POWER MANAGER
First Claim
1. A power manager comprising:
- a power bus;
a plurality device ports operably connectable to the power bus;
an input power converter having an input side and an output side disposed between the power bus and an input device port wherein the input power converter input side is connected to the input device port and the input power converter output side is connected to the power bus;
an output power converter having an input side and an output side disposed between the power bus and an output device port wherein the output side of the output power converter is connected to the output device port and the input side of the output power converter is connected to the power bus; and
a universal power channel extending between the output side of the output power converter and the input port,wherein the power manager is operable to connect an external power device connected to the input port to the power bus over the input power converter or over the over the output power converter.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved power manager includes a power bus (410) and multiple device ports (1-5), with at least one device port configured as a universal port (3 and 4) to be selectively connected to the power bus over an input power channel that includes an input power converter (510) or over a output or universal power channel (412, 416) that includes an output power converter (440, 442). The universal power channel (412) allows the input port (4) to be selected as an output power channel instead of an input power channel (i.e. operated as a universal port) for outputting power to device port (4) over power converter (440). The improved power manager (500) includes operating modes for altering an operating voltage of the power bus (505), to minimize overall power conversion losses due to DC to DC power conversions used to connect non-bus voltage compatible power devices to the power bus.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A power manager comprising:
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a power bus; a plurality device ports operably connectable to the power bus; an input power converter having an input side and an output side disposed between the power bus and an input device port wherein the input power converter input side is connected to the input device port and the input power converter output side is connected to the power bus; an output power converter having an input side and an output side disposed between the power bus and an output device port wherein the output side of the output power converter is connected to the output device port and the input side of the output power converter is connected to the power bus; and a universal power channel extending between the output side of the output power converter and the input port, wherein the power manager is operable to connect an external power device connected to the input port to the power bus over the input power converter or over the over the output power converter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for configuring a power manager comprising:
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operating a power bus at a substantially constant power bus DC operating voltage; providing a plurality device ports operably connectable to the power bus wherein each device port comprises an electrical interface that includes a power channel and a communication channel suitable for interfacing with power and communication channels of an external power device; providing an input power converter along an input power converting channel disposed between the power bus and a first input device port wherein the first input device port is connected to an input side of the input power converter and the power bus connected to an output side of the input power converter; providing an output power converter along an output power converting channel disposed between the power bus and a first output device port wherein the first output device port is connected to an output side of the output power converter and the power bus is connected to an input side of the output power converter; and
,providing a universal power channel extending between the output side of the output power converter and the first input port. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification