Power manager

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A power manager comprising:
a power bus operating at a first DC bus voltage; an electronic controller including a memory module; a plurality device ports each configured to interface with an external DC power device; a power converter channel disposed between each device port and the power bus wherein each power converter channel includes a unidirectional DC to DC power converter and one or more switches each operable by the electronic controller to connect the device port to or disconnect the device port from the power bus with appropriate power conversion settings; a direct power channel disposed between each device port and the power bus wherein each direct power channel includes one or more switches operable by the electronic controller to directly connect the device port to or disconnect the device port from the power bus; wherein at least one power converting channel includes a unidirectional DC to DC input power converter having an input side and an output side disposed along the power converting channel between the power bus and an input device port wherein the input power converter input side connects to the input device port and the input power converter output side connects to the power bus; wherein at least one power converting includes a unidirectional DC to DC output power converter having an input side and an output side disposed along the power converting channel between the power bus and an output device port wherein the output power converter output side connects to the output device port and the output power converter input side connects to the power bus; a bus sensor module in communication with the electronic controller configured to sense the first DC bus voltage; and, energy management schema operating on the electronic controller operable to; determine for each external DC power device interfaced with one of the plurality of device ports a device type and an operating voltage range thereof; generate a list of external DC power devices to connect to the DC power bus as a power source; generate a list of external DC power devices to connect to the DC power bus as a power load; determine a power conversion setting, based on the first DC bus voltage, for each external DC power device that has a non-bus compatible operating voltage; and, calculate a total power conversion loss associated with the power conversion settings.