Abstract: A charger includes multiple rails, each rail having a power factor correction (PFC) module, a direct current (DC) link capacitor, and a DC-to-DC voltage converter. The charger also includes a controller that deactivates a subset of the rails in response to an electrical load having a power consumption less than a threshold power, where deactivation of the subset of rails includes deactivation of the PFC module and the DC-to-DC voltage converter of each rail of the subset of rails. For each rail of the deactivated subset of the plurality of rails, the controller activates the PFC module when a voltage of the DC link capacitor equals a threshold voltage.

Abstract: An on-board charger is provided with a first stage for converting an alternating current (AC) voltage from an external power supply to a direct current (DC) voltage. A capacitor is coupled to the first stage to receive the DC voltage and to provide a DC-Link voltage. A second stage is coupled to the capacitor to boost the DC-Link voltage and to supply the boosted DC-Link voltage to charge a battery. A processor is programmed to adjust the DC-Link voltage between a first setpoint and a second setpoint based on a battery voltage value.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a vehicle battery charger is provided. The charger includes at least one transformer, a first active bridge, a second active bridge, and at least one controller. The first active bridge includes a first plurality of switching devices being positioned with the primary. The second active bridge includes a second plurality of switching devices being positioned with the secondary to generate. The controller is configured to activate the first plurality of switching devices based on a primary control signal and to activate the second plurality of switching devices based on a secondary control signal. The controller is configured to generate the secondary control signal in accordance to a first control variable. The controller is further configured to generate a second control variable that corresponds to a phase shift between the primary control signal and the secondary control signal.

Abstract: An on-board battery charger (OBC) includes a converter (e.g., a DC/DC converter) and a controller. An output port of the converter is connectable to a battery (e.g., a traction battery of an electric vehicle (EV)) via a voltage network (e.g., a high-voltage (HV) network of the EV). The converter converts an input power into an output power and outputs the output power onto the voltage network for charging the battery. The controller, upon detecting a transitory disconnection in the voltage network, controls the converter to stop converting the input power into the output power. In stopping the converter, the controller stops the converter prior to a corresponding reconnection in the voltage network. The controller may detect the transitory disconnection upon detecting a switching frequency of a power switch of the converter decreasing below a pre-defined threshold as the switching frequency decreases due to effects of the transitory disconnection.

Abstract: A converter module is provided with a first power delivery circuit, a second power delivery circuit, and a controller. The first power delivery circuit supplies current from a first direct current (DC) source to a resonant stage in a first direction. The first power delivery circuit comprises at least two first switches. The second power delivery circuit supplies the current from the first DC source to the resonant stage in a second direction, opposite the first direction. The controller includes memory, and a processor that is programmed to: enable the first power delivery circuit and the second power delivery circuit alternately to provide power as a periodic waveform to the resonant stage; and disable the at least two first switches individually in a sequence to generate a phase shift in the periodic waveform and to disable the first power delivery circuit.

Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a vehicle battery charger is provided. The charger includes at least one transformer, a first active bridge, a second active bridge, and at least one controller. The first active bridge includes a first plurality of switching devices being positioned with the primary. The second active bridge includes a second plurality of switching devices being positioned with the secondary to generate. The controller is configured to activate the first plurality of switching devices based on a primary control signal and to activate the second plurality of switching devices based on a secondary control signal. The controller is configured to generate the secondary control signal in accordance to a first control variable. The controller is further configured to generate a second control variable that corresponds to a phase shift between the primary control signal and the secondary control signal.

Abstract: An on-board charger for an electric vehicle a silicon controlled rectifier circuit configured to receive an AC input voltage and output a first AC rectified voltage, a power factor correction circuit configured to receive the rectified AC voltage and output a DC voltage, a DC Link capacitor that receives DC voltage as a capacitor voltage; and a controller configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode depending on the DC voltage.

Abstract: An on-board charger is provided with a first stage for converting an alternating current (AC) voltage from an external power supply to a direct current (DC) voltage. A capacitor is coupled to the first stage to receive the DC voltage and to provide a DC-Link voltage. A second stage is coupled to the capacitor to boost the DC-Link voltage and to supply the boosted DC-Link voltage to charge a battery. A processor is programmed to adjust the DC-Link voltage between a first setpoint and a second setpoint based on a battery voltage value.

Abstract: An on-board battery charger (OBC) includes first and second rails which generate first and second detection signals based on voltage events, such as zero-crossing or peak voltage events, of input voltages supplied to the rail circuits. The OBC includes a relay switchable between (i) an opened state in which the relay disconnects the rails whereby the rails can respectively receive first and second phase input voltages from a multi-phase mains supply and (ii) a closed state in which the relay connects the rails whereby the rails can both receive a same input voltage from a single-phase mains supply. A controller determines from a comparison of the detection signals at the same time whether input voltages received by the rails from a mains supply are out-of-phase or in-phase to determine therefrom whether the mains supply is multi-phase or single-phase and/or whether the relay is properly or improperly opened or closed.

Abstract: An on-board battery charger (OBC) includes (i) rail circuits having respective rail controllers and (ii) a main controller. The rail controllers sample voltages supplied to their rail circuits and transmit a fault signal to the main controller upon a comparison between a sampled voltage and a threshold being affirmative of an improper voltage condition (overvoltage or undervoltage) of the sampled voltage. The main controller controls all of the rail controllers to stop operation of all of the rail circuits in response to receiving the fault signal from any of the rail controllers. In a variation, the main controller samples the voltages supplied to the rail circuits and stops operation of all of the rail circuits upon a comparison between a sampled voltage and the threshold being affirmative.

Abstract: An on-board charger (OBC) for an electric vehicle includes a charge unit, a controller, and a control pilot (CP) wake-up circuit. The charge unit is operable for receiving energy from an EVSE for charging a traction battery of the vehicle. The controller while awake can control the charge unit to charge the battery with energy from the EVSE. The CP wake-up circuit receives a control pilot (CP) signal from the EVSE, detects for a change in a current state of the CP signal while the controller is asleep, and generates a wake-up signal for waking up the controller in response to the current state of the CP signal changing to a new state. The CP wake-up circuit includes first/second detector circuits usable for detecting for a change in the current state of the CP signal to a first/second new state.

Abstract: An on-board battery charger (OBC) of an electric vehicle (EV) receives AC electrical power from a charge station and outputs a DC output current for charging a traction battery of the EV. In response to transients in the AC electrical power while the OBC is receiving the AC electrical power from the charge station and outputting the DC output current, a controller controls the OBC to (i) stop processing the AC electrical power from the charge station and reduce the DC output current and (ii) after the transients have passed, resume processing the AC electrical power from the charge station and increase the DC output current. For instance, at a zero-crossing event of the AC electrical power after the transients have passed, the OBC is controlled to resume processing the AC electrical power from the charge station and increase the DC output current.

Abstract: An on-board charger (OBC) for using AC power to charge a traction battery of an electric vehicle includes a DC/DC converter and a controller. The converter receives input power including a voltage having a DC voltage component and a voltage ripple varying at a frequency of the AC power. The controller generates a control signal for controlling the converter to convert the input power into an output power having a current for charging the battery. The controller includes a filter which enhances a sensed value of the current at the frequency to generate a locally-enhanced sensed value of the current. The controller determines a difference between a target and the locally-enhanced sensed value of the current and generates the control signal based on the difference such that the converter in converting the input power into the output power in response to the control signal adapts the current to the target.

Abstract: A converter module is provided with a first power delivery circuit, a second power delivery circuit, and a controller. The first power delivery circuit supplies current from a first direct current (DC) source to a resonant stage in a first direction. The first power delivery circuit comprises at least two first switches. The second power delivery circuit supplies the current from the first DC source to the resonant stage in a second direction, opposite the first direction. The controller includes memory, and a processor that is programmed to: enable the first power delivery circuit and the second power delivery circuit alternately to provide power as a periodic waveform to the resonant stage; and disable the at least two first switches individually in a sequence to generate a phase shift in the periodic waveform and to disable the first power delivery circuit.

Abstract: An on-board charger (OBC) for an electric vehicle includes a charge unit, a controller, and a control pilot (CP) wake-up circuit. The charge unit is operable for receiving energy from an EVSE for charging a traction battery of the vehicle. The controller while awake can control the charge unit to charge the battery with energy from the EVSE. The CP wake-up circuit receives a control pilot (CP) signal from the EVSE, detects for a change in a current state of the CP signal while the controller is asleep, and generates a wake-up signal for waking up the controller in response to the current state of the CP signal changing to a new state. The CP wake-up circuit includes first/second detector circuits usable for detecting for a change in the current state of the CP signal to a first/second new state.

Abstract: An on-board charger for an electric vehicle a silicon controlled rectifier circuit configured to receive an AC input voltage and output a first AC rectified voltage, a power factor correction circuit configured to receive the rectified AC voltage and output a DC voltage, a DC Link capacitor that receives DC voltage as a capacitor voltage; and a controller configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode depending on the DC voltage.

Abstract: An on-board charger (OBC) for using AC power to charge a traction battery of an electric vehicle includes a DC/DC converter and a controller. The converter receives input power including a voltage having a DC voltage component and a voltage ripple varying at a frequency of the AC power. The controller generates a control signal for controlling the converter to convert the input power into an output power having a current for charging the battery. The controller includes a filter which enhances a sensed value of the current at the frequency to generate a locally-enhanced sensed value of the current. The controller determines a difference between a target and the locally-enhanced sensed value of the current and generates the control signal based on the difference such that the converter in converting the input power into the output power in response to the control signal adapts the current to the target.

Abstract: An on-board charger (OBC) for charging a traction battery of an electric vehicle includes a primary phase, a secondary phase, and a pre-charge circuit. Each phase includes a circuit having an input and an output. The primary phase circuit input is connectable to a mains supply to connect the primary phase to the mains supply. The secondary phase circuit input has an input capacitor. The pre-charge circuit is connected between the circuit outputs and is switchable between an opened state in which the pre-charge circuit disconnects the circuit outputs and a closed state in which the pre-charge circuit connects the circuit outputs. When the pre-charge circuit is in the closed state, an electrical current may flow through the pre-charge circuit from the primary phase circuit output to the secondary phase circuit output and through the secondary phase circuit to the input capacitor to charge the input capacitor.

Abstract: An on-board charger (OBC) for charging a traction battery of an electric vehicle includes a Power Factor Correction (PFC) stage to convert AC power from a mains supply into DC power for use in charging the traction battery, a bi-directional DC/DC converter coupled to the traction battery, a DC link capacitor between the PFC stage and the DC/DC converter, and a controller. The controller is operable to control the PFC stage and the DC/DC converter to operate in (i) a pre-charge mode in which the DC link capacitor is pre-charged using electrical power from the traction battery and (ii) a stable operation mode in which the traction battery is charged using the AC power from the mains supply.

Abstract: An on-board charger (OBC) for charging a traction battery of an electric vehicle includes a Power Factor Correction (PFC) stage to convert AC power from a mains supply into DC power for use in charging the traction battery, a bi-directional DC/DC converter coupled to the traction battery, a DC link capacitor between the PFC stage and the DC/DC converter, and a controller. The controller is operable to control the PFC stage and the DC/DC converter to operate in (i) a pre-charge mode in which the DC link capacitor is pre-charged using electrical power from the traction battery and (ii) a stable operation mode in which the traction battery is charged using the AC power from the mains supply.