A downhole tool may include a high-voltage power supply disposed within a housing to transform input power to the downhole tool from a first voltage to a second voltage greater than the first voltage. The high-voltage power supply may include an array of capacitors, which may include multiple rows of capacitors. The rows of capacitors may be parallel with a symmetric cross section as viewed from an end of the array of capacitors. The high-voltage power supply may also include diodes electrically coupled to the array of capacitors.

A hybrid electrical power supply control system for providing electrical energy to at least one load. The load may alternate between a first low energy consuming operational modus and a second high energy consuming operational modus. The control system may include a first power source comprising at least one battery unit and a second power source comprising at least one energy harvesting unit and arranged to harvest and convert energy into Direct Current, DC, energy, and wherein the converted DC energy is stored in a charge collecting unit. The control system further includes an operational modus detecting unit and a power source switching unit, connected to the operational modus detecting unit and arranged to alternately connect the first power source and the second power source to the load.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. This may include receiving, by one or more processors of the vehicle, first information identifying a current relative humidity measurement within a sensor housing of a vehicle having an autonomous driving mode. The relative humidity measurement and pre-stored environmental map information may be used by the one or more processors to estimate a condition of a sensor within the sensor housing at a future time. This estimated condition may be used by the one or more processors to control the vehicle.

A method for energy harvesting is provided that uses an auxiliary energy storage device as a voltage source for the controller of a main voltage converter system. The auxiliary energy storage device is initially charged with a cold-start voltage converter and thereafter a main voltage converter system is charging a first rechargeable energy storage device until an upper charging threshold level is reached. The voltage of the auxiliary energy storage device is monitored and kept equal to a target value suitable for operating the controller, or alternatively within a predefined voltage range corresponding to the supply voltage range for the controller. A power management integrated circuit for energy harvesting is provided that includes a cold-start and a main voltage converter system, an internal voltage node is kept at a target value or within a voltage range suitable as a supply voltage for the controller.

In a method for operating an electric vehicle and an electric vehicle, including an electric traction drive device for driving vehicle, a control device for controlling the driving, a first energy storage device, for supplying the control device using a first DC voltage, a second energy storage device, for supplying the traction drive device using a second DC voltage, and an energy supply unit for providing an output DC voltage, the first energy storage device is connected to the second energy storage device via a converter device, the first energy storage device is connected to the energy supply unit, the converter device converts the first DC voltage into the second DC voltage, and a power flow from the second energy storage device to the first energy storage device is prevented.

A multi-port converter includes a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) that provides a faster dynamic response to load changes than prior art systems, and enables either downsizing of the main energy storage system (ESS) to increase the life of the main ESS (e.g. energy battery), or retaining the same size ESS and increasing the range or life of the power source. The multi-port convertor can advantageously result in lower investment and maintenance costs, and can also advantageously provide a path for inputs to directly feed the load. All these benefits can be achieved while reducing the number of active switches and overall component count as compared to prior art systems.

Described herein is an electric vehicle charging arrangement for charging an electric vehicle, including an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), where the EVSE includes: a power module configured to provide electrical energy to charge the electric vehicle, an output configured to connect the power module to the electric vehicle for charging the electric vehicle, and a direct current (DC) bus provided between and connected to the power module and the output and configured to transport electric energy from the power module to the output, where the electric vehicle supply equipment includes a pre-charge module configured to pre-charge the output, and where the pre-charge module is separate from the power module and electrically connected to the DC bus.

A charge-discharge unit includes a discharge circuit, a charge-discharge circuit, wires respectively connecting the discharge circuit and the charge-discharge circuit to a load, and a unit controller to control the discharge circuit and the charge-discharge circuit. The unit controller is configured or programmed to control the discharge circuit and the charge-discharge circuit in a first mode or a second mode. In the first mode, the discharge circuit and the charge-discharge circuit are controlled such that the discharge circuit outputs to the load a current greater than zero, and the charge-discharge circuit outputs to a battery a current greater than zero. In the second mode, the discharge circuit is controlled to output to the load a current of a value greater than zero, and the charge-discharge circuit is caused to perform a charge termination operation of stopping the current outputted to the battery.

Disclosed are a power circuit and an automated external defibrillator including the same. The power circuit may include a battery-driven power source, and a transformer comprising a primary winding and N secondary windings, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and wherein the primary winding is electrically coupled to the power source. The power circuit may include N charging and discharging branches, wherein the N charging and discharging branches are respectively connected to the N secondary windings and are cascaded in sequence. The power circuit may include a plurality of electrode plates configured to be connected to an external load, wherein electrode plates of the plurality of electrode plates are electrically coupled to one or more output nodes of the N charging and discharging branches.

A backup power-supply device including a control unit is provided. In a case where a main power supply is normal when an ignition is turned on, the control unit controls to turn on or off a charging circuit to charge a capacitor from the main power supply so that a voltage of the capacitor becomes constant at a target voltage and turns off the discharging circuit to stop discharging from the capacitor to a first electronic device. In a case where an abnormality occurs in the main power supply when the ignition is turned on, the control unit turns off the charging circuit to stop charging from the main power supply to the capacitor and turns on the discharging circuit to perform discharging from the capacitor to the first electronic device.