Systems and methods for managing energy of electric power supply systems

• US 6,075,331 A
• Filed: 03/18/1993
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IMRA America Incorporated (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: IMRA America Incorporated (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ando, Masao, Frank, Andrew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARTIN, DAVID S
• Application Number:
  US08/034,707
• Time in Patent Office: 2,644 Days
• Field of Search: 318/580, 318/587, 318/804, 318/805, 318/798, 318/799, 318/727, 318/778, 318/781, 318/796, 318/782, 318/786, 318/139, 318/119, 318/134, 318/375-381, 60/608, 60/607, 307/240, 307/241, 307/571, 307/242, 307/239, 307/45, 307/46, 307/66, 307/48, 361/33, 361/91, 361/86, 361/15, 363/126, 363/21, 363/18, 363/16, 363/131, 363/136, 363/123, 363/124, 388/831, 388/905, 388/919, 388/920, 320/103, 320/118, 320/121, 320/138, 320/166
• US Class Current: 318/376
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 388/92 Chopper

Abstract

An energy management system for optimizing low power and short term high power states of a power supply system. A significant feature of the present invention relates to a design of a power supply apparatus based on internal resistances of the power supply components. In an exemplary embodiment, the power supply supplies power for driving a load. The power supply includes a power source having a first internal resistance and includes a capacitor connected in parallel with the power supply and having a second internal resistance. The first internal resistance and the second internal resistance have a predetermined relationship.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supplying power comprising:

a power source;

a capacitor connected in parallel with said power source;

means for charging said capacitor to a voltage greater than or equal to said power source;

a recharging means for recharging said power source stored; and

a switch connected between said power source and said capacitor for blocking a recharging current of said recharging means from charging said power source, but allowing a current from said power source to charge said capacitor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said switch is a diode.

3. Apparatus for supplying power comprising:

a power source having a first internal resistance;

a capacitor connected in parallel with said power source and having a second internal resistance; and

means for maintaining a voltage of said capacitor equal to a voltage of said power source, and for regulating current from said power source to maintain said current below a predetermined limit during a regenerative mode of operation.

4. Apparatus for supplying power to a load comprising:

a power source;

a capacitor connected in parallel with said power source; and

a switch for selectively restricting regenerative charging current supplied to said power source relative to regenerative charging current supplied to said capacitor, to charge said capacitor to a voltage greater than said power source during a regenerative mode of operation.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said switch means is a diode.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said switch is a diode and a transistor corrected in series.