# US 10,374,423 B2 · Power combiner systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,423 B2 - Document ID: US10374423B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/388,824 - Filed: 2016-12-22 - Published: 2017-04-13 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-18 - Assignees: Argentum Electronics, Inc. - Applicants: Argentum Electronics, Inc. - Inventors: Bolis Ibrahim; Oleh Zhyhinas; Kamil Aleksander Wyszynski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374423B2 ## CPC - H02J 1/12: Parallel operation of DC sources having power converters with further DC sources without power converters - G05F 1/66: Regulating electric power - H02J 1/10: Parallel operation of DC sources - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES ## Abstract Power combiner systems and methods for combining power from a number of power sources, which can differ in output power level, to at least one output. A controller monitors energy storage elements and controls a switch network to dynamically charge and discharge the energy storage elements while matching a desired output level. The controller can dynamically direct the switch network to alter inputs and outputs, thereby changing the frequency and order in which energy storage elements are connected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for combining electrical power from a plurality of power sources, the system comprising: a plurality of capacitors arranged in a plurality of sets, each of the plurality of sets corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of power sources; a plurality of voltage sensors coupled respectively to each of the plurality of capacitors; a plurality of output switches corresponding respectively to each of the plurality of capacitors; a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of voltage sensors and the plurality of output switches, and configured to: determine a respective state for each selected capacitor of the plurality of capacitors; determine a maximum power point for each respective power source corresponding to each selected capacitor of the plurality of capacitors; determine at least one output capacitor from the plurality of capacitors, the at least one output capacitor having a respective state furthest from a respective maximum power point for a respective power source; and direct at least one of the plurality of output switches to couple the at least one output capacitor to at least one output. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of input switches corresponding respectively to each of the plurality of capacitors, each of the plurality of input switches coupling a respective energy storage capacitor to a respective power source, wherein the controller is further configured to decouple the at least one output capacitor from its respective power source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to direct at least one of the output switches to decouple a previous output capacitor from the output, and to direct at least one of the input switches to recouple the previous output capacitor to its respective power source. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to periodically repeat the determining, the decoupling the at least one output capacitor, the decoupling the previous output capacitor, the recoupling and the coupling to selectively switch between the plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein a period of the periodic repeating is determined based on a discharge time of the plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a plurality of energy levels corresponding respectively to the plurality of capacitors, wherein the selecting is based on the plurality of energy levels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to enforce a minimum or maximum output power when selecting the at least one output capacitor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to enforce a minimum or maximum output voltage when selecting the at least one output capacitor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a dynamic load, wherein the at least one output capacitor is coupled to the output via a dynamic load. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the dynamic load is a DC-DC converter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the respective state is a peak voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the respective state is a peak charging voltage that corresponds to a highest charging rate for the selected capacitor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one output comprises a plurality of outputs. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of output switches have a switching frequency of at least 1 kilohertz (kHz). ### Claim 15 A method of combining electrical power from a plurality of power sources, the method comprising: providing a plurality of capacitors arranged in a plurality of sets, each of the plurality of sets corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of power sources; determining a respective state for each selected capacitor of the plurality of capacitors; determining a maximum power point for each respective power source corresponding to each selected capacitor of the plurality of capacitors; determining at least one output capacitor from the plurality of capacitors, the at least one output capacitor having a respective state furthest from a respective maximum power point for a respective power source; and coupling the at least one output capacitor to an electrical network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein coupling the at least one output capacitor to the electrical network further comprises decoupling the at least one output capacitor from its respective power source. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein coupling the at least one output capacitor to the electrical network comprises decoupling a previous output capacitor from the output and recoupling the previous output capacitor to its respective power source. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising periodically repeating the determining, the decoupling the at least one output capacitor, the decoupling the previous output capacitor, the recoupling and the coupling to selectively switch between the plurality of capacitors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein a period of the periodic repeating is determined based on a discharge time of the plurality of storage capacitors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the respective state is a peak voltage. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the respective state is a peak charging voltage that corresponds to a highest charging rate for the selected capacitor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the determining further comprises determining a plurality of energy levels corresponding respectively to the plurality of capacitors, wherein the determining is based on the plurality of energy levels. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the determining further comprises enforcing a minimum or maximum output power. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the determining further comprises enforcing a minimum or maximum output voltage. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one output capacitor is coupled to the output via a dynamic load. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the dynamic load is a DC-DC converter. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: providing a plurality of output switches corresponding respectively to each of the plurality of capacitors; wherein coupling the at least one output capacitor to the electrical network comprises directing at least one of the plurality of output switches to couple the at least one output capacitor to the electrical network; and the plurality of output switches switch at a switching frequency of at least 1 kilohertz (kHz).