Power Management System

Abstract

To provide a system and method for managing power used by one or more sub systems of a transporter which reduces power while maintaining a function when electric power generation of the transporter exceeds an upper limit.SOLUTION: A power management system has a controller including one or more processors. The controller monitors the power of a power bus of a transporter. The power bus electrically connects a power source to a plurality of sub systems so as to feed power to the plurality of sub systems of the transporter through the power of the power bus. A controller generates a reduction command message to communicate with a sub system having the lowest priority among the sub systems according to the following determination when the power of the power bus is determined to exceed the upper limit of designated electric power generation. The reduction command message commands the sub system having the lowest priority to reduce power consumption.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for managing electrical power generated by a power source onboard a vehicle and utilized by one or more subsystems of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicles such as commercial aircraft have on-board generators that power various subsystems aboard the vehicle, such as propulsion systems, environmental control systems, equipment and instrument systems, lighting systems, appliances, and electronics and display systems. When power generation reaches its limit due to various loads simultaneously drawing power, a typical electrical load management system compensates by temporarily deactivating or disconnecting one or more entire subsystems from the power bus. For example, if an oven is running in a galley when the power generation limit is exceeded, the load management system may alleviate the excess load by shutting off the oven as well as other appliances in the galley. The binary response of disconnecting entire subsystems when the power generation limit is reached would result in a complete loss of functionality for those particular subsystems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] What is needed is a system and method for eliminating the "all or nothing" binary approach to electrical load management within vehicles such as commercial aircraft.

[0004] In light of these needs, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a power management system having a controller including one or more processors. The controller is configured to monitor power on a power bus of a vehicle. The power bus electrically connects a power source to multiple subsystems of the vehicle for powering the multiple subsystems via power on the power bus. The controller is further configured to determine that power on the power bus exceeds a specified power generation limit and, in response, generate a reduce command message for communication with a lowest priority one of the subsystems. The reduce command message instructs the lowest priority subsystem to reduce power consumption.

[0005] In one or more embodiments, a method for allocating power to subsystems of a vehicle is provided. The method includes monitoring power on a power bus of the vehicle via a controller including one or more processors. The power bus electrically connects a power source to multiple subsystems of the vehicle for powering the multiple subsystems via power on the power bus. In response to determining that the power on the power bus exceeds a specified power generation limit, the method includes generating a reduce command message for communication with a lowest priority one of the subsystems. The reduce command message instructs the lowest priority subsystem to reduce power consumption.

[0006] In one or more embodiments, a power management system is provided that includes a controller and a sanitization system. The controller includes one or more processors and is configured to monitor power on a power bus of a vehicle. The power bus electrically connects a power source to multiple subsystems of the vehicle to power the multiple subsystems via power on the power bus. The sanitization system represents one of the subsystems. The sanitization system includes multiple ultraviolet (UV) lamps mounted at various locations within an interior cabin of the vehicle, the multiple UV lamps configured to emit UV light into the interior cabin using power from the power bus. The controller is further configured to determine that power on the power bus exceeds a specified power generation upper limit and, in response, generate a reduce command message for communication with the sanitization system. The reduce command message instructs the sanitization system to reduce power consumption. The sanitization system is configured to reduce the amount of power supplied to one or more of the UV lamps based on the reduce command message to reduce the output of UV light from the one or more UV lamps without causing the one or more UV lamps to cease emitting UV light. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a perspective front view of an aircraft according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] 1 illustrates a top view of an interior cabin of an aircraft, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] 1 illustrates a top view of an interior cabin of an aircraft according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a sanitization system within a portion of an interior cabin of an aircraft, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 shows a perspective interior view of a restroom within the interior cabin of the vehicle. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a galley within the interior cabin of the vehicle. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram of a power management system onboard a vehicle, according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one of the transporter's subsystems, according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a flowchart of a method for managing power allocation among vehicle subsystems, according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates a system power supply wiring diagram for a power management system according to one embodiment. [Figure 10] 1 illustrates a data bus architecture diagram of a power management system according to one embodiment. [Figure 11-1] 10 is a flowchart of a method for managing power allocation among vehicle subsystems, according to another embodiment. [Figure 11-2] 10 is a flowchart of a method for managing power allocation among vehicle subsystems, according to another embodiment. [Figure 11-3] 10 is a flowchart of a method for managing power allocation among vehicle subsystems, according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. As used herein, the use of "a" or "an" in the singular does not necessarily exclude a plurality of such elements or steps. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" should not be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that incorporate the features described herein. Furthermore, unless expressly stated otherwise, embodiments "comprising" or "having" one or more elements having a particular condition may include additional elements that do not have that condition.

[0009] Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a power management system for a vehicle, such as a commercial aircraft. The power management system allocates power equitably among multiple member systems (referred to herein as subsystems) that draw power from a shared power bus. An onboard power source (or power generation system) supplies power to the power bus. The power management system disclosed herein controls one or more of the subsystems to operate at reduced power levels as needed to maintain compliance with a specified power generation limit. The power generation limit represents a specified upper threshold for power on the power bus. The power management system manages the subsystems to maintain the power generation limit by taking action when the total power draw or demand exceeds or approaches the power generation limit. For example, if power draw exceeds the power generation limit, the power management system instructs one or more of the subsystems to reduce power (without disconnecting or deactivating any subsystems) until the power shortage is resolved. In one embodiment, only subsystems classified as non-essential to the operation of the vehicle and the health and well-being of those aboard the vehicle are considered for power reduction. The power management system arranges non-essential subsystems in order of priority, with the lowest priority subsystem receiving instructions to reduce power first, followed by the next lowest priority subsystem if necessary, and so on. When sufficient power capacity is available, all subsystems operate normally. When its upper limit is exceeded (perhaps the oven in the cooking chamber is on), the subsystem with the lowest priority reduces its power first. Furthermore, as described herein, individual subsystems may have their own priority ordering, whereby the lowest priority subsystem first reduces power to one or more of its lowest priority electrical devices, and then reduces power to higher priority electrical devices within that subsystem if necessary to fill the shortfall.

[0010] In addition to fairly controlling power allocation among the subsystems, the power management system also provides a proportional response to exceeding the power generation cap. For example, the power management system determines a power budget deficit, which represents the amount of power that needs to be reduced to comply with the power generation cap. Rather than simply deactivating an entire lower-priority subsystem, the power management system communicates the deficit to one or more of the subsystems, including at least the lowest-priority subsystem. If the lowest-priority subsystem is drawing power greater than the deficit, the lowest-priority subsystem reduces its power consumption by the deficit amount. The lowest-priority subsystem only needs to reduce its power consumption by the deficit amount and can continue to consume power from the power bus after making the power reduction. For example, if the lowest-priority subsystem draws 10 kW of power and receives an instruction indicating that the deficit is 6 kW, the lowest-priority subsystem reduces its power consumption to 4 kW to meet the budget deficit. The lowest-priority subsystem can continue operating at 4 kW until further warning, allowing it to continue functioning at the reduced power level. Thus, the power management system responds proportionally to power budget shortfalls without binary shutting off subsystems to reduce load, thereby avoiding complete loss of subsystem functionality. For example, subsystems and their devices may be configured to continue operating and functioning, although with a reduced power supply, their operations may require longer to complete, provide reduced or degraded output, etc. The power management system described herein can be tuned to allow non-essential systems to utilize all available power by adjusting their consumption in synchronization with an onboard power source (e.g., a power generation system).

[0011] In one or more embodiments, one of the member systems or subsystems of the vehicle managed by the power management system is a sanitization system. The sanitization system includes a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) light sources (referred to herein as UV lamps) disposed within the interior cabin of the vehicle. The UV lamps are positioned and controlled to emit UV light into the interior cabin while the vehicle is in motion. The UV light thereby sanitizes the air and surfaces within the interior cabin. The emitted UV light can be controlled to exhibit a specified wavelength or narrow range of wavelengths that are safe for human tissue. For example, the specified wavelength can be 222 nm. The UV lamps are positioned to sanitize the air and surfaces before they can be cleaned through air filtering (e.g., with HEPA filters) or manual application of chemical cleaning in the air movement and air conditioning system, such as may occur between trips. At least some of the UV lamps can be operated to emit UV light continuously for extended periods of time. For example, at least some of the UV lamps may be on (e.g., enabled) to emit UV light continuously throughout the entire duration of the journey, from when passengers board the vehicle to when they disembark, The continuous UV radiation kills or neutralizes pathogens to prevent their spread in the air and on surfaces during cabin cleaning and air conditioning cycles during the movement of the vehicle.

[0012] The sanitization system may be classified as the lowest priority non-essential subsystem or one of the lower priority non-essential subsystems. As a result, in one or more embodiments, the power management system may request that the sanitization system reduce its power draw to resolve the determined power budget shortfall. The sanitization system may proportionally reduce its power draw by reducing the power supplied to one or more of the UV lamps, such as one or more subsets of UV lamps in the lower priority areas of the interior cabin, as described herein. The sanitization system may operate one or more subsets of the UV lamps at a lower power level to satisfy the power reduction request, while at least some of the UV lamps in the one or more subsets continue to emit UV light. For example, the UV lamps receiving less power may simply emit UV light at a lower intensity and / or range than before the power reduction request. This allows at least some of the UV lamps to continue functioning to sanitize and disinfect the interior cabin.

[0013] 1 illustrates a perspective front view of an aircraft 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The aircraft 10 includes a propulsion system 12 including, for example, engines 14. Optionally, the propulsion system 12 may include more engines 14 than shown. The engines 14 are carried by wings 16 of the aircraft 10. In other embodiments, the engines 14 may be carried by a fuselage 18 and / or a tail section 20. The tail section 20 may also support a horizontal stabilizer 22 and a vertical stabilizer 24.

[0014] The fuselage 18 of the aircraft 10 defines an interior cabin, which may include a flight deck or cockpit, one or more work areas (e.g., a galley, a crew baggage area, etc.), one or more passenger areas (e.g., first class, business class, and economy class), one or more restrooms, etc.

[0015] Alternatively, embodiments of the present disclosure may be used with various other vehicles, such as automobiles, buses, rail vehicles, ships, etc., instead of aircraft. For example, the power management systems disclosed herein may be implemented in passenger cars, buses, cruise ships, etc. Embodiments of the present disclosure may also be used for enclosed areas within fixed structures, such as commercial and residential buildings. Some fixed structures may have independent power generation systems, thereby not using power from the grid, similar to vehicles. Other fixed structures may utilize power from the grid but still have the power management systems disclosed herein enforce a specified power generation cap to limit energy use and costs. For example, power management systems and sanitation systems may be installed and operated inside theaters, concert halls, places of worship, office buildings, shops, etc. In this case, continuous UV light of harmless wavelengths can provide continuous disinfection of air and surfaces.

[0016] FIG. 2A illustrates a top view of an interior cabin 30 of an aircraft according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The interior cabin 30 may be within the fuselage 18 of the aircraft 10, as shown in FIG. 1. For example, one or more fuselage walls may define the interior cabin 30. The interior cabin 30 includes multiple sections, including a forward section 33, a first class section 34, a business class section 36, a forward galley 38, a premium economy section 40, a standard economy section 42, and an aft section 44. The interior cabin 30 also includes multiple restrooms 45. It should be understood that the interior cabin 30 may include more or fewer sections than shown. For example, the interior cabin 30 may not include a first class section or may include more or fewer galleys than shown. Each of the sections may be separated by a cabin transition area 46, which may include a class separation assembly 48.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2A , the interior cabin 30 includes two passageways 50 and 52 that extend substantially the length of the interior cabin 30 and connect to the aft section 44. The passageways 50 and 52 extend to an exit path or doorway 60. An exit door 62 is located at the end of the exit path 60. The exit path 60 may be perpendicular to the passageways 250 and 252. The interior cabin 30 may include more exit paths 60 than shown at various locations. Optionally, the interior cabin 30 may have fewer or more passageways than shown. For example, the interior cabin 30 may include a single passageway extending through the center of the interior cabin 30 that connects to the aft section 44. The sanitization systems described herein can be used to sanitize the air and various structures within the interior cabin 30.

[0018] 2B illustrates a top view of an interior cabin 80 of an aircraft according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The interior cabin 80 may be within the fuselage 18 of the aircraft 10, as shown in FIG. 1. For example, one or more fuselage walls may define the interior cabin 80. The interior cabin 80 includes multiple sections, including a main cabin 82 having passenger seats 83 and an aisle 84, and an aft section 85 behind the main cabin 82. The interior cabin 80 also includes a restroom 87. The interior cabin 80 may include more or fewer sections than shown.

[0019] The interior cabin 80 has a single passageway 84 that extends a substantial length of the interior cabin 80 and leads to an aft section 85. The passageway 84 may extend through the center of the interior cabin 80, such that the passageway 84 is coaxial with a mid-longitudinal plane 86 of the interior cabin 80. The passageway 84 extends to an exit path or doorway 90. The exit path or doorway 90 is an area adjacent to an entrance to the aircraft. An exit door 92 is located at the end of the exit path 90. The exit path 90 may be perpendicular to the passageway 84. The sanitization systems described herein can be used to sanitize the air and various structures within the interior cabin 80.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a sanitization system 100 within a portion of an interior cabin 122 of an aircraft, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The interior cabin 122 may represent either of the interior cabins 30, 80 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively. The interior cabin 122 includes an exterior wall 102 coupled to a ceiling 104. A window 106 may be formed within the exterior wall 102. A floor 108 supports a row of seats 110. The row 112 may include three seats 110 on either side of an aisle 113. However, the row 112 may include more or fewer seats 110 than shown. Additionally, the interior cabin 122 may include more than the single aisle 113 shown in FIG. 3.

[0021] Passenger service units (PSUs) 114 are secured between the outer wall 302 and the ceiling 104 on either side of the aisle 113. The PSUs 114 are arranged in vertical columns extending between the forward and aft ends of the interior cabin 122. For example, at least one PSU 114 may be located above the seats 110 in a row 112 on either side of the aisle 113. The PSUs 114 may include personal air blowers 115 (e.g., or vents, puffers, etc.), reading lights, oxygen bag drop panels, crew request buttons, and other such controls and components. At least some of the controls and components of the PSUs 114, such as reading lights, may be shared among groups of two or three seats 110 in a row 112. Other components, such as the personal air blowers 115, may be dedicated to individual seats 110.

[0022] An overhead bin assembly 118 is secured to the ceiling 104 and / or outer wall 102 above the PSU 114 on either side of the aisle 113. The overhead bin assembly 118 is secured above the seat 110. The overhead bin assembly 118 is configured to pivot open, for example, to accommodate passenger baggage and personal belongings. As used herein, the term "outboard" refers to a location farther away from the central longitudinal plane of the interior cabin 122 than another component, and the term "inboard" refers to a location closer to the central longitudinal plane of the interior cabin 122 than another component.

[0023] The sanitization system 100 includes a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) lamps 120 mounted within the interior cabin 122. The UV lamps 120 generate UV light and are controlled to emit the UV light into the interior cabin 122 to sanitize and disinfect the air and surfaces within the interior cabin 122. The UV lamps 120 may be positioned in various areas throughout the interior cabin 122. In the illustrated embodiment, a first subset 124 of the UV lamps 120 are mounted in the PSU 114 above the passenger seats 110 and are referred to herein as the PSU subset 124. For example, the UV lamps 120 in the PSU 114 may be located near other components of the PSU 114, such as the air blower 115 or a reading light. In one embodiment, the UV lamps 120 in the PSU subset 124 are integrated into the PSU 114. Each UV lamp 120 thereby emits UV light into an associated row 112 of seats 110 on one side of the aisle 113. Depending on the field or spread of UV light emitted from each UV lamp 120, each PSU 114 may include only one or multiple UV lamps 120. The field refers to the three-dimensional space defined by the propagation of UV light waves (e.g., rays) emitted by the UV lamps 120. The width of the field may depend on the mechanical features of the UV lamps 120, such as reflectors, collimators, lenses, etc., and may optionally be set to provide a predetermined width. In one non-limiting embodiment, the field of the UV lamps 120 in the PSU 114 may be sufficient for each UV lamp 120 to sanitize the air and surfaces around two passenger seats 110. Thus, for a group of three or more seats 110 in a row 112 on one side of the aisle 113, the PSU 114 may include at least two UV lamps 120, with one UV lamp 120 positioned outside another UV lamp 120, to enable the combined UV light to cover the entire group of seats 110 and the passengers sitting therein. In another non-limiting embodiment, the number of UV lamps 120 in the PSU subset 124 may match the total number of seats 110, whereby each UV lamp 120 is dedicated to and associated with a different seat 110 in the interior cabin 122.

[0024] A second subset 126 of UV lamps 120 of sanitization system 100 is mounted in the ceiling 104 between the overhead bin assemblies 118. The UV lamps 120 in second subset 126 are referred to as aisle subset 126 because they emit UV light into the aisle 113. Aisle subset 126 is aligned in a linear column extending the length of interior cabin 122 between its forward and aft ends. The UV lamps 120 in aisle subset 126 are spaced apart. The spacing distance may be based on the field or spread of the UV light to ensure there is at least some overlap in the focal areas of two adjacent UV lamps 120 at a specified height above floor 108 to avoid creating blind spots that could harbor pathogens.

[0025] Although two subsets 124, 126 or groups of UV lamps 120 are shown in FIG. 3, UV lamps 120 may be positioned in other areas of the cabin 122 as well, such as in the galley, restrooms, and dividers between sections.

[0026] FIG. 4 shows a perspective interior view of a restroom 200 within an interior cabin of a vehicle, such as any of the interior cabins described herein. For example, restroom 200 may be either restroom 45 shown in FIG. 2A or restroom 87 shown in FIG. 2B. Restroom 200 includes a floor 202, a toilet 204, a mirror 206, a sink 208, walls 210, a ceiling 212, and a door (not shown) for establishing privacy. UV lamps 120 of sanitizing system 100 are positioned within restroom 200. UV lamps 120 represent a third subset 128 of UV lamps 120 of satellited system 100, referred to herein as restroom subset 128. In alternative embodiments, restroom subset 128 may include more than the single UV lamp 120 depicted in FIG. 4. UV lamps 120 are configured to emit UV light within restroom 200 to sanitize air and surfaces.

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a galley 240 within an interior cabin of a vehicle, such as any of the interior cabins described herein. The galley 240 includes various cabinets 242 and appliances, such as a coffee maker 244. The galley 240 also includes a galley cart 246. The galley 240 may be occupied by flight crew when preparing food and beverages for passengers, disposing of garbage, etc. Some flight crew may sit in the galley during the takeoff and landing phases of travel. Passengers walk through or past the galley during boarding and disembarking. In the illustrated embodiment, two UV lamps 120 of the sanitization system 100 are positioned within the galley 240 and arranged to emit UV light into the galley 240. The UV lamps 120 represent the galley subset 130 of the UV lamps 120 in the sanitization system 100. Both of the UV lamps 120 are mounted along the ceiling 248 of the galley 240. The UV lamps 120 may be spaced apart so that the radiation fields 214 of the two UV lamps 120 partially overlap to provide substantial germicidal coverage of the cooking chamber 240.

[0028] 3-5 collectively, the UV lamps 120 of the sanitization system 100 are positioned throughout the cabin 122 to maximize the coverage area of ​​the UV lamps. Maximizing coverage refers to emitting UV light to cover a substantial amount or percentage of the area or space within the cabin 122, such as greater than 80%, greater than 90%, or greater than 95%, particularly in areas occupied and passed through by passengers and crew. The UV light sanitizes and disinfects the air and surrounding surfaces. Surrounding surfaces that may be disinfected by UV light may include the seats 110 (including their arms and headrests), the skin and clothing of passengers and crew, walls, doors, toilets, hand basins, drawers, appliances, etc. The sanitization system 100 is configured to continuously operate at least some of the UV lamps 120 in an on-light state, even in the presence of passengers, such as during boarding, taxiing, flight, and disembarkation. Unlike current practices that provide only intermittent sterilization, such as chemically cleaning the cabin 122 between flights and filtering a given volume of air whenever that volume is drawn through an environmental control system return register, the sanitization system 100 continuously kills pathogens on surfaces and in the air.

[0029] In one embodiment, the UV light emitted by UV lamps 120 is controlled to allow occupants (e.g., passengers and crew) to be exposed to UV light for extended periods of time without harm. For example, the emitted UV light may have a specified wavelength or a narrow band of wavelengths that has been experimentally determined to be harmless to human tissue through extended exposure. Thus, even if UV lamps 120 continuously emit UV light throughout the duration of the flight, passengers may not be harmed. UV lamps 120 may be configured or constructed to produce only the specified wavelengths or a narrow band thereof. Alternatively, filters may be utilized that absorb or dissipate wavelengths outside the specified wavelengths or a narrow band thereof. The UV light emitted within the illumination field thereby consists only of the specified wavelengths or a narrow band thereof.

[0030] In one non-limiting example, the specified wavelength is 222 nm. Sanitizing UV light with a wavelength of 222 nm has been shown to kill pathogens (such as viruses and bacteria) instead of inactivating them. In contrast, UVC light with a wavelength of 254 nm inactivates pathogens by interacting with their DNA, resulting in temporary inactivation but may not kill the pathogen. Instead, pathogens can be reactivated by exposure to normal white light at a reactivation rate of approximately 10% per hour. Therefore, UVC light with a wavelength of 254 nm may be ineffective in illuminated areas, such as the interior cabin of a vehicle. Furthermore, 254 nm UVC light is not recommended for human exposure because it can penetrate human cells. In contrast, sanitizing UV light with a wavelength of 222 nm is safe for human exposure and kills pathogens. Furthermore, sanitizing UV light having a wavelength of 222 nm can be emitted at full power by the UV lamp 120 within 1 millisecond or less of being activated (in contrast, UVC having a wavelength of 254 nm can take several seconds or minutes to reach full power).

[0031] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a power management system 300 onboard a vehicle, according to one embodiment. The vehicle may be an aircraft, such as the aircraft 10 shown in FIG. 1 . The power management system 300 is associated with a power supply system 301 onboard the vehicle. The power supply system 301 includes a power source 302, a power bus 304, and multiple subsystems 306. The subsystems 306 include electrical devices and equipment that utilize the power provided by the power source 302. The power source 302 may include one or more generators that generate electrical energy from mechanical energy. The power source 302 may be referred to as a power generation system. The power bus 304 is one or more electrically conductive wires and / or cables that conduct electrical current between the power source 302 and the subsystems 306. Each of the subsystems 306 is electrically connected to the bus 304 and may receive power from the power source 302 via the bus 304. The subsystems 306 may be connected in parallel with the bus 304. 6, there may be more or fewer than four subsystems 306 in other embodiments. The subsystems 306 represent non-essential systems. Non-limiting examples of potential subsystems 306 include the sanitization system 100 shown in FIGS. 3-5, galley appliances (e.g., ovens, refrigerators, coffee makers, etc.), PSU devices (e.g., displays behind headrests, personal lights, etc.), restroom devices, general cabin interior lighting, and certain non-essential portions of an environmental control system, such as an air conditioning cycle and / or air blower system.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the power management system 300 includes a controller 308, sensors 310, input devices 312, and output devices 314. The controller 308 is operatively connected to the sensors 310, input devices 312, and output devices 314 via wired and / or wireless communication paths 316. The controller 308 generates messages in the form of electrical signals that are communicated to the subsystems 306 to manage the supply and consumption of power for the vehicle. The generated messages may be based on signals (e.g., data) received from the sensors 310. The controller 308 represents hardware circuitry that includes and / or is connected to one or more processors 318 (e.g., one or more microprocessors, integrated circuits, microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays, etc.). The controller 308 includes and / or is connected to a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium (e.g., memory) 320. For example, the memory 320 may store programmed instructions (eg, software) that are executed by the one or more processors 318 to perform the operations of the controller 308 described herein.

[0033] Input device 312 may represent or include a selector knob, a workstation computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer (e.g., a smartphone), a keyboard, a touchpad, a joystick, etc. that allow an operator to control power management system 300. For example, an operator may enter user input via input device 312 to rank subsystems 306 in terms of priority and update predetermined rankings, as described below. Output device 314 may be an integrated display device onboard the aircraft and / or a display screen on a personal computer, tablet, or handheld computer (e.g., a smartphone). Controller 308 may generate control signals to control output device 314 to display notifications to the operator, such as to notify the operator that one or more of subsystems 306 are operating at reduced power due to a detected power budget deficiency.

[0034] The controller 308 of the power management system 300 monitors the power on the bus 304. The power on the bus 304 represents the power provided by the power source 302 to power the loads represented by the various subsystems 306. The power on the bus 304 may correspond, at least in part, to the power requested by the subsystems 306. For example, if all of the subsystems 306 are enabled, the demand or load may be greater than if half of the subsystems 306 are disabled and not drawing power from the bus 304. The controller 308 may monitor the power on the bus 304 via a sensor 310. The sensor 310 measures one or more characteristics of the electrical energy on the bus 304. For example, the sensor 310 may measure voltage, current, etc., and generate a sensor signal indicative of the measured characteristic. The controller 308 analyzes the sensor signal to monitor the power on the bus 304.

[0035] The controller 308 determines when the power of the bus 304 exceeds a specified limit, referred to as the power generation limit 321. The power generation limit 321 may be predetermined and stored in the memory 320. The power generation limit 321 may be selected based on the capabilities of the power source, the desired energy efficiency of the vehicle, and the like. When the controller 308 receives an updated measurement of the power of the bus 304, the controller 308 compares the power of the bus 304 to the specified power generation limit 321. If the power of the bus 304 exceeds the power generation limit 321, the controller 308 determines that a power budget deficit exists, meaning that more power is being demanded than is available to supply for an extended period of time. The controller 308 may subtract the value of the power of the bus 304 from the power generation limit 321 to determine the deficit.

[0036] The controller 308 resolves the power budget deficiency by generating a reduction command message that is communicated to one or more of the subsystems 306. Although not shown, the power management system 300 may include a separate communication device that includes hardware and circuitry for communicating messages between the controller 308 and the various subsystems 306. The communication system may include an antenna and transceiver for wireless messaging or may communicate via metal wire or optical fiber.

[0037] In one embodiment, the subsystems 306 are ranked in order of priority, and the rankings may be stored in memory 320. For example, in FIG. 6 , subsystem 1 is designated as the lowest priority, followed by subsystem 2, subsystem 3, and finally subsystem 4, which has the highest priority. The ranking order may be predetermined, such as entered by an operator using input device 312. In one non-limiting example, the lowest priority subsystem 306 (e.g., subsystem 1) may be the sanitization system 100, including the UV lamps 120 located in various locations in the interior cabin 122, as shown in FIGS. 3-5. Another low priority subsystem 306 may be the various appliances in the cooking compartment 240, such as the coffee maker 244, oven, refrigerator, and cooler. In one embodiment, the controller 308 instructs the subsystems 306 to sequentially reduce the power demands of each of the buses 304 based on priority. Starting with the lowest priority subsystem, and then working your way up the chain if necessary, until the shortage is resolved (e.g., the power on the bus 304 is well below the power generation ceiling 321). For example, in response to determining that a 10 kW shortage exists (e.g., the power generation ceiling 321 is exceeded by 10 kW), the controller 308 may generate a command message that is communicated to the lowest priority subsystem 306. The command message may instruct the receiving subsystem 306 to reduce the load on the bus 304 by the amount of the shortage, in the case of the 10 kW case.

[0038] In response, the lowest priority subsystem 306 attempts to comply with the command by reducing the power supplied to one or more components or one or more subsets of components within the respective subsystem 306. The controller 308 may then receive a reply message from the lowest priority subsystem 306 indicating the adjusted load or draw of the subsystem 306 after the reduction process. Based on the reply message and updated sensor signals from the sensors 310, the controller 308 determines whether the shortage has been resolved. The shortage is resolved when the reduction in power in the subsystem 306 results in the power on the bus 304 being below the power generation limit 321. Optionally, the shortage may be resolved or met when the power on the bus 304 is below a clearance threshold below the power generation limit 321. Reducing the load until the clearance threshold is passed prevents a situation in which the power management system 300 repeatedly exceeds the power generation limit 321, which may be a stressful situation for the controller 308 and other components of the system 300.

[0039] Once the shortage is resolved, the controller 308 may again allow all subsystems 306 to operate normally without artificially restricting power usage. On the other hand, if the shortage is not resolved by commanding the lowest priority subsystem 306 to reduce power, the controller 308 may communicate a reduce command message to the next lowest priority subsystem 306. For example, if the shortage is 10 kW and the lowest priority subsystem 306 can reduce by 7 kW, the command message communicated to the next lowest priority subsystem 306 may command a reduction of 3 kW. Optionally, the lowest priority subsystem 306 may be completely deactivated before the next lowest priority subsystem 306 is requested to reduce its power consumption.

[0040] In one embodiment, if the deficit is 10 kW and the lowest priority subsystem 306 is currently drawing 15 kW from the bus 304, the lowest priority subsystem 306 reduces its load by 10 kW to comply with the directive. The lowest priority subsystem 306 may continue to operate at least some of its components at a reduced power level so that the total load on the subsystem 306 is 5 kW or less. Thus, the subsystems 306 are controlled based on priority ranking to reduce the load on the bus 304 in proportion to the deficit. The lowest priority subsystem 306 may continue to function at a lower power level rather than simply deactivating to avoid a complete loss of service.

[0041] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of one of the vehicle's subsystems 306, according to one embodiment. The subsystem 306 includes a control unit 330, a switching device and / or power conversion device 332, a plurality of components or a subset of components 334, and an optional sensor 336. The control unit 330 is operatively connected to the switching device and / or power conversion device 332 and the sensor 336, and is also operatively connected to the controller 308 shown in FIG. 6 via a communication path 316. The control unit 330 represents hardware circuitry that includes and / or is connected to one or more processors 338 (e.g., one or more microprocessors, integrated circuits, microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays, etc.). The control unit 330 includes and / or is connected to a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium (e.g., memory) 340. For example, the memory 340 may store programmed instructions (e.g., software) that are executed by the one or more processors 338 to perform the operations of the control unit 330 described herein. The subsystems 306 shown in FIG. 7 may represent any of the subsystems 306 in FIG.

[0042] The switching and / or power conversion devices 332 are configured to selectively control the amount of power supplied to each of the components / subsets of components 334. For example, the switching and / or power conversion devices 332 may include one or more solid-state relays, electromechanical relays, optical switches, power converters (e.g., DC to DC, DC to AC), etc. The sensors 336 may measure one or more characteristics of the power supplied to the components / subsets 334 to enable the control unit 330 to determine the load of the subsystem 306 of the power bus 304 at a given time.

[0043] In one embodiment, the components / subsets 334 in the subsystem 306 are ranked based on priority, similar to the subsystem 306 shown in FIG. 6 . The ranking may be predetermined and stored in memory 340. Optionally, the ranking may be updated by an operator using the input device 312 or another input device. Upon receiving a reduce command message from the controller 308, the control unit 330 of the subsystem 306 generates control signals to the switching devices and / or power conversion devices 332 to control the devices 332 to reduce the power supplied to one or more of the lowest priority components or subsets of components 334. For example, the control signals may first reduce the power supplied to the lowest priority component / subset 334. If the shortage is greater than the load of the lowest priority component / subset 334, the control unit 330 may deactivate the lowest priority component / subset 334 and then control the switching devices and / or power conversion devices 332 to reduce the power supplied to the next lowest priority component / subset 334. The control unit 330 can climb the priority chain, whichever comes first, until either the shortage is resolved or all of the components / subsets 334 in the subsystem 306 are deactivated. The control unit 330 can generate a reply message to communicate to the controller 308 indicating the amount of power reduction achieved by the subsystem 306.

[0044] In the subsystem 306 representing the sanitization system 100 shown in Figures 3-5, components and / or subsets of components 334 may represent various subsets of the UV lamps 120 throughout the interior cabin 122. For example, the PSU subset 124 of the UV lamps 120 above the seats 110 in Figure 3 may represent one subset of components 334, the aisle subset 126 in Figure 3 may represent another subset 334, the restroom subset 128 in Figure 4 may represent another subset 334, and the galley subset 130 in Figure 5 may represent yet another subset 334. In one embodiment, the sanitization system 100 is one of the lower priority subsystems 306. Optionally, the sanitization system 100 is the lowest priority subsystem 306.

[0045] The priority ranking of the subsets 334 may depend on various factors, such as user input, time of day, stage of travel, passenger susceptibility, and whether or not the subsets 334 are occupied by passengers. For example, during aircraft takeoff and landing, the restrooms 200 may be off-limits, and thus the restroom subset 128 of UV lamps 120 may be ranked as the lowest priority subset 334 of the sanitization system 100 during takeoff and landing. As a result, the UV lamps 120 in the restrooms 200 may be the first to experience reduced power if the power budget is insufficient during takeoff and landing. However, during cruise, quickly sanitizing the restrooms 200 between uses may be considered to have a higher priority than, for example, sanitizing the galley 240 or the aisles 113. For example, during cruise, the galley subset 130 of UV lamps 120 may be ranked as a lower priority than the aisle subset 126. In turn, aisle subset 126 is ranked as a lower priority than PSU subset 124 and restroom subset 128.

[0046] In another example, UV lamps 120 in several common areas periodically occupied by various passengers may be ranked at a lower priority than UV lamps 120 in PSU unit 114 because PSU subset 124 continuously sanitizes the air and surfaces around passengers in passenger seats 110, which is where passengers spend at least the most time during flight. In one non-limiting example, in response to receiving a power reduction command from controller 308 during flight, sanitization system 100 may first reduce power to galley subset 130, then aisle subset 126, then restroom subset 128, and finally PSU subset 124. If the shortage is 10 kW and exceeds the power draw of UV lamps 120 in galley 240, control unit 330 may deactivate galley subset 130 of UV lamps 120. For example, if after deactivating galley subset 130, the remaining deficit deduction is 6 kW, control unit 330 reduces the power supplied to the next lowest priority subset, such as aisle subset 126. If aisle subset 126 draws 8 kW, control unit 330 reduces the power supplied to aisle subset 126 to 2 kW to eliminate the deficit while continuing to allow UV lamps 120 along aisle 113 to emit UV light.

[0047] A switching and power conversion device 332 is used to regulate the power supplied to the UV lamp 120. Even at the lowest power level, the UV lamp 120 can still emit UV light that kills or neutralizes pathogens, but the dose (e.g., intensity and / or range) of the UV light is reduced, resulting in a lower antibacterial effect per unit time.

[0048] Optionally, even the subsets 124, 126, 128, and 130 of UV lamps 120 described herein may be subdivided and ranked based on priority. For example, some UV lamps 120 in a PSU subset 124 may be ranked with a higher priority than other UV lamps 120 in the same subset 124. In one non-limiting example, if a passenger seat 110 is determined to be unoccupied, the associated UV lamps 120 in the PSU subset 124 may be classified as having a low priority, such as the lowest priority of the UV lamps 120. Whether a seat 110 is vacant may be determined based on sensor signals received from a pressure sensor, a proximity sensor, or the like. On the other hand, if a seat 110 or a group of seats 110 is determined to be occupied by a passenger who is more immunosuppressed or particularly susceptible to pathogens than other passengers, the UV lamps 120 associated with those seats 110 may be reclassified as having a high priority, such as the highest priority of the UV lamps. As a result, the first UV lamps 120 in the PSU subset 124 to experience reduced power may be the lamps 120 above the vacant seats 110, and the last UV lamps 120 to be reduced are the lamps 120 above passengers who are more susceptible to illness from pathogens, such as elderly passengers or passengers with underlying medical conditions. Such passengers may be able to proactively self-identify to the vehicle crew as susceptible and requesting enhanced sterilization.

[0049] 8 is a flowchart of a method 400 for managing power allocation among vehicle subsystems, according to one embodiment. Method 400 may be performed by power management system 300, described above. Method 400 may incorporate sanitization system 100, described above, for sanitizing and disinfecting air and surfaces within the interior cabin of a vehicle through sustained emission of UV light. Certain steps of method 400 may be performed by controller 308, shown in FIG. 6, based on programmed logic or instructions. Method 400 optionally includes additional steps, fewer steps than those described, and / or various steps different from those described.

[0050] At 402, power on a bus 304 between the power source 302 and multiple non-essential subsystems 306 of the vehicle is monitored, such as via one or more sensors 310. At 404, it is determined whether the power of the bus 304 exceeds a specified power generation limit 321 stored in memory 320. If the power of the bus 304 does not exceed the power generation limit 321, flow returns to 402 for further monitoring of the power of the bus 304. On the other hand, if the power of the bus 304 exceeds the power generation limit 321, flow proceeds to 406 to determine a power budget deficit. The deficit represents the difference between the power of the bus 304 and the power generation limit 321 and indicates the amount or extent to which the power of the bus 304 is excessive.

[0051] At 408, a reduce command message is generated for communication to the lowest priority subsystem 306 currently in effect. The reduce command message instructs the receiving subsystem 306 to reduce power consumption by an amount equal to the deficit. The subsystem 306 modifies its power consumption accordingly, as described with reference to FIG. 7. At 410, a reply message is received from the lowest priority subsystem 306. The reply message indicates that the reduce command message was successfully received and that a reduction in power consumption has been effected by the subsystem 306. The reply message may optionally include a numerical value representing the amount of power reduction. Flow returns to 402, where the power of the bus 304 is again monitored and compared to the power generation limit 321 at 404. If the deficit has been resolved, the answer at 404 is no. If the deficit has not been completely resolved, after the reduction by the lowest priority subsystem 306, the power of the bus 304 still exceeds the power generation limit 321, and flow again proceeds to 406 and 408. At 408 , the previous lowest priority transport subsystem 306 is now disabled, and therefore, a reduce command message is not generated for communication with the next lowest priority subsystem 306 .

[0052] If any subsystem 306 that receives a reduce command message can resolve the shortfall by reducing power consumption by the amount of the shortfall without deactivating all components of the subsystem 306, then that subsystem is permitted and controlled to operate components of the subsystem 306 at a reduced power level to avoid complete loss of functionality of the subsystem 306 while allowing bus 304 power to be maintained within power generation upper limit 321.

[0053] Figure 9 illustrates a system power supply wiring diagram 500 of power management system 300, according to one embodiment. Figure 10 illustrates a data bus architecture diagram 600 of power management system 300, according to one embodiment. In Figures 9 and 10, "airplane system 5" represents sanitation system 100. Figure 11 is a flowchart of a method 700 for managing power allocation among subsystems of a vehicle, according to another embodiment.

[0054] The present disclosure further includes embodiments according to the following clauses: Article 1. a power management system (300) including a controller (308) including one or more processors (318), the controller (308) configured to monitor power on a power bus (304) of a vehicle, the power bus (304) electrically connecting a power source to a plurality of subsystems (306) of the vehicle for powering the plurality of subsystems (306) via the power on the power bus (304); The power management system (300) is further configured such that the controller (308) determines that the power on the power bus (304) exceeds a specified power generation upper limit (321) and, in response, generates a reduce command message for communication with a lowest priority subsystem among the subsystems (306), the reduce command message instructing the lowest priority subsystem to reduce its power consumption. Article 2. The power management system (300) of clause 1, wherein the controller (308) is configured to determine a shortfall between the power of the power bus (304) and the specified power generation upper limit (321) and include the shortfall in the reduction command message. Article 3. The power management system (300) of clause 1 or 2, wherein, after generating the reduction command message, in response to determining that the power of the power bus (304) still exceeds the specified power generation upper limit (321), the controller (308) is configured to generate a second reduction command message for communication with the next lowest priority subsystem among the subsystems (306). Article 4. The power management system (300) of any one of clauses 1 to 3, wherein the controller (308) is configured to access a ranking of the subsystems (306) in a memory device to identify the lowest priority subsystem. Article 5. 5. The power management system (300) of any one of clauses 1 to 4, wherein the subsystem (306) is not essential for safe operation of the vehicle. Article 6. The power management system (300) of any one of clauses 1 to 5, wherein the subsystem (306) includes one or more of a sanitization system (100), a galley system, a restroom system, a passenger service unit system, and an interior lighting system. Article 7. The power management system (300) of any one of clauses 1 to 6, wherein the lowest priority subsystem is a sanitization system (100) including a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) lamps (120) mounted at various locations within the interior cabin (122) of the vehicle, the UV lamps (120) configured to receive power from the power bus (304) and emit UV light within the interior cabin (122). Article 8. The power management system (300) of clause 7, wherein the sanitization system (100) further includes a control unit (330) including one or more processors (318), and in response to receiving the reduction command message, the control unit (330) is configured to reduce the amount of power supplied to one or more of the UV lamps (120) without causing the one or more UV lamps (120) to stop emitting UV light. Article 9. The power management system (300) of clause 8, wherein the control unit (330) of the sanitization system (100) is configured to reduce the amount of power supplied to the first subset of UV lamps (120) before or instead of reducing the power supplied to the second subset based on the first subset having a lower priority ranking than a different second subset of UV lamps (120). Article 10. The power management system (300) of any one of clauses 7 to 9, wherein the UV lamp (120) is configured to emit the UV light at a specified wavelength or narrow range of wavelengths that is safe for human tissue. Article 11. 11. The power management system (300) of clause 10, wherein the specified wavelength is 222 nm. Article 12. The power management system (300) of any one of clauses 1 to 11, further comprising a sensor (310) operably connected to the controller (308) and configured to measure one or more characteristics of the power of the power bus (304), wherein the controller (308) is configured to monitor the power of the power bus (304) based on a sensor signal from the sensor (310). Article 13. 13. The power management system (300) of any one of clauses 1 to 12, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft. Article 14. monitoring power on a vehicle power bus (304) via a controller (308) including one or more processors (318), the power bus (304) electrically connecting a power source to the plurality of subsystems (306) for powering the plurality of subsystems (306) via the power of the power bus (304); and responsive to determining that the power on the power bus (304) exceeds a specified power generation limit, generating a reduce command message for communication with a lowest priority one of the subsystems (306), the reduce command message instructing the lowest priority subsystem to reduce power consumption. Article 15. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a shortfall between the power of the power bus (304) and the specified power generation upper limit (321), and wherein the reduce command message is generated to include the shortfall. Article 16. 16. The method of claim 14 or 15, further comprising, after generating the reduce command message for communication with the lowest priority subsystem, again monitoring the power on the power bus (304), and in response to determining that the power on the power bus (304) still exceeds the specified power generation upper limit (321), generating a second reduce command message for communication with a next lowest priority one of the subsystems (306). Article 17. 17. The method of any one of clauses 14 to 16, further comprising accessing a ranking of the subsystems (306) in a memory to identify the lowest priority subsystem. Article 18. 18. The method of any one of clauses 14 to 17, wherein the lowest priority subsystem is a sanitization system (100) including a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) lamps (120) mounted at various locations within an interior cabin (122) of the vehicle, the plurality of UV lamps being configured to emit UV light into the interior cabin (122) using the power from the power bus (304), the method further comprising reducing the amount of power supplied to one or more of the UV lamps (120) based on the reduction command message without causing one or more of the UV lamps (120) to stop emitting UV light. Article 19. 19. The method of clause 18, further comprising controlling the UV lamp (120) to emit the UV light at a specified wavelength or narrow range of wavelengths that is safe for human tissue upon prolonged exposure. Article 20. A power management system (300) comprising a controller (308) including one or more processors (318) and a sanitation system (100), the controller (308) is configured to monitor power on a vehicle power bus (304), the power bus (304) electrically connecting a power source to the plurality of subsystems (306) of the vehicle for powering the plurality of subsystems (306) via the power on the power bus; The sanitization system (100) represents one of the subsystems (306) and includes a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) lamps (120) mounted at various locations within an interior cabin (122) of the vehicle, the plurality of UV lamps (120) configured to emit UV light into the interior cabin (122) using the power from the power bus (304); the controller (308) is further configured to determine that the power on the power bus (304) exceeds a specified power generation upper limit (321) and, in response, generate a reduce command message for communication with the sanitation system (100), the reduce command message instructing the sanitation system (100) to reduce power consumption; The sanitization system (100) is configured to: reduce the amount of power supplied to one or more of the UV lamps (120) based on the reduction command message to reduce the output of UV light from the one or more UV lamps (120) without causing the one or more UV lamps (120) to stop emitting UV light; and a power management system (300) configured to:

[0055] As described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces, air, and people within the interior cabin of a vehicle using UV light without harming people exposed to the UV light. Additionally, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a self-contained, easy-to-use, and safe system and method for using UV light to sanitize the air and surfaces within the interior vehicle cabin and for adjusting the power draw of the UV light to maintain an upper limit on power generation on the vehicle.

[0056] The present subject matter is directed to an adaptable power management system that allows the system to operate at reduced capacity as needed to maintain aircraft-level power generation limits. The system's data bus architecture includes a power generation system controller configured to monitor power generation loads and communicate to member systems drawing those loads when capacity limits are reached. Under operating conditions where sufficient power capacity is available, all systems can operate normally. When capacity is exceeded, each member system can proportionally accommodate reduced aircraft loads using preprogrammed priority rankings to fairly reduce UV light power based on priority level. The member systems then communicate to the power generation system that their loads have been adjusted. The logic cycle repeats until the power deficit is met. If the lowest-priority member system has only binary (on / off mode) power, power to that system is completely shut off.

[0057] For purposes of describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, various spatial and directional terms may be used, such as top, bottom, lower, center, sideways, horizontal, vertical, forward, etc., but it should be understood that such terms are used only relative to the orientation shown in the drawings. The orientation may be flipped, rotated, or otherwise changed so that top becomes bottom and bottom becomes top, horizontal becomes vertical, etc.

[0058] As used herein, a structure, limitation, or element that is "configured to" perform a task or operation is structurally shaped, configured, or adapted to specifically correspond to the task or operation. For clarity and to avoid doubt, an object that is merely modifiable to perform a task or operation is not "configured to" perform a task or operation as used herein.

[0059] As used herein, value modifiers such as "about," "substantially," and "approximately" inserted before a numerical value indicate that the value may represent other values ​​within a specified threshold range above and / or below the particular value, such as values ​​within 5%, 10%, or 15% of the particular value.

[0060] It should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, not limiting. For example, the above-described embodiments (and / or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications can be made to the teachings of various embodiments to adapt to particular situations or materials without departing from their scope. While the geometries and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of various embodiments of the present disclosure, these embodiments are exemplary rather than limiting. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the present invention. The scope of the various embodiments of the present disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the words "including" and "in which" are used as plain-English equivalents of the words "comprising" and "wherein," respectively. Furthermore, the words "first," "second," "third," etc. are used merely as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Moreover, the following claim limitations are not stated in means-plus-function form and are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. §112(f) unless such claim limitations expressly use the phrase "means for" followed by a statement of function lacking further structure.

[0061] The written description uses examples to disclose various embodiments of the present disclosure, including the best mode, and to enable any person skilled in the art to practice various embodiments of the present disclosure, including making and using any device or system, and performing any methods incorporated therein. The patentable scope of various embodiments of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if the examples have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if the examples include equivalent structural elements that differ only insignificantly from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. a power management system (300) including a controller (308) including one or more processors (318), the controller (308) configured to monitor power on a power bus (304) of a vehicle, the power bus (304) electrically connecting a power source to a plurality of subsystems (306) of the vehicle for powering the plurality of subsystems (306) via the power on the power bus (304); The controller (308) is further configured to determine that the power on the power bus (304) exceeds a specified power generation upper limit (321) and, in response, generate a reduce command message for communication with a lowest priority subsystem among the subsystems (306), the reduce command message instructing the lowest priority subsystem to reduce its power consumption.

2. 2. The power management system (300) of claim 1, wherein the controller (308) is configured to determine a shortfall between the power on the power bus (304) and the specified power generation upper limit (321) and include the shortfall in the reduction command message.

3. 3. The power management system (300) of claim 1, wherein, in response to determining that the power on the power bus (304) still exceeds the specified power generation upper limit (321) after generating the reduce command message, the controller (308) is configured to generate a second reduce command message for communication with a next lowest priority one of the subsystems (306).

4. 4. The power management system (300) of claim 1, wherein the controller (308) is configured to access a ranking of the subsystems (306) in a memory device to identify the lowest priority subsystem.

5. The power management system (300) of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the subsystem (306) is not essential to the safe operation of the vehicle.

6. 6. The power management system (300) of claim 1, wherein the subsystems (306) include one or more of a sanitation system (100), a galley system, a restroom system, a passenger service unit system, and an interior lighting system.

7. 7. The power management system (300) of claim 1, wherein the lowest priority subsystem is a sanitization system (100) including a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) lamps (120) mounted at various locations within an interior cabin (122) of the vehicle, the UV lamps (120) configured to receive power from the power bus (304) and emit UV light into the interior cabin (122).

8. 10. The power management system (300) of claim 7, wherein the sanitization system (100) further includes a control unit (330) including one or more processors (318), and in response to receiving the reduction command message, the control unit (330) is configured to reduce the amount of power supplied to one or more of the UV lamps (120) without causing the one or more UV lamps (120) to stop emitting UV light.

9. 9. The power management system of claim 8, wherein the control unit of the sanitization system is configured to reduce the amount of power supplied to a first subset of the UV lamps before or instead of reducing the power supplied to a second subset of the UV lamps based on the first subset having a lower priority ranking than a different second subset of the UV lamps.

10. 10. The power management system (300) of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the UV lamp (120) is configured to emit the UV light at a specified wavelength or narrow range of wavelengths that is safe for human tissue.

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