A current protection apparatus (200) and current protection method (1000)
that may include programmable current protection characteristics has been
disclosed. A current protection apparatus (200) may include a power
distribution unit (230) with power distribution outlets (PDO-1 to PDO-8),
each having a corresponding circuit breaker unit (CB1 to CB8). Each
circuit breaker unit (CB1 to CB8) may operate in response to a processing
unit (236) that can sample current values flowing between a respective
power distribution outlet (PDO-1 to PDO-8) and a load device (LD1 to
LD8). Processing unit 236 may operate under control of software stored on
a memory (238) to control a switching circuit (320). Current protection
characteristics for each circuit breaker unit may be independently
programmed and/or altered by a user, for example by way of a computer
(250). In this way, each power distribution outlet (PDO-1 to PDO-8) may
have current rating characteristics independently provided for a
particular load device (LD1 to LD8).