Patent ID: 9722421
Date: 2017-08-01
CPC Classifications: H02J

Claim:
1. A DC plant controller, comprising: a non-transitory memory configured to store power source data indicative of types of power sources; a source identifier configured to gain access to the power source data in said non-transitory memory to identify power sources couplable to a common DC bus; a source prioritizer coupled to said source identifier and configured to prioritize said power sources based on the power source data received from said source identifier, said power sources including a high priority power source and a low priority power source; and an output characteristic assigner coupled to said source prioritizer and configured to assign respective output characteristics, including an output voltage, a current limit, and a current share value, to said power sources that differ from one another as a function of said priority, wherein said output characteristic assigner is further configured to assign respective output voltages to said power sources based on said priority, wherein said high priority power source is assigned a higher output voltage than said low priority power source, wherein said output characteristic assigner is further configured to assign respective current limits to said power sources based on said priority, wherein said high priority power source is assigned a larger percentage current limit than said low priority power source, wherein the respective current limits are defined relative to respective current capacities, wherein said output characteristic assigner is further configured to assign respective current share values to said power sources based on said priority and a total voltage and current output to said common DC bus, wherein said high priority power source is assigned a larger percentage current share value than said low priority power source, wherein percentage current share values are defined relative to respective load capacities, and wherein said output characteristic assigner is further configured to adjust the respective output voltages and the respective current limits of said power sources based on the respective current share values.