Reduced-crosstalk, integrated low-profile current sensor PCB module
A system and method are provided for energy monitoring. The system and method include a trace current sensor formed on a first printed circuit board (PCB) substrate around at an opening of the first PCB substrate. The opening is configured to receive a portion of an electrical conductor to be monitored by the sensor. The system and method also include a signal conditioner for conditioning an output signal from the sensor. The output signal corresponds to a measurement of current on the conductor. The system and method can further include a processor(s) for measuring energy usage of load(s) connected to the conductor based on the current measurement. The signal conditioner and/or the processor(s) are either on the first PCB substrate or on a separate second PCB substrate which is connected to the first PCB substrate across a flexible connector.
1 . An energy monitoring system comprising:
a trace current sensor configured to monitor an electrical conductor and on a first printed circuit board (PCB) substrate around an opening of the first PCB substrate, the opening configured to receive a portion of the electrical conductor; and
a signal conditioner configured to condition an output signal from the trace current sensor, the output signal corresponding to a measurement of current on the electrical conductor, the signal conditioner being on the first PCB substrate or a second PCB substrate that is separate from the first PCB substrate,
wherein the trace current sensor comprises a plurality of electrically conductive elongate traces extending radially outward from the first opening.
2 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein the signal conditioner is on the first PCB substrate.
3 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a processor, on the first PCB substrate, configured to measure energy usage of one or more loads connected to the conductor based on the measurement of current.
4 . A flow monitoring device comprising:
the energy monitoring system of claim 3 ; and
a device processor configured to:
receive from the energy monitoring system real-time measurement of energy usage of one or more loads connected to the conductor, and
manage energy usage through the conductor based on the measurement of energy usage.
5 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 2 , wherein the opening comprises a plurality of sensor openings each configured to receive an electrical conductor to be monitored, each of the sensor openings having associated therewith a current sensor of the trace current sensor and a conditioner of the signal conditioner on the first PCB substrate.
6 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 5 , wherein the trace current sensor comprises:
the plurality of electrically conductive elongate traces arranged in pairs of traces, the extending radially out traces in each pair of traces being formed on opposite sides of the first PCB substrate;
a plurality of vertical interconnect access (vias) on the first PCB substrate, the vias connecting the traces together so as to form a conductive helix in a shape of a circle or a polygon that surrounds the opening in the first PCB substrate; and
lead terminals on the first PCB substrate, the lead terminals being formed by omitting a via for a given pair of traces and terminating the traces for the given pair of traces.
7 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 5 , wherein each of the sensor openings comprises a through-hole within a border of a body of the PCB substrate.
8 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 5 , wherein the signal conditioner comprises at least a signal integrator.
9 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 5 , wherein each current sensor is connected to a respective conditioner via an embedded conductor on the first PCB substrate.
10 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 5 , further comprising a non-sensor opening configured to allow an electrical conductor to pass through the first PCB substrate.
11 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of sensor openings comprises two sensor openings for monitoring first and second power line conductors, and the non-sensor opening is configured to receive a neutral conductor.
12 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 2 , wherein the output signal from the trace current sensor comprises a voltage signal corresponding to a measurement of current on the conductor.
13 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein the signal conditioner is on the second PCB substrate, and the first PCB substrate and the second PCB substrate or components thereof are connected across a flexible connector.
14 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 13 , wherein the flexible connector is a flat flexible connector or FFC.
15 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a processor, on the second PCB substrate, configured to measure energy usage of one or more loads connected to the conductor based on the measurement of current.
16 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform arc fault detection based on the measurement of current.
17 . The energy monitoring system according to claim 16 , wherein the signal conditioner comprises a signal integrator.
18 . A flow monitoring device comprising:
a device processor; and
the energy monitoring system of claim 1 ,
wherein the flow monitoring device comprises one of a miniature circuit breaker (MCB), a metering device, an energy metering device, a wiring device, an arc fault circuit interrupt (AFCI) device, ground fault interrupt (GFI) receptacle wiring device, or a GFI smart plug.
19 . An energy monitoring system comprising:
a trace current sensor configured to monitor an electrical conductor and on a first printed circuit board (PCB) substrate around an opening of the first PCB substrate, the opening configured to receive a portion of the electrical conductor; and
a signal conditioner configured to condition an output signal from the trace current sensor, the output signal corresponding to a measurement of current on the electrical conductor, the signal conditioner being on the first PCB substrate or a second PCB substrate that is separate from the first PCB substrate,
wherein the signal conditioner is on the first PCB substrate,
wherein the opening comprises a plurality of sensor openings each configured to receive an electrical conductor to be monitored, each of the sensor openings having associated therewith a current sensor of the trace current sensor and a conditioner of the signal conditioner on the first PCB substrate, and
wherein each of the sensor openings comprises a notch on a side of the first PCB substrate.
20 . A flow monitoring device comprising:
an energy monitoring system comprising:
a trace current sensor configured to monitor an electrical conductor and on a first printed circuit board (PCB) substrate around an opening of the first PCB substrate, the opening configured to receive a portion of the electrical conductor,
a signal conditioner configured to condition an output signal from the trace current sensor, the output signal corresponding to a measurement of current on the electrical conductor, the signal conditioner being on the first PCB substrate or a second PCB substrate that is separate from the first PCB substrate, and
a processor, on the first PCB substrate, configured to measure energy usage of one or more loads connected to the conductor based on the measurement of current,
wherein the signal conditioner is on the first PCB substrate; and
a device processor configured to:
receive from the energy monitoring system real-time measurement of energy usage of one or more loads connected to the conductor, and
manage energy usage through the conductor based on the measurement of energy usage,
wherein the flow monitoring device comprises a multi-pole miniature circuit breaker having N-poles associated with N line conductors where N is a positive integer greater than 1, the flow monitoring device comprising:
N energy monitoring systems each of which monitors a respective conductor of the N line conductors, each energy monitoring system having a single trace current sensor.