# US 12,191,654 B1 · Soft breaker circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,654 B1 - Document ID: US12191654B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/167,463 - Filed: 2023-02-10 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-12 - Assignees: Equinix, Inc. - Applicants: Equinix, Inc. - Inventors: Tikhon Suresh Pichai; David James Asher Hall; Robert W. Salter; Craig Pennington - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191654B1 ## CPC - G05B 9/02: electric - H02H 9/00: Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection - G05B 13/028: {using expert systems only} - H02H 1/0007: {concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445)} - H02H 1/0092: {concerning the data processing means, e.g. expert systems, neural networks} - H02J 1/084: {for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources} - H02J 1/14: Balancing load and power generation in DC networks - H02J 3/00: Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks - H02J 7/865: {Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence)} - H02J 2105/425: {the loads being an Information and Communication Technology [ICT] facility} - H02J 2105/51: {according to a condition being electrical} - Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract In some examples, an electrical power system includes a power source and a load modulator configured to receive power from the power source and to deliver power to a load zone. The electrical power system also includes a controller configured to determine a software-controlled power flow limit for the load zone. The controller is further configured to receive information indicating the power delivered to the load zone and to cause the power delivered to the load zone to remain below the software-controlled power flow limit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical power system comprising: a connection to a power source; two differential lines along which power from the power source travels to a load zone; a first energy storage unit; a second energy storage unit; a booster energy storage unit with one or more chemistries; one or more switches; and a controller configured to: configure the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage unit to be in series with the booster energy storage unit between the two differential lines; and based on a determination that a voltage drop across the first energy storage unit is less than a voltage drop across the second energy storage unit, configure the one or more switches to cause the second energy storage unit to be in series with the booster energy storage unit between the two differential lines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first energy storage unit, the second energy storage unit, and the booster energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and wherein a different one of the first energy storage unit, the second energy storage unit, and the booster energy storage unit includes sodium-ion batteries. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first energy storage unit, second energy storage unit, and booster energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries in parallel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first energy storage unit, the second energy storage unit, and the booster energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries in series. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the first energy storage unit, the second energy storage unit, and the booster energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries in parallel strings and in series, wherein each parallel string of batteries includes at least one of lithium-ion string of batteries and sodium-ion string of batteries. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first energy storage, the second energy storage, and the booster energy storage unit includes ultra-capacitors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein a voltage drop across the booster energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit is equal to a voltage level supplied by the power source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine that the voltage drop across the second energy storage unit is less than the voltage drop across the first energy storage unit; and configure the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage unit to be in series with the booster energy storage unit between the two differential lines based on determining that the voltage drop across the second energy storage unit is less than the voltage drop across the first energy storage unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to, based on determining that the power source is providing a stable voltage, operate as a charge manager for the first energy storage unit, the second energy storage unit, and the booster energy storage unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electrical power system of claim 1, wherein the sum of the voltage between the two differential lines is equal to the sum of the voltage across the booster energy storage unit and the one of the first energy storage unit or the second energy storage unit in series with the booster energy storage unit between the two differential lines. ### Claim 11 An electrical power system comprising: a connection to a power source; two differential lines along which power is delivered from the power source to a load zone; a first energy storage unit; a second energy storage unit; one or more switches; and a controller configured to: configure, during a discharging phase, the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage unit to be in parallel with the second energy storage unit between the two differential lines; and based on a determination, during the discharging phase, that a voltage drop across the first energy storage unit or a voltage drop across the second energy storage unit is less than an acceptable voltage level, configure the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage unit to be in series with the second energy storage unit between the two differential lines. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electrical power system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and wherein a different one of the first energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit includes sodium-ion batteries. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The electrical power system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries in parallel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The electrical power system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first energy storage unit and second energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries in series. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The electrical power system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first energy storage unit and second energy storage unit includes lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries in parallel strings and in series, wherein each parallel string of batteries includes one or more of lithium-ion string of batteries and sodium-ion string of batteries. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The electrical power system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first energy storage and the second energy storage include ultra-capacitors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The electrical power system of claim 11, wherein to configure the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage to be in series with the second energy storage, the controller is configured to discharge the first energy storage and the second energy storage at a higher voltage than when the first energy storage and the second energy storage were in parallel between the two differential lines. ### Claim 18 An electrical power system comprising: a connection to a power source; two differential lines along which power is delivered from the power source to a load zone; a first energy storage unit; a second energy storage unit one or more switches; and a controller configured to: configure, during a charging phase, the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage unit to be in series with the second energy storage unit between the two differential lines; and based on a determination, during the charging phase, that a combined voltage drop across the first energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit is less than a threshold voltage level, configure the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage unit to be in parallel with the second energy storage unit between the two differential lines. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrical power system of claim 18, wherein to configure the one or more switches to cause the first energy storage to be in parallel with the second energy storage, the controller is configured to charge the first energy storage and the second energy storage to a higher voltage than when the first energy storage and the second energy storage were in series between the differential lines. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The electrical power system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit includes lithium-ion batteries and wherein a different one of the first energy storage unit and the second energy storage unit includes sodium-ion batteries.