US-12627326-B2 - Remote power control box

Abstract

An apparatus comprises: a case enclosing a space; a power connector, extending through the case, to be connected to an external device; a power switch, retained in the space, and configured to be controlled responsive to commands in a UHF/VHF radio signal received by the power switch; a battery, retained in the space, having battery terminals connected to the power connector such that at least one of the battery terminals is connected to the power connector through the power switch; and an antenna, mounted to the case, to receive, and deliver to the power switch, the UHF/VHF radio signal, wherein the commands include a first command to close the power switch to connect the battery to the external device, and a second command to open the power switch to disconnect the battery from the external device.

Inventors

• Brandon J. Miller
• Roy Mark OSBORN
• Khanh Vo

Assignees

• L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20230831

Claims (18)

1. 1 . An apparatus comprising: a case enclosing a space; a power connector, extending through the case, to be connected to an external device; a power switch, retained in the space, and configured to be controlled responsive to commands in a UHF/VHF radio signal received by the power switch; a battery, retained in the space, having battery terminals connected to the power connector such that at least one of the battery terminals is connected to the power connector through the power switch; a manual switch retained in the space; an auxiliary battery retained in the space and having auxiliary battery terminals connected to a power input of the power switch through the manual switch, such that when the manual switch is closed, the auxiliary battery supplies auxiliary battery power to the power switch, and when the manual switch is open, the manual switch interrupts the auxiliary battery power from the power input; and an antenna, mounted to the case, to receive, and deliver to the power switch, the UHF/VHF radio signal, wherein the commands include a first command to close the power switch to connect the battery to the external device, and a second command to open the power switch to disconnect the battery from the external device.
2. 2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the battery terminals include a positive terminal directly connected to the power connector; and the battery terminals include a negative terminal connected to the power connector through the power switch, such that when the power switch is closed, the negative terminal and the positive terminal are connected to the power connector, and when the power switch is open, the negative terminal is disconnected from the power connector.
3. 3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the power connector extends through the case and includes: a first connector side external to the case and configured to connect to the external device; and a second connector side internal to the case and connected to the battery and the power switch.
4. 4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the case includes: a case bottom that defines and partially encloses the space; and a case cover sized and configured to have an open position to permit access to the space, and a closed position in which the case cover contacts the case bottom and fully encloses, and environmentally seals, the space.
5. 5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: one of the auxiliary battery terminals is connected to the power input of the power switch through the manual switch, such that when the manual switch is closed, the auxiliary battery terminals are connected to the power input of the power switch and supply the auxiliary battery power to the power switch, and when the manual switch is open, only one of the auxiliary battery terminals is connected to the power input of the power switch to interrupt the auxiliary battery power.
6. 6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a power switch configuration port connected to a configuration input of the power switch and through which the power switch is programmed to be responsive to the commands.
7. 7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the commands include first and second sets of dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones configured to close and open the power switch, respectively.
8. 8 . A system comprising: an external device that is battery powered; a remote power control device connected to the external device and including: a power switch configured to be opened and closed responsive to commands in a UHF/VHF radio signal received by the power switch; a battery that is connected to the external device through the power switch; an auxiliary battery having auxiliary battery terminals connected to a power input of the power switch through a manual switch, such that when the manual switch is closed, the auxiliary battery supplies auxiliary battery power to the power switch, and when the manual switch is open, the manual switch interrupts the auxiliary battery power from the power input; and an antenna to receive, and deliver to the power switch, the UHF/VHF radio signal, wherein when the power switch is opened and closed, the battery provides battery power, and does not provide the battery power, to the external device; and a radio to transmit the UHF/VHF radio signal to the remote power control device to control when the remote power control device provides the battery power to, or does not provide the battery power to, the external device.
9. 9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the remote power control device further includes: a case enclosing a space; and a power connector extending through the case and configured to be connected to the external device; wherein the antenna is mounted to the case, the battery is retained in the space, and the battery includes battery terminals connected to the power connector such that at least one of the battery terminals is connected to the power connector through the power switch.
10. 10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein: the battery terminals include a positive terminal directly connected to the power connector; and the battery terminals include a negative terminal connected to the power connector through the power switch, such that when the power switch is closed, the negative terminal and the positive terminal are connected to the power connector, and when the power switch is open, the negative terminal is disconnected from the power connector.
11. 11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the power connector extends through the case and includes: a first connector side external to the case and configured to connect to the external device; and a second connector side internal to the case and connected to the battery and the power switch.
12. 12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the case includes: a case bottom that defines and partially encloses the space; and a case cover sized and configured to have an open position to permit access to the space, and a closed position in which the case cover contacts the case bottom and fully encloses, and environmentally seals, the space.
13. 13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein: one of the auxiliary battery terminals is connected to the power input of the power switch through the manual switch, such that when the manual switch is closed, the auxiliary battery terminals are connected to the power input of the power switch and supply the auxiliary battery power to the power switch, and when the manual switch is open, only one of the auxiliary battery terminals is connected to the power input of the power switch to interrupt the auxiliary battery power.
14. 14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the remote power control device further includes: a power switch configuration port connected to a configuration input of the power switch and through which the power switch is programmed to be responsive to the commands.
15. 15 . The system of claim 8 , wherein: the commands include first and second sets of dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones configured to close and open the power switch, respectively.
16. 16 . A method comprising: providing a remote power control device comprising: a power connector connected to an external device; a power switch configured to be controlled responsive to commands in a UHF/VHF radio signal received by the power switch; a battery having battery terminals connected to the power connector such that at least one of the battery terminals is connected to the power connector through the power switch; an auxiliary battery having auxiliary battery terminals connected to a power input of the power switch through a manual switch, such that when the manual switch is closed, the auxiliary battery supplies auxiliary battery power to the power switch, and when the manual switch is open, the manual switch interrupts the auxiliary battery power from the power input; and an antenna to receive, and deliver to the power switch, the UHF/VHF radio signal; and upon receiving the UHF/VHF radio signal to include a first command of the commands, closing the power switch to supply battery power from the battery to power the external device.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: upon receiving the UHF/VHF radio signal to include a second command of the commands, opening the power switch to interrupt the battery power.
18. 18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein: the commands include first and second sets of dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones configured to close and open the power switch, respectively.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to a remote power control box used to provide battery power to a battery powered device. BACKGROUND Mobile ad hoc networking (MANET) radios may be scattered physically across an expansive, remote, geographical region to form a wireless mesh network that provides wireless network coverage across the geographical region. To operate, the MANET radios may rely on built-in power and communication infrastructures that offer power sources and hardwired or wireless communication networks; however, the geographical region may lack such infrastructures. Moreover, the radios may be exposed to harsh environments and may remain unattended for long periods of time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example system that uses remote power control (RPC) boxes to provide battery power to radio devices. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an RPC box when opened to expose interior electrical components, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a case bottom of the RPC box from FIG. 2A. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram for electrical components of the RPC box according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example method of using an RPC box to selectively provide battery power to an external device that can be powered by the battery power. DESCRIPTION Overview In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises: a case enclosing a space; a power connector, extending through the case, to be connected to an external device; a power switch, retained in the space, and configured to be controlled responsive to commands in a UHF/VHF radio signal received by the power switch; a battery, retained in the space, having battery terminals connected to the power connector such that at least one of the battery terminals is connected to the power connector through the power switch; and an antenna, mounted to the case, to receive, and deliver to the power switch, the UHF/VHF radio signal, wherein the commands include a first command to close the power switch to connect the battery to the external device, and a second command to open the power switch to disconnect the battery from the external device. Example Embodiments Embodiments presented herein are directed to a remote power control (RPC) box configured to provide battery power to an end user device (EUD) that is connected to the RPC box through a battery power cable and that operates off of the battery power. The embodiments are described in connection with a battery powered radio as the EUD that receives the battery power from the RPC, by way of example. It is understood that the EUD may be any battery powered device. FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example system 100 that uses remote power control boxes to provide battery power to network radios, according to embodiments presented herein. System 100 includes mesh radios 102(1)-102(3) (collectively referred to as “mesh radios 102” and also referred to more generally as “network radios”) deployed across a geographical region 103. Mesh radios 102 are configured to operate on battery power. Once operating, mesh radios 102 intercommunicate to form a mesh network across geographical region 103. Geographical region 103 may lack a built-in power infrastructure that can supply power to mesh radios 102 and may also lack a communication infrastructure, such as WiFi, cellular, Ethernet, and the like, to support communications with the mesh radios. Accordingly, system 100 further includes RPC boxes 104(1)-104(3) (collectively referred to as “RPC boxes 104”) connected to corresponding ones of mesh radios 102(1)-102(3), and an ultra high frequency (UHF)/very high frequency (VHF) radio transmitter 106 operated by a user (not shown) who is local to the UHF/VHF radio transmitter. UHF/VHF radio transmitter 106 may be spaced-apart from mesh radios 102 and RPC boxes 104 by many miles depending on a transmit power of UHF/VHF radio transmitter 106 and terrain limitations. According to embodiments presented herein, each RPC box 104(i) (also referred to as an “RPC device”) includes an environmentally-sealed ruggedized enclosure or case that carries batteries and control circuits configured to selectively provide battery power to (i.e., energize), or remove battery power from (i.e., deenergize), a corresponding mesh radio 102(i), responsive to a UHF/VHF radio signal transmitted by UHF/VHF radio transmitter 106, under control of the user. Each RPC box 104(i) is self-contained and self-powered (i.e., is powered by its own batteries). In this way, the user remotely controls RPC boxes 104 via the UHF/VHF radio signal to energize or deenergize mesh radios 102 connected to the RPC boxes. Mesh radios 102 and RPC boxes 104 may be operated remotely and may remain unattended over long periods of time, such as weeks and months. In the above-described environment, an RPC box 104(i) selectively provides battery power to a mesh radio 102(i); however, the RPC box 104(i) may selecti