Direct current power management system
AssigneeGaniere Innovations, L.L.C.
InventorJeffrey R. GANIERE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power system may include a power source configured to output a first voltage, batteries, each battery configured to provide a second voltage, switches coupled between the batteries, and a controller coupled to the switches. The controller may be configured to place the switches in a first mode of operation so that the batteries are coupled in parallel and receive a charge from the power source, and place the switches in a second mode of operation so that the batteries are coupled in series and provide a combined voltage greater than the first voltage and the second voltage.
Claims20
A power system comprising:
- a power source configured to output a first voltage;
- a plurality of batteries, each battery configured to provide a second voltage;
- a plurality of switches coupled between said batteries;
- and
- a controller coupled to said plurality of switches and configured to
- place said plurality of switches in a first mode of operation so that said plurality of batteries is coupled in parallel and receives a charge from said power source, and
- place said plurality of switches in a second mode of operation so that said plurality of batteries is coupled in series and provides a combined voltage greater than the first voltage and the second voltage.
A vehicle comprising:
- an internal combustion engine;
- a load;
- and
- a vehicle power system comprising
- a vehicle power source configured to output a first voltage and comprising a vehicle starter battery, and an alternator coupled thereto, said alternator being driven by said internal combustion engine,
- a plurality of batteries, each battery configured to provide a second voltage,
- a plurality of switches coupled between said batteries, and
- a controller coupled to said plurality of switches and configured to
- place said plurality of switches in a first mode of operation so that said plurality of batteries is coupled in parallel and receives a charge from said vehicle power source, and
- place said plurality of switches in a second mode of operation so that said plurality of batteries is coupled in series and provides a combined voltage greater than the first voltage and the second voltage, the combined voltage driving said load.
A method of operating a power system comprising:
- operating a controller coupled to a plurality of switches, the plurality of switches being coupled between a plurality of batteries;
- and
- operating the controller to
- place the plurality of switches in a first mode of operation so that the plurality of batteries is coupled in parallel and receives a charge from a power source, and
- place the plurality of switches in a second mode of operation so that the plurality of batteries is coupled in series and provides a combined voltage greater than a first voltage from a power source and a second voltage from each battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.