Generator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10855083-B2
Application number	US-201815938904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A generator system, including first and second generators each having an inverter circuit outputting AC, a connection circuit connecting the generators through a power line, a master-slave determining unit determining one of the generators as a master generator, and to determine other of the generators as a slave generator, a data acquiring unit acquiring an output data of the master generator, and a synchronization controlling unit controlling switching operation of the inverter circuit of the slave generator based on the output data of the master generator to synchronize an output data of the slave generator with the output data of the master generator, wherein the master-slave determining unit determines one of the generators that starts earlier as the master generator, and when the generators start simultaneously, to determine one of the generators as the master generator in accordance with a predefined rule.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A generator system, comprising:
a first generator and a second generator each having an inverter circuit configured to output alternating current;
a connection circuit configured to connect the first generator and the second generator to each other through a power line for outputting electric power;
a sensor configured to detect an output value of a master generator; and
a CPU and a memory coupled to the CPU,
wherein the CPU and the memory are configured to perform
determining one of the first generator and the second generator as the master generator, and another of the first generator and the second generator as a slave generator, and
controlling switching operation of the inverter circuit of the slave generator based on the output value of the master generator to synchronize an output value of the slave generator with the output value of the master generator detected by the sensor, wherein
the determining includes determining one of the first generator and the second generator that starts earlier as the master generator, and wherein
the determining includes, when the second generator starts after the first generator but before the first generator is determined as the master generator, determining one of the first generator and the second generator as the master generator in accordance with a predefined rule.

2. A generator operating method for operating a first generator and a second generator each having an inverter circuit configured to output alternating current and connected to each other through a power line for outputting electric power, wherein the method comprises:
determining one of the first generator and the second generator as a master generator, and another of the first generator and the second generator as a slave generator;
acquiring output data of the master generator; and
controlling switching operation of the inverter circuit of the slave generator based on the output data of the master generator to synchronize output data of the slave generator with the output data of the master generator, wherein
the determining includes determining one of the first generator and the second generator that starts earlier as the master generator, and when the second generator starts after the first generator but before the first generator is determined as the master generator, determining one of the first generator and the second generator as the master generator in accordance with a predefined rule.

3. The generator system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first generator and the second generator are connected through a communication line,
the first generator and the second generator are preassigned unique serial numbers, and
the CPU and the memory are configured to perform
the determining includes determining whether a serial number of their own generator is larger or smaller than a serial number of the other generator sent through the communication line, and determining one of the first generator and the second generator as the master generator based on a result of the determination when the second generator starts after the first generator but before the first generator is determined as the master generator.

4. The generator system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of terminals to be connected to a plurality of generators, wherein
the CPU and the memory are configured to perform
the determining includes determining a generator connected to a predetermined terminal of the plurality of terminals as the master generator when each of the first generator and the second generator is connected to one of the plurality of terminals and when the second generator starts after the first generator but before the first generator is determined as the master generator.

5. The generator system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a switch configured to switch the connection circuit to connect the first generator and the second generator in parallel or in series through the power line.

6. A generator system, comprising:
a first generator connected to a second generator;
the first generator comprises a first microcomputer that determines a starting order of the first generator and the second generator;
the second generator comprises a second microcomputer that determines the starting order of the first generator and the second generator;
when the first microcomputer commences start processing in response to an engine starting instruction of the first generator, and the second microcomputer commences start processing in response to an engine starting instruction of the second generator before the first generator completes starting:
the first microcomputer designates one of the first generator and the second generator as a master generator and designates another of the first generator and the second generator as a slave generator in accordance with a predefined rule;

wherein the master generator outputs an AC voltage, and transmits synchronization data to the slave generator;
wherein the slave generator outputs an AC voltage that is synchronized with the AC voltage output by the master generator based on the synchronization data.

7. The generator system according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first microcomputer designates the one of the first generator and the second generator having a smaller serial number as the master generator based on the predefined rule.

8. The generator system according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first generator and the second generator are portable generators.

9. The generator system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a switch connected between the first generator and the second generator that connects the first generator and the second generator in parallel.

10. The generator system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a switch connected between the first generator and the second generator that connects the first generator and the second generator in series.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shibata Kenji
• Matsuhisa Tetsuya
• Matsuyama Wataru
• Maedako Minoru

Classifications

• H02J3/46 Primary

  Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks · CPC title

• H02H3/33

  using summation current transformers (H02H3/347 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J3/40

  Synchronisation of generators for connection to a network or to another generator · CPC title

• H02P9/02

  Details {of the control} · CPC title

• H02P9/006

  Means for protecting the generator by using control (control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients H02P9/10) · CPC title