System and method of power management for a solar powered device

A solar powered light assembly having an integral power management system comprising:

• a housing;
• a light source disposed within the housing;
• a solar energy collector disposed on an outer surface of said housing;
• and
• a power distribution system disposed within said housing and operatively connected to said solar energy collector and said light source, wherein said power distribution system includes a means for storing the collected solar energy having a plurality of energy storage devices, a control means for selecting to charge at least one energy storage device and selecting to discharge at least one energy storage device, a charge sensing means in electrical communication with said control means, a discharge sensing means in electrical communication with said control means, an energy charge switching means responsive to a signal from the control means for selectively charging at least one of said energy storage devices to a predetermined charge level by transferring energy from said solar energy collector to said selected at least one charging energy storage device, an energy discharge switching means responsive to a signal from said control means for selectively discharging energy from said selected at least one discharging energy storage device to a predetermined discharge level, and a load switching means responsive to a signal from the control means for delivering energy from said selected at least one discharging energy storage device to said light source.

A method of power management for a solar powered device, said method comprising the steps of:

• determining a predetermined condition is met for supplying energy to a load for operatively powering the solar powered device;
• selecting at least one energy storage device for discharging and selectively discharging energy from said selected at least one energy storage device to the load, if the selected at least one energy storage device contains a predetermined level of stored energy for supplying energy to the solar powered device and checking the predetermined level of stored energy of another selected energy storage device, if the selected at least one energy storage device does not contain a predetermined level of stored energy, until selecting at least one energy storage device having a predetermined level of stored energy;
• determining if a predetermined condition is met for charging at least one energy storage device by transferring energy from said solar energy collector to said selected at least one charging energy storage device;
• selectively charging at least one charging energy storage device by transferring energy collected by the solar collector to the selected at least one charging energy storage device if the predetermined charging condition is met;
• and
• discharging the selected at least one discharging energy storage device to a predetermined discharge level before selecting to charge the selected at least one discharging energy storage device to a predetermined charge level.

A method of power management for a solar powered device, said method comprising the steps of:

• determining that a predetermined condition is met for supplying energy to a load for operatively powering the solar powered device;
• selecting at least one energy storage device for discharging and selectively discharging energy from said selected at least one energy storage device to the load, if the selected at least one energy storage device contains a predetermined level of stored energy for supplying energy to the solar powered device and checking the predetermined level of stored energy of another selected energy storage device, if the selected at least one energy storage device does not contain a predetermined level of stored energy, until selecting at least one energy storage device having a predetermined level of stored energy;
• determining if a predetermined condition is met for charging at least one energy storage device by transferring energy from said solar energy collector to said selected at least one charging energy storage device;
• selectively charging at least one charging energy storage device by transferring energy collected by the solar collector to the selected at least one charging energy storage device if the predetermined charging condition is met;
• discharging the selected at least one discharging energy storage device to a predetermined discharge level to operatively power the solar powered device, before selecting to charge the selected at least one discharging energy storage device to a predetermined charge level;
• and
• using energy from the selected at least one discharging energy storage device to power a control means, monitoring the charge level of the selected at least one discharging energy control means, and selecting another at least one energy storage device to power the control means if the charge level of the selected discharging energy control means falls below a predetermined peak voltage level.

A solar powered device having an integral power management system comprising:

• a means for collecting solar energy;
• a means for storing the collected solar energy operatively connected to said solar energy collecting means via an energy transfer bus, wherein said energy storage means includes a plurality of energy storage devices;
• a control means for selecting to charge at least one energy storage device and selecting to discharge at least one energy storage device, wherein said selected at least one discharging energy storage device is discharged to a predetermined level before selecting to recharge said selected at least one discharging energy storage device;
• a sensing means for sensing a predetermined condition for charging at least one energy storage device, wherein said sensing means is in electrical communication with said control means;
• an energy charge switching means responsive to a signal from said control means for selectively charging at least one of said energy storage devices to the predetermined charge level by transferring energy from said solar energy collecting means to said selected at least one charging energy storage device upon the occurrence of the predetermined charging condition;
• a sensing means in electrical communication with said control means for sensing a predetermined condition for discharging said selected at least one energy storage device, wherein said predetermined discharging condition is if the selected energy storage device has a predetermined level of energy stored therein;
• an energy discharge switching means responsive to a signal from said control means for selectively discharging energy from said selected at least one discharging energy storage device to the predetermined discharge level upon the occurrence of the predetermined discharging condition;
• and
• a load switching means responsive to a signal from said control means for delivering energy from said selected at least one discharging energy storage device to the load for operatively powering the solar powered device.

A method of power management for a solar powered device, said method comprising the steps of:

• determining that a predetermined condition is met for supplying energy to a load for operatively powering the solar powered device by checking an input parameter from a sensor to the control means;
• selecting at least one energy storage device for discharging and selectively discharging energy from said selected at least one energy storage device to the load, if the selected at least one energy storage device contains a predetermined level of stored energy for supplying energy to the solar powered device and checking the predetermined level of stored energy of another selected energy storage device, if the selected at least one energy storage device does not contain a predetermined level of stored energy, until selecting at least one energy storage device having a predetermined level of stored energy;
• determining if a predetermined condition is met for charging at least one energy storage device by transferring energy from said solar energy collector to said selected at least one charging energy storage device;
• selectively charging at least one charging energy storage device by transferring energy collected by the solar collector to the selected at least one charging energy storage device if the predetermined charging condition is met;
• and
• discharging the selected at least one discharging energy storage device to a predetermined discharge level before selecting to charge the selected at least one discharging energy storage device to a predetermined charge level.