Design of a Smart Power Module for Autonomous Sensor Systems

The effective deployment and operation of smart sensors depends critically on the continuous availability of electrical energy, even in remote locations. This proposal presents an innovative Advanced Power Module (APM) to allow efficient generation, storage, and distribution of power within the limited cost, size, and weight requirements of smart sensors. The proposed APM will include a novel power distribution architecture based on a unique power supply design that seamlessly allows real-time integration and control of multiple power sources, under low-level software control. The APM design architecture allows for a wide variety of sources, including primary and rechargeable batteries, solar panels, wind generators, and others to be combined and managed as a single unit, with the PDN optimally balancing multiple sources with multiple loads. In Phase II, the APM will be prototyped and demonstrated with several multi-source power input options.