Control module for DC power network
First Claim
1. A method for allocating electrical power to a plurality of external power devices connected to a plurality of device ports of a power distribution and control module comprising the steps of:
- operating a controller data processor to poll each of the plurality of device ports;
operating the controller data processor to determine an instantaneous configuration of the power distribution and control module that includes determining a device type for each of the plurality of external power devices connected to one of the plurality of device ports wherein the instantaneous configuration includes at least one DC power source and a plurality of rechargeable DC batteries;
determining, by an energy management schema on the controller data processor, a total instantaneous input power available from the at least one DC power source; and
allocating, by the energy management schema on the controller data processor, a portion of the total instantaneous input power to each of the plurality of rechargeable DC batteries according to allocation criteria.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power distribution and control module includes a digital data processor and associated memory module operating an energy management program or schema and a battery charging manager program thereon. The energy management schema is operable to determine an instantaneous configuration of the power and distribution and control module, to determine total instantaneous input power available, total instantaneous power demand by connected power loads and to allocate a portion of the input power to power the loads. Thereafter any unallocated power is allocated to charge rechargeable batteries using allocation criteria that are situationally variable.
185 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for allocating electrical power to a plurality of external power devices connected to a plurality of device ports of a power distribution and control module comprising the steps of:
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operating a controller data processor to poll each of the plurality of device ports; operating the controller data processor to determine an instantaneous configuration of the power distribution and control module that includes determining a device type for each of the plurality of external power devices connected to one of the plurality of device ports wherein the instantaneous configuration includes at least one DC power source and a plurality of rechargeable DC batteries; determining, by an energy management schema on the controller data processor, a total instantaneous input power available from the at least one DC power source; and allocating, by the energy management schema on the controller data processor, a portion of the total instantaneous input power to each of the plurality of rechargeable DC batteries according to allocation criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A power distribution and control module comprising:
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a controller data processing device, a controller memory module in communication with the controller data processing device and a controller network interface device in communication with the controller data processing device; at least one input device port operable to connect with an external DC power device consisting of one of a DC power source and a rechargeable DC battery; a plurality of output device ports each operable to connect with a different external DC power device consisting of one of a DC power load and a rechargeable DC battery; a power distribution network operable to receive instantaneous input power from the at least one input device port and to distribute the instantaneous input power to selected at least one of the plurality of output device ports; operating programs including an energy management schema and a battery charging manager operating on the controller data processing device, wherein the energy management schema is operable to; poll each device port to determine an instantaneous configuration of the power distribution and control module; determine a device type for each external power device connected to one of the plurality of device ports; determine a total instantaneous input power available from the at least one input device port, determine a total instantaneous power demand associated with any DC power loads connected to the plurality of output device ports; allocate at least a portion of the total instantaneous input power to at least a portion of the total instantaneous power demand associated with any DC power loads connected to the plurality of output device ports; determine a Total Charging Power (TCP) equal to the unallocated portion of the total instantaneous input power; allocate the TCP to the one or more of any rechargeable DC batteries connected to the plurality of output device ports according to allocation criteria. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification