Patent ID: 9634485
Date: 2017-04-25
CPC Classifications: G01R,H02J,H02M

Claim:
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.