Portable power supply with bidirectional charging and direct connection

Abstract

The invention discloses a portable power supply. Comprising an alternating current (AC) power input interface, an AC power output interface, a battery cell, a charger electrically connected to the AC power input interface, an inverter configured to output AC power to the AC power output interface, and a controller configured to control the charger to provide direct current (DC) to the inverter when the charger is in an active state and AC power is requested at the AC power output interface and a controller of power. When the charger is in an active state, the battery cell selectively outputs or receives power based on power consumption of the inverter.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application No. 18 / 364,640 filed on August 3, 2023, which prior application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 397,027 filed on August 11, 2022 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 383,529 filed on November 14, 2022, the entire contents of each of these U.S. patent applications are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] Embodiments herein relate to portable power supplies. Summary of the invention

[0003] The portable power supply described herein includes an alternating current ("AC") power input interface, an AC power output interface, a direct current ("DC") power output interface, and a battery cell configured to provide DC power to the DC power output interface. The power supply further includes at least one switch, the at least one switch including a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch. The first switch is electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the battery cell. The second switch is electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the AC power output interface. The third switch is electrically connected between the battery cell and the AC power output interface. The power supply also includes a controller configured to control the at least one switch based on power received from the AC power input interface or the battery cell to selectively provide AC power output to the AC power output interface.

[0004] In some aspects, the portable power supplies described herein further include an electromagnetic interference ("EMI") filter electrically connected between the AC power input and the first switch, and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell.

[0005] In some aspects, the portable power supplies described herein further include an output filter including an inductor and a capacitor, the output filter electrically connected between the voltage converter and the AC power output interface.

[0006] In some aspects, the portable power supplies described herein further include an inductor-capacitor-inductor ("LCL") filter electrically connected between the first switch and the voltage converter.

[0007] In some aspects, the at least one switch further includes a second switch and a third switch, the second switch electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the AC power output interface, and the third switch electrically connected between the battery cell and the AC power output interface.

[0008] In some aspects, the portable power supplies described herein further include an electromagnetic interference ("EMI") filter electrically connected between the AC power input and the first switch and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch, the third switch, and the battery cell.

[0009] In some aspects, the portable power supplies described herein further include an output filter including an inductor, a capacitor, and a fourth switch, the output filter electrically connected between the voltage converter and the third switch.

[0010] In some aspects, the battery cell has a maximum voltage of at least 400 V.

[0011] In some aspects, the portable power supplies described herein further include a low frequency isolation transformer electrically connected between the output filter, the first switch, and the third switch.

[0012] In some aspects, the portable power supplies described herein further include a DC-DC power converter electrically connected between the voltage converter and the battery cell.

[0013] In some aspects, the battery cell has a maximum voltage of less than 400 V.

[0014] In some aspects, the DC-DC power converter includes a high frequency isolation transformer.

[0015] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; determine the state of charge of the battery cell in response to the presence of AC power at the AC power input interface; and control the portable power supply to be in AC pass-through mode in response to the state of charge of the battery cell being not fully charged, wherein, when in AC pass-through mode, the first switch is closed, the second switch is closed, and the third switch is open.

[0016] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; determine the state of charge of the battery cell in response to the presence of AC power at the AC power input interface; and control the portable power supply to be in AC bypass mode in response to the state of charge of the battery cell being fully charged, wherein, when in AC bypass mode, the first switch is open, the second switch is closed, and the third switch is open.

[0017] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; in response to the absence of AC power at the AC power input interface, determine whether AC power is requested at the AC power output interface; in response to determining that AC power is requested at the AC power output interface, control the portable power supply to be in a DC discharge mode, wherein, when in the DC discharge mode, the first switch is open, the second switch is open, and the third switch is closed.

[0018] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; in response to the absence of AC power at the AC power input interface, determine whether AC power is requested at the AC power output interface; in response to determining that AC power is not requested at the AC power output interface, control the portable power supply to be in an idle mode, wherein, when in the idle mode, the first switch is disconnected, the second switch is disconnected, and the third switch is disconnected.

[0019] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; determine the state of charge of the battery cell in response to the presence of AC power at the AC power input interface; and control the portable power supply to be in AC pass-through mode in response to the state of charge of the battery cell being not fully charged, wherein, when in AC pass-through mode, the first switch is closed and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is enabled.

[0020] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; determine the state of charge of the battery cell in response to the presence of AC power at the AC power input interface; and control the portable power supply to be in AC bypass mode in response to the state of charge of the battery cell being fully charged, wherein, when in AC bypass mode, the first switch is closed and the voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is disabled.

[0021] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; in response to the absence of AC power at the AC power input interface, determine whether AC power is requested at the AC power output interface; in response to determining that AC power is requested at the AC power output interface, control the portable power supply to be in a DC discharge mode, wherein, when in the DC discharge mode, the first switch is disconnected and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is enabled.

[0022] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; in response to the absence of AC power at the AC power input interface, determine whether AC power is requested at the AC power output interface; in response to determining that AC power is not requested at the AC power output interface, control the portable power supply to be in an idle mode, wherein, when in the idle mode, the first switch is disconnected and the voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is disabled.

[0023] The method described herein includes receiving power from an alternating current (AC) power input interface of a portable power supply or a battery cell of the power supply and controlling at least one switch of the portable power supply to selectively provide an AC power output to an AC power output interface based on the power received from the alternating current (AC) power input interface of the portable power supply or the battery cell of the power supply, the at least one switch including a first switch electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the battery cell.

[0024] In some aspects, the method described herein further includes determining whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface, determining the state of charge of the battery cell in response to the presence of AC power at the AC power input interface, and controlling the at least one switch to operate the portable power supply in AC pass-through mode in response to the state of charge of the battery cell being less than fully charged, wherein, in the AC pass-through mode, AC power is provided from the AC power input interface to the AC power output interface and the battery cell.

[0025] In some aspects, when in AC pass-through mode, the first switch is closed, the second switch electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the AC power output interface is closed, and the third switch electrically connected between the battery cell and the AC power output interface is open.

[0026] In some aspects, when in the AC pass-through mode, the first switch is closed and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is enabled.

[0027] In some aspects, the method described herein further includes determining whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface, determining the state of charge of the battery cell in response to the presence of AC power at the AC power input interface, and controlling the at least one switch to operate the portable power supply in AC bypass mode in response to the state of charge of the battery cell being fully charged, wherein, when in bypass mode, AC power is provided from the AC power input interface to the AC power output interface.

[0028] In some aspects, when in bypass mode, the first switch is open, the second switch electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the AC power output interface is closed, and the third switch electrically connected between the battery cell and the AC power output interface is open.

[0029] In some aspects, when in the AC bypass mode, the first switch is closed and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is disabled.

[0030] In some aspects, the method described herein further includes determining whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface, determining whether AC power is requested at the AC power output interface in response to the absence of AC power at the AC power input interface, and controlling at least one switch to operate the portable power supply in a DC discharge mode in response to determining that AC power is requested at the AC power output interface, wherein, when in the DC discharge mode, power is provided from the battery cell to the AC power output interface.

[0031] In some aspects, when in DC discharge mode, the first switch is open, the second switch electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the AC power output interface is open, and the third switch electrically connected between the battery cell and the AC power output interface is closed.

[0032] In some aspects, when in the DC discharge mode, the first switch is closed and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is enabled.

[0033] In some aspects, the method described herein further includes determining whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface, determining whether AC power is requested at the AC power output interface in response to the absence of AC power at the AC power input interface, and controlling the at least one switch to operate the portable power supply in an idle mode in response to determining that AC power is not requested at the AC power output interface, wherein, when in the idle mode, power is provided neither from the AC power output interface nor from the battery cell.

[0034] In some aspects, when in idle mode, a first switch is open, a second switch electrically connected between the AC power input interface and the AC power output interface is open, and a third switch electrically connected between the battery cell and the AC power output interface is open.

[0035] In some aspects, when in the idle mode, the first switch is open and a voltage converter electrically connected between the first switch and the battery cell is disabled.

[0036] The portable power supply described herein includes: an internal power supply configured to provide power to a device connected to the portable power supply; a power input interface configured to charge the internal power supply; a power output interface; at least one switch including a first switch electrically connected between the power input interface and the internal power supply; and a controller configured to: determine whether power is present at the power input interface; and control at least one switch of the portable power supply based on the determination to selectively provide power from the power input interface or the internal power supply to the power output interface.

[0037] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine a charge state of the internal power supply in response to the presence of power at the power input interface; and control at least one switch to cause the portable power supply to operate in a pass-through mode in response to the state of charge of the internal power supply being below a threshold, wherein, when in the pass-through mode, power is provided from the power input interface to the power output interface and the internal power supply.

[0038] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: determine a charge state of the internal power supply in response to the presence of power at the power input interface; and control at least one switch to cause the portable power supply to operate in a bypass mode in response to the state of charge of the internal power supply reaching or exceeding a threshold, wherein, when in the bypass mode, power is provided from the power input interface to the power output interface.

[0039] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: in response to the absence of power at the power input interface, determine whether power is requested at the power output interface; in response to determining that power is requested at the power output interface, control at least one switch to cause the portable power supply to operate in a discharge mode, wherein, when in the discharge mode, power is provided to the power output interface from an internal power supply.

[0040] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to: in response to the absence of power at the power input interface, determine whether power is requested at the power output interface; in response to determining that power is not requested at the power output interface, control at least one switch to cause the portable power supply to operate in an idle mode, wherein, when in the idle mode, power is provided neither to the power output interface nor to the battery cell.

[0041] The portable power supply described herein includes an AC power input interface, an AC power output interface, a battery cell, a charger electrically connected to the AC power input interface, an inverter configured to output AC power to the AC power output interface, and a controller configured to control the charger to provide direct current (DC) power to the inverter when the charger is active and AC power is requested at the AC power output interface. When the charger is active, the battery cell selectively outputs or receives power based on power consumption of the inverter.

[0042] In some aspects, the battery cell receives the DC power output by the charger when the power consumption of the inverter is less than the amount of DC power output by the charger.

[0043] In some aspects, the amount of DC power received by the battery cell from the charger is equal to the difference between the amount of DC power output by the charger and the power consumption of the inverter.

[0044] In some aspects, the portable power supply further includes a DC power output interface, wherein the amount of DC power received by the battery cell from the charger is equal to the difference between the amount of DC power output by the charger and the sum of power consumption of the inverter and the amount of power output at the DC power output interface.

[0045] In some aspects, the battery cells provide DC power to the inverter when the power consumption of the inverter is greater than the amount of DC power output by the charger.

[0046] In some aspects, the amount of DC power provided by the battery cells to the inverter is equal to the difference between the power consumption of the inverter and the amount of DC power output by the charger.

[0047] In some aspects, when the battery cells provide DC power to the inverter, an amount of power output at the AC power output interface is greater than an amount of power received at the AC power input interface.

[0048] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to activate the charger in response to AC power being present at the AC power input interface.

[0049] In some aspects, the controller is further configured to control an amount of power output by the charger.

[0050] In some aspects, the amount of electrical power output by the charger ranges from 0 kW to 1 kW.

[0051] In some aspects, the battery cells automatically switch between outputting and receiving power based on changes in power consumption by the inverter.

[0052] The method described herein includes determining whether AC power is present at an AC power input interface, determining whether AC power is requested at an AC power output interface, controlling a charger to provide DC power to an inverter in response to the AC power output interface requesting AC power while AC power is present at the AC power output interface, electrically connecting the inverter to the AC power output interface, and selectively receiving DC power or outputting DC power using a battery cell based on power consumption of the inverter.

[0053] In some aspects, selectively utilizing a battery cell to receive DC power or output DC power based on power consumption of an inverter includes determining whether power consumption of the inverter is less than the amount of DC power output by a charger, and utilizing a battery cell to receive DC power from the charger in response to power consumption of the inverter being less than the amount of DC power output by the charger.

[0054] In some aspects, the amount of DC power received from the charger using the battery cell is equal to the difference between the amount of DC power output by the charger and the power consumption of the inverter.

[0055] In some aspects, selectively utilizing a battery cell to receive DC power or output DC power based on power consumption of the inverter includes determining whether the power consumption of the inverter is less than the amount of DC power output by the charger, and in response to the power consumption of the inverter being greater than the amount of DC power output by the charger, utilizing the battery cell to provide DC power to the inverter.

[0056] In some aspects, the amount of DC power provided by the battery cells to the inverter is equal to the difference between the power consumption of the inverter and the amount of DC power output by the charger.

[0057] In some aspects, controlling the charger to provide DC power to the inverter includes controlling an amount of power output by the charger.

[0058] The portable power supply described herein includes an internal power supply, a first power converter configured to receive alternating current (AC) power from an AC power input interface and output direct current (DC) power, a second power converter configured to receive DC power and output AC power to a power output interface, and a controller configured to operate the portable power supply in a pass-through mode in response to determining that AC power is present at the AC power input interface while the power output interface requests AC power. In the pass-through mode, DC power is provided from the first power converter to the second power converter, AC power is provided from the second power converter to the AC power output interface, and the internal power supply selectively outputs or receives DC power based on a difference between the amount of power present at the AC power input interface and the amount of power requested at the power output interface.

[0059] In some aspects, when in pass-through mode and the amount of power requested at the power output interface exceeds the amount of power present at the AC power input interface, the internal power supply outputs DC power to the second power converter.

[0060] In some aspects, the internal power supply receives DC power from the first power converter when in pass-through mode and an amount of power present at the AC power input interface exceeds an amount of power requested at the power output interface.

[0061] Before explaining any embodiment in detail, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the configuration and arrangement details of the components set forth in the following description or shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments can be practiced or implemented in various ways. It is also understood that the words and terms used herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be considered restrictive. The use of "including", "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof is intended to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mount", "connect", "support" and "couple", and variations thereof are used broadly and cover both direct mounting, connection, support and coupling as well as indirect mounting, connection, support and coupling.

[0062] Unless the context of their usage clearly indicates otherwise, the articles "a", "an", and "the" should not be construed as meaning "one" or "only one". Instead, these articles should be construed as meaning "at least one" or "one or more". Similarly, when the terms "the" or "the" are used to refer to a noun preceded by the indefinite article "a" or "an", "the" and "the" mean "at least one" or "one or more" unless the usage clearly indicates otherwise.

[0063] In addition, it should be understood that embodiments may include hardware, software, and electronic components or modules, which, for the purpose of discussion, may be shown and described as if most components are implemented only in hardware. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize based on reading this detailed description that, in at least one embodiment, electronic-based aspects may be implemented in software (e.g., stored on a non-transient computer-readable medium) that may be executed by one or more processing units (such as microprocessors and / or application-specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”)). Thus, it should be noted that embodiments may be implemented using multiple hardware- and software-based devices and multiple different structural components. For example, the “server,” “computing device,” “controller,” “processor,” etc. described in the specification may include one or more processing units, one or more computer-readable medium modules, one or more input / output interfaces, and different connectors (e.g., system buses) connecting components.

[0064] Relative terms used in conjunction with quantities or conditions, such as "about", "approximately", "substantially", etc., will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to include the stated value and have the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., the term includes at least the degree of error associated with measurement accuracy, the tolerance associated with a particular value [e.g., manufacturing, assembly, use, etc.], etc.). Such terms should also be considered to disclose a range defined by the absolute values ​​of the two endpoints. For example, the expression "about 2 to about 4" also discloses a range of "2 to 4". Relative terms can refer to percentages (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%) of the indicated value plus or minus.

[0065] It should be understood that although some drawings show the hardware and software in a particular device, these depictions are for illustrative purposes only. The function described herein as being performed by a component can be performed in a distributed manner by multiple components. Likewise, the function performed by multiple components can be merged and performed by a single component. In some embodiments, the components shown can be combined or divided into separate software, firmware and / or hardware. For example, logic and processing can be distributed between multiple electronic processors, rather than being located in a single electronic processor and performed by it. Regardless of how hardware components and software components are combined or divided, hardware components and software components can be located on the same computing device or can be distributed between different computing devices connected by one or more networks or other suitable communication links. Similarly, components described as performing a specific function can also perform additional functions not described herein. For example, a device or structure that is "configured" in a certain way is configured at least in this way, but can also be configured in a way that is not explicitly listed.

[0066] Therefore, in the present invention, if a device or system is claimed to include, for example, a controller, a control unit, an electronic processor, a computing device, a logic element, a module, a memory module, a communication channel or network, or other element that is configured in some manner to, for example, perform multiple functions, then the present invention or an element of the present invention should be interpreted as meaning one or more such elements, wherein any one of the one or more elements is configured as claimed to, for example, implement any one or more of the listed multiple functions, so that the one or more elements as a collection perform the multiple functions together.

[0067] Other aspects of these embodiments will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] Figure 1 A perspective view of a portable power supply device according to some embodiments is shown.

[0069] Figure 2 Demonstrates a method for Figure 1A control system for a portable power supply device.

[0070] Figure 3 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of a portable power supply device.

[0071] Figure 4 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of a portable power supply device.

[0072] Figure 5 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of a portable power supply device.

[0073] Figure 6 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of a portable power supply device.

[0074] Figure 7 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of the power supply device.

[0075] Figure 8 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of the power supply device.

[0076] Fig. 9 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of the power supply device.

[0077] Fig.10 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of the power supply device.

[0078] Fig.11 A method for controlling the Figure 1 A control process for a portable power supply device.

[0079] Fig.12 Demonstrates methods for operating according to some embodiments Figure 1 A method for a portable power supply device.

[0080] Fig.13 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the power system of a portable power supply device.

[0081] Fig.14 Demonstrating some embodiments Figure 1Schematic diagram of the power system of a portable power supply device.

[0082] Fig.15 Demonstrates methods for operating according to some embodiments Figure 1 A method for a portable power supply device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0083] Figure 1 A portable power supply device or power supply 100 is shown. The power supply 100 includes, in particular, a housing 102. In some embodiments, the housing 102 includes one or more wheels 104 and a handle assembly 106. The handle assembly 106 includes an inner tube 108 and an outer tube 110. The inner tube 108 is mounted in the outer tube 110 and can slide relative to the outer tube 110. The inner tube 108 is connected to a horizontal holding member 112. The housing 102 of the power supply 100 further includes an AC power input interface 114, a power output interface 116, and a display 118. In the illustrated embodiment, the AC power input interface 114 includes a plurality of electrical connection interfaces, which are configured to receive power from an external power source. In some embodiments, the external power source is an AC power source. For example, the AC power source can be a conventional wall-mounted socket found in North America, such as a 120 V socket or a 240 V socket. As another example, the AC power source can be a conventional wall-mounted socket found outside North America, such as a 220 V socket or a 230 V socket. In some embodiments, the external power source is a DC power source. For example, the DC power source can be one or more photovoltaic cells (e.g., solar panels), an electric vehicle (EV) charging station, or any other DC power source. In some embodiments, the AC power input interface 114 is replaced with or additionally includes a cable configured to be plugged into a conventional wall outlet. In some embodiments, the AC power input interface 114 further includes one or more devices, such as an antenna or an induction coil, that are configured to wirelessly receive power from the external power source. The power received by the AC power input interface 114 can be used to charge an internal power source or battery cell 120 disposed in the housing 102 of the power supply 100.

[0084] The power received by the AC power input interface 114 can also be used to provide direct power to one or more devices connected to the power output interface 116. The power output interface 116 includes one or more power sockets. In the illustrated embodiment, the power output interface 116 includes a plurality of AC power sockets 116A and a plurality of DC power sockets 116B. It should be understood that the number of power sockets included in the power output interface 116 is not limited to Figure 1Illustrated Power Outlets. For example, in some embodiments of the power supply 100 , the power output interface 116 may include more or fewer power outlets than are included in the illustrated embodiment of the power supply 100 .

[0085] In some embodiments, the power output interface 116 is configured to provide the power output by the battery cell 120 to one or more peripheral devices. In some embodiments, the power output interface 116 is configured to provide the power provided by the external power source (e.g., from the power grid via the AC power input interface 114) directly to one or more peripheral devices. The one or more peripheral devices may be a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a portable music player, a power tool, a power tool battery pack, a power tool battery pack charger, etc. The peripheral device may be configured to receive DC and / or AC power from the power output interface 116.

[0086] Display 118 is configured to indicate to a user the status of power supply 100, such as the state of charge and / or fault conditions of battery cell 120. In some embodiments, display 118 includes one or more light emitting diode ("LED") indicators configured to illuminate and display the current state of charge of battery cell 120. In some embodiments, display 118 is, for example, a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), a light emitting diode ("LED") display, an organic LED ("OLED") display, an electroluminescent display ("ELD"), a surface conduction electron emitter display ("SED"), a field emission display ("FED"), a thin film transistor ("TFT") LCD, etc. In other embodiments, power supply 100 does not include a display.

[0087] Figure 2 1 is a general schematic illustration of a controller 200 included in the power supply 100. The controller 200 is electrically and / or communicatively connected to various modules or components of the power supply 100. For example, the controller 200 may be connected to the AC power input interface 114, the power output interface 116, the display 118, and the battery cell 120. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the electrical and / or communicatively connected between the controller 200 and the battery cell 120 includes the electrical and / or communicatively connected between the controller 200 and the components included in the battery cell 120, such as, but not limited to, a plurality of battery cell assemblies and the components included therein.

[0088] In addition, the controller 200 is electrically and / or communicatively connected to a plurality of power conversion components 204, a DC bus 208, a user interface 212, a network communication module 216, and a plurality of sensors 220. Figures 3 to 7 The power conversion component 204 is described in more detail.

[0089] The network communication module 216 is connected to the network 224 so that the controller 200 can communicate with peripheral devices (such as smart phones or servers) in the network 224. The sensor 220 includes, for example, one or more voltage sensors, one or more current sensors, one or more temperature sensors, and / or one or more additional sensors for measuring electrical characteristics and / or other characteristics of the power supply 100. Each sensor in the sensor 220 generates one or more output signals, which are provided to the controller 200 for processing and evaluation. A user interface 212 is included to provide user control of the power supply 100. The user interface 212 may include any combination of digital and analog input devices required to achieve the desired control level of the power supply 100. For example, the user interface 212 may include multiple knobs, multiple dials, multiple switches, multiple buttons, etc. In some embodiments, the user interface 212 is integrated with the display 118 (for example, as a touch screen display 118).

[0090] The controller 200 includes a combination of hardware and software operable to, among other things, control the operation of the power supply 100, communicate over the network 224, receive input from a user via the user interface 212, provide information to the user via the display 118, and the like. For example, the controller 200 includes, among other things, a processing unit 232 (e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an electronic processor, an electronic controller 200, or another suitable programmable device), a memory 236, an input unit 240, and an output unit 244. The processing unit 232 includes, among other things, a control unit 248, an arithmetic logic unit ("ALU") 252, and a plurality of registers 256, and is implemented using a known computer architecture (e.g., a modified Harvard architecture, a von Neumann architecture, and the like). The processing unit 232, the memory 236, the input unit 240, and the output unit 244, as well as the various modules or circuits connected to the controller 200, are connected via one or more control buses and / or data buses (e.g., a common bus 260). For illustrative purposes, Figure 2 The control bus and / or data bus are generally shown in FIG. Figure 2 1 is shown as one controller 200, but the controller 200 may also include multiple controllers configured to work together to achieve a desired level of control over the power supply 100. Therefore, any control functions and processes described herein with respect to the controller 200 may also be performed by two or more controllers operating in a distributed manner.

[0091] The memory 236 is a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area may include a combination of different types of memory 236, such as read-only memory ("ROM"), random access memory ("RAM") (e.g., dynamic RAM ["DRAM"], synchronous DRAM ["SDRAM"], etc.), electrically erasable programmable ROM ("EEPROM"), flash memory, hard disk, SD card or other suitable magnetic storage device, optical storage device, physical storage device or electronic storage device. The processing unit 232 is connected to the memory 236 and is configured to execute software instructions that can be stored in the RAM of the memory 236 (e.g., during execution), the ROM of the memory 236 (e.g., on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitory computer-readable medium such as another memory 236 or a disk. The software included in the embodiments of the power supply 100 and the controller 200 may be stored in the memory 236 of the controller 200. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The controller 200 is configured to retrieve from the memory 236 and also execute, among other things, instructions related to the control processes described herein. In other embodiments, the controller 200 includes additional, fewer, or different components.

[0092] During operation of the power supply 100, the controller 200 is configured to monitor the voltage, current, temperature and / or other signals received from the various components described above. For example, the controller 200 is configured to monitor the voltage signal received from the battery cell 120 when the battery cell 120 is charged by an external power source connected to the AC power input interface 114. As another example, the controller 200 is configured to monitor the voltage signal received from the battery cell 120 when the battery cell 120 provides power to one or more peripheral devices connected to the power output interface 116.

[0093] Figure 3is a block diagram of a power system circuit 300 of a power supply 100 according to some embodiments. The power system circuit 300 includes an AC power input interface 114, an AC input filter 304, a voltage converter 308, a battery cell 120, and an AC power outlet 116A. In some embodiments, the AC input filter 304 is an electromagnetic interference ("EMI") filter 304 electrically connected between the AC power input interface 114 and the voltage converter 308. The EMI filter 304 provides filtering of the AC input to reduce conducted emissions and radiated emissions in the power system circuit 300. The voltage converter 308 can be an active front end ("AFE") driver circuit and may be alternatively referred to as AFE 308 herein. The AFE 308 is configured to provide bidirectional power exchange to and from the battery cell 120. For example, the AFE 308 may be configured to operate as a rectifier to charge the battery cell 120 with power supplied by the AC power input interface 114, and may be configured to operate as an inverter to discharge power from the battery cell 120 to the AC power outlet 116A. The power system circuit 300 further includes at least one switch 312 (e.g., a transistor, a toggle switch, an electrical switch, a mechanical switch, a relay, etc.) configured to electrically connect components of the power system circuit 300. In some embodiments, the power system circuit 300 provides a reduced size, weight, and cost reduction for the inverter system of the power supply 100 because, as described below, the charging and discharging of the battery cell 120 can be achieved using the same switching devices and inductors. By reducing the components in the power supply 100, the required thermal management is also reduced. In some embodiments, the power supply 100 is configured to operate as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

[0094] Figure 4 yes Figure 3Schematic diagram of a first topology of a power system circuit 300. At least one switch 312 includes a first switch K1. In some embodiments, at least one switch 312 is a relay. The first switch K1 is electrically connected between the output of the EMI filter 304 and the AFE 308 so as to selectively provide power to the battery cell 120 from the AC power input interface 114. The battery cell 120 may have a maximum voltage of at least 120 V (e.g., 120 V to 500 V). In some embodiments, the battery cell 120 has a maximum voltage of at least 200 V. The AFE 308 includes a plurality of transistors (e.g., insulated gate bipolar transistors) Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 arranged in a bridge (e.g., H-bridge) topology. An output filter 316 (e.g., a sine wave filter) is connected to the AFE 308 so as to provide low total harmonic distortion ("THD") of the AC power output from the AFE 308. Output filter 316 may be a sine filter and include at least one capacitor C1 (e.g., a sine wave filter capacitor) and at least one inductor L1. In some embodiments, battery cell 120 has a maximum voltage of at least 400 V DC. Each of AC power outlets 116A may include a respective one of a plurality of circuit breakers CB1, CB2, CB3 to protect external devices from damage that may be caused by an overcurrent event. In the illustrated embodiment, power system circuit 300 includes three AC power outlets 116A. However, the number of AC outlets is not limited to three, and may be more than three or less than three.

[0095] The first switch K1 is controlled by the controller 200 and enables the power supply 100 to operate in, for example, an AC bypass mode, an AC pass-through mode, a DC discharge mode, or an idle mode. In some embodiments, additional operating modes are included.

[0096] When operating in the AC bypass mode, the first switch K1 is closed and the AFE 308 is disabled. Therefore, AC power flows directly from the AC power input interface 114 to the AC power outlet 116A.

[0097] When operating in the AC pass-through mode, the first switch K1 is closed and the AFE 308 is enabled to provide power to the battery cell 120. The AC pass-through mode may alternatively be referred to herein as a charging mode for charging the battery cell 120. AC power also still flows directly from the AC power input interface 114 to the AC power outlet 116A.

[0098] When operating in the DC discharge mode, the first switch K1 is opened to disconnect the AC power input interface 114 from the power system circuit 300, and the AFE 308 is enabled to provide power from the battery cell 120 to the AC power outlet 116A. When operating in the idle mode, the first switch K1 is opened, and the AFE 308 is disabled. No power is provided to the AC power outlet 116A, and the battery cell 120 is not charged.

[0099] Figures 5 to 10 3 are schematic diagrams of the corresponding second topology, third topology, fourth topology, fifth topology, sixth topology and seventh topology of the power system circuit 300, which can replace the above reference Figure 4 The first topology described is implemented. The operation of the power supply 100 according to each topology is substantially similar. Therefore, similar components of the first topology, the second topology, the third topology, and the fourth topology are identified with common reference numerals. The differences between the first topology, the second topology, the third topology, the fourth topology, the fifth topology, the sixth topology, and the seventh topology are described below.

[0100] Reference now Figure 5 , the first switch K1 can be electrically connected between the AC power input interface 114 and the EMI filter 304 to selectively provide power from the AC power input interface 114 to the battery cell 120. Figure 4 In the first topology described, when operating in AC bypass mode, the first switch K1 is closed and the AFE 308 is disabled. When operating in AC pass-through mode, the first switch K1 is closed and the AFE 308 is enabled to provide power to the battery cell 120. The AC power also still flows directly from the AC power input interface 114 to the AC power outlet 116A. When operating in DC discharge mode, the first switch K1 is disconnected to disconnect the AC power input interface 114 from the power system circuit 300, and the AFE 308 is enabled to provide power from the battery cell 120 to the AC power outlet 116A. When operating in idle mode, the first switch K1 is disconnected and the AFE 308 is disabled. In some embodiments, the power system circuit 300 may optionally include a second switch K2 connected between the EMI filter 304, the AFE 308 and the AC power outlet 116A to control the power output to the AC power outlet 116A.

[0101] Reference now Figure 6, at least one switch 312 may include two first switches K1 and K2, which are electrically connected between the output end of the EMI filter 304 and the AFE 308, so as to selectively provide power from the AC power input interface 114 to the battery cell 120. The at least one switch 312 may further include second switches K3 and K4, third switches K5 and K6, and a fourth switch K7. The fourth switch K7 may selectively connect the output filter 316 to the power system circuit 300. The second switches K3 and K4 are electrically connected between the AC power input interface 114 and the AC power outlet 116A, for selectively directly providing AC power from the AC power input interface 114 to the power output interface 116. The second switches K5 and K6 are electrically connected between the output filter 316 of the AFE 308 and the AC power outlet 116A, so as to selectively provide power from the battery cell 120 to the power output interface 116. In some embodiments, switches K1 and K2 , K3 and K4 , and K5 and K6 are alternatively provided as single switches rather than switch pairs, for example, to reduce the number of components included in the power system circuit 300 .

[0102] Reference now Figure 7 , the power system circuit 300 may further include a DC-DC power converter 320 electrically connected between the AFE 308 and the battery cell 120. Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the DC-DC power converter 320 is a non-isolated DC-DC power converter. The DC-DC power converter 320 can be implemented in various ways. For example, the DC-DC converter 320 can be implemented as a buck converter, a boost converter, a buck-boost converter, a switched capacitor converter, a single-ended primary inductor converter (SEPIC), etc. In the illustrated embodiment, the DC-DC power converter 320 includes a capacitor C2 (e.g., a storage capacitor) connected in parallel with two transistors Q5 and Q6 connected in series. The inductor L2 is connected to the positive power terminal of the battery cell 120 between the two transistors Q5 and Q6. The DC-DC converter 320 enables the power supply 100 to operate when the maximum voltage of the battery cell 120 is less than 400 V. In some embodiments, the maximum voltage of the battery cell 120 may be greater than, less than, or equal to 400 V (DC).

[0103] Reference now Figure 8, the DC-DC power converter 320 may also include a high frequency ("HF") isolation transformer 324. The HF isolation transformer 324 provides isolation between the AC power input interface 114, the AC power outlet 116A, and the battery cell 120. The isolated DC-DC converter 320 may also be implemented in various ways. For example, the isolated DC-DC converter 320 may be implemented as a dual active bridge ("DAB") converter or a CLLC converter. In the illustrated embodiment, the isolated DC-DC converter 320 includes the above-described Figure 7 Capacitor C2, transistors Q5 and Q6, and inductor L2 are depicted. HF isolation transformer 324 is connected between inductor L2 and transistors Q5 and Q6. In the illustrated embodiment, the maximum voltage of battery cell 120 may be greater than, less than, or equal to 400 V (DC).

[0104] Reference now Fig. 9 , the power system circuit 300 may include a low frequency ("LF") isolation transformer 328 electrically connected between the first switches K1 and K2, the second switches K5 and K6, and the output filter 316. The LF isolation transformer 328 provides isolation between the AC power input interface 114, the AC power outlet 116A, and the battery cell 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the maximum voltage of the battery cell 120 may be greater than, less than, or equal to 400 V (DC).

[0105] Reference now Fig.10 , the power system circuit 300 may include an inductor-capacitor-inductor ("LCL") filter 332 for reducing harmonics in the power system circuit 300. The LCL filter includes inductors L3, L4, L5, and L6, a capacitor C3, and damping resistors R1 and R2. The LCL filter is electrically connected between the first switches K1 and K2, the second switches K5 and K6, and the AFE 308. The AFE 308 includes switches Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4. Fig.10 In the illustrated example, the DC-DC power converter 320 is implemented as a DAB converter 320, which includes: capacitors C2, C4 and C5; inductor L7; transistors Q5, Q6, Q7 and Q8 arranged in the first bridge; transistors S1, S2, S3 and S4 arranged in the second bridge; and HF isolation transformer 324. However, as described above, the DC-DC power converter 320 can be implemented in another way. In addition, although Fig.10 The seventh topology structure shown in FIG. 3 does not show the fourth switch K7 , but in some examples, the seventh topology structure of the power system circuit 300 includes the seventh switch K7 .

[0106] With respect to the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh topologies described above for the power system circuit 300, each of the at least one switch 312 is controlled by the controller 200 and enables the power supply 100 to operate in an AC bypass mode, an AC direct mode, a DC discharge mode, or an idle mode. In some embodiments, additional operating modes are included.

[0107] When operating in the AC bypass mode, the first switches K1 and K2 are open, the second switches K3 and K4 are closed, the third switches K5 and K6 are open, and the fourth switch K7 is open. Therefore, AC power flows directly from the AC power input interface 114 to the AC power outlet 116A.

[0108] When operating in the AC pass-through mode, the first switches K1 and K2 are closed, the second switches K3 and K4 are closed, the third switches K5 and K6 are open, and the fourth switch K7 is open. The AC pass-through mode enables power from the AC power input interface 114 to be simultaneously provided to both the AC power outlet 116A for powering external devices and the AFE 308 for charging the battery cell 120.

[0109] When operating in the DC discharge mode, the first switches K1 and K2 are open, the second switches K3 and K4 are open, the third switches K5 and K6 are closed, and the fourth switch K7 is closed. In some embodiments, the fourth switch K7 is not closed or is intermittently closed (e.g., based on a pulse width modulation [PWM] signal). The DC discharge mode enables the battery cell 120 to supply power to the AC power outlet 116A via the AFE 308. When operating in the idle mode, each of the at least one switch 312 is open. No power is provided to the AC power outlet 116A, and the battery cell 120 is not charged.

[0110] Fig.11A control process 1000 implemented by the controller 200 is shown for controlling the power system circuit 300 during a pass-through operation (i.e., AC pass-through mode). The control process 1000 includes sensing an AC load current requested at the AC power outlet 116A, and a current through the inductor L1. The controller 200 determines a corresponding root mean square ("RMS") load current, and a difference between the RMS load current and a maximum RMS input current. For example, the maximum AC input current may be 15 amperes. Based on the difference between the maximum AC input current and the RMS load current, the controller 200 is configured to determine a maximum charging current that can be used to charge the battery cell 120. The maximum charging current may be compared with a charging current requested by the battery cell 120. The smaller of the maximum charging current and the requested charging current is selected, the smaller corresponding to a reference current of the inductor L1. The reference current of the inductor L1 is compared with the sensed current of the inductor L1 to generate a charging current error value. The charging current error value is provided to a PWM controller (e.g., within the controller 200). The PWM controller is configured to control the current flowing through the inductor L1 by controlling a pulse width modulation (“PWM”) command signal, thereby controlling the transistors in the AFE 308 . The PWM command signal can be adjusted to regulate the charging current provided to the battery cell 120 .

[0111] Fig.12 1 shows a first exemplary method 1100 implemented by the controller 200 for operating the portable power supply 100 in an AC bypass mode, a pass-through mode, a DC discharge mode, or an idle mode. The method 1100 includes repeatedly determining whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface 114 (step 1105). If AC power is present at step 1105, the controller 200 determines the state of charge (“SOC”) of the battery cell 120 (step 1110). If the controller 200 determines that the battery cell 120 is less than fully charged, the controller 200 controls the power supply 100 to operate in the AC pass-through mode (step 1115) and provides power to the AC power outlet 116A while charging the battery cell 120. Conversely, if the controller 200 determines that the battery cell 120 is fully charged, the controller 200 controls the power supply 100 to operate in the AC bypass mode (step 1120) and does not charge the battery cell 120.

[0112] If the controller 200 determines that there is no AC power at the AC power input interface 114 at step 1105, the controller 200 determines whether AC power is requested by the AC power socket 116A (step 1125). If AC power is requested by the AC power socket 116A, the controller 200 controls the power supply 100 to operate in the DC discharge mode (step 1130), and supplies power to the AC power socket 116A via the battery cell 120 and the AFE 308. Conversely, if the controller 200 determines that there is no AC power at the AC power input interface 114 and AC power is not requested at the AC power socket 116A, the controller 200 controls the power supply 100 to operate in the idle mode.

[0113] See now Fig.13 and 14 In some cases, the power system circuit 300 includes a first power converter 336 and a second power converter 340, the first power converter 336 is configured to receive AC power from the AC power input interface 114 and convert the received AC power into DC power, and the second power converter 340 is configured to receive DC power and convert the received DC power into AC power. When active (for example, when AC power is present at the AC input interface 114), the first power converter 336 provides DC power to the battery cell 120, the second power converter 340, or both. For example, the first power converter 336 may include a first DC power output connected to the battery cell 120 and a second DC power output connected to the second power converter 340. The first power converter 336 may also be referred to as a charger 336 herein. In some cases, the controller 200 is configured to control the amount of DC power output by the charger 336. For example, the amount of power output by the charger 336 may be in the range of 0 kilowatts to 1 kilowatt based on a control signal received from the controller 200, the amount of power received at the AC power input interface 114, or both.

[0114] When AC power is requested at the AC power outlet 116A (e.g., by one or more external devices connected to the AC power outlet 116A), the second power converter 340 receives DC power from one or both of the charger 336 and the battery cell 120 and outputs AC power to the AC power outlet 116A. For example, the second power converter 340 may include a first DC power input connected to the charger 336 and a second DC power input connected to the battery cell 120. The second power converter 340 may also be referred to herein as an inverter 340.

[0115] When the power supply 100 is operated in the pass-through mode (e.g., when the charger 336 is active in response to AC power being present at the AC power input interface 114 and the AC power outlet 116A is requesting AC power), the battery cell 120 selectively outputs or receives power based on the power consumption of the inverter 340. For example, Fig.13 As shown, when the power consumption of the inverter 340 is greater than the amount of DC power output by the charger 336, the battery cell 120 provides supplemental DC power to the inverter 340. The amount of supplemental power provided by the battery cell 120 may be approximately equal to the difference between the power consumption of the inverter 340 and the amount of DC power output by the charger 336. However, in some cases, the amount of supplemental power provided by the battery cell 120 varies depending on the state of charge of the battery cell 120. Therefore, the amount of DC power received by the inverter 340 is equal to the sum of the DC power output by the charger 336 and the DC power output by the battery cell 120. For example, by supplementing the DC power output by the charger 336 with the DC power output by the battery cell 120, the power supply 100 may be operated to output more AC power than the AC power received by the AC power input interface 114 via the wall socket. The supplemental power from the battery cell 120 may be automatically provided without any control output of the controller 200.

[0116] See now Fig.14 , when in the pass-through mode and the power consumption of the inverter 340 is less than the amount of DC power output by the charger 336, the battery cell 120 receives excess DC power output from the charger 336 and not used by the inverter 340. The amount of DC power received by the battery cell 120 from the charger 336 may be approximately equal to the difference between the power consumption of the inverter 340 and the amount of DC power output by the charger 336. However, in some cases, the amount of DC power received by the battery cell 120 from the charger 336 is approximately equal to the difference between the amount of DC power output by the charger 336 and the sum of the power consumed by the inverter 340, the DC power receptacle 116B, and other power-consuming features of the power supply 100 (e.g., a display, a user interface, etc.), and thus the amount of DC power received by the inverter 340 is equal to the amount of DC power output by the charger 336 minus the DC power received by the battery cell 120. During operation of the power supply 340 in the pass-through mode, as the amount of current drawn by the inverter 340 fluctuates (e.g., based on fluctuations in the amount of power requested by an external device electrically connected to the AC power outlet 116A), the battery cells automatically switch between outputting DC power and receiving DC power from the charger 336 (e.g., without receiving a control signal from a separate control module that monitors the AC output power). The switching between outputting and receiving DC power can occur without control input from the controller 200 or any other controller.

[0117] Fig.13 and14 One or more components of the power system circuit 300 shown may be generally combined with Figure 4-10 are similar to those shown and may include Figure 4-10 Additional components are shown. For example, the power system circuit 300 may include an AC input filter 304, an output filter 316, an HF isolation transformer, a plurality of switches 312 for switching between operating modes of the power supply 100, etc. In addition, in some cases, the first power converter 336 and / or the second power converter 340 are respectively implemented in a manner substantially similar to the voltage converter 308.

[0118] Fig.15 A second method 1500 for operating the portable power supply 100 is shown. The method 1500 includes repeatedly determining whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface 114 (step 1505). If AC power is present at step 1105, the controller 200 determines whether AC power has been requested by the AC power outlet 116A (step 1510). If the controller 200 determines that the AC power outlet 116A has requested AC power, the controller 200 controls the power supply 200 to operate in a pass-through mode, for example, by controlling the charger 336 to provide DC power to the inverter 340 (step 1515). During operation in the pass-through mode, when the power consumption of the inverter 340 is less than the amount of DC power supplied by the charger 336 at step 1520, the battery cell 120 automatically receives excess DC power from the charger 336 (step 1525). When the power consumption of the inverter 340 is greater than the amount of DC power supplied by the charger 336 at step 1520 , the battery cell 120 automatically provides supplementary DC power to the inverter 340 (step 1530 ).

[0119] When the controller 200 determines that AC power is not requested at the AC power outlet 116B at step 1510 , the controller 200 controls the power supply to operate in the battery cell charging mode, for example, according to the state of charge of the battery cell 120 (step 1535 ).

[0120] When the controller 200 determines that there is no AC power at the AC power input interface 114 at step 1505, the controller 200 determines whether AC power is requested at the AC power socket 116A (step 1540). When AC power is requested at the AC power socket 116A, the controller 200 controls the power supply 100 to operate in the DC discharge mode (step 1545) and supplies power to the AC power socket 116A via the battery cell 120 and the inverter 340. On the contrary, when the controller 200 determines that there is no AC power at the AC power input interface and AC power is not requested at the AC power socket 116A, the controller 200 controls the power supply 100 to operate in the idle mode (step 1550).

[0121] Although aspects of the disclosure have been described in detail with reference to certain embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects described. Various features of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A portable power supply, comprising: AC power input interface; AC power output interface; Battery cells; a charger, the charger being electrically connected to the AC power input interface; an inverter configured to output AC power to the AC power output interface; as well as A controller, wherein the controller is configured as: controlling the charger to provide direct current (DC) power to the inverter when the charger is active and AC power is requested at the AC power output interface; Wherein, when the charger is in an active state, the battery cell selectively outputs or receives power based on the power consumption of the inverter.

2. The portable power supply according to claim 1, wherein: The battery cell receives the DC power output by the charger when power consumption of the inverter is less than an amount of the DC power output by the charger.

3. The portable power supply according to claim 2, wherein: The amount of DC power received by the battery cell from the charger is equal to a difference between an amount of DC power output by the charger and power consumption of the inverter.

4. The portable power supply according to claim 2, wherein: Further including: DC power output interface, The amount of DC power received by the battery cell from the charger is equal to the difference between the amount of DC power output by the charger and the sum of power consumption of the inverter and the amount of power output at the DC power output interface.

5. The portable power supply according to claim 1, wherein: When power consumption of the inverter is greater than an amount of DC power output by the charger, the battery cell supplies DC power to the inverter.

6. The portable power supply according to claim 5, wherein: The battery cell provides the inverter with an amount of DC power equal to a difference between power consumption of the inverter and an amount of DC power output by the charger.

7. The portable power supply according to claim 5, wherein: When the battery cell supplies DC power to the inverter, an amount of power output at the AC power output interface is greater than an amount of power received at the AC power input interface.

8. The portable power supply according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is further configured to activate the charger in response to AC power being present at the AC power input interface.

9. The portable power supply according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is further configured to control an amount of power output by the charger.

10. The portable power supply according to claim 9, wherein: The amount of electricity output by the charger ranges from 0 kW to 1 kW.

11. The portable power supply according to claim 1, wherein: The battery cell automatically switches between outputting and receiving power based on changes in power consumption of the inverter.

12. A method for operating a portable power supply, the method comprising: determining whether AC power is present at the AC power input interface; determining whether AC power is requested at the AC power output interface; in response to the AC power output interface requesting AC power while AC power is present at the AC power output interface, controlling the charger to provide DC power to an inverter electrically connected to the AC power output interface; as well as The DC power is selectively received or output using a battery cell based on power consumption of the inverter.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The selectively receiving DC power or outputting DC power using a battery cell based on power consumption of the inverter includes: determining whether power consumption of the inverter is less than an amount of DC power output by the charger; and In response to power consumption of the inverter being less than an amount of DC power output by the charger, the DC power is received from the charger using the battery cell.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The amount of DC power received from the charger using the battery cell is equal to the difference between the amount of DC power output by the charger and the power consumption of the inverter.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein: Selectively receiving DC power or outputting DC power using a battery cell based on power consumption of the inverter includes: determining whether power consumption of the inverter is less than an amount of DC power output by the charger; and In response to the power consumption of the inverter being greater than the amount of DC power output by the charger, the DC power is supplied to the inverter using the battery cell.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: The amount of DC power supplied from the battery cell to the inverter is equal to the difference between the power consumption of the inverter and the amount of DC power output by the charger.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein: Controlling the charger to provide DC power to the inverter includes controlling an amount of power output by the charger.

18. A portable power supply comprising: Internal power supply; a first power converter configured to receive alternating current (AC) power from an AC power input interface and output direct current (DC) power; a second power converter configured to receive DC power and output AC power to the power output interface; as well as a controller configured to operate the portable power supply in a pass-through mode in response to determining that AC power is present at the AC power input interface while the power output interface is requesting AC power; Wherein, in the direct mode: DC power is provided from the first power converter to the second power converter; AC power is provided from the second power converter to the AC power output interface; and The internal power source selectively outputs or receives DC power based on a difference between an amount of power present at the AC power input interface and an amount of power requested at the power output interface.

19. The portable power supply of claim 18, wherein: When in the pass-through mode and the amount of power requested at the power output interface exceeds the amount of power present at the AC power input interface, the internal power source outputs DC power to the second power converter.

20. The portable power supply of claim 18, wherein: The internal power source receives DC power from the first power converter when in the pass-through mode and the amount of power present at the AC power input interface exceeds the amount of power requested at the power output interface.

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