Power distribution with digital current control
First Claim
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1. Power distribution apparatus, for controlling supply of a current from an electrical power source to at least one load, the apparatus comprising:
- a current limiter, which is coupled to controllably reduce a magnitude of the current supplied to the at least one load;
a current sensor, which is coupled to provide an indication of a magnitude of the current flowing to the at least one load; and
a controller, adapted to;
a) set said current limiter to operate at first and second settings, said second setting being different from said first setting, and to determine, using said current sensor, first and second magnitudes of the current at said first and second settings, respectively;
b) determine an estimated current limiting characteristic based on said first and second magnitudes;
c) set said current limiter to a third setting; and
d) receive said indication from the current sensor of a third magnitude of the current at said third setting, said controller being adapted, responsive to said indication, to determine whether said third magnitude of the current at said third setting exceeds a predetermined maximum and if so, to select a target setting of said current limiter responsive to said estimated current limiting characteristic, so as to reduce the magnitude of the current to less than said predetermined maximum.
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Abstract
Power distribution apparatus, for controlling supply of a current from an electrical power source to at least one load, includes a current sensor, which is coupled to provide an indication of a magnitude of the current flowing to the at least one load. A current limiter is adapted, responsive to the indication, to apply a pulse width modulation to the current drawn from the source so as to maintain the magnitude of the current flowing to the at least one load within a predetermined limit.
139 Citations
31 Claims
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1. Power distribution apparatus, for controlling supply of a current from an electrical power source to at least one load, the apparatus comprising:
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a current limiter, which is coupled to controllably reduce a magnitude of the current supplied to the at least one load;
a current sensor, which is coupled to provide an indication of a magnitude of the current flowing to the at least one load; and
a controller, adapted to;
a) set said current limiter to operate at first and second settings, said second setting being different from said first setting, and to determine, using said current sensor, first and second magnitudes of the current at said first and second settings, respectively;
b) determine an estimated current limiting characteristic based on said first and second magnitudes;
c) set said current limiter to a third setting; and
d) receive said indication from the current sensor of a third magnitude of the current at said third setting, said controller being adapted, responsive to said indication, to determine whether said third magnitude of the current at said third setting exceeds a predetermined maximum and if so, to select a target setting of said current limiter responsive to said estimated current limiting characteristic, so as to reduce the magnitude of the current to less than said predetermined maximum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 28, 29)
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5. Apparatus according to claim wherein 4, the controller is adapted to determine the magnitude of the current at the target setting after a predetermined delay, and to control the current limiter so as to shut off the current to the at least one load if the current has not dropped below the predetermined minimum.
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15. A method for controlling supply of power to at least one load, comprising:
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supplying a current to the at least one load through a current limiter;
setting said current limiter to a first setting and a second setting, said second setting being different from said first setting;
sampling the current to determine first and second magnitudes thereof at said first and second settings, respectively, of said current limiter;
estimating a current limiting characteristic based on said first and second magnitudes;
setting said current limiter to a third setting;
sampling the current to determine whether the magnitude of the current at said third setting exceeds a predetermined maximum; and
if said magnitude of the current at said third setting exceeds said predetermined maximum, selecting a target setting of said current limiter responsive to said estimated current limiting characteristic, so as to reduce the magnitude of the current to less than said predetermined maximum. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31)
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27. A method for controlling supply of power to at least one load, comprising:
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supplying a current to the at least one load through a current limiter at an initial setting of the current limiter;
sampling the current to determine whether an initial magnitude of the current exceeds a predetermined maximum;
if the current exceeds the predetermined maximum, sampling the current to determine first and second magnitudes thereof at first and second settings, respectively, of the current limiter, at which first and second settings the current passed by the current limiter is less than the current at the initial setting;
estimating a current limiting characteristic based on the first and second magnitudes; and
selecting a target setting of the current limiter responsive to the estimated current limiting characteristic, so as to reduce the magnitude of the current to less than the predetermined maximum.
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Specification