Abstract: A battery assembly includes an enclosure, and a plurality of battery modules within the enclosure. Each battery module includes an array of battery cells, one or more first sensors configured to measure one or more first parameters of the corresponding battery module, and a first processor configured to receive sense signals from the one or more first sensors of the corresponding battery module. One or more second sensors are within the enclosure, but external to the battery modules, and configured to measure one or more second parameters of the battery assembly. A second processor within the enclosure is to receive data from each of first processors and the one or more second sensors, and transmit controller input data to a controller external to the battery assembly, the controller input data based on the data received from the first processors and the one or more second sensors.

Abstract: A battery assembly includes an enclosure including a plurality of battery cells, and a sensor within the enclosure. The sensor is configured to measure a parameter within the enclosure, and generate a sense signal. The battery assembly further includes a processor within the enclosure, wherein the processor is configured to process the sense signal and generate information associated with the sense signal. A first communication link is configured to transmit, from the enclosure to a system that is external to the enclosure, a discrete signal indicative of whether the sense signal indicates a fault condition. A second communication link is configured to transmit, from the enclosure to the system, a digital signal including the information. Thus, transmitting the discrete signal over the first communication link and the information associated with the sense signal over the second communication link provides redundancy and improves reliability of the battery assembly.

Abstract: A battery assembly includes a first plurality of battery cells, a second plurality of battery cells, and a switch between the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells. In an example, the first plurality of battery cells, the switch, and the second plurality of battery cells are connected in series to a load. In an example, the first plurality of battery cells, the second plurality of battery cells, and the switch are within an enclosure, which is within a pressure regulated section of an aircraft. The load may be external to the enclosure. The battery assembly further includes a controller configured to open the switch and the disconnect the first plurality of battery cells from the second plurality of battery cells, in response to an air pressure proximal to the first and second pluralities of battery cells falling below a threshold level.

Abstract: A power supply includes an I/O module configured to receive a high voltage DC input and output a high voltage DC, a plurality of DC converter modules configured to receive the high voltage DC output from the I/O module and output a low voltage DC output, and a plurality of AC inverter modules configured to receive the high voltage DC output from the I/O module and output a high voltage AC output. Each of the plurality of DC converter modules, each of the plurality of AC inverter modules and the I/O module may be mounted in a corresponding individual chassis. Each of the individual chassis may be configured to be stackable together into a single line replaceable unit (LRU). Each of the individual chassis may have an identically shaped outer frame.

Abstract: A battery assembly includes an enclosure, an outgas sensor within the enclosure, a pressure relief device within the enclosure, a pressure relief sensor within the enclosure, and a processor within the enclosure. The outgas sensor is configured to sense an outgas event of one or more battery cells within the enclosure and output a first sense signal. The pressure relief device is configured to release gas pressure from the enclosure, in response to pressure within the enclosure exceeding a threshold value. The pressure relief sensor is configured to sense a pressure release event caused by the pressure relief device and output a second sense signal. The processor is configured to receive the first sense signal and the second sense signal, and to transmit information associated with the first and second sense signals to a system that is external to the enclosure.

Abstract: A battery system, battery packs and battery modules are disclosed. The battery module comprises a plurality of cells mounted within a housing. The housing has a plurality of openings respectively for a corresponding cell. The module has a plurality of groups of cells. Each group comprises a plurality of parallel connected cells from among the plurality of cells. The plurality of groups is connected in series. The module has a plurality of current limiting elements. Each current limiting element are electrically connected in a parallel path to one or both terminals of cells which are parallelly connected. The current limiting elements may be passive or active elements. The current limiting elements may be integrated in or separate from busbars which are connected to terminals of the cells.

Abstract: A battery system, battery packs and battery modules are disclosed. The battery module comprises a plurality of cells mounted within a housing. The module has a plurality of groups of cells. Each group comprises a plurality of parallel connected cells from among the plurality of cells. The plurality of groups is connected in series. The module has a plurality of current limiting elements. Each current limiting element are electrically connected in a parallel path to one or both terminals of cells which are parallelly connected. The current limiting elements may be integrated in or separate from busbars which are connected to terminals of the cells. Impedance balancing is provided to the parallel fusing scheme to improve the overall reliability of the battery module. The battery module configuration allows for continuity assurance testing of the parallel connections to ensure detection of blown fuses or broken connections in the module.

Abstract: Systems for efficiently starting an engine of a hybrid electric vehicle are provided. An example of a system comprises a first processor and a second processor. The second processor is configured to determine when to start an internal combustion engine, cause energy to be supplied from an energy storage device to a generator/motor to cause the generator/motor and crankshaft to rotate to at least a hold speed, transmit a first instruction to a first processor when determining that the internal combination engine should be started. The first processor does not supply fuel to at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine in response to the first instruction. The second processor is configured to transmit a second instruction to the first processor after a variable period of time has elapse after the generator/motor or crankshaft has reached at least the hold speed.

Abstract: An apparatus that allows for access to any and all registers of a central processing unit in a line replaceable unit (LRU) without a need to open the housing of the LRU is provided. The apparatus may receive write or read packets from an external device and relay the same to an LRU. The apparatus may receive state information from one or more registers of the LRU in response. The apparatus may transmit or transfer the state information to an external device. The apparatus may be used to update firmware in the LRU, for diagnostics or testing.

Abstract: A method for initializing an engine control system of an aircraft may include authenticating a boot loader, authenticating a manifest in response to authentication of the boot loader wherein the manifest contains hashes of one or more software components, and in response to authentication of the manifest, loading a first set of software components from among the one or more software components onto a non-transitory computer-readable medium, calculating a hash of each software component of the first set of software components, authenticating the first set of software components by comparing the calculated hash of each software component of the first set of software components to the hash of a corresponding software component in the manifest, and executing the first set of software components in response to authentication of the one or more software components. Devices and systems are also provided for initializing an engine control system of an aircraft.

Abstract: A distributed control system includes an electronic control unit to establish secure communication with a distributed control module. Upon determination that a previously negotiated session key is stored on the electronic control unit, the electronic control unit transmits encrypted communications with the distributed control module using the previously negotiated session key, negotiates a new session key with the distributed control module, and stores the new session key. Upon determination that the previously negotiated session key is not stored on the electronic control unit, the electronic control unit negotiates the new session key with the distributed control module. After negotiating the new session key with the distributed control module, the electronic control unit ceases transmission of unencrypted communications with the distributed control module, transmits encrypted communications with the distributed control module using the new session key, and stores the new session key.

Abstract: Apparatuses and techniques for reducing backlash between components in a transmission system are provided. The apparatuses and techniques provide a controllable torque over a target range of motion of a component in the transmission system. This eliminates the play at the interfaces between components and forces the components to maintain a controlled contact between the interfacing surfaces.

Abstract: An energy management system (EMS) for an aircraft is provided. The aircraft may have one of a plurality of propulsion systems such as a parallel hybrid electric propulsion system, a parallel turbo electric propulsion system, an electric propulsion system, a turbo electric propulsion system and a turbo hybrid electric propulsion system. The EMS comprises redundant control paths for controlling safety critical operation. Each redundant control path is configured to independently determine whether to electrically isolate a line replaceable unit (LRU) from a high voltage DC link (HVDC link) based on status information from the LRU. The isolation is based on the independent determination. The HVDC link is used for propulsion. The number of the redundant control paths and components may be depending on the type of the propulsion system.

Abstract: A system for controlling load sharing between multiple generators mechanically coupleable to the output shaft of a prime mover is provided. The system may comprise a first processor; and at least two inverters operably connectable to at least two generators, respectively. The generators provide AC power to the respective inverter and each inverter provides DC power to a respective DC link. Each inverter may comprise a processor configured to control a respective generator. The processor may be configured to receive a common speed command from the first processor, adjust the common speed command based on a speed of the same output shaft to create a droop, determine a torque command based on the adjusted speed command and supply the determined torque command to the corresponding generator.

Abstract: A lithium-ion battery assembly includes a plurality of battery cells in a spaced-apart and generally parallel arrangement, each cell of the battery cells extending along a central axis and having a first end portion with a negative terminal and a second end portion with a positive terminal. The assembly includes a first capture plate and a second capture plate, where at least the first capture plate defines capture plate openings corresponding to the plurality of battery cells, the first capture plate spaced from and oriented generally parallel to the second capture plate. Each of the plurality of battery cells extends between the first and second capture plates and is coaxially arranged with one of the capture plate openings in the first capture plate. The assembly optionally includes a body between the capture plates, the body defining a void for each battery cell.

Abstract: A method for charging a battery includes coupling an electrical device in a circuit between the battery and an electrical power source. The electrical device having on and off states that are mechanically different. The method includes charging the battery by setting the electrical device to the on state, measuring current flowing through contacts of the electrical device while in the on state, determining current as a function of time flowing through the contacts of the electrical device, using the current as a function of time as a variable in a thermal model based on heating of the contacts and cooling of the contacts, determining by the thermal model a predicted temperature of the contacts based on the current as a function of time and the heating and cooling of the contacts and controlling the on and off state of the electrical device based on the predicted temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus that allows for access to any and all registers of a central processing unit in a line replaceable unit (LRU) without a need to open the housing of the LRU is provided. The apparatus may receive write or read packets from an external device and relay the same to an LRU. The apparatus may receive state information from one or more registers of the LRU in response. The apparatus may transmit or transfer the state information to an external device. The apparatus may be used to update firmware in the LRU, for diagnostics or testing.

Abstract: Passive filters, line replaceable units and a modular power supply are provided. In one example the modular power supply has a DC bus link having a positive line and a negative line with at least one passive filter and an inductor having a first end and a second end, the first end coupleable to a phase output. A diode bridge having at least a first diode and a second diode, with an anode of the first diode coupleable to the second end of the inductor and a cathode of the first diode coupleable to the positive line, wherein a cathode of the second diode is coupleable to the second end of the inductor and an anode of the second diode is coupleable to the negative line, and wherein the first diode and the second diode are each configured to produce a combined reverse recovery charge that achieves a target DV/DT for an output voltage of the at least one passive filter.

Abstract: A method for charging a battery includes coupling an electrical device in a circuit between the battery and an electrical power source. The electrical device having on and off states that are mechanically different. The method includes charging the battery by setting the electrical device to the on state, measuring current flowing through contacts of the electrical device while in the on state, determining current as a function of time flowing through the contacts of the electrical device, using the current as a function of time as a variable in a thermal model based on heating of the contacts and cooling of the contacts, determining by the thermal model a predicted temperature of the contacts based on the current as a function of time and the heating and cooling of the contacts and controlling the on and off state of the electrical device based on the predicted temperature.

Abstract: Techniques and architecture are disclosed for array of light emitting diodes. For example, the array may comprise a plurality of stages, each stage comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected to a floating switch, respectively. The LEDs may be arranged substantially linearly on a circuit board in a plurality of clusters, where a distance between adjacent LEDs within a cluster is smaller than a distance between LEDs in adjacent clusters. Adjacent clusters contain LEDs from different stages and each stage contains LEDs in different clusters. The array may be incorporated in a lighting system. The light system may have a closed loop feedback mechanism which directly detects light emitted from a subset of the LEDs and a controller which controls the array based on the detection.