1. An apparatus for providing power to a portable electronic device (PED, including:
a first housing, the first housing mechanically separatably from the PED, the first housing substantially including a first power interface module (PIM), the first PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be releasably and directly coupled with the PED, the PIM at least two electrical contacts configured to provide a power signal having a first and a second polarity; and
a second housing, the second housing physically separate from the PED and coupled to the first housing via a substantially flat, flexible cable, the second housing including an external power source interface (EPSI), the (EPSI) including at least two separate electrical contacts configured to receive electrical signals having the first and the second polarity, and a converter module coupled to the EPSI, the converter module converting a signal from the EPSI having a first voltage level to a signal having a lower, second voltage level;
the substantially flat, flexible cable fixably coupling the first housing to the second housing and including at least one wire pair, the wire pair coupling the first housing first PIM at least two electrical contacts to the second housing converter module to provide the signal having the lower, second voltage level to the first PIM at least two electrical contacts.
2. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, further including a user perceptible signal generation module encased in one of the first housing and the second housing, the signal generation module providing an indication of a signal being received by the second housing EPSI at least two separate electrical contacts.
3. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the second housing has a width and a height and the height is about a third less than the width and the EPSI is a male type interface.
4. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 3, wherein the substantially flat, flexible cable has a width about equal to the width of the second housing and a height less than a third of the first housing height.
5. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 3, wherein the second housing further includes a second, female-type power interface module (PIM), the second PIM including a least two electrical contacts configured to be indirectly coupled to a second electronic device, the second PIM at least two electrical contacts coupled to the converter module to provide the signal having the lower, second power level to the second PIM at least two electrical contacts.
6. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 5, wherein the EPSI signal is a direct current (DC) signal, the first voltage level is about 10-13 volts, and the second voltage level is about 3-5 volts.
7. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device (PED) has a device specific power interface and the first PIM includes a mating device specific power interface.
8. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, wherein the second housing, the first housing, and the cable are shaped so the cable can be coiled about the second housing and one of the cable and the cable and first housing including storage linking elements to releasably secure the cable about the second housing.
9. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, the second housing further including an internal data storage module (DSM) and wherein the first PIM enables the communication of data between the internal DSM and the PED.
10. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 1, the second housing further including an external memory storage interface module (EMSIM) and wherein the first PIM enables the communication of data between the EMSIM and the PED.
11. An apparatus for providing power to a first portable electronic device PED and a second PED, the apparatus including:
a first housing, the first housing mechanically separatably from the PEDs, the first housing substantially including a first power interface module (PIM), the first PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be releasably and directly coupled with one of the first and the second PED, the PIM at least two electrical contacts configured to provide a power signal having a first and a second polarity;
a second housing, the second housing physically separate from the PEDs and coupled to the first housing via a flexible cable, the second housing including an external power source interface (EPSI), the EPSI including at least two separate electrical contacts configured to receive electrical signals having the first and the second polarity, a converter module coupled to the EPSI, the converter module converting a signal from the EPSI having a first voltage level to a signal having a lower, second voltage level, and a second power interface module (PIM), the second PIM including a least two electrical contacts configured to be indirectly coupled with the other of the first and the second PED and coupled to the converter module to provide the signal having the lower, second voltage level to the second PIM at least two electrical contacts; and
the flexible cable fixably coupling the first housing to the second housing and including at least one wire pair, the wire pair coupling the first housing first PIM at least two electrical contacts to the second housing converter module to provide the signal having the lower, second voltage level to the first PIM at least two electrical contacts.
12. The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 11, further including a user perceptible signal generation module encased in one of the first housing and the second housing, the signal generation module providing an indication of a signal being received by the second housing EPSI at least two separate electrical contacts.
13. The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 11, wherein the flexible cable is a substantially flat flexible cable.
14. The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 13, wherein the second housing has a width and a height and the height is about a third less than the width.
15. The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 14, wherein the substantially flat cable has a width about equal to the width of the second housing and a height less than a third of the first housing height and a length of at least 6 inches.
16. The apparatus for providing power to a first PED and a second PED of claim 11, wherein the other of the first and the second PED has a standardized specific power interface and the first PIM is a mating standardized specific power interface.
17. An apparatus for providing power to a portable electronic device (PED, including:
a first housing, the first housing mechanically separatably from the PED, the first housing substantially including a first power interface module (PIM), the first PIM including at least two electrical contacts configured to be releasably and directly coupled with the PED, the PIM at least two electrical contacts configured to provide a power signal having a first and a second polarity;
a second housing, the second housing physically separate from the PED and coupled to the first housing via a flexible cable, the second housing including an external power source interface (EPSI), the (EPSI) including at least two separate electrical contacts configured to receive electrical signals having the first and the second polarity, and a converter module coupled to the EPSI, the converter module converting a signal from the EPSI having a first voltage level to a signal having a lower, second voltage level;
the flexible cable fixably coupling the first housing to the second housing and including at least one wire pair, the wire pair coupling the first housing first PIM at least two electrical contacts to the second housing converter module to provide the signal having the lower, second voltage level to the first PIM at least two electrical contacts; and
the second housing, the first housing, and the cable are shaped so the cable can be coiled about the second housing and one of the cable and the cable and first housing including storage linking elements to releasably secure the cable about the second housing.
18. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 17, further including a user perceptible signal generation module encased in one of the first housing and the second housing, the signal generation module providing an indication of a signal being received by the second housing EPSI at least two separate electrical contacts.
19. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 17, wherein the second housing has a width and a height and the height is about a third less than the width and the EPSI is a male type interface.
20. The apparatus for providing power to a PED of claim 19, wherein the flexible cable is a substantially flat, flexible cable, has a width about equal to the width of the second housing, and a height less than a third of the first housing height.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A wind turbine control apparatus comprising:
a propeller coupled to an electrical generator, the electrical generator being configured to be coupled to a load;
a transmission coupling the propeller to the electrical generator; and
a processor coupled to said wind turbine, for
receiving a plurality of detected ambient air conditions, wherein the detected ambient air conditions comprise at least one of ambient humidity, ambient air pressure, and ambient air temperature,
receiving a plurality of detected wind turbine performance parameters,
storing multiple sets of system control parameters corresponding to the plurality of detected ambient air conditions,
selecting a set of control commands corresponding to one of the sets of system control parameters based on the plurality of detected ambient air conditions, such that output efficiency of the electrical generator system is improved, and
outputting control signals corresponding to the selected set of control commands.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pitch servo for receiving one of said control signals and changing a pitch of said wind turbine corresponding to the control commands.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission comprises a variable speed transmission for receiving said control signals and changing the rotational speed of said generator corresponding to the control commands.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a load shedder coupled to said generator for receiving the control signal and varying the load coupled to said generator to optimize the performance of the wind turbine relative to grid capacity.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission comprises a continuously variable transmission.
6. A system for controlling a wind turbine, the system comprising:
a processor configured to be operatively associated with the wind turbine, the processor being configured to
receive at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the wind turbine, wherein the ambient air condition comprises at least one of ambient humidity, ambient air pressure, and ambient air temperature,
store multiple sets of system control parameters corresponding to the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition,
select a set of control commands corresponding to one of the sets of system control parameters based on the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition, such that output efficiency of the wind turbine is improved, and
output the selected set of control commands for controlling the wind turbine,
wherein the selected set of control commands is configured to increase the power output of the wind turbine based on at least one of the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and the at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the wind turbine.
7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a pitch servo configured to change pitch of a propeller of the wind turbine based on the at least one control command.
8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a variable speed transmission configured to operably couple a propeller and a generator of the wind turbine to one another and change rotational speed of at least one of the propeller and the generator based on the at least one control command.
9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a load shedder configured to be operably coupled to a generator, the load shedder being configured to vary a load coupled to the generator relative to capacity of a grid.
10. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to optimize the power output of the system.
11. A method for increasing the power output of a power generation system comprising a wind turbine, the method comprising:
receiving at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the power generation system, wherein the ambient air condition comprises at least one of ambient humidity, ambient air pressure, and ambient air temperature,
storing multiple sets of system control parameters corresponding to the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition,
selecting a set of control commands corresponding to one of the sets of system control parameters based on the signal indicative of at least one detected ambient air condition, such that output efficiency of the power generation system is improved, and
outputting the selected set of control commands for controlling the power generation system based on the at least one signal indicative of an ambient air condition and the at least one signal indicative of a performance parameter related to the power generation system, such that the power output of the power generation system is increased.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising optimizing the power output of the power generation system via the at least one control command.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the power generation system comprises a pitch servo for changing pitch of a propeller of the wind turbine, and the method further comprises changing the pitch of the propeller based on the at least one control command.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the power generation system comprises a generator and a propeller operably coupled together via a variable speed transmission, and the method further comprises changing the speed of the propeller and the generator via control of the variable speed transmission based on the at least one control command.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the power generation system comprises a load shedder operably coupled to a generator, and the method further comprises varying the load on the generator via the load shedder based on the at least one control command relative to a grid capacity.
16. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting a set of control commands that optimize power output of the power generation system.