ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An energy management system for coupling a load to multiple energy sources, the energy management system comprising:
- a load connection for connecting the load to the energy management system;
a first source connection for connecting a first energy source having a first voltage to the energy management system, the first source connection having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the first source connection being in parallel with the load connection;
a second source connection for connecting a second energy source having a second voltage to the energy management system, the second source connection having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the second voltage being equal to or different from the first voltage;
an inductor extending from a first end to a second end;
a first switch coupling the positive terminal of the first source connection to the first end of the inductor;
a second switch coupling the negative terminal of the first source connection to the first end of the inductor;
a third switch coupling the positive terminal of the second source connection to the second end of the inductor;
a fourth switch coupling the negative terminal of the second source connection to the second end of the inductor;
a plurality of sensors for providing sensor readings monitoring conditions of the first energy source, the second energy source and the load; and
a control unit that receives the sensor readings from the plurality of sensors, evaluates the conditions of the system load, the first energy source and the second energy source;
determines a direction and proportion of energy flow between the first energy source, the second energy source and the system load; and
determines which of the first energy source, the second energy source and the system load is an energy flow source and which is an energy flow destination; and
wherein the control unit selects whether to use a two-switch state or a one switch state and selects whether to use a synchronous or an asynchronous mode to move energy from the energy flow source to the energy flow destination; and
the control unit controls the switching of the first, second, third and fourth switches to transfer energy from the energy flow source to the energy flow destination through the inductor using the selected one of the two-switch state or the one switch state, and of the synchronous or the asynchronous mode;
the two switch state closing either the first and fourth switches, the second and third switches or none of the switches at any one time; and
the one switch state closing only one of the switches or none of the switches at any one time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy management system and method connecting a load to multiple energy sources. The system includes a load connection, source connections for each energy source, a control unit and at least one energy management module having an inductor and four switches. The first source is in parallel with the load. The first switch couples the first source positive terminal to the first inductor end, second switch couples the first source negative terminal to the first inductor end, third switch couples the second source positive terminal to the second inductor end, and fourth switch couples the second source negative terminal to the second inductor end. The control unit controls the four switches of each module to transfer energy between the energy sources through the module inductor. The system can have more than two sources. Modes including one or two switch, synchronous or asynchronous, and buck or boost can be used.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An energy management system for coupling a load to multiple energy sources, the energy management system comprising:
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a load connection for connecting the load to the energy management system; a first source connection for connecting a first energy source having a first voltage to the energy management system, the first source connection having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the first source connection being in parallel with the load connection; a second source connection for connecting a second energy source having a second voltage to the energy management system, the second source connection having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the second voltage being equal to or different from the first voltage; an inductor extending from a first end to a second end; a first switch coupling the positive terminal of the first source connection to the first end of the inductor; a second switch coupling the negative terminal of the first source connection to the first end of the inductor; a third switch coupling the positive terminal of the second source connection to the second end of the inductor; a fourth switch coupling the negative terminal of the second source connection to the second end of the inductor; a plurality of sensors for providing sensor readings monitoring conditions of the first energy source, the second energy source and the load; and a control unit that receives the sensor readings from the plurality of sensors, evaluates the conditions of the system load, the first energy source and the second energy source;
determines a direction and proportion of energy flow between the first energy source, the second energy source and the system load; and
determines which of the first energy source, the second energy source and the system load is an energy flow source and which is an energy flow destination; andwherein the control unit selects whether to use a two-switch state or a one switch state and selects whether to use a synchronous or an asynchronous mode to move energy from the energy flow source to the energy flow destination; and
the control unit controls the switching of the first, second, third and fourth switches to transfer energy from the energy flow source to the energy flow destination through the inductor using the selected one of the two-switch state or the one switch state, and of the synchronous or the asynchronous mode;the two switch state closing either the first and fourth switches, the second and third switches or none of the switches at any one time; and
the one switch state closing only one of the switches or none of the switches at any one time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An energy management system for coupling a load to multiple energy sources, the energy management system comprising:
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a load connection for connecting the load to the energy management system; a first source connection for connecting a first energy source having a first voltage to the energy management system, the first source connection having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the first source connection being in parallel with the load connection; a second source connection for connecting a second energy source having a second voltage to the energy management system, the second source connection having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the second voltage being equal to or different from the first voltage; a plurality of sensors for providing sensor readings monitoring conditions of the first energy source, the second energy source and the load; a control unit that receives the sensor readings from the plurality of sensors, evaluates the conditions of the system load, the first energy source and the second energy source;
determines a direction and proportion of energy flow between the first energy source, the second energy source and the system load; and
determines which of the first energy source, the second energy source and the system load is an energy flow source and which is an energy flow destination; anda plurality of energy management modules, each of the plurality of energy management modules comprising; an inductor extending from a first end to a second end; a first switch coupling the positive terminal of the first source connection to the first end of the inductor; a second switch coupling the negative terminal of the first source connection to the first end of the inductor; a third switch coupling the positive terminal of the second source connection to the second end of the inductor; and a fourth switch coupling the negative terminal of the second source connection to the second end of the inductor; wherein the control unit apportions energy flow between each of the plurality of energy management modules; and
for each of the plurality of energy management modules, selects whether to use a two-switch state or a one switch state and selects whether to use a synchronous or an asynchronous mode to move the apportioned amount of energy from the energy flow source to the energy flow destination; and
controls the switching of the first, second, third and fourth switches of each of the plurality of energy management modules to transfer energy from the energy flow source to the energy flow destination through the respective inductor using the selected one of the two-switch state or the one switch state, and of the synchronous or the asynchronous mode;the two switch state closing either the first and fourth switches, the second and third switches or none of the switches of the respective energy management module at any one time; and
the one switch state closing only one of the switches or none of the switches of the respective energy management module at any one time. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification