Patent ID: 8295950

Claim:
A power management system configured for use on a refrigerated truck, said system comprising: a first AC power bus associated with a first AC voltage level; a plurality of first AC power inputs, each associated with a corresponding AC power source and selectively coupled to the first AC power bus so that the first AC power bus is powered by the corresponding AC power source through a selected one of the first AC power inputs, said first AC power inputs including two or more of: a generator input for receiving three-phase AC power at said first AC voltage level from an engine-driven generator of said refrigerated truck; an inverter input for receiving three-phase AC power at said first AC voltage level from a battery-powered inverter onboard said refrigerated truck; a first shore power input for receiving three-phase AC power at said first AC voltage level from a shore power source; and a second generator input for receiving three-phase power at said first AC voltage level from dedicated generator associated with a refrigeration unit of said refrigerated truck; a step-down transformer having an input coupled to said first AC power bus and an output selectively coupled to a second AC power bus included in said system and configured to provide single-phase AC power to said second AC power bus at a second AC voltage level, based on being configured to step down said first AC voltage level on said first AC power bus, so that said second AC bus is selectively powered from said first AC bus but at said second AC voltage level, for powering one or more loads onboard said refrigerated truck at said second AC voltage level; one or more first AC power outputs coupled to said second AC power bus and configured to provide said single-phase AC power at said second AC voltage level, including at least one of: an accessories output for powering one or more accessory systems onboard said refrigerated truck; an Auxiliary Power Output (APU) output for powering an APU onboard said refrigerated truck; an HVAC output for powering an HVAC system associated with a cab of said refrigerated truck; and an auxiliary power output for powering one or more accessory systems external to said refrigerated truck; a multiplexed power output coupled to said first AC power bus for providing three-phase AC power at said first AC voltage level to the refrigeration unit of the refrigerated truck; and a controller configured to control a switching circuit to dynamically select one of the first AC power inputs for powering the first AC power bus from the corresponding AC power source, based on determining which ones of the corresponding AC power sources are available and selecting one of the available AC power sources according to a programmatic order of preference, and further configured to dynamically modify the programmatic order of preference based on evaluating one or more environmental monitoring signals input to the controller.