US6081074A
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Method and apparatus for offsetting power draw in a multiple channel system
Assignee: Unison Industries LLC
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Filing: 1996-08-30
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Granted: 2000-06-27
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Expires: 2016-08-30
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method are disclosed for reducing peaks of operating power drawn from a power source by a multi-channel system. Each channel of the system drives a load and demands operating power from the power source in an intermittent manner. Power is supplied to the multi-channel system from the power source. Operating power from the power source is drawn in an intermittent manner into each of two or more channels of the multi-channel system. The drawing of the operating power is by the two or more channels so that occurrences of peak operating power launched in a first channel do not fully overlap the occurrences of peak operating power in a second channel.
Inventors
- 👤 John R. Frus
- 👤 Michael J. Cochran
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:26
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02P; F02P3/00; F02P3/02; F02P3/04; F02P3/05; F02P15/00; F02P15/008; F02P5/00; F02P5/04; F02P5/145; F02P5/15; F02P5/1502; F02P5/1506; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for reducing peaks of operating power drawn from a power source by a system of multiple redundant channels where each channel of the system independently demands operating power from the power source in an intermittent manner and transfers energy into a load through a switching element, where no channel shares its switching element with another channel, the method comprising the steps of: simultaneously applying power to the channels from the power source; drawing operating power from the power source in an intermittent manner into each of two or more channels of the system; and offsetting the launching of the drawing of the operating power into each of the two or more channels so that occurrences of peak operating power draw in a first channel at least initially do not fully overlap the occurrences of peak operating power draw in a second channel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for reducing peaks of operating power drawn from a power source by a system of multiple redundant channels where each channel of the system independently demands operating power from the power source in an intermittent manner and transfers energy into a load through a switching element, where no channel shares its switching element with another channel, the method comprising the steps of: simultaneously applying power to the channels from the power source; drawing operating power from the power source in an intermittent manner into each of two or more channels of the system; and offsetting the launching of the drawing of the operating power into each of the two or more channels so that occurrences of peak operating power draw in a first channel at least initially do not fully overlap the occurrences of peak operating power draw in a second channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the system is an ignition system in which the intermittent drawing of operating power by one of the channels is cyclic, where successive drawing of operating power by the channel is separated by a waiting period for the purpose of controlling a spark rate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the offsetting of peak operating power in each of the first and second channels occurs independently with respect to the other channel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of offseting the launching of the drawing of operating power by the two or more channels includes the step of delaying initial drawing of operating power to the second channel with respect to an initial drawing of operating power by the first channel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the system is an ignition system, and wherein the load is one or more plugs for generating an ignition spark.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the storing of the operating power as potential energy by each of the channels includes the step of charging a storage device in each channel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the drawing of operating power by the two or more channels is launched so that the charging of the storage device begins earlier in the first channel than in the second channel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the charging cycle of the storage device in the first channel is completed before beginning the charging cycle of the storage device in the second channel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of drawing operating power into each of the two or more channels is delayed in response to an application of power from the power source for a time period sufficient to ensure that an occurrence of a peak demand of operating power from any of the channels does not fully overlap a power surge in a power line when the power source is connected to the system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 7 wherein successive chargings of the storage device in one of the first and second channels are equally spaced in time with respect to an intervening charging of the storage device in the other channel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein successive drawings of operating power by the first channel are equally spaced in time with respect to intervening drawings of operating power by the second channel.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for controlling the consumption of energy by multiple channels all drawing energy from the same source, where each channel delivers its energy to a load in an intermittent manner, the system comprising: two or more channels each directly drawing energy from a source for delivering the energy to a load in a cyclical manner and under the control of a switching element such that cyclical peaks of operating power occur as the energy is drawn from the source, where no channel shares its switching element with another channel; a delay circuit in at least one of the channels to offset the cyclical peaks of operating power with respect to the cyclical peaks of operating power of at least one other channel by delaying the drawing of energy into at least one of the two or more channels after the source is connected to the channels such that the cyclical peaks of operating power for the said at least one channel are out of phase with respect to the cyclical peaks of operating power of said at least one other channel.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for controlling the consumption of energy by multiple channels all drawing energy from the same source, where each channel delivers its energy to a load in an intermittent manner, the system comprising: two or more channels each directly drawing energy from a source for delivering the energy to a load in a cyclical manner and under the control of a switching element such that cyclical peaks of operating power occur as the energy is drawn from the source, where no channel shares its switching element with another channel; a delay circuit in at least one of the channels to offset the cyclical peaks of operating power with respect to the cyclical peaks of operating power of at least one other channel by delaying the drawing of energy into at least one of the two or more channels after the source is connected to the channels such that the cyclical peaks of operating power for the said at least one channel are out of phase with respect to the cyclical peaks of operating power of said at least one other channel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the delay circuit is a circuit that delays only an initial drawing of operating power into the said at least one of the channels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 12 wherein the two or more of the channels each include a delay circuit, where the delays for each of the two or more channels is different from the other ones of the delays.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 12 including a synchronization device for maintaining the out-of-phase relationship between the cyclical peaks of operating power for the first and second channels.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 12 wherein each of the two or more channels is an exciter of an ignition system and the load is an igniter plug for igniting fuel in a turbine engine.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of synchronizing the occurrences of peak operating power in the first and second channels at all times in which power is applied to the system so that occurrences of peak operating power in the first channel do not fully overlap occurrences of peak operating power in the second channel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 14 wherein each of the channels in the system has a delay circuit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 17 wherein the delay of one or more of the delay circuits is substantially zero.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the launching of power into two or more channels is independently delayed such that a failure of the delay in one channel does not effect the delay in another channel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method of claim 1 including the steps of: in at least one of the channels cyclically charging a energy storage device from the power source and discharging the energy storage device into the load; substantially continuously charging the energy storage device to a predetermined level before discharging the energy into the load; and truncating the charging of the energy storage device before the energy storage device is charged to the predetermined level if the time of substantially continuous charging exceeds a predetermined maximum time.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 21 including the step of delaying between an end of one charging cycle and the beginning of a next.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 21 includes the step of sensing the state of charge of the energy storage device and ending the charging of the energy storage device when the predetermined level is sensed.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 21 wherein the step of discharging energy into the load includes the step of discharging the energy into an igniter plug.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method of claim 1 including the steps of: in at least one of the channels cyclically charging and discharging an energy storage device for delivering energy to the load in an intermittent manner; providing under normal conditions a delay between an end of the charging in one cycle and a beginning of charging in a next; and preventing the delay from vanishing when, under abnormal conditions, time periods of the charging cycles extend and the end of charging in one of the cycles approaches the beginning of charging in the next.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 24 including the step of sensing the state of charge of the energy storage device and ending the charging of the energy storage device when a predetermined level of charge is sensed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the step of preventing the delay from vanishing includes the step of truncating the charging of the energy storage device before the energy storage device is charged to the predetermined level if the time of charging exceeds a predetermined maximum time.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the step of discharging energy into the load includes the step of discharging the energy into an igniter plug.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3240198A
Cited
US5065073A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-27 | 2003-12-27 | 2004-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-27 | 2007-12-27 | 2008-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-27 | 2011-12-27 | 2012-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |