Electric load management center

摘要

An electrical power distribution system is disclosed that includes a gateway module ( 100 ) including logic ( 112 ) to interface to a vehicle management computer (VMC) ( 50 ) via a dual redundant standard data bus ( 1 ). The gateway module ( 100 ) has redundant microcontrollers ( 114, 116 ) operably connected to the VMC ( 50 ) for selectively controlling supply of electrical power to a plurality of separate electrical loads ( 120 ). A plurality of Load Management Modules ( 300 ) is provided. Each Load Management Module ( 300 ) includes a local microcontroller ( 310 ); power switching devices ( 320 ); and application specific integrated circuits ASICs ( 330 ) for interfacing the power switching devices ( 320 ) to the local microcontroller ( 310 ). Each ASIC ( 330 ) can be connected to a corresponding digital potentiometer ( 600 ) that is used to program an over current protection characteristic. Additionally, each ASIC ( 330 ) can include a voltage to frequency converter ( 381 ) that provides a true RMS current value to the local microcontroller ( 310 ).