Rectifier circuit management system, such as for use in cell site power systems

• US 9,603,089 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Fischer, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Sobutka, Philip
• Application Number:
  US14/628,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20150163735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/06 over a restricted angle
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/00 Power management, e.g. TPC [Transmission Power Control], power saving or power classes gain control in transmitters or power amplifiers H03G3/3042
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/143 Downlink power control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/44 in connection with interruption of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, methods, and manufactures for conserving power in a communications system such as a communications service cell site or cell site. The methods include adjusting the RF coverage of the cell site antenna, selective control of the RF output transmit power, selective control of the communications bit rate, transfer of communications to other cell sites, adjustment of indicators such that mobile devices transfer communications to other cell sites, and reallocation of logical slots between radios in the cell site. In some examples, the cell site employs a power controller. The power controller may utilize a switching circuit to produce two different voltages from a single battery string during a commercial power failure with improved conversion efficiencies. In another example, a power controller may manage multiple rectifiers so that the rectifiers operate more efficiently, such as with approximately equal runtime and with regular testing.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying instructions that, when performed by a processor, perform a method for conserving power in a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

detecting a reduced availability of a power source for the wireless communications system,

wherein the wireless communications system forms part of a wireless telecommunications network;

monitoring current drawn by the wireless communications system,

wherein the wireless communications system has at least one online rectifier,

wherein the at least one online rectifier rectifies an input source and provides an output voltage and current to the wireless communications system,

wherein the wireless communications system has at least one offline rectifier,

wherein the at least one offline rectifier does not rectify an input source and does not provide an output voltage and current to the wireless communications system;

selecting, in accordance with a rotation policy or when detecting a reduced availability of the power source, at least one rectifier to bring online or at least one rectifier to take offline; and

switching, in accordance with the rotation policy, at least one rectifier online or offline.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the rotation policy includes taking one rectifier offline by determining whether a sustained drawn current has decreased during a time window.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the rotation policy prescribes a first on/first off round-robin rectifier rotation.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the drawn current or the rotation policy necessitates a scheduled rectifier rotation that approximately balances runtimes of the rectifier.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the currents of online rectifiers to test the online rectifiers for failures.

6. A power controller, comprising:

a rectifier and switch circuit interface;

an operation, management, and control (OMC) interface;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the power controller to;

detect, by receiving a signal from the OMC interface, availability of a power source for a wireless communications system,

wherein the wireless communications system forms part of a wireless telecommunications network;

wherein the wireless communications system has at least one online rectifier,

wherein the at least one online rectifier rectifies an input source and provides an output voltage and current to the wireless communications system,

wherein the wireless communications system has at least one offline rectifier, and

wherein the at least one offline rectifier does not rectify an input source and does not provide an output voltage and current to the wireless communications system;

select, in accordance with a rotation policy or when detecting a reduced availability of the power source, at least one rectifier to bring online or at least one rectifier to take offline; and

switch, in accordance with the rotation policy, the selected at least one rectifier from online to offline or offline to online,

wherein switching further comprises sending a request to the rectifier and switch circuit interface, and

wherein the request includes instructions to switch the selected at least one rectifier from online to offline or offline to online.

7. The power controller of claim 6, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the power controller to:

receive, from the OMC interface, status signals for multiple rectifiers; and

switch, by sending a switch signal to the rectifier and switch circuit interface, at least one rectifier of the multiple rectifiers from online to offline based on the received status signals.

8. The power controller of claim 6, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the power controller to:

monitor, by receiving another signal from the OMC interface, current and power demand from multiple rectifiers associated with the wireless communications network during a first period of time;

store monitored current and power demand information; and

based on the stored current and power demand information, switch one or more of the multiple rectifiers from online to offline during a second period of time.

9. The power controller of claim 6, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the power controller to:

determine whether at least two online rectifiers are demonstrating current balancing; and

send an indication that the at least two online rectifiers are demonstrating current balancing to a remote system.

10. The power controller of claim 6, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the power controller to:

receive temperature information from sensors associated with the wireless communications system;

determine whether the temperature information indicates a temperature measurement for the wireless communications system has exceeded a threshold temperature; and

in response to determining the temperature measurement has exceeded the threshold temperature, switch at least one rectifier to offline.

11. The power controller of claim 6, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the power controller to:

receive weather forecasting information; and

in response to the received weather forecasting information, switch, in accordance with the rotation policy, at least one rectifier online or offline.

12. The power controller of claim 6, wherein the rotation policy is based on at least one of following:

a measured threshold value of voltage or amps for each of the multiple rectifiers;

a measured temperature threshold associated with batteries for the wireless communications system;

a rotation schedule;

runtime for each of the multiple rectifiers;

turn on or off delays for each of the multiple rectifiers;

or

any combination thereof.

13. A method, comprising:

monitoring an electrical load for each of multiple rectifiers configured to power a wireless communications system,

wherein at least one of the multiple rectifiers is online,

wherein each online rectifier is configured to rectify an input source and provide an output voltage and current to at least partially power the wireless communications system,

wherein at least one of the multiple rectifiers is offline,

wherein the at least one offline rectifier does not rectify an input source and does not provide an output voltage to the wireless communications system;

selecting, in accordance with a rotation policy or when detecting a reduced availability of the power source, at least one rectifier to bring online or at least one rectifier to take offline; and

switching, in accordance with the rotation policy, at least one rectifier online or offline.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring temperature near the multiple rectifiers; and

switching, in accordance with the rotation policy, at least one rectifier online or offline based on a temperature change.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the rotation policy is based on at least one the following:

a measured threshold value of voltage or amps for each of the multiple rectifiers;

a measured temperature threshold associated with batteries for the wireless communications system;

a rotation schedule;

runtime for each of the multiple rectifiers;

turn on or off delays for each of the multiple rectifiers;

or

any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving weather forecasting information; and

in response to the received weather forecasting information, switching, in accordance with the rotation policy, at least one of the multiple rectifiers online or offline.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that one or more of the multiple rectifiers is receiving a sustained increase in electrical load demand; and

in response to determining the sustained increase, switching at least one of the multiple rectifiers from offline to online.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a notification that one of the multiple rectifiers has failed;

in response to receiving the notification, permanently switching the failed rectifier to offline; and

sending an indication to an administrator of the wireless communications system, wherein the indication includes identifying information for the failed rectifier.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether at least one of the multiple rectifiers is receiving a sustained decrease in electrical load demand; and

in response to determining the at least one of the multiple rectifiers is receiving a sustained decrease in electrical load demand, switching the at least one of the multiple rectifiers to offline.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the rotation policy includes a round-robin algorithm to rotate each of the multiple rectifiers from online to offline.