Method and apparatus for sharing power

• US 6,459,171 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: ArrayComm LLC (Ygomi LLC)
• Inventors: Leifer, Mark C
• Primary Examiner(s): FLEMING, FRITZ M
• Application Number:
  US09/620,949
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 307/18, 307/23, 307/24, 307/25-29, 307/52-63, 307/19-21
• US Class Current: 307/52
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/285 Single converters with a plurality of output stages connected in parallel parallel operation of a plurality of converters in dc distribution networks H02J1/10

Abstract

A power sharing apparatus and method. In one embodiment, a method of sharing power includes switchably coupling and decoupling each of a plurality of power sources to deliver at least a portion of power to a shared power supply. Each of the power sources corresponds to one of a plurality of applications. The method also includes adjusting the portion of power delivered by each one of the power sources to the shared power supply responsive to an amount of usage by the application corresponding to the respective power source.

Claims

1. A method of sharing power, comprising:

switchably coupling and decoupling each of a plurality of power sources to provide at least a portion of power to a shared power supply, each of the power sources corresponding to one of a plurality of applications; and

adjusting the portion of power delivered by each one of the power sources to the shared power supply responsive to an amount of usage by the application corresponding to the respective power source.

2. The method of sharing power described in claim 1 wherein adjusting the portion of power delivered by each one of the power sources to the shared power supply comprises:

increasing the portion of power delivered by one of the power sources to the shared power supply responsive to an increase in usage of a shared device coupled to be powered by the shared power supply by the application corresponding to the respective power source; and

decreasing the portion of power delivered by one of the power sources to the shared power supply responsive to a decrease in usage by the application corresponding to the respective power source.

3. The method of sharing power described in claim 1 further comprising:

sensing a capability to supply power of each of the power sources; and

disabling power sources from being switchably coupled and decoupled to provide power to the shared power supply if the respective capability to supply power of the respective power sources are below a threshold value.

4. The method of sharing power described in claim 3 wherein sensing the capability to supply power of each of the power sources comprises sensing an output voltage of each one of the power sources.

5. The method of sharing power described in claim 3 further comprising adjusting further the portion of power delivered by each one of the power sources to the shared power supply responsive to the respective sensed capability to supply power of each one of the power sources.

6. The method of sharing power described in claim 3 further comprising controlling an amount of power drawn from the shared power supply responsive to the sensed capability to supply power of each respective one of the power sources.

7. The method of sharing power described in claim 3 further comprising selectively limiting usage of a shared device coupled to be powered by the shared power supply by the respective applications corresponding to the respective power sources having sensed capability to supply power below the threshold value.

8. The method of sharing power described in claim 1 further comprising electrically isolating the plurality of power sources and the shared power supply with an energy transfer element having a plurality of primary windings and a secondary winding.

9. The method of sharing power described in claim 1 further comprising regulating an output of the shared power supply by generating a regulation signal with a switched mode power supply included in the shared power supply.

10. The method of sharing power described in claim 1 further comprising regulating an output of the shared power supply by adjusting the portion of power delivered by each one of the power sources to the shared power supply responsive to the output of the shared power supply.

11. The method of sharing power described in claim 9 further comprising multiplexing the regulation signal to switchably couple and decouple each of the plurality of power sources to provide said at least portion of power to the shared power supply.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of power sources;

a plurality of switches, each one of the switches coupled to a corresponding one of the power sources;

a shared power supply switchably coupled to be delivered power by the plurality of power sources through the plurality of switches; and

a control circuit coupled to each one of the switches, the control circuit coupled to receive a plurality of usage signals, each one of the usage signals corresponding to one of the power sources, the control circuit to switch each one of the switches responsive to the plurality of usage signals.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the control circuit is further coupled to receive a plurality of sense signals from each one of the sources, each one of the sense signals to indicate a capability to supply power of one of the power sources, the control circuit to switch each one of the switches responsive to the plurality of sense signals.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the control circuit is further coupled to generate a load modification signal, the load modification signal responsive to the plurality of sense signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a shared device coupled to be powered by the shared power supply, the shared device coupled to receive the load modification signal, a service provided by the shared device coupled to be limited responsive to the load modification signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an energy transfer element having a plurality of primary windings and a secondary winding, the secondary winding coupled to the shared power supply, each one of the primary windings corresponding to one of the power sources, each one of the switches coupled in series with a corresponding one of the primary windings to switchably couple the corresponding primary winding to receive power from the corresponding power source in response to control circuit.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the shared power supply includes a switched mode power supply.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the switched mode power supply is coupled to generate a regulation signal, the control circuit coupled to receive the regulation signal and switch the plurality of switches responsive to the regulation signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the control circuit comprises:

a multiplexor coupled to receive a pulse train signal, the multiplexor to selectively couple the pulse train to each of the switches in response to a select signal; and

a multiplexor control circuit coupled to receive the usage signals and the pulse train signal, the multiplexor control circuit coupled to generate the select signal responsive to the usage signals and the pulse train signal.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the pulse train signal is a regulation signal generated by a switched mode power supply included in the shared power supply.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of first means for providing power, each one of the plurality of first means corresponding to one of a plurality of applications;

second means for supplying power to a device to be used by the plurality of applications;

third means for powering the second means with the plurality of first means; and

fourth means for apportioning an amount of power supplied by each one of the plurality of first means to the second means responsive to an amount of usage by each respective one of the plurality of applications.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising fifth means for sensing a capability to supply power of each one of the plurality of first means, the fourth means for apportioning the power supplied by each one of the plurality of first means to the second means further responsive to the fifth means.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising sixth means for selectively disabling the device from being used by a particular one of the plurality of applications responsive to the fifth means.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the second means includes means for regulating a power supply output of the second means, the means for regulating the power supply output generating a regulation signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the fourth means is responsive to the regulation signal.