System and method of controlling a plurality of energy loads and energy supplies in a coordinated manner

• US 8,362,640 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aslan Roaring LLC
• Original Assignee: Enfuse Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Craig, Jason, Cassidy, Kevin, Albarran, Richard Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US12/503,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 307/18, 307/29
• US Class Current: 307/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/32 Waterborne vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/002 unmanned
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/40 The network being an on-board power network, i.e. within a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/42 for ships or vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The operation and/or power of a plurality of energy loads and/or energy supplies configured to supply power to the energy loads are managed in a coordinated manner. The coordinated control over the energy loads and/or energy supplies may enable the execution of missions including a one or more objectives by energy loads with an enhanced efficiency, autonomy, and/or effectiveness. Aspects of the planning and/or management of execution of the missions may be automated according to predetermined rules and/or criteria.

Claims

1. A system configured to control energy loads and energy supplies, the system comprising:

a plurality of load interfaces configured to removably couple energy loads to the system to communicatively link the energy loads with the system, the load interfaces comprising a first load interface;

a plurality of supply interfaces configured to removably couple energy supplies to the system to communicatively link the energy supplies with the system, wherein the energy supplies are coupled with the energy loads to permit the transfer of power therebetween, the supply interfaces comprising a first supply interface;

a communication interface configured to transmit information from and/or receive information to the system;

one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules, the one or more computer program modules comprising;

a load module configured to obtain information related to the energy loads coupled with the system via the load interfaces such that, responsive to the energy loads including a first energy load coupled to the first load interface, the load module is configured to obtain one or more of an identification of the first load, a load type of the first load, or information indicating at least one power specification of the first load;

a supply module configured to obtain information related to the energy supplies coupled to the system via the supply interfaces such that, responsive to the energy supplies including a first energy supply coupled to the first supply interface, the supply module is configured to obtain one or more of an identification of the first energy supply, a supply type of the first energy supply, or information indicating at least one power specification of the first energy supply;

a mission interface module configured to obtain information related to a mission to be performed by the energy loads coupled to the system via the load interfaces;

a plan module configured to automatically generate a mission plan for executing the mission obtained by the mission interface module based on the information related to energy loads obtained by the load module and the information related to energy supplies obtained by the supply module, wherein the mission plan identifies functions to be performed by the energy loads to execute the mission, identifies functions to be performed by the energy supplies to provide power to the energy loads sufficient to enable the energy loads to perform the functions identified for the energy loads in the mission plan, and prospectively indicates timings in the future for the functions to be performed by the energy loads and the functions to be performed by the energy supplies, and wherein the plan module is configured to generate the mission plan in advance of commencement of execution of the mission.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer program modules further comprise an execution module configured to automatically generate machine-readable instructions for the energy supplies and the energy loads that are communicated to the energy supplies and the energy loads over the supply interfaces and the load interfaces, respectively, the instructions generated for the energy loads including instructions that cause the energy loads to perform the functions identified in the mission plan in accordance with the timing identified in the mission plan, and the instructions generated for the energy supplies including instructions that cause the energy supplies to perform the functions identified in the mission plan in accordance with the timing identified in the mission plan.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply module is further configured to obtain operational information related to the energy supplies coupled to the system via the supply interfaces during execution of the mission plan, and wherein the plan module is further configured to dynamically adjust the mission plan during execution of the mission plan based on the operational information obtained during execution of the mission plan.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the load module is further configured to obtain operational information related to the energy loads coupled to the system via the load interfaces during execution of the mission plan, and wherein the plan module is further configured such that dynamic adjustment of the mission plan during execution of the mission plan is further based on the operational information related to the energy loads obtained during execution of the mission plan.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mission module is configured such that in generating the mission plan the mission module enhances the cumulative performance of the energy loads and/or energy supplies according to one or more predetermined criteria.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria are mission specific.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include one or more of enhancing energy efficiency, enhancing speed of the mission, or enhancing mission endurance.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the load module is further configured to obtain one or more of a functional capability of the first load, an operating status of the first load, a control mode of the first load, or an output signal indicating an environmental parameter of the first load.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply module is further configured to obtain one or more of a harvesting parameter of the first energy supply, an operating status of the first energy supply, a control mode of the first energy supply, or a resource availability for the first energy supply.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to be carried by a vehicle, and wherein one or more of the energy loads coupled with the system via the load interfaces is configured to propel and/or steer the vehicle.

11. A method of controlling energy loads and energy supplies, the method comprising:

selectively and releasably interfacing a control system comprising one or more processors with a plurality of energy loads to enable communication between the energy loads and the control system, the energy loads comprising a first energy load;

selectively and releasably interfacing the control system with a plurality of energy supplies to enable communication between the energy supplies and the control system, wherein the energy supplies are in coupled with the energy loads to permit the transfer of power therebetween, the energy supplies comprising a first energy supply;

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to obtain information related to the energy loads via the interfaces with the energy loads, the information comprising one or more of an identification of the first energy load, a load type of the first energy load, or information indicating at least one power specification of the first energy load;

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to obtain information related to the energy supplies via the interfaces with the energy supplies, the information comprising one or more of an identification of the first energy supply, a supply type of the first energy supply, or information indicating at least one power specification of the first energy supply;

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to obtain information related to a mission to be performed by the energy loads;

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to automatically generate, in advance of execution of the obtained mission, a mission plan for executing the obtained mission, wherein the mission plan is generated based on the obtained information related to energy loads and the obtained information related to energy supplies, and wherein the mission plan identifies functions to be performed by the energy loads to execute the mission, identifies functions to be performed by the energy supplies to provide power to the energy loads sufficient to enable the energy loads to perform the functions identified for the energy loads in the mission plan, and prospectively indicates timings in the future for the functions to be performed by the energy loads and the functions to be performed by the energy supplies.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to automatically generate machine-readable instructions for the energy supplies and the energy loads that are communicated to the energy supplies and the energy loads over the interfaces between the energy supplies and the control system and the interfaces between the energy loads and the control system, respectively, the instructions generated for the energy loads including instructions that cause the energy loads to perform the functions identified in the mission plan in accordance with the timing identified in the mission plan, and the instructions generated for the energy supplies including instructions that cause the energy supplies to perform the functions identified in the mission plan in accordance with the timing identified in the mission plan.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to obtain operational information for the energy supplies during execution of the mission plan; and

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to dynamically adjust the mission plan during execution of the mission plan based on the obtained operational information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to obtain operational information related to the energy loads during execution of the mission plan; and

executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to dynamically adjust the mission plan during execution of the mission plan based on the obtained operational information related to the energy loads.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein in generating the mission plan the one or more processors of the control system enhance the cumulative performance of the energy loads and/or energy supplies according to one or more predetermined criteria.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria are mission specific.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include one or more of enhancing energy efficiency, enhancing speed of the mission, or enhancing mission endurance.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtained information related to the first energy load comprises one or more of a functional capability, an operating status, a control mode, an output signal indicating an environmental parameter, or an operating condition.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the obtained information related to the first energy supply comprises one or more of a harvesting parameter of the first energy supply, an operating status of the first energy supply, a control mode of the first energy supply, or a resource availability of the first energy supply.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the control system is configured to be carried by a vehicle, and wherein one or more of the energy loads coupled with the system via the load interfaces are configured to propel and/or steer the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to set one or more variables for operational settings of one or more of the energy supplies based on input from a user received at the control system via a communications interface.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising executing one or more computer program modules on the one or more processors of the control system to set one or more variables for operational settings of one or more of the energy loads based on input from a user received at the control system via a communications interface.