Abstract: An apparatus includes a first electrical component, a second electrical component, and a brake line. At least part of an electrical connection between the first electrical component and the second electrical component is defined by the brake line. The electrical connection may be a secondary electrical connection for rerouting an electrical path. The brake line may include first and second tubular conductive structures for defining first and second electrical connections. A repeater may be used to retransmit a data signal along the brake line. A nonconductive layer may be disposed on a tubular conductive structure of the brake line. A controller may switch operation of the brake line between an electrical power transmission mode and a data signal transmission mode. A controller may be operable determine a connected state or a disconnected state of the brake using the electrical connection.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for use in tuning reactance are described. Open loop and closed loop control for tuning of reactances are also described. Tunable inductors and/or tunable capacitors may be used in filters, resonant circuits, matching networks, and phase shifters. Ability to control inductance and/or capacitance in a circuit leads to flexibility in operation of the circuit, since the circuit may be tuned to operate under a range of different operating frequencies.

Abstract: An apparatus attachable to a luminaire includes circuitry for converting alternating current power into direct current (DC) power and providing a digitally stable ground for operation of a processor-based device. The circuitry includes a transformer isolating a primary side from a secondary side of the circuitry. A switching controller (e.g., a pulse width modulation controller) on the primary side directs a switching circuit to selectively permit current flow through a primary side of the transformer to a first ground node. A secondary winding of the transformer sources a rectified DC output relative to a second ground node that is isolated from the first ground node. In some cases, compensation on the secondary winding side provides isolated feedback to the controller, such as via an optical isolator. The controller directs the switching circuit based at least partially on the feedback and input from an auxiliary winding of the transformer.

Abstract: A wireless power system has a wireless power transmitting device and a wireless power receiving device. The wireless power transmitting device may be a wireless charging mat or other device with one or more wireless power transmitting coils for transmitting wireless power signals. The wireless power receiving device may be a portable electronic device with one or more wireless power receiving coils for receiving the transmitted wireless power signals. The wireless power transmitting device may have foreign object detection coils. Q-factor measurements may be made on the transmitting coil during wireless power transmission and/or voltage measurements may be made using the foreign object detection coils to detect whether a foreign object is present. The foreign object detection coils may include overlapping coils with different winding patterns to enhance foreign object detection coverage.

Abstract: A method for controlling an item of electrical equipment of a motor vehicle including a device for controlling the item of equipment including a microcontroller, which is configured to generate an AC electrical signal for controlling the item of equipment characterized by its duty cycle, and a driver interface that is characterized by a maximum operating temperature threshold beyond which the driver interface is inoperative. The method includes determining the internal temperature of the driver interface, comparing the determined internal temperature with a first predetermined warning threshold and decreasing the duty cycle of the electrical signal when the first warning threshold has been exceeded so as to limit the power of the electrical signal and thus to keep the internal temperature of the driver interface below its maximum operating temperature threshold.

Abstract: A system and method to detect the presence of conductive foreign objects for a multi-coil wireless power system is described. A wireless power receiver resonant circuit quality information may be obtained without any costly hardware or termination of power delivery to the power receiver load. The power receiver free-running coil current or voltage may be measured during a very short time window. In this time window, the measurement may be unaffected by transmitter and receiver load due to the transmitter coil disconnection and because the wireless power receiver has sufficient DC-bus capacitance.

Abstract: An aircraft seat having a voltage supply connection assigned only to the aircraft seat and/or at least one data connection assigned only to the aircraft seat, a voltage supply unit assigned to the aircraft seat and having a voltage input for connection to an on-board voltage network of an aircraft and at least one voltage output, each connected to another of the voltage supply connections. A switching arrangement is assigned only to the aircraft seat and connected between the voltage output and the voltage supply connection and/or between the data connection and a data network. A control unit is assigned only to the aircraft seat and connected to the switching arrangement. An infrared reading device is connected to the control unit and assigned only to the aircraft seat to wirelessly receive infrared signals from an external infrared transmitting device.

Abstract: A method of generating a customized secondary power distribution assembly (SPDA) includes generating one or more customizable SPDAs. Each of the one or more customizable SPDAs is a construct corresponding with a microprocessor configured to control a set of customizable channels in each of a set of virtual line replaceable modules (vLRMs). The method also includes creating a mapping between one of the one or more customizable SPDAs and the customized SPDA, the mapping indicating line replaceable modules (LRMs) of the customized SPDA and defining each channel of each LRM, and deploying the customized SPDA in an application. The microprocessor is initiated to control the customized SPDA according to the mapping at startup.

Abstract: A power supply circuit for powering components of a facility are disclosed. The power supply circuit may include a power transformer, a power input terminal, a power output terminal, a bridge, a relay, and a control circuit. The relay is connected between the power input terminal and the power output terminal. A primary side of the power transformer is coupled between the relay and the power output terminal. The bridge is coupled to the secondary side of the power transformer. In a normal power mode, the control circuit closes the relay and operates the bridge as a rectifier. In an emergency power mode, the control circuit opens the relay and operates the bridge as a pulse width modulator. In this manner, the bridge and the power transformer can be used both to charge a battery during normal operation and generate emergency AC power from the battery.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an onboard charging system of an electric vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load may include a controllably conductive device. The apparatus may also include a first wireless communication circuit that may be operable to communicate on a first wireless communication network via a first protocol and the first communication circuit may be in communication with the controller. The apparatus may also include a second communication circuit that may be operable to communicate on a second communication network via a second protocol. The controller may be further operable to control the first wireless communication circuit to communicate configuration data with the first wireless communication network via the first protocol. The controller may also be operable to control the second wireless communication circuit to communicate operational data with the second communication network via the second protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods integrate advanced solar tracker, battery, inverter, and software technologies to improve performance, plant output, and costs. The systems may incorporate an advanced vanadium flow battery (VFB) that is DC-voltage (DV)-coupled to photovoltaic (PV) arrays for high, round-trip efficiency. The systems incorporate a DC architecture that optimizes performance for commercial, industrial, agricultural, and utility applications. A distributed direct current (DC) power system includes a centralized, single-stage inverter; PV arrays; maximum power point tracking (MPPT) converters coupled between the PV arrays and the centralized, single-stage inverter; batteries; and DC-DC battery converters (DCBCs) coupled to the batteries. The MPPT converters maximize solar power production by the PV arrays and minimize mismatch between the PV arrays.

Abstract: Techniques for improving efficiency of wireless power transfer to shunt-based receiver are provided. In an example, techniques can optimize wireless power transfer by comparing instantaneous peak voltage of a transmit coil of a wireless power transmitter to an average peak voltage of the transmit coil, and then, based on the comparison, adjust a setpoint of the wireless power transmitter to a more efficient level.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an alternator, and a battery bank electrically connected to the alternator via a connection line. The connection line includes a current sensor configured to measure an electrical current through the connection line. The vehicle also includes a start-stop system configured to determine, during a time when the engine is off, that a voltage of the battery bank is below a first threshold value for a first predetermined period, provide a control signal to a starter to start the engine to initiate charging of battery bank, determine, by the current sensor, that the electrical current is below a second threshold value, and in response to the determination, provide a control signal to turn the engine off to terminate the charging of the battery bank.

Abstract: An automatic configurable relay and a method for automatically configuring a relay. The relay comprises an input sampling module for coupling to a source to be monitored, the sampling module configured to detect a first value of a parameter of the source to be monitored; and a processing module configured to set a working condition based on the detected first value.

Abstract: An electric power system includes electric energy sources and control equipment for controlling the electric energy sources in accordance with a target value of electric power produced by the electric power system. The control equipment activates and deactivates the electric energy sources based on a control value and on activation and deactivation limits. The control value can be the target value or the actual value of the electric power. The control equipment controls active electric energy sources according to the target value and according to power sharing defined for the active electric energy sources. The activation and deactivation limits as well as activation and deactivation order of the electric energy sources can be determined based on properties of the electric energy sources and on a prevailing operational situation of the electric power system.

Abstract: In a power source system, circuit units by the number of systems n or more are respectively connected correspondingly to power sources by the number of n (n is an integer of 2 or more). A common ground is all of the circuit units in common. A ground wiring portion establish node-to-node connection between (n+?) pieces of common ground nodes NC(1) to NC(n+?) provided in the common ground and (n+?) pieces of ground plane nodes NP(1) to NP(n+?) provided on a vehicle body in an independent manner, thereby enabling a simple configuration of redundant circuits that can withstand multipoint failures without separating the ground for each system.

Abstract: A power distribution assembly that includes a planar substrate, a set of switchable elements arranged on the planar substrate, a conductive bus bar underlying the planar substrate and interconnected with the set of switchable elements, and a set of power connections. The power distribution assembly distributes power from a power source to one or more loads.

Abstract: A vehicular battery control device controls an electric storage amount of a battery as which a lithium-ion battery is employed. The vehicular battery control device includes a control unit that reduces the electric storage amount of the battery until the electric storage amount of the battery assumes a second state, before the lapse of a first time, when the electric storage amount of the battery assumes a first state and it is predicted that a charge current will flow in the first time. The first state is a state where lithium metal is precipitated by charging the battery with a predetermined amount of electric power, and the second state is a state where no lithium metal is precipitated even when the charge current flows through the battery.

Abstract: A processor-based device includes a chassis having a chassis ground node that is arranged to electrically couple the chassis to an earth ground. The device also includes a connector accessible from an exterior of the chassis. The connector conforms to a standardized powerline interface having a hot power signal, a load power signal, and a neutral power signal. A processor-based apparatus housed at least in part within the chassis is arranged to operate using DC power derived from AC power present at the powerline interface. A stray voltage detector is arranged to detect a stray voltage potential existing between the neutral power signal of the standardized powerline interface and the chassis ground node, and the processor-based device is arranged to communicate at least one indication of the detected stray voltage potential.