ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND ALLOCATION METHOD FOR ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION

Abstract

ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND ALLOCATION METHOD FOR ELECTRICAL POWER DISTRIBUTION Electrical power distribution system comprising at least one current converter module including a current converter designed to convert an alternating electrical voltage from one or more alternating voltage sources into a direct electrical voltage and to provide direct current electrical power up to a maximum module power value and having adjustable maximum power values ​​at a plurality of electrical output interfaces of the current converter module.The power distribution system further includes a power profile management device which is coupled to the current converter and is designed to negotiate, with electrical consumers that can be connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces, individual power profiles according to which electrical power up to a maximum negotiated power value is supplied to the consumers by the current converter through the electrical output interface and which are stored in a power profile memory of the power profile management device.The power profile management system is configured to detect the actual instantaneous power consumption of connected loads with which an individually negotiated power profile already exists, to calculate, for each individually negotiated power profile, a power reserve value for the current converter as the difference between the maximum negotiated power value and the actual instantaneous power consumption, and to negotiate, with one or more of the electrical loads whose power reserve value exceeds an adjustable reserve threshold value, a new power profile with a maximum power value lower than the negotiated value when the sum of the maximum negotiated power values ​​exceeds the module's maximum power value. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 1.

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND ALLOCATION METHOD FOR ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical power distribution system comprising dynamically controllable connection interfaces for various electrical consumers, as well as to an allocation method for distributing electrical power to electrical consumers in accordance with dynamically adjustable power profiles, in particular for use in the fields of civil aeronautics or astronautics.

[0002] TECHNICAL CONTEXT

[0003] Personal electronic devices (PEDs) are ubiquitous today. These PEDs are normally carried with the user wherever they travel, including on board aircraft. For the convenience of passengers, it is desirable to provide passengers on board an aircraft with the ability to recharge the electrical energy accumulators of the PEDs while on board the aircraft, or to keep the PEDs operating from mains power. Airlines generally provide charging facilities for portable electronic devices such as laptops, mobile phones, smartphones, tablet PCs and the like, which allow the use of USB ports or mains power connections for each individual passenger at their respective aircraft seat.

[0004] For the local power supply of electrical consumers - whether permanently installed devices or mobile devices such as PEDs - on board an aircraft, locally installed power distribution systems are used comprising power converters to which a plurality of electrical consumers having different power requirements can be connected.

[0005] The power capacity of such a power distribution system is mainly measured by the maximum power that can be made available simultaneously. The higher this maximum power, the higher the weight and costs of the power distribution system. Therefore, particularly in the field of aviation, it is necessary to find a balance between power capacity, on the one hand, and weight and costs, on the other hand.

[0006] Power distribution systems for groups of seats, for example in passenger aircraft, must be capable of supplying electrical power equally to the PEDs of all passengers in the group. of seats, for example for mains operation and / or recharging of PED energy accumulators. The maximum power consumption within the framework of common charging specifications such as USB-PD ("Universal Serial Bus Power Delivery") currently reaches, for example, up to 100 watts.

[0007] Electrical consumers such as PEDs or electrical appliances permanently installed in the aircraft cabin generally have an electrical power demand that varies over time. The greater the number of electrical consumers supplied with electrical energy simultaneously but independently of each other, the rarer it will be, statistically speaking, for all electrical consumers to have a maximum power requirement simultaneously.

[0008] At the same time, however, care must be taken to ensure that each passenger who connects his PED to the power distribution system of a seating group can be supplied with a minimum of electrical power and that devices permanently installed on the seating group, such as seatback displays, other electronic components such as seat actuators, sensors, lighting, AC outlets or other entertainment accessories, can be supplied at all times with the energy necessary for their operation.

[0009] Publications US 2013 / 0297089 Al, EP 2 514 062 Bl, US 2004 / 0057177 Al, DE 10 2006 028 823 Al, DE 196 17 915 Al and US 9,914,548 Bl disclose various approaches for the dynamic power supply of electrical consumers which are connected to a power distribution system. Summary of the invention

[0010] One of the aims of the invention is to provide improved solutions for the implementation of power distribution systems, in particular on board a passenger aircraft, in which the maximum available power can be used more efficiently.

[0011] These and other aims are achieved by a power distribution system having the features of claim 1 and by an allocation method for distributing electrical power to electrical consumers having the features of claim 8.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a power distribution system which is adapted to provide direct current electrical power having adjustable maximum power values ​​at a plurality of electrical output interfaces of the current converter module, up to a maximum module power value. The power distribution system further comprises a power profile management device which is coupled to the power converter and which is designed to negotiate, with electrical consumers connectable to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces, individual power profiles in accordance with which electrical power up to a negotiated maximum power value is supplied to the consumers by the power converter via the electrical output interface and which are stored in a power profile memory of the power profile management device.The power profile management device is configured to detect the instantaneous actual power consumption of the connected consumers with which an individually negotiated power profile already exists, to calculate, for each individually negotiated power profile, a power reserve value of the current converter in the form of a difference between the negotiated maximum power value and the instantaneous actual power consumption, and to negotiate, with one or more of the electrical consumers whose power reserve value is greater than an adjustable reserve threshold value, a new power profile whose maximum power value is lower than the negotiated one when the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​exceeds the maximum module power value.

[0013] According to a second aspect of the invention, an allocation method for distributing electrical power to electrical consumers, for example PEDs, which are connected to a power distribution system in a passenger aircraft, comprises the steps of connecting electrical consumers to respective output interfaces of a plurality of electrical output interfaces of a current converter module of an electrical power distribution system comprising a current converter, and negotiating, between a power profile management device and the electrical consumers, individual power profiles in accordance with which electrical power up to a negotiated maximum power value is supplied to the consumers by the current converter via the electrical output interface.The method further comprises the steps of detecting an actual instantaneous power consumption of the connected consumers with which an individually negotiated power profile already exists, comparing the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​with a maximum module power value corresponding to a maximum direct current electrical power that the current converter of the current converter module can supply to the plurality of electrical output interfaces, calculating, for each individually negotiated power profile, a power reserve value of the current converter in the form of a difference between the maximum power value. negotiated and the instantaneous real power consumption, and renegotiation of power profiles which have a lower maximum power value than that previously negotiated between the power profile management device and the electrical consumers whose calculated power reserve value is greater than an adjustable reserve threshold value when the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​exceeds the maximum module power value.

[0014] According to a third aspect of the invention, an aircraft, in particular a passenger aircraft, comprises at least one electrical power distribution system according to the first aspect of the invention. In certain embodiments, the aircraft may further comprise an electrical voltage source, for example an alternating voltage source, which supplies said at least one electrical power distribution system with an electrical voltage, for example with an alternating voltage. The power distribution systems may be associated with one of the respective seat groups in a passenger aircraft comprising a plurality of seat groups.

[0015] One of the main ideas of the invention lies in the fact that, in principle, each electrical consumer connected to the power distribution system can request its individual power profile, i.e., there are no limitations on the power profiles of the consumers on the system side. Furthermore, granular planning of the power demand can be carried out by means of incrementally adjustable power profile limits. At the same time, however, it is ensured that newly added electrical consumers are also assigned a power profile with a guaranteed minimum power allocation by reallocating already assigned individual power profiles according to specified rules.In this way, a power reserve is also created in the event that newly negotiated power profiles for newly connected electrical consumers that are to be admitted in principle exceed the maximum value of the power that can be made available by the power distribution system.

[0016] A particular advantage of the solution according to the invention lies in the fact that the electrical consumers whose current power demand uses the least of the initially assigned power profile can be used individually to free up power reserves, without affecting the power consumption of the electrical consumers which actually use their requested power profile.

[0017] Furthermore, the solution according to the invention takes into account the real instantaneous power demand or the real instantaneous power reserve by evaluating not negotiated and assigned theoretical parameters of the power profile, but actual power values ​​measured during the allocation and reallocation of newly added electrical consumers.

[0018] Advantageous embodiments and other embodiments emerge from the other subclaims as well as from the description presented with reference to the figures.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the power distribution system, the plurality of electrical output interfaces of the power converter module may comprise USB interfaces. In some embodiments, the power profile management device may negotiate the power profiles in accordance with the USB-Power-Delivery and / or USB-Battery-Charging specification. The Universal Serial Bus (USB) system provides an interface between electronic devices that is primarily intended for the rapid and simple exchange of data. Various USB versions, such as USB 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.0, allow powering connected devices via the USB cable connections.The USB specification also implements a dedicated charging port (DCP) that allows USB electronic devices with a charge controller and a battery to draw current from an electrical power source connected to the charging port to charge the battery. Various USB standards, such as the Battery Charging Specification (USB-BC) or the Power Delivery Specification (USB-PD), regulate permissible values ​​of maximum currents, charging voltages, and charging options. Advantageously, many PEDs comply with the USB standard with regard to mains operation and charging options, so that a power distribution system with such interfaces is particularly well suited to implementing granular power demand planning via incrementally adjustable limits imposed on power profiles.

[0020] According to certain embodiments of the power distribution system, the power profile management device may further be designed to calculate the actual instantaneous power consumption of the connected consumers by determining moving averages of the power consumption of the connected consumers. In the charging mode in particular, electrical consumers such as PEDs derive their electrical charging power from the power distribution system, which generally does not vary or varies little over time, and furthermore does not vary erratically. A determination of moving averages (MA), in particular using linear weighted moving averages (LWMA), may allow to make a relatively reliable prediction of the current and predicted power reserve fractions. The power distribution system can also be operated above the maximum power limit for a short period, so that a reliable forecast of the total power demand advantageously makes it possible to provide all connected electrical consumers with an uninterrupted power supply, while in the event of anticipated or actual power bottlenecks, a temporarily possible overload operation of the power distribution system can be used to quickly eliminate the power bottlenecks, by a renegotiation of admissible power profiles.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the power distribution system, the power profile management device may further be configured to negotiate, with one or more of the electrical consumers, a new power profile having a higher maximum power value than the negotiated one when the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​is less than the maximum module power value by a module reserve threshold value. Some connected electrical consumers only received a power profile having a lower maximum power value at the time they requested a power profile having a determined maximum power value from the power profile management device, due to the power reserve situation prevailing at that time.

[0022] In some embodiments, the power profile management device may perform the negotiation of new power profiles having a higher maximum power value than the negotiated one each time one of the electrical consumers connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces is disconnected from the output interface. In particular, the disconnection of the electrical consumers again releases power reserves which may contribute to an improvement in the power reserve situation at later times. The power profile management device may then assign the actually requested power profile to electrical consumers which had initially only received a lower power profile than the one actually requested.

[0023] According to certain other embodiments of the power distribution system, the power distribution system may further comprise a temperature control device which may be coupled upstream of said at least one power converter module and which is configured to adjust the maximum module power value of said at least one power converter module as a function of the temperature of the power distribution system.

[0024] According to certain embodiments of the allocation method, the plurality of electrical output interfaces of the power converter module may be USB interfaces. In this regard, in certain embodiments of the allocation method, the steps of negotiating the power profiles may comply with the USB-Power-Delivery and / or USB-Battery-Charging specification.

[0025] According to certain other embodiments of the allocation method, the renegotiation of power profiles having a higher maximum power value than that negotiated may be performed whenever one of the electrical consumers connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces is disconnected from the output interface.

[0026] The embodiments and other improvements described above may be combined with each other in any desired manner, where this seems appropriate. Other possible embodiments, improvements and implementations of the invention also include combinations, not explicitly mentioned, of features of the invention described previously or below with reference to the embodiments. In particular, those skilled in the art will also be able to add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the present invention.

[0027] BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES

[0028] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the schematic figures.

[0029] [Fig.l] represents a block diagram of the structure of a power distribution system according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0030] [Fig.2] represents a flowchart of an allocation method for distributing electrical power to electrical consumers, for example using a power distribution system shown in [Fig.l], according to another embodiment of the invention; and

[0031] [Fig.3] represents an aircraft comprising a power distribution system according to another embodiment of the invention.

[0032] The accompanying figures are intended to provide a better understanding of embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain the principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the advantages mentioned will become apparent with reference to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale with respect to one another. Directional terms such as "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "above", "below", "horizontal", "vertical", "front", "rear" and the like are used for explanation purposes only and should not be considered to limit generality to specific embodiments as illustrated in the figures.

[0033] In the figures of the drawings, identical elements, features and components which perform the same function and have the same effect are respectively designated by the same reference symbols, unless otherwise indicated.

[0034] DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF IMPLEMENTATION

[0035] Personal electronic devices (PEDs), as used herein, include all electronic devices that can be used for entertainment, communication and / or office purposes. For example, PEDs may include all types of terminals, such as laptops, mobile phones, smartphones, portable devices, handheld computers, tablet PCs, GPS devices, navigation devices, audio devices such as MP3 players, portable DVD or Bluray® players, or digital cameras.

[0036] Vehicle seats, within the meaning of the present invention, may comprise any form of structural component of a vehicle which is designed to accommodate a passenger for the duration of the journey in the vehicle. In particular, vehicle seats may be used in aircraft personally and at least temporarily exclusively by the aircraft passenger during the flight. The seats or vehicle seats, within the meaning of the invention, may be aircraft seats divided into groups of seats, but may also be sofas, armchairs, beds, first-class or business-class suites or such seats within an aircraft.

[0037] Current converters, within the meaning of the present invention, are all circuits and devices that can be used to convert one type of injected electric current - direct current or alternating current - into the other, or to modify characteristic parameters such as the voltage and frequency of one type of injected electric current. Current converters may comprise rectifiers for converting alternating current into direct current, inverters for converting direct current into alternating current, converters for converting one type of alternating current into another or converters for converting one type of direct current into another.Current converters, within the meaning of the present invention, can be implemented using analog components such as resistors, inductors and capacitors and / or semiconductor-based electronic components, such as diodes, transistors or thyristors.

[0038] [Fig.l] represents a schematic structure of a power distribution system 100 which can for example be associated with a group of seats in an aircraft passenger transport aircraft, such as the aircraft A schematically illustrated in [Fig. 3]. Each of the different groups of seats of a passenger transport aircraft can thus, for example, be associated with a separate and local power distribution system 100 in the aircraft A. A plurality of power distribution systems 100 can be powered by one or more voltage sources 20, as illustrated by way of example in [Fig. l].

[0039] The voltage sources 20 may for example comprise one or more alternating voltage sources 20, such as for example generators - in particular jet engine generators or backpressure turbine generators. Alternatively or additionally, the voltage sources 20 may for example comprise direct voltage sources such as photovoltaic systems or fuel cells. For this purpose, the power distribution system 100 may comprise an input power factor correction circuit 5 (in the case of an alternating current supply) or an input-side direct voltage converter 5 (in the case of a direct current supply) coupled downstream to one or more current converter modules 6a, 6b, two of which are illustrated by way of example in [Fig.l].It should be understood that more or less than two current converter modules are also possible for a 100 power distribution system.

[0040] The current converter modules 6a, 6b each comprise a current converter 3a and 3b, each of which converts a portion of the power supplied by the voltage source 20 via the power factor correction circuit or the DC voltage converter 5 into DC power. The current converter modules 6a, 6b may be implemented as separate circuits or components; however, it is also possible for the current converter modules 6a, 6b to be part of a higher-level current converter system and thus to be associated with the same module. Accordingly, the current converters 3a and 3b may also be functional circuit parts of a higher-level current converter circuit 3.

[0041] The power distribution system 100 may include a temperature control device 4 that may limit the fraction of the total power to be drawn from the voltage source 20 to a maximum system power, depending on the boundary conditions prevailing in the power distribution system 100, in particular the prevailing temperatures. The maximum system power may be the maximum power that the components of the power distribution system 100 can accept for reasons of system design or system safety. Setting the power distribution system 100 to a maximum system power system can thus be carried out by the temperature control device 4 or by the power profile management device 7 described in more detail below.

[0042] The current converter module 6a is illustrated in [Fig.l] as a current converter module which supplies, via output interfaces 1a to 1m, a number of electrical consumers 1a to 11m whose power consumption is predetermined and whose power supply is considered essential. These may, for example, be displays of an on-board entertainment system on board a passenger aircraft, passenger seat lights, AC power connections, seat actuators or consumers of this type.Therefore, the fraction of the total system power that the current converter module 6a converts into DC power as the module power value and transmits to the electrical consumers 11a to 11m is substantially constant when all the electrical consumers 11a to 11m are activated, and can take intermediate levels between zero and the constant module power value when some or all of the electrical consumers 11a to 11m are deactivated.

[0043] The electrical consumers 11a to 11m may have an operating state that is either active or inactive, i.e. they may or may not draw their energy needs from the current converter module 6a. Since the electrical consumers 11a to 11m are essential loads, the power demand made on the current converter module 6a has priority over other electrical consumers.

[0044] The current converter module 6b comprises a current converter 3b which is configured to convert an electrical voltage from one or more voltage sources 20 into a direct electrical voltage. The current converter 3b then delivers direct current power having adjustable maximum power values ​​at a plurality of electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n of the current converter module 6b. Since the maximum power values ​​at each electrical output interface can vary, the fraction of the total system power that the current converter module 6b converts into direct current power and supplies to one or more electrical consumers 10a to 1On can also vary.

[0045] The electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n may in particular be USB interfaces operating according to the USB-Power-Delivery and / or USB-Battery-Charging specification. Electrical consumers 10a to 1On which are connected to these USB interfaces, for example passenger PEDs of a passenger aircraft, can accordingly negotiate power profiles with the power distribution system. power 100. These power profiles indicate the maximum power value up to which the power distribution system 100 supplies power to the respective electrical output interface 2a to 2n.

[0046] The current converter module 6b and the current converter 3b are designed to supply electrical power up to a variable maximum module power value. Depending on the number of electrical consumers connected to the electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n and the power profiles negotiated or to be negotiated, it may happen that the maximum requested power values ​​exceed the maximum module power value in total.

[0047] In this regard, the power distribution system 100 comprises a power profile management device 7, which is coupled to the current converter 3b, to the electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n and, if applicable, to the temperature control device 4. The power profile management device 7 has the function of keeping an overview of the possibly variable total system power value, of the maximum module power value of the current converter module 3b, which also varies due to the variability of the total system power value, and of the requested power profiles of the electrical consumers at the electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n.

[0048] For example, the power profile management device 7 receives corresponding control signals from the temperature control device 4, which limit the total system power value to an upper system limit value depending on the operating conditions detected by the temperature control device 4. Furthermore, the power profile management device 7 detects the actual instantaneous power consumption of electrical consumers 11a to 11m connected to the output interfaces 1a to 1m of the current converter module 6a, depending on their activation state. The total value of the power required by the electrical consumers 11a to 11m constitutes the module power value of the current converter module 6a, which is subtracted from the total system power value in order to determine the maximum available module power value of the current converter module 6b.

[0049] The maximum module power value of the current converter module 6b can therefore vary dynamically with the total power available in the power distribution system 100, on the one hand, and with the instantaneous power required for the essential loads connected to the current converter module 6a and activated, on the other hand.

[0050] The power profile management device 7 comprises a processor 8 provided with software which makes it possible to negotiate, with electrical consumers 10a to 10n which can be connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n, for example passenger PEDs of a passenger aircraft, individual power profiles according to which electrical power up to a negotiated maximum power value is supplied to the consumers 10a to 1On by the current converter 3b via the correspondingly associated electrical output interface 2a to 2n. The processor 8 can store the negotiated power profiles in a power profile memory 9 of the power profile management device 7 coupled to the processor 8.

[0051] The power profile management device 7 is designed to detect the instantaneous actual power consumption of the connected consumers 10a to 10n at the electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n. This detected actual power consumption can then be equalized with the corresponding individually negotiated power profiles. The equalization carried out by the processor 8 of the power profile management device 7 establishes, for each individually negotiated power profile, the difference between the negotiated maximum power value and the measured or detected instantaneous actual power consumption. This results in power reserve values ​​of the current converter 3b, which provide an indication of the connected electrical consumers 10a to 10n that actually require less power than is theoretically allocated to them via the negotiated maximum power value.

[0052] When additional electrical consumers are connected to the electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n, it may happen that a new maximum power value to be negotiated brings the sum of all negotiated maximum power values ​​to a level that exceeds the maximum module power value. Likewise, it may happen, due to an externally induced reduction of the maximum module power value, for example due to control signals from the temperature control device 4 or due to the activation of previously inactive essential loads on the current converter module 6a, that the maximum module power value becomes lower than the sum of all currently negotiated maximum power values.Typically, in such circumstances, it would be arranged that an electrical consumer does not demand power from the current converter 6b in order to avoid exceeding the reserves.

[0053] By determining the power reserve values ​​of the current converter 3b, the power profile management device 7 is able to identify the electrical consumers with which it is possible to negotiate a new power profile which has a lower maximum power value than that initially negotiated. In this respect, the power profile management device 7 can compare the power reserve values ​​with an adjustable reserve threshold value in order to identify electrical consumers with whom a new negotiation of power profiles is possible without significantly affecting operation or the charging process. It can therefore be advantageous if the renegotiated maximum power value is still above the actual instantaneous consumption. If the electrical consumer does not accept such a power profile, it is still possible to assign a power profile whose maximum power value is minimal. For example, such power profiles must be accepted in the case of the USB-PD specification or the USB-BC specification for all compatible devices.

[0054] The power profile management device 7 can thus exclude from renegotiation the connected consumers 10a to 10n which in principle have sufficiently high power reserve values ​​but which are connected to electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n which are classified at a higher power priority level. For example, it is conceivable to assign users an output interface having a higher power priority level by paying an additional fee or by virtue of their status as a business class passenger or frequent flyer. The PEDs of these users therefore always receive a requested power profile having the desired maximum power value via the output interface whose power priority level is higher, even if the actual power consumption by the connected PED may lead to the use of a power reserve.

[0055] The power profile management device 7 can determine the actual instantaneous power consumption of the connected consumers 10a to 10n by means of suitable methods of measurement or averaging and equalization detection, for example by means of a determination of moving averages in a dynamic tracking time window whose previous length is adjustable. For this purpose, a linear weighted moving average (LMWA) can for example be used in order to be able to mask short-term and transient peaks or troughs occurring in the power consumption of the connected consumers 10a to 10n.

[0056] Conversely, it is possible to ensure that by reducing the number of connected electrical consumers, for example by disconnecting a PED by a user from a connection interface, power reserves are released again. Alternatively or additionally, it may be that due to an externally induced increase in the maximum module power value, for example due to control signals from the temperature control device 4 or due to the deactivation of previously active essential loads on the current converter module 6a, the maximum module power value rises again above the sum of all currently negotiated maximum power values. The power reserves can then be redistributed to other remaining electrical consumers by the power profile management device 7. These may preferably be electrical consumers that have been assigned a currently negotiated maximum power value that is lower than the one initially requested or that has been renegotiated during a power shortage.For this purpose, the power profile management device 7 can periodically or whenever one of the electrical consumers 10a to 10n connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n is disconnected from the respective output interface, compare the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​of the currently connected or remaining electrical consumers with the maximum module power value of the current converter module 6b. When the power reserve thus determined exceeds an adjustable module reserve value, power profiles can be implemented to increase the maximum power values ​​using selected electrical consumers.

[0057] [Fig. 2] represents a flowchart of the steps of an allocation method M intended to distribute electrical power to electrical consumers, for example electrical consumers 10a to 10n, which have been connected, during a first step Ml, to respective output interfaces of a plurality of electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n - for example USB interfaces operating according to the USB-PD specification or the USB-BC specification - of a current converter module 6b, provided with a current converter 3b, of an electrical power distribution system 100. The method M can in particular be implemented in an electrical power distribution system 100 as explained with reference to [Fig. 1].

[0058] In a subsequent step M2, individual power profiles can be negotiated between a power profile management device 7 and the electrical consumers 10a to 1On, according to which an electrical power up to a negotiated maximum power value is supplied to the consumers 10a to 1On by the current converter 3b via the electrical output interface 2a to 2n. In a third step M3, an instantaneous actual power consumption of the connected consumers 10a to 1On with which an individually negotiated power profile already exists is detected, for example by determining moving averages of the measured power consumption over time. The sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​is compared, in a fourth step M4, with a maximum module power value which corresponds to a maximum direct current power that the converter of current 3b of the current converter module 6b can provide the plurality of electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n.

[0059] As a power reserve value of the current converter 3b for each individually negotiated power profile, a difference between the negotiated maximum power value and the instantaneous actual power consumption can be calculated in a fifth step M5, so that, in a sixth step, a renegotiation of power profiles which have a lower maximum power value than that previously negotiated, can take place between the power profile management device 7 and the electrical consumers whose calculated power reserve value is greater than an adjustable reserve threshold value, whenever the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​exceeds the maximum module power value.The renegotiation carried out in step M6 of the power profiles having a higher maximum power value than that negotiated can be carried out each time that one of the electrical consumers 10a to 10n connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces 2a to 2n is disconnected from the output interface.

[0060] In the detailed description presented above, various features have been summarized in one or more examples to improve the thoroughness of the presentation. It should be understood, however, that the above description has been presented solely for the purpose of illustration and is intended to cover all variations, modifications, and equivalent forms of the various features and embodiments. Many other examples will be immediately and obviously apparent to those skilled in the art, given their knowledge of the art, in light of the above description.

[0061] The embodiments have been selected and described in order to best illustrate the principles underlying the invention and its possible applications in practice. This will enable a person skilled in the art to modify and optimally use the invention and its various embodiments taking into account the intended application. In the claims as well as in the description, the terms "containing" and "comprising" are used as language-neutral terms for the corresponding term "comprising". Furthermore, the use of the terms "a" and "an" is not intended to exclude in principle a plurality of the features and components thus described.

Claims

1. Claims An electrical power distribution system (100) comprising: at least one current converter module (6b) comprising a current converter (3b) which is designed to supply direct current electrical power up to a maximum module power value and having adjustable maximum power values ​​at a plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n) of the current converter module (6b); and a power profile management device (7) which is coupled to the current converter (3b) and which is designed to negotiate, with electrical consumers (10a;...; 10n) connected to respective ones of the plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n), individual power profiles according to which electrical power up to a negotiated maximum power value is supplied to the consumers (10a;...; 10n); lOn) by the current converter (3b) via the electrical output interface (2a; ...; 2n) and which negotiated profiles are stored in a power profile memory (9) of the power profile management device (7), characterized in that the power profile management device (7) is further designed to detect the instantaneous actual power consumption of each of the connected consumers (10a;...; lOn) with which an individually negotiated power profile already exists, to calculate, for each of the individually negotiated power profiles, a power reserve value of the current converter (3b) in the form of a difference between the negotiated maximum power value and the instantaneous actual power consumption, and to negotiate, with one or more of the electrical consumers (10a;...; lOn) whose power reserve value is greater than an adjustable reserve threshold value, a new power profile whose maximum power value is lower than that previously negotiated for this or these electrical consumers, when the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​exceeds the maximum module power value.

2. The power distribution system (100) of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n) of the power converter module (6b) are USB interfaces.

3. A power delivery system (100) according to claim 2, wherein the power profile management device (7) is adapted to negotiate power profiles in accordance with the USB-Power-Delivery and / or USB-Battery-Charging specification.

4. A power distribution system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the power profile management device (7) is adapted to calculate the instantaneous actual power consumption of the connected consumers (10a; ...; lOn) by determining moving averages of the power consumption of the connected consumers (10a; ...; lOn).

5. A power distribution system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the power profile management device (7) is further adapted to negotiate, with one or more of the electrical consumers (10a; ...; 10n), a new power profile having a higher maximum power value than the negotiated one when the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​is lower by a module reserve threshold value than the maximum module power value.

6. A power distribution system (100) according to claim 5, wherein the power profile management device (7) is adapted to perform negotiation of new power profiles having a higher maximum power value than the negotiated one whenever one of the electrical consumers (10a;...; 1On) connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n) is disconnected from the output interface.

7. A power distribution system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a temperature control device (4) which is coupled upstream of said at least one current converter module (6b) and which is adapted to adjust, depending on the temperature of the power distribution system (100), the maximum module power value of said at least one current converter module (6b).

8. Allocation method (M) for distributing electrical power to electrical consumers (10a; ...; 10n), comprising: connecting (Ml) electrical consumers (10a;...; 1On) to respective output interfaces of a plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n) of a current converter module (6b) of an electrical power distribution system (100) comprising a current converter (3b); and the negotiation (M2), between a power profile management device (7) and the electrical consumers (11a; ...; lin), of individual power profiles according to which an electrical power up to a negotiated maximum power value is supplied to the consumers (10a;...; lOn) by the current converter (3b) via the electrical output interface (2a;...; 2n), characterized by: the detection (M3) of an instantaneous real power consumption of each of the connected consumers (10a;...; lOn) with which an individually negotiated power profile already exists; comparing (M4) the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​to a maximum module power value corresponding to a maximum direct current electrical power that the current converter (3b) of the current converter module (6b) can supply to the plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n); calculating (M5), for each individually negotiated power profile, a power reserve value of the current converter (3b) in the form of a difference between the maximum negotiated power value and the instantaneous real power consumption; and the renegotiation (M6) of one or more power profiles which have a lower maximum power value than that previously negotiated between the power profile management device (7) and the electrical consumers whose calculated power reserve value is greater than an adjustable reserve threshold value when the sum of the negotiated maximum power values ​​exceeds the maximum module power value.

9. The allocation method (M) according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n) of the current converter module (6b) are USB interfaces.

10. Allocation method (M) according to claim 9, wherein the steps of negotiating (M2; M6) power profiles comply with the USB-Power-Delivery and / or USB-B battery-Charging specification.

11. An allocation method (M) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the renegotiation (M6) of power profiles having a higher maximum power value than the negotiated one is performed each time one of the electrical consumers (10a;...; 1On) connected to respective output interfaces of the plurality of electrical output interfaces (2a;...; 2n) is disconnected from the output interface.

12. Aircraft (A) comprising at least one electrical power distribution system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7

13. An aircraft (A) according to claim 12, further comprising at least one electrical voltage source which supplies said at least one electrical power distribution system (100) with an electrical voltage.

14. Aircraft (A) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the aircraft (A) is a passenger aircraft comprising a plurality of groups of seats with which is respectively associated an electrical power distribution system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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