# US 2022/0209550 A1 · Redundant power distribution and monitoring for LTA vehicles

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- Number: US 2022/0209550 A1
- Document ID: US20220209550A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/137,920
- Filed: 2020-12-30
- Published: 2022-06-30
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-30
- Assignees: Loon LLC
- Applicants: Loon LLC
- Inventors: Ewout van Bekkum; Jonathan Nutzmann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220209550A1

## CPC

- B64U 10/30: Lighter-than-air aircraft, e.g. aerostatic aircraft
- B64B 1/40: Balloons (B64B1/58 takes precedence; toy balloons A63H27/10)
- B64U 50/30: Supply or distribution of electrical power
- B64U 50/31: generated by photovoltaics
- F03D 9/007: {the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy}
- F03D 9/32: on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
- G05B 9/03: with multiple-channel loop, i.e. redundant control systems
- G05B 19/4144: {characterised by using multiplexing for control system}
- H02J 1/06: Two-wire DC power distribution systems
- H02J 7/575: {Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit}
- H02J 7/80: including monitoring or indicating arrangements
- H02J 7/855: {with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery}
- H02J 11/00: Circuit arrangements for providing service supply to auxiliaries of stations in which electric power is generated, distributed or converted
- B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft
- B64U 2101/21: for providing Internet access
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- B64U 2101/35: for science, e.g. meteorology
- B64U 2201/00: UAVs characterised by their flight controls
- F05B 2240/922: kept aloft due to buoyancy effects
- H02J 2101/24: Photovoltaics
- H02J 2101/30: Fuel cells
- H02J 2105/32: {for aircrafts}
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
- B64B: LIGHTER-THAN AIR AIRCRAFT
- F03D: WIND MOTORS
- 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)
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G

## Abstract

The technology relates to techniques for redundant power distribution and monitoring for lighter than air (LTA) vehicles. A power distribution and monitoring system for an LTA vehicle, can include two or more redundant controllers coupled to a multiplexer in a crossbar architecture. Each controller can control the multiplexer and inhibit the other controller in the case of a failure of the other controller. Each controller can control a power switch to direct power from a power source to an electronic component, and can monitor the power source. In some cases, a first controller receives a signal indicting a failure in a second controller, and the first controller inhibits the second controller and directs power from the power source to the electronic component.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A power distribution and monitoring system for a lighter than air vehicle, comprising:
two or more redundant controllers coupled to a multiplexer in a crossbar architecture, wherein each controller is configured to control the multiplexer and to inhibit the other controller in the case of a failure of the other controller;
a shared subsystem coupled to the multiplexer, the shared subsystem comprising a power switch;
a power source coupled to the shared subsystem; and
an electronic component coupled to the shared subsystem,
wherein each of the two or more redundant controllers is further configured to control the power switch to direct power from the power source to the electronic component,
wherein each of the two or more redundant controllers is further configured to monitor the power source.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising two or more select switches that are coupled to the two or more redundant controllers and to the multiplexer, wherein the crossbar architecture comprises two or more control interface connections between each of the two or more redundant controllers and the multiplexer, two or more control multiplexer select connections between each of the two or more redundant controllers and the multiplexer, and two or more inhibiting connections between each of the two or more redundant controllers and two or more select switches.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 2, wherein one of the two or more control multiplexer select connections is output from each of the two or more redundant controllers and input into one of the two or more select switches, and one of the two or more control multiplexer select connections is output from each of the two or more select switches and input into the multiplexer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the two or more redundant controllers comprise a first and a second controller, and wherein the crossbar architecture further comprises:
a first control interface connection coupling the first controller to the multiplexer and a second control interface connection coupling the second controller to the multiplexer;
a first control multiplexer select connection coupling the first controller to a first select switch and a second control multiplexer select connection coupling the second controller to a second select switch;
a third control multiplexer select connection coupling the first select switch to the multiplexer and a fourth control multiplexer select connection coupling the second select switch to the multiplexer; and
a first inhibiting connection coupling the first controller to the second select switch and a second inhibiting connection coupling the second controller to the first select switch.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the two redundant controllers are located in the same physical enclosure and are electrically isolated from one another.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises one or more of a battery, a fuel cell, a solar panel, and rotors configured to be spun by wind to generate energy.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the two or more redundant controllers is further configured to monitor one or more parameters of the power source, wherein the one or more parameters of the power source comprise one or more of a temperature, a charge imbalance, a fault, a voltage, a current, charge accumulation, energy accumulation, a current state of charge, efficiency, shading, and parasitic power monitoring.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the electronic component comprises one or more of a flight computer, a communications component, an altitude control system component, a navigation system component, and a sensor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a communications system coupled to the two redundant controllers, wherein the communications system comprises two or more communications units, each communications unit coupled to one of the two or more redundant controllers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a communications system coupled to the two or more redundant controllers, wherein the communications system is shared by the two or more redundant controllers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The power distribution and monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the shared subsystem further comprises a communications system, and wherein the two or more redundant controllers control the communications system.

### Claim 12

A method for controlling a power distribution and monitoring system for a lighter than air (LTA) vehicle, comprising:
receiving a signal, by a first controller, indicting a failure in a second controller, wherein each of the first and the second controllers is coupled to a multiplexer in a crossbar architecture;
inhibiting the second controller from controlling the multiplexer using the first controller; and
directing power from a power source to an electronic component using the first controller to change the state of a power switch in the shared subsystem.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the failure in the second controller comprises one or more of a memory corruption, a hardware fault, or an output of an erroneous value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the inhibiting the second controller from controlling the multiplexer using the first controller is performed autonomously.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the inhibiting the second controller from controlling the multiplexer using the first controller is manually controlled.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
accessing a communications system using the first controller, wherein the communications system is located onboard the LTA vehicle; and
monitoring the power source using the first controller.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein accessing the communications system comprises one or both of accessing a controller area network (CAN) bus and changing the state of an Ethernet switch.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the crossbar architecture further comprises:
a first control interface connection coupling the first controller to the multiplexer and a second control interface connection coupling the second controller to the multiplexer;
a first control multiplexer select connection coupling the first controller to a first select switch and a second control multiplexer select connection coupling the second controller to a second select switch;
a third control multiplexer select connection coupling the first select switch to the multiplexer and a fourth control multiplexer select connection coupling the second select switch to the multiplexer; and
a first inhibiting connection coupling the first controller to the second select switch and a second inhibiting connection coupling the second controller to the first select switch.