Patent Document

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/566,283, filed Dec. 2, 2011. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates generally to power switching controllers, and more particularly to programmable solid-state power switching controllers. 
     Programmable power switching controllers are generally known and are characterized by having adjustable (programmable) output ratings. One type of programmable power switching controller is constructed from solid-state components and is referred to as a solid-state programmable power switching controller. Disadvantageously, however, the hardware for a programmable solid-state power switching controller must incorporate sufficient components on each power channel to handle the maximum output rating allowed for the power channel. Consequently, any systems utilizing less than the full current rating of a given channel includes the excess weight of the unnecessary switching components, as well as the associated controls required to operate the unnecessary switching components 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disclosed is a programmable power switching controller having: a plurality of power channels, each of the power channels having a load output, and a programming connecter operable to connect the load output of each power channel in a subset of power channels to the output of each other power channels in the subset, thereby creating a merged power switching controller channel. 
     Also disclosed is a multi-channel solid-state power distribution system having: a programmable solid-state power switching controller with a plurality of channels, and a cross communication system operable to enable each of the plurality of channels to cross communicate with each other of the plurality of channels. 
     These and other features of this application will be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The various features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a highly schematic view of a programmable solid-state power switching controller in a first configuration. 
         FIG. 2  shows a highly schematic view of a programmable solid-state power switching controller in a second configuration. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a highly schematic view of a programmable solid-state power switching controller in a third configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a solid-state power switching controller  10 . The solid-state power switching controller  10  includes four independent channels  20 , each of which includes all of the components necessary to operate as a power switching controller channel. Each of the independent power channels  20  is connected to a corresponding load output  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 . A power input  30  provides input power to each of the independent power channels  20 . Also included is a cross-channel communication  40  arrangement that allows each of the independent power channels  20  to communicate with each of the other independent power channels  20  as necessary. 
     In the illustrated example of  FIG. 1 , each of the independent power channels  20  is contained on a single shared substrate  50 , thereby forming a single solid-state power switching controller  10  module that can control power distribution to each of the multiple loads  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 . Each of the independent power channels  20  includes a controller  22 , such as a microprocessor, microcontroller, Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). In an alternate example, a single controller can be located on the solid-state power switching controller  10  module and control each of the independent power channels  20  using a single controller or a pair of redundant controllers. In the alternate example, the single controller, or pair of redundant controllers, facilitates cross-channel communication  40  arrangement between the power channels  20 . 
     The substrate  50  is constructed in a manner that allows a programming connector to be fastened to the substrate  50 . This programming connector can either be fastened onto the substrate  50 , or be connected externally to the solid-state power switching controller  10  module. The programming connector includes jumper connections that electrically connect two or more of the load outputs  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  together to form a single merged output. The programming connector can also include a communications connection that connects to the controllers  22  and informs the controllers  22  of the merged outputs, thereby allowing the controllers  22  to provide appropriate power switching controls. In the alternate example, the single controller, or pair of redundant controllers, would similarly be informed from the programming connector of the configuration of merged outputs. 
     The load outputs  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  illustrated in  FIG. 1  are the default load outputs  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  when no programming connector is connected to the power switching controller  10 . Each of the independent power channels  20  has a specific maximum current rating at which the independent power channel  20  can operate. In one example configuration, the current rating of each independent power channel  20  is identical to the current rating of each other independent power channel  20 . In such a configuration, the current rating of each independent power channel  20  is the minimum programmable current rating for the programmable solid-state power switching controller  10 . In other example configurations, the current rating of each independent power channel  20  can vary from channel to channel. In one example solid-state power switching controller, the current rating of each independent power channel  20  is 3 amps. In another example solid-state power switching controller the current rating of each individual power channel is 2.5 amps. 
     A cross-channel communication  40  arrangement connects each controller  22  to each other controller  22 , and allows the controllers  22  to share individual channel data, such as for synchronizing switching or summing the current between any merged independent power channels  20 . In the illustrated example of  FIG. 1 , the cross-channel communication  40  arrangement is shown using a dashed line indicating that there are no merged independent power channels  20 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , with continued reference to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  illustrates the example solid-state power switching controller  10  of  FIG. 1  with an attached programming connector  160 . The programming connector  160  alters the load output  132  by electrically connecting the load output  132  to another load output  134  to form a single merged power channel  122  consisting of the independent power channels  20  corresponding to load outputs  132  and  134 . The merged power channel  122  arrangement is communicated to the corresponding controllers  124  in the merged power channels  122  which cross-communicate using a cross-communication arrangement  140 . In this way, the underlying independent power channels  20  operate in conjunction to act as a single merged solid-state power channel  122  and, with communications, to enable coordinated operation of the merged channel  122  using cross-communication arrangement  140 . In the alternate example, using a single controller, or pair of redundant controllers, the single controller or pair of redundant controllers can facilitate the cross-channel communication of which channels are merged, and which are independent. Also, the single controller, or pair of redundant controllers, can implement communications to and from the merged channel  122  and independent power channels  120  to coordinate and control all power channels on the power switching controller  100 . 
     The current rating of the merged power channel  122  is approximately equal to the sum of the current rating of each of the underlying independent power channels  120  that combine to make up the merged power channel  122 . The exact current rating of the merged power channel  122  can be nominally affected by connections within the programming connector  160 , other internal connections, or internal switching and thermal losses, and may not be exactly the sum of the current ratings of the underlying independent power channels  122 . 
     In the arrangement of  FIG. 2 , each of the independent power channels  120  corresponding to the load outputs  136 ,  138  are available to be utilized as independent power channels  120 . Thus, the illustrated arrangement of  FIG. 2  allows for three power channels  120 ,  122  to be utilized with the merged power channel  122  having approximately twice the current rating of the two independent power channels  120 . 
     In an example configuration utilizing a synchronization controller to control the cross-channel communication  140  between the solid-state power channels  120 ,  122  the programming connector  160  is linked to the synchronization controller and informs the synchronization controller of the merged power channel  122  and of the specific power channels  120  comprising the merged power channel  122 , thereby allowing for proper switching synchronization. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 ,  FIG. 3  illustrates a solid-state power switching controller  200  arranged as a single merged power channel  222  providing power to a load output  238 . The single merged power channel  222  of  FIG. 3  uses a programmable connector  260  to electrically connect the load outputs  232 ,  234 ,  236 ,  238  of the underlying independent power channels  20  together. As illustrated by the solid cross-channel communication line  240 , all of the underlying power channels  20  cross-communicate and operate as a single merged power channel  222 . The merged power channel  222  has a current rating approximately equal to the sum of the current ratings of each of the underlying power channels  20 . In the illustrated example of  FIG. 3 , no synchronization controller is utilized and cross-communication is facilitated using the controllers  224  contained on each of the underlying power channels  20 . In an alternate example configuration utilizing a synchronization controller, the synchronization controller facilitates the cross-channel communication arrangement  240 . 
     As can be appreciated from each of the above examples, the power switching controller  10 ,  100 ,  200  can have power channels  20 ,  120  with a set current rating, and the current rating of a given power channel  20 ,  120  can be varied using a programming connector  160 ,  260  to create one or more merged power channels  122 ,  222  with a higher current rating, up to a maximum of a single merged power channel  222  with a current rating approximately equal to the sum of the current ratings of each of the underlying independent power channels  20 ,  120 . It can further be appreciated that any of the independent power channels  20 ,  120 , that are not included in the merged power channel  122 ,  222  can be utilized as independent power channels or included in a second merged power channel. Thus, the solid-state power switching controller  10 ,  100 ,  200  can provide multiple power channels with variable current ratings without requiring each channel to include components sufficient to handle the maximum current rating. It can be further appreciated, in light of this disclosure, that additional independent power channels  20 ,  120  beyond the illustrated four can be utilized on a single power switching controller  10 ,  100 ,  200 . 
     Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.

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