Renewable uninterrupted power supply for critical node infrastructure support
First Claim
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1. A system for providing uninterrupted power to elements of infrastructure, comprising:
- a shelter including a wall connected to a roof, and an enclosure defined in part by a portion of the wall, the enclosure defining an interior volume that is not visible to occupants of the shelter;
one or more photovoltaic modules disposed on the roof of the shelter, which generate current when exposed to light;
one or more electrical storage batteries disposed in the interior volume of the enclosure, the one or more batteries being electrically connected to the photovoltaic modules such that the photovoltaic modules supply current to the battery when the photovoltaic modules are illuminated;
an element of infrastructure connected to a power network, the element of infrastructure also being selectably electrically connected to said battery via a switch;
a sensor in electrical communication with said element of infrastructure and adapted to detect interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network;
a Critical Node Infrastructure Support (CNIS) controller in electrical communication with said switch and said sensor, the controller adapted to supply power from said one or more storage batteries to said element of infrastructure when the sensor detects interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network,wherein the element of infrastructure comprises a traffic signal, andwherein the traffic signal comprises a signal controller, and wherein, when the sensor detects an interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network, the CNIS controller sends a signal to the signal controller directing the signal controller to operate the traffic signal with reduced functionality.
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Abstract
A platform to supply renewable backup power to critical node infrastructure is disclosed. The platform conceals solar photovoltaic modules and storage batteries in plain sight by hiding such components in commonly encountered urban furniture, such as bus shelters. In particular, a bus shelter ad box is used to conceal or cloak certain components of the system.
24 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for providing uninterrupted power to elements of infrastructure, comprising:
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a shelter including a wall connected to a roof, and an enclosure defined in part by a portion of the wall, the enclosure defining an interior volume that is not visible to occupants of the shelter; one or more photovoltaic modules disposed on the roof of the shelter, which generate current when exposed to light; one or more electrical storage batteries disposed in the interior volume of the enclosure, the one or more batteries being electrically connected to the photovoltaic modules such that the photovoltaic modules supply current to the battery when the photovoltaic modules are illuminated; an element of infrastructure connected to a power network, the element of infrastructure also being selectably electrically connected to said battery via a switch; a sensor in electrical communication with said element of infrastructure and adapted to detect interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network; a Critical Node Infrastructure Support (CNIS) controller in electrical communication with said switch and said sensor, the controller adapted to supply power from said one or more storage batteries to said element of infrastructure when the sensor detects interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network, wherein the element of infrastructure comprises a traffic signal, and wherein the traffic signal comprises a signal controller, and wherein, when the sensor detects an interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network, the CNIS controller sends a signal to the signal controller directing the signal controller to operate the traffic signal with reduced functionality. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for providing uninterrupted power to elements of infrastructure, comprising:
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a shelter including a wall connected to a roof, and an enclosure defined in part by a portion of the wall, the enclosure defining an interior volume that is not visible to occupants of the shelter; one or more photovoltaic modules disposed on the roof of the shelter, which generate current when exposed to light; one or more electrical storage batteries disposed in the interior volume of the enclosure, the one or more batteries being electrically connected to the photovoltaic modules such that the photovoltaic modules supply current to the battery when the photovoltaic modules are illuminated; an element of infrastructure connected to a power network, the element of infrastructure also being selectable electrically connected to said battery via a switch; a sensor in electrical communication with said element of infrastructure and adapted to detect interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network; a Critical Node Infrastructure Support (CNIS) controller in electrical communication with said switch and said sensor, the controller adapted to supply power from said one or more storage batteries to said element of infrastructure when the sensor detects interruption of a flow of power between said element of infrastructure and said power network, wherein the element of infrastructure comprises a traffic signal, and wherein the CNIS controller is adapted to provide a first level of power and a second level of power to the traffic signal, the first level of power being sufficient to operate the traffic signal at a first level of functionality, and the second level of power being sufficient to operate the traffic signal at a second level of functionality, the second level of functionality being less than the first level of functionality. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification