Universal power supply
First Claim
1. A connector assembly for transferring power-related signals, which is configurable by controlling the activation of its electrical conductors, comprising:
- a first plurality of electrical contacts;
a first plurality of conductors, at least one being electrically connected to at least one contact of the first plurality of contacts;
a second plurality of contacts, at least one being electrically isolated by a dielectric element from said at least one contact of the first plurality of contacts;
a second plurality of conductors, at least one being electrically connected to at least one contact of the second plurality of contacts;
a third plurality of conductors, for accessing at least one of one or more selectable devices; and
a controller means accessible to the connector assembly for manipulating at least one activation of selective conductors, whereby said selective conductors of the connector assembly are capable of being manipulated for independently transferring power-related signals, and further whereby said selective conductors of the connector assembly are also capable of being manipulated for simultaneously transferring power-related signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power supply detects power requirements of an electrical device and configures itself to provide the correct power to the device. By using a connector that isolates the device from its battery, the power supply can provide power to the device, recharge the battery, recharge the battery while at the same time providing power to the device, or provide power to the device while preventing the battery from being recharged. A switch used with the connector creates various circuits and is controllable by the power supply, the electrical device, by signals from the electrical device, or by a third device. The power supply may provide power to a plurality of devices and may be used with other power supplies to form a power grid. A master control unit receives inputs from each of the power supplies and controls the delivery and supply of power being the power supplies.
673 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A connector assembly for transferring power-related signals, which is configurable by controlling the activation of its electrical conductors, comprising:
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a first plurality of electrical contacts;
a first plurality of conductors, at least one being electrically connected to at least one contact of the first plurality of contacts;
a second plurality of contacts, at least one being electrically isolated by a dielectric element from said at least one contact of the first plurality of contacts;
a second plurality of conductors, at least one being electrically connected to at least one contact of the second plurality of contacts;
a third plurality of conductors, for accessing at least one of one or more selectable devices; and
a controller means accessible to the connector assembly for manipulating at least one activation of selective conductors, whereby said selective conductors of the connector assembly are capable of being manipulated for independently transferring power-related signals, and further whereby said selective conductors of the connector assembly are also capable of being manipulated for simultaneously transferring power-related signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
a battery electrically coupled to at least one of the first plurality of contacts being, by the dielectric element, electrically isolated from a supplied device electrically coupled to at least one of the second plurality of contacts, said supplied device previously electrically coupled to said battery by the controller means manipulating the activation of the first and second pluralities of conductors at the connector; and
said at least one selectable device is a power supply electrically accessible at the third plurality of conductors;
whereby said power-related signals previously transferring between the battery and the supplied device are, by the controller means activating the first and third plurality of selected conductors at the connector, now redirected instead between said battery and said power supply, said power-related signals for configuring an output signal of said power supply.
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3. The connector assembly set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller means manipulates selective conductors of the connector assembly for transferring power-related signals between:
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a processor at the power supply for configuring the output signal accessible at the third plurality of conductors; and
the supplied device electrically coupled to at least one of the second plurality of contacts being, by a dielectric element, electrically isolated from the battery;
whereby said power-related signals previously transferring between the battery and the power supply are, by the controller means activating the second and third plurality of conductors at the connector, now redirected instead between the power supply and the supplied device, and further whereby the processor-configured output signal of said power supply is for powering said supplied device.
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4. The connector assembly set forth in claim 2, wherein the redirected power-related signal between the battery and the power supply is for configuring the output of a charging circuit in the power supply to charge said battery.
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5. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means manipulates selective conductors of the connector assembly for transferring power-related signals between:
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a battery electrically coupled to at least one of the first plurality of contacts being, by the dielectric element, electrically isolated from a supplied device electrically coupled to at least one of the second plurality of contacts, said supplied device previously electrically coupled to said battery by the controller means manipulating the activation of the first and second plurality of conductors at the connector; and
said selectable device is a power supply electrically accessible at the third plurality of conductors;
whereby manipulating said selective conductors of the connector assembly by the controller means causes said power supply to selectively transfer its power-related signals accessible at the third plurality of conductors between either said battery along the first plurality of conductors, or said supplied device along the second plurality of conductors.
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6. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means manipulates selective conductors of the connector assembly for transferring power-related signals among:
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a battery electrically coupled to at least one of the first plurality of contacts being, by the dielectric element, electrically isolated from a supplied device electrically coupled to at least one of the second plurality of contacts, said supplied device previously electrically coupled to said battery by the controller means manipulating the activation of the first and second pluralities of conductors at the connector; and
said at least one selectable device is a power supply electrically accessible at the third plurality of conductors;
whereby manipulating said selective conductors of the connector assembly by the controller means causes said power supply to selectively transfer power-related signals accessible at the third plurality of conductors among both said battery along the first plurality of conductors and said supplied device along the second plurality of conductors.
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7. The connector assembly set forth in claim 5, wherein the controller means manipulates selective conductors of the connector assembly for transferring power-related signals by electrically coupling the first plurality of conductors to the second plurality of conductors;
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whereby power-related signals transfer between said battery and said supplied device, and further whereby the power supply is no longer electrically accessible at the third plurality of conductors to either said battery, or said supplied device.
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8. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means manipulates selective conductors of the connector assembly for managing power resources by transferring power related signals, comprising:
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a first manipulation activates selective conductors at the connector assembly for transferring power-related signals between;
a battery electrically coupled to at least one of the first plurality of contacts being, by the dielectric element, electrically isolated from a supplied device electrically coupled to at least one of the second plurality of contacts, said supplied device previously electrically coupled to said battery by the controller means manipulating the activation of the first and second pluralities of conductors at the connector; and
said at least one selectable device is a power supply electrically accessible at the third plurality of conductors;
whereby the supplied device is temporarily no longer powered by the battery; and
furtherwhereby said first manipulation activating the first and third plurality of conductors at the connector causes said power-related signals previously transferring between the battery and the supplied device to be, instead, now redirected between the battery and the power supply, said power-related signals for configuring an output signal of said power supply;
and further comprising;
a second manipulation activates selective conductors at the connector assembly for transferring power-related signals between;
a processor at the power supply that receives said power-related signals from the battery, and configures the output signal of the power supply based on said battery signals, said output signal accessible at the third plurality of conductors; and
the supplied device electrically coupled to at least one of the second plurality of contacts;
whereby said second manipulation activating the second and third plurality of conductors at the connector causes said power-related signals previously transferring between the battery and the supplied device to be, instead, now redirected between the power supply and the supplied device, and further whereby the processor-configured output signal of said power supply delivers power to said supplied device; and
further comprising;
a third manipulation activates selective conductors at the connector assembly, causing the first plurality of conductors accessing the battery to be electrically connected to the second plurality of conductors accessing the supplied device;
whereby power-related signals for delivering power transfer from said battery to said supplied device, and the power supply is not accessible at'"'"'the third plurality of conductors to either said battery or said supplied device; and
further
whereby the controller means manages power resources by manipulating selective conductors of the connector assembly to transfer power for said supplied device selectively from either said processor configured power supply, or from said battery.
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9. The connector assembly set forth in claim 8, wherein a fourth plurality of conductors is for accessing a second selectable device that is a second battery as a source of reserve power for sharing an electrical load of said power supply or said battery that is powering said supplied device.
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10. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means is a processor having a plurality of addressable I/O ports for manipulating at least one activation of said selective conductors.
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11. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means includes a least one manipulating of a selectable position of a switch.
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12. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means includes a switch controlled by a power signal.
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13. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one element of the controller means is located in the connector assembly.
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14. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means is performed in the selected device.
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15. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means is performed in a supplied device.
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16. The connector assembly set forth in claim 5, wherein at least one of the first plurality of contacts and the dielectric element are located where they allow the battery to operate in its original location, in relation to said battery'"'"'s previously electrically coupled supplied device, so that said power supply is accessible by said third plurality of conductors to said battery or said supplied device.
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17. The connector assembly set forth in claim 2, wherein a first manipulating includes activation of at least a first selectable position of a switch to cause an analog power-related signal of the battery to transfer along the first plurality of conductors at the connector assembly and the third plurality of conductors to the power supply, instead of to the supplied device;
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wherein a second manipulating includes activation of at least a second selectable position of said switch to cause the battery signal to transfer along the first plurality of conductors at the connector assembly and the second plurality of conductors to said supplied device, instead of to said power supply.
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18. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein a further manipulating includes selective activation of the first and second pluralities of conductors,
wherein a battery accessible to said first plurality of conductors being, by a previous manipulation, electrically isolated from a supplied device accessible to said second plurality of conductors, now electrically coupled so as to transfer power-related signals between said battery and said supplied device, and further wherein the selectable device accessible at said third plurality of conductors is electrically isolated from both said battery and said supplied device. -
19. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means includes an analog-to-digital converter connected to a processor capable of reading and writing to memory, and a look-up table for determining an output power-signal of a power supply.
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20. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the controller means includes an analog-to-digital converter connected to a processor, with software for determining the output power-signal of a power supply.
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21. The connector assembly set forth in claim 19, wherein the controller means further includes a voltage comparator.
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22. The connector assembly as set forth in claim 20, wherein the analog-to-digital converter provides a means of determining an electrical load at a power input port of a supplied device, for adjusting the output power-signal of said power supply.
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23. The connector assembly as set forth in claim 19, wherein the analog-to-digital converter also provides a means for acquiring at least one voltage or current signal for confirming said output power-signal of said power supply.
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24. The connector assembly as set forth in claim 19, wherein the analog-to-digital converter provides a means for acquiring at least one of a voltage or current signal from a battery associated with a supplied device.
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25. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one power-related signal includes a digital signal, recognizable by a processor of the selected device and a processor of a supplied device being transferred via a communications link not related to the connector assembly, each processor being capable of transferring such a digital signal and having software to implement said signal.
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26. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one power-related signal includes a digital signal, recognizable by a processor of the selected device and a processor of a network server, being transferred via a communications link not related to the connector assembly, each processor being capable of transferring such a digital signal and having software'"'"'to implement said signal.
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27. The connector assembly as set forth in claim 26, wherein the communications link for transferring the digital signal includes wireless transceivers at said selected device and said network server.
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28. The connector assembly as set forth in claim 27, wherein at least one digital signal is for reporting to a processor capable of receiving such a digital signal at said network server a signal with information associated with an electrical load at an output of a selected device that is a power supply;
whereby, if the power supply is not delivering power to a supplied device, software of the server'"'"'s processor sends a command to shut down, as a means of conserving power resources.
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29. The connector assembly as set forth in claim 25, wherein at least one digital signal is for manipulating the activation of selective conductors of a connector assembly after shutting down the output of a selected power supply device that was delivering power to said supplied device;
whereby said manipulating causes a battery to deliver power to said supplied device, as a means of conserving power resources.
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30. The connector assembly set forth in claim 1, wherein the power-related signals include analog or digital signals received by a selected device that is capable of receiving said signals from any other devices electrically accessible to the connector assembly.
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31. The connector assembly set forth in claim 29, wherein at least one of the power-related signals includes data from performing at least one diagnostic test of the battery.
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32. The connector assembly set forth in claim 30, wherein at least one of the power-related signals includes information relating to minimum battery voltage upon placing a resistive load on the battery'"'"'s output.
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33. The connector assembly set forth in claim 30, wherein at least one of the power-related signals includes information for configuring an output voltage of said selected device that is a power supply that is within the operational output-voltage range of a battery capable of powering a supplied device;
whereby said information is received by a processor of the power supply for configuring said output voltage that is within an operational input range of said supplied device.
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34. The connector assembly set forth in claim 19, wherein the power supply is a transportable power conversion module having a power input requiring either an AC or DC power signal, and outputting said power signal as a DC power signal.
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35. The connector assembly set forth in claim 30, wherein the power-related signal is transferred by a modulator/demodulator for powerline modulation, said signal transferring along conductors used for power transfer.
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36. A connector assembly for transferring power-related signals, which is configurable for managing power resources at one of a network of local power supplies, each local network node comprising:
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a battery electrically coupled to a first set of contacts being, by a dielectric element, electrically isolated from a supplied device previously electrically coupled to said battery;
a first set of conductors of the connector assembly electrically connected to the first set of contacts;
a plurality of electrical devices;
a plurality of conductors not associated with the connector assembly, including a conductor set for electrically coupling each of the plurality of electrical devices to outputs of a power supply;
a battery-powered supplied device electrically coupled to a second set of contacts being, by said dielectric element, electrically isolated from the battery previously electrically coupled to said supplied device;
a second set of conductors of the connector assembly electrically connected to the second set of contacts;
a power supply having a plurality of outputs for powering the electrical devices, said power supply also including a configurable regulator electrically accessible at a third set of conductors of the connector assembly;
a processor and software for receiving a power-related signal from the battery to control the output of the configurable regulator, a controller means of said processor, accessible to the connector assembly for manipulating a selective activation of at least one set of conductors of the connector assembly;
a power-load sensing means accessible by said processor, for monitoring available power resources of the power supply; and
whereby first the controller means manipulates the activation of the first and third set of conductors at the connector assembly for transferring a power-related signal from the battery to the processor, and further whereby second the processor uses the power related signal from the battery to control the configurable output of the power supply, and further whereby third the controller means further manipulates the activation of the third set of conductors to the second set of conductors at the connector assembly for transferring the configured power output of the power supply to the supplied device, and further whereby fourth the power-load sensing means indicates at the processor an excessive use of power resources of the power supply, and further
whereby fifth the controller means further manipulates the activation of the first set of conductors to the second set of conductors at the connector, assembly to electrically connect the battery to said supplied device for said battery temporarily powering the supplied device, instead of the power supply,
thereby managing available power resources by reducing the power load at the power supply.- View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
a controller means of the processor capable of shutting down the power supply, and a communications means of the processor for transferring information among other equivalent power supplies inter-connected in a network of local power supplies for sharing power resources;
whereby, said power-load sensing means indicates to the processor further excessive load at the power supply; and
furtherwhereby the communications means transfers information regarding the excessive power load to other inter-connected local processors in the network, causing the controller means of at least one of said other local processors to shut down the power supply that is not delivering power, thereby managing power by making the power resources of another inter-connected local power supply available.
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38. The local network node set forth in claim 36, wherein the power supply and all other elements are at an airplane passenger seat for delivering power to a plurality of supplied devices available for passenger use at the seat, including a power outlet accessible to said configurable regulator for delivering power to a battery-powered supplied device electrically attached to said outlet.
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39. The connector assembly set forth in claim 36, wherein the battery-powered supplied device is powered at its power-input jack by a power source with a battery charging circuit separate from the power supply, and
the controller means manipulates the activation of the first and second set of conductors causing the battery and the supplied device to be coupled at the connector assembly, said conductors being accessible to the third set of conductors at the power supply, so that an analog-to-digital converter of the processor is electrically active for monitoring power transfer between said battery and said supplied device; whereby said analog-to-digital converter provides the processor voltage and current information for an algorithm that detects charging of said battery, causing said controller means to further manipulate the activation of conductors for electrically isolating said battery from said supplied device, thus managing power resources by preventing said battery from being charged.
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40. The connector assembly set forth in claim 39, wherein the power supply monitors power-related signals between the battery and its associated supplied device detects battery charging whereupon a command from the processor causes the controller to reconfigure the connector assembly to electrically isolate the battery from its associated powered device, thereby preventing further battery charging.
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41. The connector assembly set forth in claim 37, wherein the communications means includes wireless transceivers for inter-connecting each local processor with a server of a local area network.
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42. A system for power managing a plurality of inter-connected local power supplies, wherein a power supply delivering power to a variety of local supplied devices requires sharing power resources with an interconnected power supply, comprising:
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A source of power delivery to a network of conductors in a multi-node power grid for distributing power to a plurality of interconnected local power supplies;
said network of conductors further interconnecting a local power supply to at least one other local power supply on the power grid;
a local power supply capable of outputting a plurality of power signals, including a pre-set power signal to a local supplied device;
said outputting of power signals further including a power signal configurable to the input power requirements of a local supplied device;
a processor for transferring data accessible at a local power supply,said processor also providing a source of logic for configuring the output power signal of a local power supply;
a local analog-to-digital converter accessible by the processor for measuring an electrical load of a plurality of powered local supplied devices;
software for analyzing said load for adjusting the configurable power-output signal;
a plurality of conductors for transferring power signals between a local power supply and a plurality of local supplied devices, said conductors also delivering power to a power outlet for temporarily electrically attaching a battery-powered supplied device;
a connector assembly comprising;
a first set of electrical contacts electrically coupled to a battery of the supplied device;
a first set of conductors electrically connected to the first set of contacts;
a second set of contacts electrically coupled to the supplied device, said contacts electrically isolated by a dielectric element from the first set of contacts;
a second set of conductors electrically connected to the second set of contacts;
a third set of conductors, for accessing said power supply; and
said processor also providing a controller means accessible to the connector assembly for manipulating at least one selective activation of said electrical conductors; and
a master control unit accessible to all networked local power supplies, including a processor for transferring power-related data among other processors in the network;
whereby information about measuring a local electrical load by a local analog-to-digital converter is transferred among all network processors, so that any local power supply is configured by its processor to turn off so as to manage network power grid resources, and further whereby a local power supply delivering power to a temporarily-connected battery-powered supplied device reduces its total electrical load by said processor manipulating the conductors to access the battery as a shared source of power. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
a processor and modulator/demodulator for sending and receiving powerline modulation signals at the battery;
a processor and modulator/demodulator for sending and receiving powerline modulation signals at the adapter;
transfers data along two conductors electrically coupling the battery to a modulator/demodulator at the adapter.
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Specification