Distributed power manager
Inventors
Long, David N. • Flathers, Richard • McConnell, Gregory D. • Piela, Nicholas J.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11355928-B2
Publication Date
2022-06-07
Expiration Date
Abstract
A distributed power network includes a power bus infrastructure distributed over a region with node points provided to interface with controllable power nodes. Each power node can be connected to an external power device such as a DC power source, a DC power load, or a rechargeable DC battery. The power nodes form a communication network and cooperate with each other to receive input power from DC power sources and or rechargeable DC batteries connected to the power bus infrastructure and distribute the power received therefrom to the power bus infrastructure for distribution to the DC power loads and to rechargeable DC batteries.
Core Innovation
The described invention provides a distributed power network comprising a power bus infrastructure over a region and a plurality of power nodes electrically interfaced with the power bus infrastructure. External power devices electrically interface with corresponding power nodes, including DC power sources, DC power loads, and rechargeable DC batteries. Each power node includes a digital data processor and an associated memory module, and provides local processing for controlling power exchange across the power network.
Each power node includes node communication interface module(s) for communication with the external power device and a network communication interface module for communication with other power nodes interfaced with the power bus infrastructure. The power nodes cooperatively characterize device power characteristics, calculate an instantaneous network configuration, and exchange DC power by connecting, disconnecting, or reconfiguring power flows using the calculated configuration. Coordination is described using heartbeat synchronization for distributed operation and synchronization across the peer network, and fail-safe shutdown behavior is contrasted with centralized operation.
A universal power node is described with a reconfigurable power channel that includes a one-way DC to DC power converter with an input side and an output side, and power channel circuitry comprising a plurality of switches. Switch states enable reconfiguring the power node so the input side and output side are connected to selected ones of the device port(s) and the power bus port in selectable connection modes. The configuration allows modes including connecting converter input to the first device port and converter output to the second device port, reversing those connections, or connecting the first device port to the second device port without connecting either device port to the input or output side of the one-way DC to DC power converter.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover four inventive features: a processor-controlled reconfigurable one-way DC-to-DC converter interface, a node-level energy management schema for determining power distribution configuration, a distributed power network with per-node processing and communications, and a distributed method for calculating and implementing a network configuration for DC power exchange.
Processor-controlled interface power node with reconfigurable one-way DC-to-DC converter
A power node operable as an electrical interface between an external power device and a power bus infrastructure comprising a first device port for the power bus infrastructure, a second device port for the external power device, a digital data processor and associated memory module, a node communication interface module, a network communication interface module, and a reconfigurable power channel disposed between the first device port and the second device port including a one-way DC to DC power converter and power channel circuitry comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the one-way DC to DC power converter and each of the plurality of switches is operable by the digital data processor to reconfigure the power node connection states between the device ports and the converter input/output sides.
Energy management schema to determine power distribution configuration via distributed device power characteristics
A method of operating a power node comprising determining power characteristics of a first external power device by a digital data processor, determining power characteristics of a second external power device by communicating with another power node electrically interfaced with the power bus infrastructure, and executing energy management schema to determine by the power node a power distribution configuration of each of the power node and the another power node that allows DC power to be exchanged between the first external power device and the second external power device.
Distributed power network with per-node processing, device and bus ports, and communications
A distributed power network comprising a power bus infrastructure and a plurality of power nodes electrically interfaced with the power bus infrastructure comprising a digital data processor and a memory module operating on each power node; a first device port included on each power node for electrically interfacing with a first external DC power device; a second device port included on each power node for electrically interfacing with the power bus infrastructure; a node communication module included on each power node operable by the digital data processor to communicate with the first external power device; and a network communication module included on each power node operable by the digital data processor to communicate with one or more second external DC power devices interfaced with other of the plurality of power nodes.
Distributed energy management and configuration-controlled DC power exchange using switch-based one-way DC-to-DC conversion
A method for operating a distributed power network comprising operating on the digital data processor of each power node an energy management schema including determining power characteristics of each external power device connected to one of the power nodes, distributing over the power network the power characteristics of each external power device to each of the plurality of power nodes, calculating by the digital data processor of each power node a distributed power network configuration for exchanging DC power between at least a portion of the plurality of external power devices, operating a one-way DC to DC power converter and a plurality of switches disposed power channel circuitry provided on each of the plurality of power nodes to implement the distributed power network configuration, and distributing power over the distributed power network using the calculated distributed power network configuration.
Together, the independent claims define a distributed power architecture in which each power node uses a digital data processor to control a reconfigurable power channel that includes a one-way DC to DC power converter and switch circuitry, while node and network communication interfaces enable distributed determination of external device power characteristics and calculation of a distributed power network configuration. DC power is exchanged by implementing the calculated configuration through switch-based reconfiguration and controlled DC-to-DC conversion at the power nodes.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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