# US 12,179,935 B2 · System and method for operating a power distribution system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,935 B2 - Document ID: US12179935B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/330,140 - Filed: 2023-06-06 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-18 - Assignees: E Aviation Systems Limited - Applicants: GE Aviation Systems Limited - Inventors: David Alan Elliott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179935B2 ## CPC - B64D 41/00: Power installations for auxiliary purposes - H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading - H02J 4/00: Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) - B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft - H02J 2105/32: {for aircrafts} - H02J 2105/52: for limitation of the power consumption in the networks or in one section of the networks, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract A method and power distribution system for operating in a low power consumption mode includes a primary power distribution node defining a primary distribution switch having an output and operable in a first conducting mode and a second non-conducting mode, and wherein operating in the second non-conducting mode includes a leakage current through the power distribution switch, at least one enabled electrical load downstream of the primary power distribution node, the at least one enabled electrical load connectable to the primary power distribution node by way of the primary distribution switch, and a primary power distribution node power source configured to supply power to the output of the primary distribution switch when the primary distribution switch is operating in the second non-conducting mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power distribution system, comprising: a primary power distribution node defining a set of primary distribution switches, each having an output and operable in a first conducting mode and a second non-conducting mode, and wherein operating in the second non-conducting mode includes a leakage current through the power distribution switch, and including a primary power distribution node power source configured to receive a first power, and supply a second power to an output, the second power less than the first power; and a controller module associated with the primary power distribution node and configured to: identify a power demand to be supplied during an idle state of the power distribution system, defining a predetermined power demand; identify a subset of secondary power distribution nodes not associated with any of the predetermined power demands; switchably disconnect the subset of secondary power distribution nodes from a limited power supply, by way of opening a subset of the primary distribution switches positioned in a primary power distribution node upstream of the respective subset of secondary power distribution nodes; and supply the second power to the output of the opened subset of the primary power distribution switches, wherein the second power reduces leakage current across the respective primary distribution switch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein second power is a lower voltage than the first power. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power distribution system of claim 2 wherein the second power limits the leakage current through the opened subset of the primary distribution switches. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the power distribution node power source is the limited power supply. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined power demand includes an always-on electrical load. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the first power is 270 Volts direct current (DC) and the second power is 28 Volts DC. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1, further comprising a first power source and a second dischargeable power source, and wherein the power distribution system is operable in a normal power mode when the first power supplied is supplied by way of the first power source, and further operable in a low power mode when the first power supplied is supplied by way of the second dischargeable power source, wherein the low power mode consumes less power than the normal power mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the second power is sufficient to operably enable another controller module in a standby mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the first power is supplied to the primary power distribution node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the first power is supplied by a dischargeable power source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power distribution system of claim 1 wherein the set of primary distribution switches include a set of solid state switches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An aircraft comprising the power distribution system of claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the predetermined power demands includes at least one of a monitoring load, a security monitoring load, a power-operated door load, or a lighting load. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the second power limits the leakage current through the subset of the primary distribution switches during a period of inactivity wherein the first power is supplied by a dischargeable power source. ### Claim 15 A method of reducing leakage current in a power distribution system, comprising: identifying a power demand designated to be supplied during an idle state of the power distribution system, defining a predetermined power demand; identifying a subset of secondary power distribution nodes not associated with any of the predetermined power demand; switchably disconnecting the subset of secondary power distribution nodes from a limited power supply, by way of opening a primary distribution switch positioned in a primary power distribution node upstream of the subset of secondary power distribution nodes; and supplying a low voltage power supply to the output of the opened primary power distribution switch, wherein the low voltage power supply reduces leakage current across the primary distribution switch. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the power demand designated to be supplied further comprising identifying a subset of electrical loads designated to be energized during an idle state of the power distribution system, defining a set of enabled electrical loads, identifying a second subset of secondary power distribution nodes associated with at least a subset of the enabled electrical loads, and switchably connecting the second subset of secondary power distribution nodes with the limited power supply to operably energize the subset of the enabled electrical loads. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the subset of enabled electrical loads includes at least one of a monitoring load, and security monitoring load, a power-operated door load, or a lighting load. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the subset of secondary power distribution nodes further includes a controller module configured to controllably operate switching operations of each respective secondary power distribution node, and wherein the supplied low voltage power supply is sufficient to operate the controller module. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the supplied low voltage power supply is sufficient to operate the controller module in a low power consumption standby mode. ### Claim 20 A power distribution system, comprising: a primary power distribution node defining a set of primary distribution switches, each having an output and operable in a first conducting mode and a second non-conducting mode, and wherein operating in the second non-conducting mode includes a leakage current through the power distribution switch, and including a primary power distribution node power source configured to receive a first power, and supply a second power to an output, the second power less than the first power; a first secondary power distribution node including a predetermined power demand operable in a low power consumption mode of the power distribution system, the first secondary power distribution node connectable to the primary power distribution node by a first primary distribution switch; and a second secondary power distribution node not associated with any of the predetermined power demand operable in the low power consumption mode of the power distribution system, the second secondary power distribution node connectable to the primary power distribution node by a second primary distribution switch; wherein, in response to the power distribution system operating in the low power consumption mode, the second secondary power distribution node is selectively disconnected from a power distribution system power source, and wherein the primary power distribution node power source supplies the second power to the second secondary power distribution node to operably reduce the leakage current through the second primary distribution switch.