breaker.11 . The method of claim 8, where in the plurality of states include:an in state, an out state, a trip state, a shed state, a fail state, and a lock state, wherein each state of the plurality of states is indicated on the one or more displays by a different state indicator encircling the current label.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the state indicator for the lock state is a collar of a solid color.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electronic circuit breakers are arranged in rows and columns on the one or more displays.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more displays include a touch screen display including a selectable button, the method further comprising: converting, upon a selection of the selectable button, one or more electronic circuit breakers among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers from a trip state to an out state or from a shed state to the out state.

15. A system comprising: a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker configured to be controlled by a user interface including: a plurality of electronic circuit breakers, wherein an electronic circuit breaker among the plurality of electronic circuit breakers includes: a load label indicating a load associated with the electronic circuit breaker; a current label indicating a current rating of the electronic circuit breaker; and a state indicator indicating a state of the electronic circuit breaker among a plurality of states.

16. The system of claim 15, the user interface further comprising: a sort criteria filter including a plurality of sort selections to sort the plurality of electronic circuit breakers; and a filter criteria filter including a plurality of filter selections to filter the plurality of electronic circuit breakers.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface is a touch screen display, and selecting an electronic circuit breaker from the plurality of electronic circuit breakers launches a dialog box window including a dialog box, wherein the dialog box includes an option to change the state of the electronic circuit breaker.

18. The system of claim 15, where in the plurality of states include: an in state, an out state, a trip state, a shed state, a fail state, and a lock state, wherein each state of the plurality of states is indicated on the user interface by a different state indicator encircling the current label.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the state indicator for the lock state is a collar of a solid color.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of electronic circuit breakers are arranged in rows and columns on the user interface.

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