Patents by Inventor Suresh Gopalakrishnan
Suresh Gopalakrishnan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11970078Abstract: A system in a vehicle includes memory to store values obtained for a battery that supplies current to one or more loads. The values include battery state of charge. A processor obtains a measured battery current from a battery current sensor and a measured total current from a current sensor at a battery center that supplies the current directly to the one or more loads, obtain a generator current or a direct current-to-direct current (DC-DC) converter current from the measured total current and the battery current, determine a maximum available current as a sum of a maximum available battery current and either the generator current or the DC-DC converter current, and stop a supply of the current to one or more of the one or more loads based on a result of a comparison of the maximum available current with current draw by the one or more loads.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Lyall Kenneth Winger
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Patent number: 11962173Abstract: A system for use with a direct current fast-charging (DCFC) station includes a controller and battery system. The battery system includes first and second battery packs, and first, second, and third switches. The switches have ON/OFF conductive states commanded by the controller to connect the battery packs in a parallel-connected (P-connected) or series-connected (S-connected) configuration. An electric powertrain with one or more electric machines is powered via the battery system. First and second charge ports of the system are connectable to the station via a corresponding charging cable. The first charge port receives a low or high charging voltage from the station. The second charge port receives a low charging voltage. When the station can supply the high charging voltage to the first charge port, the controller establishes the S-connected configuration via the switches, and thereafter charges the battery system solely via the first charge port.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Lei Hao, Yue-Yun Wang, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Chandra S. Namuduri, Rashmi Prasad, Madhusudan Raghavan
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Publication number: 20240113711Abstract: A system includes an electronic device including a circuit having a semiconductor switch, and a switching control system operably connected to the semiconductor switch. The switching control system is configured to control a switching speed of the semiconductor switch based on a received voltage by altering at least one of a gate resistance and a gate capacitance of the semiconductor switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2022Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Muhammad Hussain Alvi, Khorshed Mohammed Alam, Yilun Luo, Chandra S. Namuduri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Junghoon Kim, Mohamed Kamel
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Publication number: 20240092220Abstract: An example method includes receiving a wakeup request from a device from a vehicle. The wakeup request indicates that the device desires to perform a task that consumes electrical power from a battery of the vehicle. The method further includes assigning a priority to the wakeup request. The method further includes queuing the wakeup request according to a wakeup schedule. The method further includes, responsive to a current time satisfying the wakeup schedule, performing the task based at least in part on the priority.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2022Publication date: March 21, 2024Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Xinyu Du, Chandra S. Namuduri, Lyall Kenneth Winger, Gary W. Gantt, JR., Anwar Hossain, Kurt R. Garcia
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Publication number: 20240092289Abstract: A vehicle, an electrical system of the vehicle and a method of operating the vehicle. The electrical system includes an electrical load and an energy center for distribution of power to the electrical load. The energy center includes a fuse cluster having a plurality of electronic fuses, and the electrical load is coupled to the energy center via the plurality of electronic fuses of the fuse cluster. A selected electronic fuse of the fuse cluster is configured to detect a fault at the selected electronic fuse, make itself a master fuse of the fuse cluster in response to detecting the fault and control an operation of the fuse cluster.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2022Publication date: March 21, 2024Inventors: James Morrison, Lyall Kenneth Winger, Suresh Gopalakrishnan
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Publication number: 20240083291Abstract: A system in a vehicle includes a plurality of contactors to open or close a connection from two or more battery packs that power one or more motors of the vehicle to move the vehicle. The system also includes a controller to control the plurality of contactors to connect the two or more battery packs in series according to one of a plurality of modes of operation or to connect the two or more battery packs in parallel according to another of the plurality of modes of operation, and to control the plurality of contactors to test an operation of one or more of the plurality of contactors.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2022Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Yongjie Zhu, Chunhao J. Lee, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Venkatesh Gopalakrishnan
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Patent number: 11929475Abstract: A device for thermal control of a battery system includes a heating control module electrically connected to the battery system and a conversion device configured to control power output from the battery system. The heating control module is configured to measure a current through the conversion device, the measured current provided by the battery system of a vehicle during vehicle operation or provided by an energy source during vehicle charging. The heating control module is also configured to control the conversion device to generate an alternating current (AC) heating current using the measured current, and apply the AC heating current to the battery system to heat the battery system to a desired temperature.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2022Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Neeraj S. Shidore, Chandra S. Namuduri, Lei Hao, Shuonan Xu, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Satish P. Ketkar, Daniel Robert Tylutki
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Publication number: 20240075846Abstract: A system in a vehicle includes memory to store values obtained for a battery that supplies current to one or more loads. The values include battery state of charge. A processor obtains a measured battery current from a battery current sensor and a measured total current from a current sensor at a battery center that supplies the current directly to the one or more loads, obtain a generator current or a direct current-to-direct current (DC-DC) converter current from the measured total current and the battery current, determine a maximum available current as a sum of a maximum available battery current and either the generator current or the DC-DC converter current, and stop a supply of the current to one or more of the one or more loads based on a result of a comparison of the maximum available current with current draw by the one or more loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2022Publication date: March 7, 2024Inventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Lyall Kenneth Winger
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Publication number: 20240072703Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor of a vehicle includes monitoring torque command signals from a vehicle system to the electric motor, each torque command signal configured to cause the electric motor to output a commanded torque, and monitoring a speed of the vehicle and an output torque of the electric motor, the output torque responsive to a drive signal generated based on the torque command signals. The method also includes, based on the output torque and the vehicle speed indicating a low motor efficiency condition, modulating the drive signal between a first torque value and a second torque value that is less than the first torque value, the first torque value greater than the commanded torque and selected to increase an efficiency of the electric motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Norman K. Bucknor, Alireza Fatemi, Thomas W. Nehl
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Patent number: 11916414Abstract: A protection system for a battery system includes a battery control module configured to selectively open at least one contactor to isolate the battery system from a load in response to a sensed current being greater than a first threshold and within a first current range, at least one fuse connected between first and second terminals of the battery system and configured to open to isolate the battery system from the load in response to the sensed current being greater than a second threshold and within a second current range that is greater than and offset from the first current range, and an auxiliary protection module configured to selectively form a short circuit between first and second terminals in response to the sensed current being greater than the first threshold, less than the second threshold, and within a coverage gap region between the first and second current ranges.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Venkata Prasad Atluri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Mark Daniel Gottlieb, Madhusudan Raghavan, Chandra S. Namuduri
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Publication number: 20240063628Abstract: A vehicle, arc fault protection device of the vehicle and a method for mitigating an arc fault in an electrical system of the vehicle. The arc fault protection device includes a sensor, a switch, and a processor. The sensor is used for measuring a current in an electrical system. The processor is configured to determine a precursor phase of an arc fault from the current, wherein the precursor phase indicates an onset of an arc flash phase of the arc fault. The processor opens the switch to mitigate the arc fault during the arc flash phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2022Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Muhammad Hussain Alvi, Chandra S. Namuduri, Lyall Kenneth Winger, James Morrison, Xinyu Du
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Publication number: 20240063655Abstract: A vehicle, an electrical system of the vehicle and a method of operating the vehicle. The electrical system includes a battery, an electrical load that draws power from the battery, a switch between the battery and the electrical load, and a processor. The processor is configured to measure a power drawn from the battery by the electrical load and open the switch to disconnect the battery from the electrical load when the power drawn by the electrical load matches a selected criterion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2022Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Chandra S. Namuduri, Norman K. Bucknor, Lyall Kenneth Winger, James Morrison, David W. Walters
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Publication number: 20240053404Abstract: A low voltage system of a vehicle having a battery, one of a generator and an accessory power module (APM), one or more low voltage load, and a smart energy center. The smart energy center having a first electronic fuse configured to selectively connect the smart energy center to the battery, a second electronic fuse configured to selectively connect the smart energy center to the one of the generator and the APM, and a third electronic fuse configured to selectively connect the smart energy center to the one or more low voltage load. The smart energy center further comprising a plurality of sensors and a controller configured to selectively activate and deactivate the first electronic fuse, the second electronic fuse, and the third electronic fuse based at least in part on data received from the plurality of sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2022Publication date: February 15, 2024Inventors: Xinyu Du, Lyall Kenneth Winger, Infane Lowe, Suresh Gopalakrishnan
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Patent number: 11901844Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor of a vehicle includes monitoring torque command signals from a vehicle system to the electric motor, each torque command signal configured to cause the electric motor to output a commanded torque, and monitoring a speed of the vehicle and an output torque of the electric motor, the output torque responsive to a drive signal generated based on the torque command signals. The method also includes, based on the output torque and the vehicle speed indicating a low motor efficiency condition, modulating the drive signal between a first torque value and a second torque value that is less than the first torque value, the first torque value greater than the commanded torque and selected to increase an efficiency of the electric motor.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Chandra S. Namuduri, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Norman K. Bucknor, Alireza Fatemi, Thomas W. Nehl
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Publication number: 20240047979Abstract: A system in an electric or hybrid vehicle includes two or more battery packs to power one or more motors of the vehicle to move the vehicle. A controller dynamically activates an operational mode of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the operational mode being one of a plurality of possible operational modes. Each of the possible operational modes defines which of the two or more battery packs are connected to the one or more motors and, based on two or more of the two or more battery packs being connected to the one or more motors, also defines an interconnection among the two or more of the two or more battery packs. The plurality of possible operational modes includes a first operational mode defining a series connection between the two or more battery packs and second operational mode defining a parallel connection between the two or more battery packs.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2022Publication date: February 8, 2024Inventors: Chunhao J. Lee, Yongjie Zhu, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Dongxu Li, Chen-fang Chang, Junfeng Zhao, Matthew Rademacher
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Patent number: 11890958Abstract: A system in a vehicle includes a first winding section including first two or more windings and a second winding section including second two or more windings. Each of the second two or more windings corresponds to one of the first two or more windings of the first winding section. The system also includes an inverter including a high side switch and a low side switch corresponding to each of the first two or more windings. The inverter is coupled to a battery of the vehicle and boosts a voltage of a direct current (DC) charger during charging of the battery with the DC charger, converts alternating current (AC) from an AC grid to DC during charging of the battery with the AC grid, and converts DC to AC during supply of the AC grid by the battery.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2022Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Rashmi Prasad, Chandra S. Namuduri, Lei Hao, Suresh Gopalakrishnan
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Publication number: 20240025271Abstract: An electric vehicle, an electric drive system and method of operating the electric vehicle. The electric drive system provides a torque to a wheel of the electric vehicle. The processor is configured to obtain a value of the torque at which the electric drive system of the vehicle is operating, determine an optimal speed for the vehicle for the torque based on an efficiency model of the electric drive system, wherein the optimal speed corresponds to an optimal drive efficiency for the electric drive system, and operate the vehicle at the optimal speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2022Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Muhammad Hussain Alvi, Chunhao J. Lee, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Junfeng Zhao, Chen-fang Chang
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Publication number: 20240027501Abstract: A system includes a current sensor disposed proximate to a first conductor of a conductor assembly, the current sensor configured to measure a current through the first conductor and generate a first current measurement. The system also includes a correction module configured to perform a correction method. The correction method includes determining a frequency of the first current measurement, and applying a gain correction factor to the first current measurement, the gain correction factor based on pre-characterization data relating a gain of a reference current sensor to frequency. In addition, or alternatively, the correction method includes determining a first phase of the first current measurement, acquiring a second current measurement of a second conductor of the conductor assembly, determining a second phase of the second current measurement, and applying a current adjustment to the first current measurement based on a temporal relationship between the first phase and the second phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2022Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Muhammad Hussain Alvi, Suresh Gopalakrishnan
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Patent number: 11865932Abstract: Examples described herein provide a method that includes determining whether a vehicle is operating in a first high voltage mode or a second high voltage mode. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the vehicle is operating in the first high voltage mode, providing electric power to an electric motor at a first high voltage and providing electric power to an auxiliary device at a second high voltage that is different than the first high voltage. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the vehicle is operating in the second high voltage mode, providing electric power to the electric motor at the second high voltage and providing electric power to the auxiliary device at the second high voltage.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Dongxu Li, Lei Hao, Chunhao J. Lee, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Junfeng Zhao
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Publication number: 20230420763Abstract: A device for thermal control of a battery system includes a heating control module electrically connected to the battery system and a conversion device configured to control power output from the battery system. The heating control module is configured to measure a current through the conversion device, the measured current provided by the battery system of a vehicle during vehicle operation or provided by an energy source during vehicle charging. The heating control module is also configured to control the conversion device to generate an alternating current (AC) heating current using the measured current, and apply the AC heating current to the battery system to heat the battery system to a desired temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2022Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Neeraj S. Shidore, Chandra S. Namuduri, Lei Hao, Shuonan Xu, Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Satish P. Ketkar, Daniel Robert Tylutki