Power distribution arrangement

• US 8,432,647 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Knott, Arnold, Schmidt, Daniel, Zuckmantel, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Application Number:
  US12/512,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20100027169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 361/18, 361/62, 361/63, 361/64, 361/93.9, 361/93.1, 307/11, 307/31, 307/34, 307/35, 307/38, 307/39
• US Class Current: 361/18
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network

Abstract

An arrangement and a method for distributing power supplied by a power source to two or more of loads (e.g., electrical vehicular systems) is disclosed, where a representation of the power taken by a particular one of the loads from the source is measured. The measured representation of the amount of power taken from the source by the particular one of the loads is compared to a threshold to provide an overload signal in the event the representation exceeds the threshold. Control signals dependant on the occurring of the overload signal are provided such that the control signal decreases the output power of the power circuit in case the overload signal occurs.

Claims

1. A power distribution system comprising an input connected to a power source, a plurality of outputs, each output connected to one of a plurality of loads, and at least one power limiting unit connected between the input and one of the outputs, the power limiting unit comprising:

a power sensor connected between the input and each of the plurality of outputs, that measures the power supplied by the source to the plurality of loads;

a plurality of power circuits each connected in series to the power sensor, and supplies a regulated electrical output to a respective one of the plurality of loads, each of the plurality of power circuits comprising a control element that receives a control signal;

a comparison unit coupled to the power sensor to receive a measured representation of the power supplied to a particular one of the plurality of outputs, and compare the measured representation to a threshold for providing an overload signal in case the measured representation exceeds the threshold; and

a control unit connected to the comparison unit for receiving the overload signal and each of the plurality of the power circuits for providing the uniquely associated control signal and limiting the associated control signal to a given value in case the overload signal is received.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, where the power sensor comprises a current sensor and the measured representation of the power supplied to the load connected to the particular one of the outputs is a voltage that is proportional to the current measured.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, where the comparison unit compares the voltage representing the current measured to a threshold voltage.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, where the control signal provided to the power circuit is a reference voltage.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, where, in case the measured representation exceeds the threshold, the value of the control signal, is lower than in a non-overload mode of operation.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, where the power circuit comprises a DC-DC converter.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, where the power circuit comprises a switch-mode power amplifier.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, where the regulated electrical output of the power circuit is set by the control signal in case of an occurrence of an overload signal to a value below the power represented by the threshold.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, where at least two power limiting units are connected between the input and each of the at least two power limiting units uniquely therewith;

each power limiting unit having a particular threshold corresponding to characteristics of the respective load and a priority assigned to the load.

10. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a power management unit that provides the threshold to the power limiting units.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, where the power management unit evaluates the total power supplied by the power source and sets the thresholds according to the priority and the power available.

12. The arrangement of claim 9, where the thresholds are fixed.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, where the control signal is such that the control element is switched off.

14. The arrangement of claim 1, where the power sensor is connected electrically upstream of the power circuit.

15. A method for distributing power supplied by a power source to a plurality of electrical vehicular systems, comprising:

measuring a representation of the power taken by the plurality of electrical vehicular systems from the source and providing a measured power signal;

regulating an output power dependant on a plurality of control signals;

comparing the measured power signal to a threshold for providing an overload signal when the measured representation exceeds the threshold; and

providing the plurality of control signals dependant on the occurring of the overload signal such that the control signals selectively decrease the output power of at least one of the plurality of power circuits when the overload signal occurs.

16. A power limiting unit for coupling a power source to a plurality of electrical vehicular systems, the power limiting unit comprising:

a power sensor that measures the total current and/or voltage supplied to the plurality of the electrical vehicular systems from the power source, and provides a measurement signal indicative thereof;

a comparator that receives and compares the measurement signal and a threshold signal, and provides an overload signal when the measurement signal is greater than the threshold signal;

a controller that receives the overload signal and provides a control signal associated with a command for less electrical power; and

a power circuit that includes a control element that receives the control signal, which power circuit regulates the supplied current and/or voltage to the plurality of the vehicular system in response to the control signal.

17. The power limiting unit of claim 16, where the power circuit comprises a DC-DC converter.

18. The power limiting unit of claim 16, where the power circuit comprises a switch-mode power amplifier.

19. The power limiting unit of claim 16, where the power circuit is configured to maintain the supplied current and/or voltage below the threshold signal where the measurement signal is greater than the threshold signal.

20. A system for distributing power from a power source to a plurality of loads, the system comprising:

a first sensor that provides a first sensor signal indicative of the power distributed by the power source to the plurality of loads;

a power management unit that provides a threshold based on the first sensor signal; and

a plurality of power limiting units that limit the power respectively distributed to the plurality of loads, where each of the plurality of power limiting units is connected to and downstream of the power sensor, and a first of the plurality of power limiting units comprises

a second sensor that provides a second sensor signal indicative of the power distributed to a first of the plurality of loads;

a power circuit connected to and downstream of the second sensor, where the power circuit regulates the power distributed to the first of the plurality of loads based on a control signal;

a comparison unit that receives the threshold and the second sensor signal, and provides an overload signal where the second sensor signal is greater than the threshold; and

a control unit that provides the control signal in response to receiving the overload signal.

21. A system for distributing power from a power source to a plurality of loads, the system comprising:

a plurality of power limiting units that limit the power respectively distributed to the plurality of loads, where each of the plurality of power limiting units comprises

a sensor that provides a sensor signal indicative of the power distributed to a respective one of the plurality of loads;

a power circuit connected to and downstream of the sensor, where the power circuit regulates the power distributed to the first of the plurality of loads based on a control signal; and

a control circuit that compares the sensor signal to a threshold, and selectively provides the control signal to the power circuit based on the comparison of the sensor signal to the threshold.

22. The system of claim 21, where the control circuit comprises

a comparison unit that compares the sensor signal to the threshold, and provides an overload signal where the sensor signal is greater than the threshold;

and

a control unit that provides the control signal in response to receiving the overload signal.