Abstract: A round cell battery comprising a stack of substantially cylindrically-shaped electrically conductive grid plates and two or more bus bars. One or more of the bus bars is electrically connected to outer rims of a set of alternating ones of the grid plates in the stack and to a positive voltage post of the battery. A different one or more of the bus bars is electrically connected to outer rims of a different set of alternate ones of the grid plates in the stack and to a negative voltage post of the battery.

Abstract: An interrupter, a method of responding to a monitored event and an IC are disclosed. In one embodiment, the interrupter includes: (1) a monitoring circuit configured to monitor for an occurrence of at least one event and generate an external event signal when detecting the occurrence, (2) a microprocessor, having: (2A) at least one functional pin and (2B) a reset input pin, coupled to the monitoring circuit, the microprocessor configured to begin a reset process in response to receiving the external event signal at the reset input pin and thereby set the functional pin to a reset state, and (3) a responding circuit coupled to the functional pin and configured to initiate a predetermined action when the functional pin is set to a reset state.

Abstract: One aspect provides a pluggable power management module, comprising a module housing having input and output pluggable connectors extending therefrom configured to be couplable to a corresponding input and output terminals of a conventional, generic distribution panel, a controller interface located on or within the module housing and couplable to a controller, and a sensor located within the module housing and coupled to the controller interface and configured to produce a signal to the controller, that determines that a minimum or maximum threshold voltage or current of a source/load coupled to the pluggable power management module has been reached based on the signal.

Abstract: Included herein is a DC power plant, a DC power system, a method charging a remote battery system and a battery charging controller. In one embodiment, the DC power plant includes: (1) a rectifier system including an AC power input and a DC power output, the rectifier system configured to receive an AC input voltage at the AC power input and produce a DC output voltage at the DC power output and (2) a controller configured to determine a permitted charging current for a remote battery system coupled to the rectifier system and dynamically adjust the DC output voltage to provide the permitted charging current for the remote battery system.

Abstract: A variable current limiter, a power supply and a method of operating a non-isolated voltage converter are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the variable current limiter includes: (1) a converter controller configured to regulate an output voltage of a non-isolated voltage converter and limit an output current thereof and (2) a limit provider configured to provide a variable output current limit that inversely varies with the output voltage, the converter controller configured to employ the variable output current limit to limit the output current.

Abstract: Included herein is a DC power plant, a DC power system and a method of reducing battery current. In one embodiment, the DC power plant includes: (1) a rectifier system including an AC power input and a DC power output, the rectifier system configured to receive an AC input voltage at the AC power input and produce a DC output voltage at the DC power output and (2) a controller configured to monitor a battery current associated with a battery distribution conductor coupled to the rectifier system for a remote battery system and dynamically adjust the DC output voltage to maintain the battery current at substantially zero amperes.

Abstract: A power distribution system comprising a cabinet configured to hold electronic components therein. An outside surface of the cabinet has one or more electrical termination contacts thereon such that a surface of the electrical termination contacts is part of the outside surface. The electrical termination contacts are configured to be coupled to an external DC power source at the outside surface.

Abstract: A power distribution system comprising a cabinet having one or more equipment envelops for holding electrical component modules therein and an interior passageway that is configured to accommodate DC vertical bus bars within the cabinet. The interior passageway is also configured such that the vertical bus bars can be positioned outside of lateral perimeters of the equipment envelops and the vertical bus bars can substantially traverse an entire interior long axis length of the cabinet.

Abstract: An electrical system comprising an equipment enclosure configured to hold one or more DC power bus bars therein. The system also comprises one or more thermal extension structures. Each thermal extension structure is connected to one or more of the bus bars. Each thermal extension structure has a projection element whose thermal state reflects an electrical connectivity of the one or more DC power bus bars that the thermal extension structure is connected to. The projection element is viewable from a location outside of the equipment enclosure.

Abstract: A power distribution system comprising a platform having one or more electrical connections each with cabinet connection contacts and one or more receptacles in an outer surface of the platform. Each receptacle is configured to hold one or more electrical over-current protection devices that route electrical power to the cabinet connection contacts.

Abstract: A power distribution system comprising a stack of bus bars having through-hole openings arranged in end portions of each of the bars such that the stack of the bars are connectable to bars of an adjacent stack. One or more connectors pass through the holes in one of the end portions of the bars of the stack. The one or more connectors also pass through holes in one of the end portions of the bars of the adjacent stack. One of the end portions of the bars of the stacks are interleaved with one of the end portions of the bars of the adjacent stack.

Abstract: An apparatus for predicting fan wear-out and impending failure and a method of manufacturing the same. One embodiment provides for (1) a lookup table containing expected fan speeds at given duty cycles; and (2) a processor for comparing a measured fan speed at a given duty cycle with an expected fan speed at the given duty cycle, the processor generating a predicted fan wear-out and impending failure.

Abstract: An apparatus for effecting inductive coupling among a plurality of electrical elements includes: (a) an electrically non-conductive core member oriented about an axis; (b) at least one first electrical element of the plurality of electrical elements substantially nestingly surrounding the core member oriented about the axis; each respective first electrical element being in spaced relation vis-à-vis other first electrical elements in an installed orientation; and (c) at least one second electrical element of the plurality of electrical elements disposed in surrounding relation with respect to the core member about the axis sufficiently proximal with at least one selected said first electrical element in the installed orientation to establish the inductive coupling.

Abstract: An interrupter, a method of responding to a monitored event and an IC are disclosed. In one embodiment, the interrupter includes: (1) a monitoring circuit configured to monitor for an occurrence of at least one event and generate an external event signal when detecting the occurrence, (2) a microprocessor, having: (2A) at least one functional pin and (2B) a reset input pin, coupled to the monitoring circuit, the microprocessor configured to begin a reset process in response to receiving the external event signal at the reset input pin and thereby set the functional pin to a reset state, and (3) a responding circuit coupled to the functional pin and configured to initiate a predetermined action when the functional pin is set to a reset state.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, combining the outputs of multiple, disparate types of power sources and an isolated converter module employed in the same. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a plurality of isolated converter modules having power inputs couplable to corresponding disparate types of power sources and a DC-output converter configured to convert power received from at least one of the power sources to DC power and (2) a DC bus coupled to power outputs of the plurality of isolated converter modules and configured to receive and aggregate the DC power. With such system, a universal converter module can be employed to identify and convert power from a variety of conventional and renewable power sources.

Abstract: The present invention provides a PWB for attaching electrical components thereto. One aspect of the PWB includes multiple PWB insulating layers having conductive traces therebetween. The PWB has an interconnect opening located in the multiple PWB insulating layers that intersect at least a portion of the conductive traces. The interconnect opening has ledges therein, wherein each of the ledges separates a first group of the conductive traces from a second group of the conductive traces. The present invention also provides a method of making the PWB and also provides a power converter implementing the edge plate interconnects.

Abstract: An AC consumption controller, a method of managing AC power received at a battery plant in response to AC supply conditions and a battery plant are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the AC consumption controller include: (1) an AC supply monitor configured to recognize an AC supply event associated with a battery plant having at least one rectifier, a battery supply and a DC bus having a DC load current and configured to supply a DC voltage, the DC bus coupled to the rectifier and the battery supply and (2) an AC supply adjuster configured to maintain an AC power level for the AC supply event by regulating the DC voltage throughout the AC supply event to share sources of the DC load current between an output battery current of the battery supply and an output rectifier current of the rectifier.

Abstract: A distributed power converter is for use with an RF power amplifier and includes a primary converter connected to an input voltage and configured to provide a regulated DC intermediate voltage that is galvanically isolated from the input voltage. Additionally, the distributed power converter also includes a secondary regulator connected galvanically to the regulated DC intermediate voltage and configured to generate a regulated DC supply voltage for at least a portion of the RF power amplifier. In another aspect, a method of operating a distributed power converter is for use with an RF power amplifier and includes providing a regulated DC intermediate voltage that is galvanically isolated from an input voltage and generating a regulated DC supply voltage for at least a portion of the RF power amplifier that is galvanically connected to the regulated DC intermediate voltage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transient suppression circuit for use with a rectifier coupled to a transformer. In one embodiment, the transient suppression circuit includes a triggering section configured to provide a timing signal corresponding to a dead time of the rectifier. Additionally, the transient suppression circuit also includes a biasing section coupled to the triggering section and configured to apply a reverse bias voltage to the rectifier based on the timing signal.

Abstract: One aspect provides a pluggable power management module, comprising a module housing having input and output pluggable connectors extending therefrom configured to be coupable to a corresponding input and output terminals of a conventional, generic distribution panel, a controller interface located on or within the module housing and coupable to a controller, and a sensor located within the module housing and coupled to the controller interface and configured to produce a signal to the controller, that determines that a minimum or maximum threshold voltage or current of a source/load coupled to the pluggable power management module has been reached based on the signal