Patent ID: 8796888

Claim:
A wearable power management apparatus comprising: an elongated wearable portion comprising a generally flat flexible strap-shaped geometry configured to be worn by a human user, the elongated wearable portion including a mechanically flexible outer material; a first power and communications port disposed directly on the wearable portion at a first discrete location; a second power and communications port disposed directly on the wearable portion at a second discrete location, the second discrete location being spaced along the strap-shaped geometry of the elongated wearable portion apart from the first power and communications port by an intervening portion of the mechanically flexible outer material; a first electrical lead embedded in the wearable portion for routing electrical current at a first electrical lead electric potential level, to and from the first power port; a first electrical parameter sensor embedded in the wearable portion and configured to measure a first electrical lead electrical parameter to and from the first power port; a second electrical lead embedded in the wearable portion for routing electrical current at a second electrical lead electric potential level; a second electrical parameter sensor embedded in the wearable portion and configured to measure the second power electrical parameter; a buck boost converter electrically coupled to both the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the buck boost converter being configured to convert electrical current between the first electrical lead electric potential level and the second electrical lead electric potential level at a controlled potential conversion level; a controller being configured to receive operating current from either one of the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, the controller configured to monitor the first electrical parameter sensor and the second electrical parameter sensor and being configured to output control signals to the buck boost converter, said control signals being determined based on the first electrical lead electrical parameter and the second electrical lead electrical parameter.