Portable power manager having one or more device ports for connecting with external power loads
Inventors
Robinson, Philip T. • Dziengeleski, Seth M. • Kazmierczak, James D. • Holigan, David J.
Assignees
Galvion Solider Power LLC • Silicon Valley Bank Inc • Galvion Soldier Power LLC
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Publication Number
US-8775846-B2
Publication Date
2014-07-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
A portable DC power manager (400) includes an internal power bus (410) and a plurality of device ports (1150, 1160, 1170, 1180, 1190, 1200) for connecting with external power and energy sources, external power loads and other external power managers. Each device port is isolated for the internal power bus by controllable switches (A, B, C, D). Power converters (440, 442, 510) may be disposed between device ports and the internal power bus to convert voltages and attenuate current amplitude. Energy management schema operating on the power manager sums available power and allocates the available power to connected power loads according to power priority settings. A hot-change-over circuit (1300) connects additional sources to the internal bus in response to a voltage drop on the internal power bus. A compact and lightweight package (1100) enables a portability.
Core Innovation
A portable power manager is disclosed that includes a power bus and a plurality of device ports configured to operably connect with external power devices. For each device port, the power manager includes a first conductive path between the device port and the power bus with a first controllable switching element disposed along the first conductive path, and a second conductive path between the device port and the power bus with a controllable power converter disposed along the second conductive path between the device port and the power bus, and a second controllable switching element disposed along the second conductive path between the controllable power converter and the device port.
The second conductive path and the controllable power converter can be shared between two or more of the plurality of device ports. A data processing device and associated memory communicate with each of the first and second controllable switches and with each of the controllable power converters, and an energy management schema operating on the power manager controls each of the first and second controllable switches and each of the controllable power converters.
In a further configuration, each device port includes a sensor that senses a low power condition on the power bus and generates a low power signal in response thereto, and third controllable switching elements that are conductively connected to the sensor and operate to close in response to the low power signal. The low power sensing and fast closing are positioned to connect selected portions of power immediately upon low power conditions, including embodiments where the third controllable switching elements close within a specified time and operate without interaction with the data processing device.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover two aspects of a portable DC power manager: shared power conversion and conductive paths across multiple device ports controlled by an energy management schema, and low-power sensing with sensor-driven closing of additional controllable switching elements for rapid power path changeover independent of the data processing device.
Per-port controllable switching with shared converted power path
A power manager comprising a power bus; a plurality of device ports each configured to operably connect with an external power device; for each of the plurality of device ports a first conductive path disposed between the device port and the power bus; a first controllable switching element disposed along the first conductive path; a second conductive path disposed between each device port and the power bus; a controllable power converter disposed along the second conductive path between the device port and the power bus; a second controllable switching element disposed along the second conductive path between the controllable power converter and the device port; wherein the second conductive path and the controllable power converter can be shared between two or more of the plurality of device ports; a data processing device and associated memory in communication with each of the first and second controllable switches and with each of the controllable power converters; and an energy management schema operating on the power manager for controlling each of the first and second controllable switches and each of the controllable power converters.
Sensor-driven third switching elements for low-power condition changeover
A power manager comprising a power bus; a plurality of device ports each configured to operably connect with an external power device; for each of the plurality of device ports a first conductive path disposed between the device port and the power bus; and a first controllable switching element disposed along the first conductive path; a second conductive path disposed between the device port and the power bus; and a second and a third controllable switching element disposed along each second conductive path; a sensor for sensing a low power condition on the power bus and for generating a low power signal in response thereto; wherein each of the third controllable switching elements is conductively connected to the sensor and operates to close in response to the low power signal.
Overall, the claim set combines per-port switching with controllable power conversion arranged so conversion and conductive paths can be shared among multiple device ports under control of an energy management schema, and a sensor-based low-power detection mechanism that generates a low power signal to close third controllable switching elements.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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