Abstract: A traveling energy distribution system includes a plurality of supply facilities each of which is able to supply traveling energy to a vehicle, an information acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a vehicle, vehicle information relevant to an amount of traveling energy remaining in the vehicle and acquire, from each of the plurality of supply facilities, supply facility information relevant to an amount of traveling energy that can be supplied from that supply facility, and a determination unit configured to determine a transfer source supply facility and a transfer destination supply facility for traveling energy to be transferred from among the plurality of supply facilities and determine an amount of the traveling energy to be transferred based on the vehicle information and the supply facility information acquired by the information acquisition unit.

Abstract: A system includes energy modules that output power to an energy management bus based on load demands. An energy module includes energy cells enclosed within a module housing that provide power to the energy management bus and rotation assemblies attached on opposite ends of the module housing that provide rotational movement for the energy module. The energy module includes a local controller that controls power output from the energy cells to the energy management bus, engages a self-driving mode in response to receiving a disconnection signal from a central controller, and controls movement of the energy module in the self-driving mode to a predetermined location via the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly. The central controller receives a current module status from the energy modules and controls a configuration of the energy modules providing power to the energy management bus based on the current module status.

Abstract: A system includes energy modules configured to output power to electrical loads based on load demands. The system also includes control circuitry configured to control an amount of power transferred from each of the energy modules to the at least one load based on received sensor data from the energy modules, detect failure of at least one source cell of the energy modules based on the received sensor data from the energy modules, and control a voltage supplied by the energy modules to the at least one load within a predetermined operating band when the failure is detected.

Abstract: A system includes energy modules that output power to an energy management bus based on load demands. An energy module includes energy cells enclosed within a module housing that provide power to the energy management bus and a driving system attached to the module housing that transports the energy module. The energy module includes a local controller that controls power output from the energy cells to the energy management bus, engages a self-driving mode in response to receiving a disconnection signal from a central controller, and controls movement of the energy module in the self-driving mode to a predetermined location via the driving system. The central controller receives a current module status from the energy modules and controls a configuration of the energy modules providing power to the energy management bus based on the current module status.

Abstract: A core has first to third magnetic leg portions. First and second windings wound on the first and second magnetic leg portions, respectively, are connected in series to constitute a first reactor. A third winding wound on the third magnetic leg portion constitutes a second reactor. A magnetic field produced from the first reactor and a magnetic field produced from the second reactor reinforce each other in the second magnetic leg portion, but weaken each other in the first magnetic leg portion. In accordance with increase in currents, the operation of the first and second reactors changes from a magnetically uncoupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically non-interfering state to a magnetically coupled mode in which the first and second reactors operate in a magnetically interfering state.

Abstract: An operation mode selection unit selects an operation mode of a power converter and generates a mode selection signal indicating the result of selection, in accordance with a load condition and a power supply condition. An operation mode switching control unit generates a mode control signal designating an operation mode of the power converter. When the operation mode currently selected by the mode control signal is different from an operation mode indicated by the mode selection signal, the operation mode switching control unit adjusts a power distribution ratio between a plurality of DC power supplies or an output voltage on an electric power line so as not to change abruptly, and then permits a transition of operation mode.

Abstract: A device includes a first circuit assembly with first circuitry configured on a first upper surface of a first circuit board that includes a first side of power conversion circuit. A first magnetic core is also configured on the first upper surface of the first circuit board. The device also includes a second circuit assembly with second circuitry configured on a second upper surface of a second circuit board that includes a second side of the power conversion circuit. A second magnetic core is also configured on the second upper surface of the second circuit board. The first circuitry of the first circuit assembly is connected to the second circuitry of the second circuit assembly to form the power conversion circuit via at least one of an electrical connection or a magnetic coupling between the first magnetic core and the second magnetic core.

Abstract: A system includes a power transfer device having an optical energy source connected to an optical energy transmitter on a first side of the power transfer device configured to transmit optical energy to a second side of the power transfer device via a channel. An optical energy receiver on the second side of the power transfer device is configured to convert received optical energy from the optical energy transmitter into electrical energy, in which the electrical energy is configured to supply power to an electrical load. The system also includes control circuitry configured to determine voltage and power characteristics of the electrical load, configure operational parameters of the optical energy transmitter based on the voltage and power characteristics of the electrical load, and control power transfer from the primary side to the secondary side of the power transfer device.

Abstract: An inductor includes a magnetic core composed of a magnetic material having variable permeability characteristics based on at least one of design parameters or operational parameters of the inductor that includes one or more air gaps. A coil is wound through the one or more air gaps and is configured to be excited by an electric current.

Abstract: A power transfer system includes power conversion circuitry that has first circuitry and second circuitry on either side of a transformer that include a transformer having a power supply, a switch, a capacitor connected in parallel with a winding of the transformer, and an inductor connected between the power supply and the capacitor. The inductor provides an additional resonance current path through the power conversion circuitry that is configured to reduce a peak voltage at the switch. A direction of power transfer through the power conversion circuit is determined, and the first circuitry and the second circuitry are configured based on the determined direction of power transfer. The switches of the first circuitry and second circuitry are controlled using switching based on the determined direction of power transfer and a quantity of power transfer.

Abstract: A device includes an electrical circuit having one or more parallel layers and one or more electronic components of a switching circuit configured to operate at one or more frequencies mounted to several layers of the electrical circuit. Wire traces electrically connecting the one or more electronic components have cutouts with predetermined patterns and dimensions formed along edges where AC current flow is concentrated to increase an effective edge length of the wire traces to reduce oscillation and heat loss of the traces.

Abstract: The power converter includes a first operation mode in which each of switching elements is controlled on or off independently so as to perform a power conversion between a load and both a first DC power source and a second DC power source and a second operation mode in which every two of the switching elements are controlled on or off concurrently so as to perform the power conversion between the load and the first DC power source or the second DC power source. A switching speed at which when each of the switching elements is turned on or turned off is controlled in accordance with the operation mode. Specifically, the switching speed in the second operation mode is higher than the switching speed in the first operation mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optical-power-transfer (OPT). A light source converts electrical energy into light, and the light is transmitted from the active layer of the light source directly to the active layers of a series of photovoltaic (PV) devices without first passing through a conduction layer of the PV device. Thus, absorption in the conduction layer is avoided, and the efficiency of the OPT system is improved. The PV devices are configured to each generate equal current, and the PV devices are electrically connected in series. PV devices are arranged in series with light first propagating through PV devices closer to the light source, and farther PV devices having a longer propagation length, such that the light absorbed and current generated by each PV device is equal to the other PV devices. In one implementation, the PV devices are configured in a laser cavity with the light source.

Abstract: A power system includes power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer. The system also includes gate driver circuitry that operates the first switch and the second switch. Power transfer in a normal operating mode from a primary side to secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is controlled by operating the first switch. The system can recover voltage from the secondary side to the primary side by reversing a direction of power transfer when a voltage on the primary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is less than an operating voltage of the gate driver circuitry. The system can resume the normal operating mode when the voltage on the primary is greater than the operating voltage of the gate driver circuitry.

Abstract: A DC/DC converter is able to step down a voltage value of a high-voltage battery, and is able to step up a voltage value of a low-voltage battery. The low-voltage battery is a battery that provides a lower voltage value than the high-voltage battery. The DC/DC converter includes a transformer, a third diode and a reactor. The transformer includes a first coil and a second coil. The first coil is connected to the low-voltage battery. The second coil is connected to the high-voltage battery. An anode of the third diode is connected to one end of the first coil. One end of the reactor is connected to a cathode of the third diode, and the other end of the reactor is connected to a positive electrode terminal of the low-voltage battery.

Abstract: A power system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer. An amount of power transfer from a primary side to the secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is controlled based on an amount of on-time or off-time of the first switch. A power threshold is determined corresponding to a lowest amount of power transfer that results in soft switching of the second switch with a constant off-time of the first switch. The DC-DC power conversion circuitry is operated in a quasi-resonant mode when the amount of power transfer from the primary side to the secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is less than the power threshold.

Abstract: A system includes energy modules that output power to an energy management bus based on load demands. An energy module includes energy cells enclosed within a module housing that provide power to the energy management bus and rotation assemblies attached on opposite ends of the module housing that provide rotational movement for the energy module. The energy module includes a local controller that controls power output from the energy cells to the energy management bus, engages a self-driving mode in response to receiving a disconnection signal from a central controller, and controls movement of the energy module in the self-driving mode to a predetermined location via the first rotation assembly and the second rotation assembly. The central controller receives a current module status from the energy modules and controls a configuration of the energy modules providing power to the energy management bus based on the current module status.

Abstract: A power supply system includes first and second DC power supplies and a power converter having first to fifth semiconductor elements and first and second reactors. The first and fourth semiconductor elements are electrically connected between a first node and a second node, and a first power line, respectively. Second and third switching elements are electrically connected between the first node and the second node, and a second power line, respectively. A fifth switching element is electrically connected between the first node and the second node. The first reactor is electrically connected in series with the first DC power supply, between the first node and the second power line. The second reactor is electrically connected in series with the second DC power supply, between the first power line and the second node.

Abstract: A system includes energy modules configured to output power to an energy management bus based on load demands. A power storage device is configured to compensate for power transients at the energy management bus. The system also includes control circuitry configured to process sensor data to determine load sharing curves for the energy modules based on load demands, align the energy modules to output power based on the load sharing curves to the energy management bus, and provide power to one or more loads at one or more predetermined voltages.

Abstract: A power system includes DC-DC power conversion circuitry that has a first switch and a second switch on either side of a transformer, and the second switch is operates as a synchronous rectifier. Power transfer from a primary side to secondary side of the DC-DC power conversion circuitry is controlled by operating the first switch. A drive signal for the second switch is calculated based on a sensed transformer winding current, and operation of the second switch is controlled based on the drive signal.