US 5,982,643 A · Power converter with selectively variable output and controller and display system therefor

Abstract

A system to control the output voltage of a power converter in response to a specific load battery condition. The system contains a power converter, a TCMS interface attached thereto and a controller for selectively and/or adaptably changing the magnitude of converter output voltage. A control module is incorporated in the system to automatically change converter output voltage up or down in response to the load (input) voltage. The module contains a microcontroller to sense the battery (input) voltage process said input voltage with an analog-to-digital converter. The microcontroller is programmed to execute a series of routines to determine the proper charging voltage for the system. Thereafter, the control module communicates this information through the interface of the power converter to cause the power converter to charge at the optimum voltage. In the alternative, a plug-in component containing passive circuitry may be used to manually signal the power converter to charge at a predetermined voltage.

Claims49

Dependent claims

A remotely controllable electric power supply, comprising in combination:

an input for receiving operating power from a source;
an output for supplying power to a load connected thereto at a desired voltage level different from that supplied to said input by said source;
circuitry between said input and output for modifying and conditioning said operating power to produce said output power, said circuitry including a voltage-variable portion for changing the voltage level of said output in response to an applied control voltage indicative of an actual voltage of said load;
an interface coupled to said voltage-variable circuitry portion to apply said control voltage thereto;
a command module coupled to said interface for providing said control voltage for application to said voltage-variable portion of said power supply circuitry to change said output level, said command module including a processor programmed to change said control voltage and thus said output voltage level as a function of at least certain predetermined parameters;
and
sensing circuitry for monitoring said certain parameters, including said actual voltage of said load, and transmitting signals representative thereof to said command module for use in changing said control voltage.

4 more elements

A control system for use with an electric power converter having an output voltage whose magnitude is a function of internal converter circuitry which includes a signal-responsive circuit portion operative to selectively change the output voltage of said electric power converter from a first value to any of a plurality of different second values comprising:

an interface electrically connected to said signal-responsive circuit portion and physically communicating externally of said power converter, for receiving a control signal from an external source and applying such signal to said signal-responsive circuit portion;
a control module located externally of said converter and adapted to be coupled to said interface to apply a control signal indicative of an actual voltage of a load to said interface corresponding to a selected particular different such second value output voltage, said control signal applied by said interface to said signal-responsive circuit portion to thereby change the output of said converter from said first value to said selected different second value from said location external to said converter.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Power converter with selectively variable output and controller and display system therefor

Life of this patent

Power converter with selectively variable output and controller and display system therefor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims49