POWER MANAGEMENT APPARATUS WITH BUCK BOOST CONVERTER MODULE

• US 20100134077A1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Undersea Sensor Systems, Inc. (Edge Autonomy SLO LLC)
• Original Assignee: Adaptive Materials, Inc. (Edge Autonomy SLO LLC)
• Inventors: Krajcovic, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/234
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge

Abstract

A power management apparatus includes a first electrical lead and a second electrical lead. The first electrical lead routes electrical current at a first electrical lead electrical potential level and the second electrical lead route electrical current at a second current port electrical potential level. The power management apparatus further includes a first electrical parameter sensor configured to measure a first electrical lead electrical parameter and a second electrical parameter sensor configured to measure a second electrical lead electrical parameter. The power management apparatus further comprises a buck boost converter electrically coupled to both the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead. The buck boost converter is configured to convert electrical current between the first electrical lead electric potential level and the second electrical lead electric potential level at a controlled potential conversion level. The power management apparatus further comprises a controller is configured to receive operating current from either one of the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead. The controller is configured to monitor the first electrical parameter sensor and the second electrical parameter sensor and being configured to output control signals to the buck boost converter.

Claims

1. A power management apparatus comprising:

a first electrical lead routing electrical current at a first electrical lead electric potential level;

a first electrical parameter sensor configured to measure a first electrical lead electrical parameter;

a second electrical lead routing electrical current at a second electrical lead electric potential level;

a second electrical parameter sensor configured to measure the second power electrical parameter;

a buck boost converter electrically coupled to both the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the buck boost converter being configured to convert electrical current between the first electrical lead electric potential level and the second electrical lead electric potential level at a controlled potential conversion level; and

a controller being configured to receive operating current from either one of the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the controller configured to monitor the first electrical parameter sensor and the second electrical parameter sensor and being configured to output control signals to the buck boost converter, said control signals being determined based on the first electrical lead electrical parameter and the second electrical lead electrical parameter.

2. The power management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first diode disposed in an electrical current flow path between the controller and the first electrical lead; and

a second diode disposed in an electrical current flow path between the controller and the second electrical lead,

wherein electric current having the highest electrical potential of one the first electrical lead electric potential level and the second electrical lead electric potential level is routed to the controller.

3. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first electrical parameter sensor is configured to measure a first electrical lead voltage level.

4. The power management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first electrical parameter sensor is configured to measure a first electrical lead current level.

5. The power management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power bus electrically connected to the second electrical lead such that the second power potential difference is substantially equal to a power bus electrical potential difference.

6. The power management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fuel cell electrically connected to the second electrical lead.

7. The power management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising further comprising a battery electrically connected to the second electrical lead.

8. The power management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power consuming device electrically connected to the second electrical lead.

9. A power management apparatus comprising:

a plurality of buck converting modules electrically connected to a power bus, the power bus operating at a power bus electric potential level,

each buck converting module comprising;

a first electrical lead routing electrical current at the power bus electric potential level;

a first electrical parameter sensor configured to measure a first electrical lead electrical parameter;

a second electrical lead routing electrical energy at a second electrical lead electric potential level;

a second electrical parameter sensor configured to measure the second power electrical parameter;

a buck boost converter electrically coupled to both the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the buck boost converter being configured to convert electrical current between the power bus electric potential level and the second electrical lead electric potential level at a controlled potential conversion level; and

a controller being configured to receive operating current from either one of the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the controller configured to monitor the first electrical parameter sensor and the second electrical parameter sensor and being configured to output control signals to the buck boost converter, said control signals being determined based on the first electrical lead electrical parameter and the second electrical lead electrical parameter.

10. The power management apparatus of claim 9, wherein each buck converting module further comprises:

a first diode disposed in an electrical current flow path between the controller and the first electrical lead; and

a second diode disposed in an electrical current flow path between the controller and the second electrical lead,

wherein electric current having the highest electrical potential of one the power bus electric potential level and the second electrical lead electric potential level is routed to the controller.

11. The power management apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first electrical parameter sensor is configured to measure the power bus electric potential level.

12. The power management apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a battery electrically connected to the power bus, wherein the battery electric potential level is substantially equal to the power bus electric potential level.

13. The power management apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a battery electrically connected to a second electrical lead of one of the buck boost converter modules.

14. The power management apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of buck boost converter modules comprises at least three buck boost converter modules.

15. The power management apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a graphical user interface displaying a plurality power level indicia, wherein each power level indicia indicates a power level provided to the power bus by one of the buck boost converter modules.

16. The power management apparatus of claim 9, wherein a power consuming device is electrically connected to one of the buck boost converter modules.

17. The power management apparatus of claim 16, wherein a fuel cell is electrically connected to one of the buck boost converter modules.

18. The power management apparatus of claim 16, wherein a photovoltaic device is electrically connected to one of the buck boost converter modules.

19. The power management apparatus of claim 16, wherein a battery is electrically connected to one of the buck boost converter modules.

20. The power management apparatus of claim 16, wherein a battery is electrically connected to one of the buck boost converter modules and a fuel cell is electrically connected to one of the buck boost converter modules.