# US 12,224,582 B2 · Power supply for an aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,582 B2 - Document ID: US12224582B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/101,213 - Filed: 2023-01-25 - Published: 2024-07-25 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2023-01-25 - Assignees: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG - Applicants: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG - Inventors: Patrick Martin; Erik Munevar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224582B2 ## CPC - H02J 1/10: Parallel operation of DC sources - B64C 29/0008: {having its flight directional axis horizontal when grounded} - B64D 41/00: Power installations for auxiliary purposes - G01R 19/10: Measuring sum, difference or ratio - H02J 1/102: being switching converters (H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence) - H02M 1/325: {with means for allowing continuous operation despite a fault, i.e. fault tolerant converters} - H02M 3/02: without intermediate conversion into AC - H02M 3/285: {Single converters with a plurality of output stages connected in parallel (parallel operation of a plurality of converters in DC distribution networks H02J1/10)} - B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft - H02J 2105/32: {for aircrafts} - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A power supply for an aircraft comprises: an input configured to receive electrical power from an energy source, an output for supplying electrical power, a plurality of converters, each of which being electrically connected to the input to receive electrical power from the input and being configured to convert the electrical power and to provide the converted electrical power to the output, and a control unit being configured to individually control each of the plurality of converters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power supply for an aircraft, the power supply comprising: a single input configured to receive electrical power from at least one energy source; an output for supplying electrical power; a plurality of converters, wherein each converter of the plurality of converters is electrically connected to the single input to receive the electrical power from the single input and is configured to convert the electrical power and provide the converted electrical power to the output; and a control unit configured to individually control each converter of the plurality of converters, wherein the control unit is configured to activate a first predefined number of converters of the plurality of converters when an indication for a current demand indicates a first value, and wherein the control unit is configured to activate a second predefined number of converters of the plurality of converters when the indication for the current demand indicates a second value, the second predefined number of converters being different from the first predefined number of converters. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to individually activate or deactivate each converter of the plurality of converters. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to receive the indication for the current demand and to individually control each converter of the plurality of converters based on the indication for the current demand. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The power supply of claim 3, wherein the control unit comprises a communication interface for receiving the indication for the current demand. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The power supply of claim 4, wherein the indication for the current demand is configured to indicate the first value for a regular long-term operation and the second value for a short-term operation, and wherein the second value is lower than the first value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the second predefined number of converters is larger than the first predefined number of converters. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the plurality of converters is a plurality of DC-DC converters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the plurality of converters is configured to convert a first voltage to a second voltage, and wherein the second voltage is lower than the first voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power supply of claim 8, wherein the first voltage is a high voltage, and wherein the second voltage is a medium or low voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein each converter of the plurality of converters has a same design as each additional converter of the plurality of converters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the plurality of converters comprises at least two converters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a sensor input operatively connected to a current sensor configured to sense a current provided at the output of the power supply. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to activate at least one first converter of the plurality of converters and deactivate at least one second converter of the plurality of converters at a first point in time, wherein the control unit is configured to deactivate the at least one first converter of the plurality of converters and activate the at least one second converter of the plurality of converters at a second point in time, and wherein a period of time between the first point in time and the second point in time is preconfigured. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to activate and deactivate the plurality of converters at predefined time intervals. ### Claim 15 A system for an aircraft, the system comprising: at least one power bus configured to supply electrical power to one or more power consumers; at least one power supply comprising: a single input configured to receive electrical power from at least one energy source, an output for supplying electrical power, a plurality of converters, wherein each converter of the plurality of converters is electrically connected to the single input to receive the electrical power from the single input and is configured to convert the electrical power and provide the converted electrical power to the output, and a control unit configured to control each of the plurality of converters, wherein the control unit is configured to activate a first predefined number of converters of the plurality of converters when an indication for a current demand indicates a first value, and wherein the control unit is configured to activate a second predefined number of converters of the plurality of converters when the indication for the current demand indicates a second value, the second predefined number of converters being different from the first predefined number of converters; and a power distribution unit configured to electrically connect the at least one power supply to the at least one power bus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one power supply comprises a plurality of power supplies. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the system is positioned within the aircraft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the aircraft is a vertical-take-off-and-landing aircraft. ### Claim 19 A method of controlling a power supply, wherein the power supply comprises a single input configured to receive electrical power, an output for supplying electrical power, a control unit, and a plurality of converters, and wherein each converter of the plurality of converters is electrically connected to the single input to receive electrical power from the single input and is configured to convert the electrical power and provide the converted electrical power to the output, the method comprising: receiving, at the single input of the power supply, electrical power from at least one energy source, receiving, by the control unit of the power supply, an indication for a current demand, and individually controlling, by the control unit, each converter of the plurality of converters electrically connected to the single input, based on the indication for the current demand, wherein the control unit activates a first predefined number of converters of the plurality of converters when the indication for the current demand indicates a first value, and wherein the control unit activate a second predefined number of converters of the plurality of converters when the indication for the current demand indicates a second value, the second predefined number of converters being different from the first predefined number of converters. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The power supply of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy source is a single energy source.