US-12627134-B2 - Aircraft solid state power controller and method of operating an aircraft solid state power controller

US12627134B2US 12627134 B2US12627134 B2US 12627134B2US-12627134-B2

Abstract

An aircraft solid state power controller comprises a feed node to be electrically connected to a primary electric power supply; a load node to be electrically connected to at least one electric load; and at least one electric switching device, in particular a solid state switching device, which is arranged between the feed node and the load node. The at least one electric switching device is switchable between an on-state, in which the at least one electric switching device provides a low-resistive electric connection between the feed node and the load node; and an off-state, in which the at least one electric switching device electrically isolates the load node from the feed node. The aircraft solid state power controller further comprises a secondary electric power supply, which is independent from the primary electric power supply, and which is configured for applying a test voltage between the feed node and the load node of the aircraft solid state power controller in order to allow determining the switching state of the at least one electric switching device by detecting a voltage drop between the feed node and the load node of the aircraft solid state power controller.

Inventors

Thomas Gietzold
Gerd Kluger
Peter Brantl
Stefan Schreitmueller

Assignees

HS ELEKTRONIK SYSTEME GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231017
Priority Date: 20221018

Claims (20)

1 . An aircraft solid state power controller comprising: a feed node configured to be electrically connected to a primary electric power supply; a load node configured to be electrically connected to at least one electric load; at least one electric switching device coupled between the feed node and the load node, wherein the at least one electric switching device is switchable between (i) an on-state in which the at least one electric switching device provides an electric connection between the feed node and the load node and (ii) an off-state in which the at least one electric switching device electrically isolates the load node from the feed node; and a secondary electric power supply independent from the primary electric power supply and galvanically isolated from the primary electric power supply, the secondary electric power supply configured to apply a test voltage between the feed node and the load node in order to allow a determination of a switching state of the at least one electric switching device based on a voltage drop between the feed node and the load node.
2 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one electric switching device is a solid state switching device.
3 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary electric power supply is galvanically isolated from other power supplies of the aircraft solid state power controller.
4 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , further comprising an integrated circuit having an isolated direct current (DC) power supply, the integrated circuit configured to provide the secondary electric power supply, wherein the integrated circuit is a DC/DC power chip.
5 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 4 , wherein the DC/DC power chip is an ADUM 5241 chip or an ADUM 5242 chip.
6 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , wherein: the at least one electric switching device has a control terminal configured to receive a control voltage for switching the at least one electric switching device at least between the on-state and the off-state; and the aircraft solid state power controller further comprises an electric switching device controller configured to selectively apply the control voltage to the control terminal of the at least one electric switching device for switching the at least one electric switching device at least between the on-state and the off-state.
7 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 6 , wherein the secondary electric power supply is configured to supply electric power to the electric switching device controller for supplying the control voltage to the control terminal of the at least one electric switching device.
8 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , wherein: the at least one electric switching device comprises a first terminal connected to the feed node and a second terminal connected to the load node; and the test voltage that is output by the secondary electric power supply is referenced to the second terminal of the at least one electric switching device or to a reference point between the second terminal and the load node.
9 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , further comprising a test voltage sensor configured to detect the voltage drop between the feed node and the load node.
10 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 9 , wherein the test voltage sensor is configured to deliver a signal indicative of whether the at least one electric switching device is in its on-state or in its off-state.
11 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 10 , wherein the test voltage sensor is configured to deliver a binary output signal.
12 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 10 , further comprising a comparator, the comparator having a first input configured to receive the signal delivered by the test voltage sensor, compare the received signal with a reference voltage, and provide a binary output signal.
13 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 12 , wherein the comparator comprises a second input configured to receive the reference voltage or a signal corresponding to the reference voltage.
14 . An aircraft electric power supply system comprising: at least one aircraft electric power supply; at least one electric load; and at least one aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one aircraft solid state power controller is configured to control a supply of electric power from the at least one aircraft electric power supply to the at least one electric load.
15 . An aircraft comprising: at least one aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 .
16 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 1 , further comprising a test voltage sensor configured to: detect the voltage drop between the feed node and the load node based on a voltage drop across a test resistor coupled between the load node and a ground of the secondary electric power supply; and deliver a signal indicative of whether the at least one electric switching device is in its on-state or in its off-state based on the voltage drop across the test resistor.
17 . The aircraft solid state power controller according to claim 16 , wherein the test resistor has a resistivity between 100 Ω and 680 kΩ.
18 . A method of operating an aircraft solid state power controller, the aircraft solid state power controller comprising a feed node configured to be electrically connected to a primary electric power supply, a load node configured to be electrically connected to at least one electric load, and at least one electric switching device coupled between the feed node and the load node, the method comprising: selectively switching the at least one electric switching device between (i) an on-state in which the at least one electric switching device provides an electric connection between the feed node and the load node and the primary electric power supply is connected to the electric load and (ii) an off-state in which the at least one electric switching device electrically isolates the load node from the feed node; applying a test voltage between the feed node and the load node, wherein the test voltage is provided by a secondary electric power supply independent from the primary electric power supply and galvanically isolated from the primary electric power supply; and determining a switching state of the at least one electric switching device by detecting a voltage drop between the feed node and the load node.
19 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising delivering a signal indicative of whether the at least one electric switching device is in its on-state or in its off-state based on the detected voltage drop between the feed node and the load node.
20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein determining the switching state of the at least one electric switching device comprises: detecting a voltage drop across a test resistor coupled between the load node and a ground of the secondary electric power supply; and detecting the voltage drop between the feed node and the load node based on the voltage drop across the test resistor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of European Patent Application No. 22202131.3, filed Oct. 18, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention is related to aircraft solid state power controller (“SSPC”) for controlling the supply of electric power from an aircraft electric power supply to at least one electric load within an aircraft. The invention is further related to a method of operating such an aircraft solid state power controller. BACKGROUND Modern aircraft usually comprise at least one aircraft solid state power controller (“SSPC”) for controlling the supply of electric power from an aircraft electric power supply to at least one electric load. The at least one SSPC in particular includes at least one electric switching device, in particular at least one solid state switching device, which is configured for selectively switching the electric power supplied to the at least one electric load. For securing a secure and reliable operation of the at least one SSPC, the functionality of the at least one electric switching device is to be regularly checked. It therefore would be beneficial to provide an improved SSPC including at least one electric switching device, wherein the SSPC allows for an easy, fast and reliable checking of the functionality of the at least one electric switching device. SUMMARY According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an aircraft solid state power controller (“SSPC”) for controlling the supply of electric power from an aircraft electric power supply to at least one electric load within an aircraft comprises a feed node, which is to be electrically connected to a primary electric power supply of the aircraft; a load node, which is to be electrically connected to the at least one electric load; and at least one electric switching device, in particular at least one solid state switching device, which is arranged between the feed node and the load node for controlling the supply of electric power from the feed node to the load node. The at least one electric switching device is in particular switchable between an on-state, in which the at least one electric switching device provides a low-resistive electric connection between the feed node and the load node; and a high-resistive off-state, in which the at least one electric switching device electrically isolates the at least one load node from the feed node. The SSPC further comprises a secondary electric power supply, which is independent from the primary electric power supply. The secondary electric power supply is configured for applying a test voltage between the feed node and the load node of the SSPC in order to allow for determining the switching state of the at least one electric switching device by detecting a voltage drop between the feed node and the load node. As the secondary power supply is independent from the primary power supply, the switching state of the at least one electric switching device can be detected independent of whether the primary electric power supply is connected to the feed node. Exemplary embodiments of the invention also include an aircraft, such as an airplane or a helicopter, comprising at least one electric power supply and at least one SSPC according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Exemplary embodiments of the invention further include a method of operating an SSPC, wherein the SSPC comprises a feed node, which is to be electrically connected to a primary electric power supply; aloud node, which is to be electrically connected to at least one electric load; and at least one electric switching device, in particular at least one solid state switching device, which is arranged between the feed node and the load node for switching the supply of electric power from the feed node to the load node; wherein the method comprises: selectively switching the at least one electric switching device between an on-state, in which the at least one electric switching device provides a low-resistive electric connection between the feed node and the load node so that the primary power supply is electrically connected with the electric load; and a high-resistive off-state, in which the at least one electric switching device electrically isolates the load node from the feed node; applying a test voltage between the feed node and the load node of the SSPC; wherein the test voltage is provided by a secondary electric power supply, which is independent from the primary electric power supply; and determining the switching state of the at least one electric switching device by detecting a voltage drop between the feed node and the load node of the SSPC. With an SSPC according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the switching state of the at least one electric switching device may be detected independently of a feed voltage supplied by the primary electric power supply. In add