HYBRID POWER AND ENERGY FOR ROBOTS

• US 20130020865A1
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
• Inventors: Reichard, Karl Martin, Rogan, Christopher Mark, Hughes, Elisha M., Hobbs, Nathaniel John, Hofmann, Heath Fred
• Granted Patent: US 9,688,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Advances in robot performance have been limited by a lack of advances in the mature field of battery technology. The focus of robotic power systems must expand from the use of single energy devices to the inclusion of multiple devices which can be optimized for a robotic platform. The challenge lies in the development of the hardware and control algorithms for a scalable power delivery architecture which satisfies the power and energy requirements of most unmanned ground vehicles. This invention is directed to an architecture which is easily scalable and facilitates the use of a wide variety of energy storage/generation devices, while focusing on the system control algorithm and its stability. The experimental results for an example system are presented demonstrating that the architecture functions properly when faced with real world robotic power demands.

Claims

1. A hybrid power and energy system particularly suited to robotic and unmanned vehicular applications, comprising:

a plurality of electrical energy sources or storage devices;

a plurality of scalable current sink-source modules to control energy flow from each source or storage device;

a plurality of energy source adapters (ESAs) providing a control interface to each energy source or storage device; and

a master power management controller (MPMC) to control the relative contribution of each source or storage device to meet overall energy requirements of the system.

2. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 1, further including a plurality of load adapters to control the energy use of individual systems devices or loads.

3. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 1, further including an open communication language for controlling the energy use in the system from source to load.

4. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 1, wherein the ESAs enable the MPMC to automatically reconfigure the power system based on the available energy sources.

5. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 1, wherein the ESAs enable the MPMC to configure the most efficient power route and to optimally utilize the individual energy sources based on their fundamental characteristics.

6. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 1, wherein the same energy device used on one robot platform can be used on a similar platform, including a platform from a different manufacturer.

7. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 2, wherein the ESAs enable the MPMC to configure the most efficient power route and to optimally utilize the individual energy sources based on the frequency content of the power and energy demand from the individual systems devices or loads.

8. A hybrid power and energy system particularly suited to robotic and unmanned vehicular applications, comprising:

a plurality of electrical energy sources or storage devices, each source or storage device having a load frequency content relating to load power and energy rate of change;

a plurality of scalable current sink-source modules to control energy flow from each source or storage device;

a plurality of energy source adapters (ESAs) providing a control interface to each energy source or storage device; and

a master power management controller (MPMC) to control the relative contribution of each source or storage device to meet overall energy requirements of the system;

a plurality of load adapters to control the energy use of individual systems devices or loads; and

wherein the ESAs enable the MPMC to configure the most efficient power route and to optimally utilize the individual energy sources based on the frequency content of the power and energy demand from the individual systems devices or loads.

9. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 8, further including an open communication language for controlling the energy use in the system from source to load.

10. The hybrid power and energy system of claim 8, wherein the ESAs enable the MPMC to automatically reconfigure the power system based on the available energy sources.