Network-based aircraft secondary electric power distribution system

• US 7,598,625 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, Wenjiang, Liu, Zhenning Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US11/760,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/131, 361/100, 361/93.9, 361/93.1, 700/295, 340/825.69
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/44 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading

Abstract

A system and method for control of an electric power distribution system is provided, which uses a communication network for centralized monitoring and control of the supply of electricity to a load. In one embodiment, the invention may use a wireless communication system connecting control nodes and master nodes to control and monitor a solid state power controller. As a result, the master node may remotely turn on and off the electrical power to the load. Also the control node may sense the current being supplied to the load and may turn off the supply of electrical power in the event of an over current situation. The control node may also report the state of the sensed current to the master node. In another embodiment, the communication system may be a power line carrier network.

Claims

1. An electric power distribution system comprising:

at least one source of electrical power;

at least one load connected by a conductor to said at least one source of electrical power;

a switch disposed across said conductor, said switch connecting said load to said at least one source of electrical power when in a closed state and disconnecting said load from said at least one source of electrical power when in an open state;

at least one master node;

a wireless communication network carrying commands from said master node to said switch to open said switch and commands to close said switch; and

an avionics full-duplex switched Ethernet (AFDX) system in an aircraft, said AFDX being connected to said master node, said AFDX system being configured to receive commands from at least one component of said aircraft to open and close said switch.

2. The electric power distribution system of claim 1 further comprising:

a control node connected to said switch and controlling said state of said switch; and

wherein said wireless communication network carries information between said master node and said control node, said information including said commands from said master node to said control node to open said switch and commands from said master node to said control node to close said switch.

3. The electric power distribution system of claim 2 further comprising:

a sensor connected to said conductor and to said control node, wherein said sensor detects a current passing through said conductor, wherein said control node opens said switch when said current detected by said sensor is above a predetermined threshold.

4. The electric power distribution system of claim 3 wherein said information carried by said wireless communication network includes information regarding said current detected by said sensor.

5. The electric power distribution system of claim 2 further comprising:

an additional load connected to said source of electrical power through an additional conductor;

an additional switch disposed across said additional conductor, said additional switch connecting said load to said source of electrical power when in a closed state and disconnecting said load from said source of electrical power when in an open state;

an additional control node connected to said additional switch, and said additional control node controlling said state of said additional switch; and

said wireless communication network carrying information between said master node and said additional control node.

6. The electric power distribution system of claim 5 further comprising an additional master node connected by said communication system to said additional control node.

7. The electric power distribution system of claim 2 further comprising:

an additional source of electrical power;

an additional load connected by an additional conductor to said additional source of electrical power;

an additional switch disposed across said additional conductor, said additional switch connecting said additional load to said additional source of electrical power when in a closed state and disconnecting said additional load from said additional source of electrical power when in an open state;

an additional control node connected to said additional switch and controlling said state of said additional switch; and

said wireless communication network carrying information between said master node and said additional control node, said information including commands from said master node to said additional control node to open and close said additional switch.

8. The electric power distribution system of claim 7 wherein said source of electrical power and said additional source of electrical power each provide electrical power of a type selected from the following:

alternating current electrical power and direct current electrical power.

9. The electric power distribution system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication network is a radio frequency communication network.

10. The electric power distribution system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication network is a power line carrier communication network.

11. The electric power distribution system of claim 10 wherein said power line carrier communication network uses signals transmitted along a portion of said conductor located between said source of electrical power and said switch to transmit and receive said information.

12. The electric power distribution system of claim 2 wherein said control node includes a solid state power controller.

13. A system for sensing electrical power transferred to a load within an aircraft comprising:

a load comprising at least one electrical component of said aircraft;

a source of electrical power within said aircraft connected by a conductor to said load;

a sensor within said aircraft connected to said conductor, said sensor detecting a current passing through said conductor to said load;

a microcontroller within said aircraft connected to said sensor; and

a wireless communication network within said aircraft coupled to said sensor and to said microcontroller, said wireless communication network being configured to transmit information a distance of between about 10 and 50 meters, within said aircraft, regarding said current detected by said sensor.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising a master node connected to said wireless communication network, said master node receiving said information regarding said current detected by said sensor.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a switch disposed across said conductor, said switch connecting and disconnecting said load from said source of electrical power in response to a signal sent by said microprocessor, wherein in response to said detected current exceeding a predetermined threshold, said microprocessor sends said signal to said switch disconnecting said load from said source of electrical power.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said sensor comprises a resistor connected to said microcontroller.

17. A method for controlling an electric power distribution system within an aircraft comprising:

transferring electrical power from a source within an aircraft to a load through a conductor, said conductor having a switch connected to a control node, said load being an electrical component of said aircraft;

receiving at least one command from at least one component of said aircraft with a master node comprising an avionics full-duplex switched Ethernet (AFDX) system;

sending a plurality of commands from said master node to said control node through a powerline carrier communication network, said plurality of commands including commands to open said switch and commands to close said switch;

receiving said plurality of commands in said control node through said powerline carrier communication network;

sending a plurality of signals to said switch from said control node, a first type of said plurality of signals causing said switch to open and a second type of said plurality of signals causing said switch to close;

opening said switch in response to said command to open said switch and closing said switch in response to said command to close said switch; and

said step of opening and said step of closing said switch effectuating the operation of said electrical component of said aircraft.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

sensing a current in said conductor using a sensor, said sensor being connected to said control node;

determining if said sensed current is above or below a predetermined threshold; and

turning said switch off if said sensed current is above a predetermined threshold.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

sending an information signal from said control node to said master node through said powerline carrier communication network, said information signal including information regarding said sensed current.