Controllers, and associated circuitry, devices, systems, mobile units, and methods
Various embodiments relate to mobile units. A mobile unit may include a number of electronic devices including a processor, a number of loads, and a modem. The mobile unit may further include a circuit board including the processor and logic configured to reset the processor, at least one load of the number of loads, and/or the modem responsive to receipt of a reset signal. The circuit board may also include a power switch-over circuit coupled to the processor and the logic and configured to switch power to at least some of the number of electronic devices from a primary battery to a secondary battery or from the secondary battery to the primary battery. Further, the circuit board may include a charge controller coupled to the secondary battery and configured to limit an amount of current conveyed to the secondary battery. Associated devices and methods are also disclosed.
1. A mobile unit, comprising:
a number of electronic devices including a processor, a number of loads, and a modem; and a circuit board including:
the processor;
power reset logic configured to reset at least one of: the processor; at least one load of the number of loads, or the modem responsive to receipt of a reset signal;
a power switch-over circuit coupled to the processor and the power reset logic and configured to switch power to at least some of the number of electronic devices from a primary battery to a secondary battery or from the secondary battery to the primary battery; and
a charge controller coupled to the secondary battery and configured to limit an amount of current conveyed to the secondary battery.
2. The mobile unit of claim 1 , further comprising at least one renewable energy source coupled to the primary battery.
3. The mobile unit of claim 1 , the circuit board further comprising a number of measurement devices, each load of the number of loads coupled to a measurement device of the number of measurement devices.
4. The mobile unit of claim 3 , wherein each measurement device is configured to report at least one measurement associated with a corresponding load to the processor.
5. The mobile unit of claim 4 , wherein the at least one measurement comprises a voltage, a current, or both.
6. The mobile unit of claim 1 , further comprising the primary battery and the secondary battery.
7. The mobile unit of claim 1 , wherein the reset signal comprises a control signal.
8. The mobile unit of claim 1 , wherein the power switch-over circuit is configured to send a control signal to the power reset logic.
9. A mobile device, comprising:
a circuit board for coupling to a first battery, a second battery, a modem, and a number of peripheral devices, the circuit board including:
a processor;
power reset logic configured to reset at least one of the processor or at least one peripheral device of the number of peripheral devices responsive to receipt of a signal from a modem;
a power switch-over unit configured to switch power to the number of peripheral devices from the first battery to the second battery; and
a charge controller coupled to the second battery and configured to limit an amount of current conveyed to the second battery.
10. The mobile device of claim 9 , wherein the charge controller is configured to enable the second battery to be charged at one of two possible current levels.
11. The mobile device of claim 9 , wherein the charge controller is configured to limit the amount of current conveyed from the first battery to the second battery.
12. The mobile device of claim 9 , the circuit board further comprising a number of measurement devices coupled to at least some of the number of peripheral devices.
13. The mobile device of claim 9 , the circuit board further comprising:
a power input connector; and
a reverse polarity protection circuit coupled between the power input connector and the power switch-over unit.
14. The mobile device of claim 9 , further comprising the first battery and the second battery, the second battery comprising a backup battery.
15. The mobile device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first voltage regulator coupled to the processor; and
a second voltage regulator coupled to the charge controller.
16. The mobile device of claim 9 , further comprising the modem, wherein the signal conveyed from the modem to the power reset logic comprises a control signal.
17. A mobile unit, comprising:
a number of electronic devices including a processor, a number of loads, and a modem; and circuitry including:
power reset logic to reset at least one of: the processor; at least one load of the number of loads; or the modem responsive to receipt of a reset signal; and
a power switch-over circuit coupled to the processor and the power reset logic and to switch power to at least some of the number of electronic devices from a primary battery to a secondary battery or from the secondary battery to the primary battery.
18. The mobile unit of claim 17 , further comprising a charge controller to limit an amount of current conveyed to the secondary battery.
19. The mobile unit of claim 17 , the circuitry further comprising a number of measurement devices, each load of the number of loads coupled to a measurement device of the number of measurement devices.
20. The mobile unit of claim 19 , wherein at least one measurement device of the number of measurement devices is configured to report at least one measurement associated with a corresponding load to the processor.