Abstract: A dual inverter drivetrain having an energy storing fuel cell integrated into an electric vehicle is disclosed. A method of operating the dual inverter drivetrain using a power sharing control approach is described, which allows the key requirements of a fuel cell to be achieved without compromising the dynamic performance of the electric vehicle drive system. In particular, the ability of this control approach to ensure unidirectional power transfer from the fuel cell even in the event of regenerative braking, and a slowly changing fuel cell power despite fast motor torque transients were exhibited.

Abstract: A misalignment tolerant foreign object detection approach is proposed for use with wireless charger systems where sensor coils or portions thereof are mirrored about one or more axes of radial symmetry. A first variant is proposed adapted for x-axis misalignment tolerance, and a second variant is proposed for simultaneous x and y axis misalignment tolerance. Further variants are proposed with additional rotational misalignment tolerance. Detection of the foreign object despite misalignment in receiver and transmitter coils is an important safety and efficiency consideration.

Abstract: When balancing cells in battery packs, the voltage induced by the balancing current across the parasitic wire resistance distorts the measured cell voltage, leading to inaccurate cell state estimation. A method and battery management system to extract a parasitic resistance of battery connection wires connecting a cell of a battery to a cell balancing circuit is disclosed. The parasitic wire resistances for a battery pack are extracted through the coordinated operation of a pack-level current source and cell-level balancing circuit. A voltage drop is imposed and measured across the parasitic resistances while maintaining zero current in the immediate battery cell. Maintaining zero current in the immediate battery cell avoids possible extraction error resulting from voltage drop across the battery cell impedance due to battery cell current flow.

Abstract: A DC charging circuit includes a first inverter module corresponding to a first battery; a second inverter module corresponding to second battery; and DC terminals tapping off a high-side of the first inverter module and a low-side of the second inverter module. A front-end switching circuit is also described. The front-end switching circuit controls charging input from a DC source to at least one inverter circuit, each inverter circuit corresponding to at least one respective battery. The front-end switching circuit is an add-on for interfacing to high voltage DC inputs.

Abstract: An approach for controlling operation of an electrically symmetrical electric power circuit is described herein to reduce common mode leakage currents. The approach can include, for example, a controller circuit configured to control a plurality of switches of the electrically symmetrical electric power circuit, such that one or more electrically symmetrical pairs of switches of the plurality of switches are operated at a same operational state when the power circuit is coupled to an electrical grid to reduce the common mode leakage current. A variant is also described that is adapted for current ripple and overall THD distortion reduction, which can be useful for vehicle to grid power transfer situations.

Abstract: There is described a wireless power transfer system utilizing a new excitation-quadrature-quadrature transmitter pad which includes one excitation coil and at least two decoupled quadrature auxiliary coils. A described resonant tank design method is proposed for constant-current charging and zero phase angle conditions. When there is a lateral misalignment in the receiver pad, the auxiliary coil that is better coupled with the receiver pad conducts more current than the more distant auxiliary coil does, reducing the leakage magnetic field in the surrounding area and/or improving transmission efficiency.

Abstract: An innovative power electronic control system suitable for various applications, such as for electric vehicles is provided. The system, in some embodiments, is configured for the purposes of on-board AC fast charging (e.g., single phase or multi-phase) when an object is not in use (e.g., a vehicle is stationary) and use as a drive (e.g., for a vehicle, an EV drivetrain) when in motion. The innovative power electronic control system enables, among others, the ability to obtain fast-charging from existing grid infrastructure.

Abstract: A switching circuit for controlling charging input from a DC source to at least one inverter circuit, each inverter circuit corresponding to at least one respective battery, the switching circuit is provided with a switching device which when positioned in series with the inverter circuit and the DC source, the switching device configured to control the charging input provided to the at least one respective battery, the switching device controllable in conjunction with switches in the at least one inverter circuit based on at least one voltage of the at least one respective battery.

Abstract: An electric vehicle fast charger and methods thereof are described, adapted for re-use of magnetic components of an electric vehicle having traction converters when the electric vehicle is stationary and connected to a power grid. A switching stage provided by one or more sets of switches is controlled complementarily with the switches of the traction converters to (i) provide inversion of a grid voltage and (ii) shape current of the grid current between the electric vehicle and the power grid to track a waveshape of the grid voltage. A single switching stage and a dual switching stage circuit are contemplated, along with switch controller circuits, and instruction sets for switch control. Variants provide for energy transfer to accommodate for energy imbalances between storage devices.

Abstract: A power-hub for an electric vehicle and operating modes thereof are disclosed herein. The disclosed power-hub is designed to operate in the Vehicle-to Grid (V2G), Grid-to-Vehicle (G2V), Vehicle-to-Home (V2H), and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) operating modes. When operating in the V2V mode, the power-hub is configured to allow for sending DC power through a conventional AC power port, with all the associated ratings and constraints from the AC design, in order to achieve higher power transfer and efficiency for V2V operation. A digital Hysteretic Current Mode Control (HCMC) scheme is disclosed and the efficiency and loss distribution of four operating modes are disclosed for the power-hub: 1) DC-AC Boundary Conduction Mode (BCM), 2) DC-AC Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM)/BCM hybrid, 3) DC-DC BCM, and 4) DC-DC CCM. A low-frequency commutation scheme is also disclosed that allows for reducing the peak junction temperature.

Abstract: A powertrain for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle applications with integrated three-phase AC charging featuring buck-boost operation and optional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability, along with corresponding methods and machine instruction sets for switch control. The powertrain can include of a three-phase current source converter (CSC) front-end with an associated input filter, a polarity inversion module, and in an embodiment, a dual-inverter motor drive. The dual-inverter drive is the source of both the back emf and requisite DC inductance for the CSC. A compact design is thus provided as no additional magnetics are required and the on-board cooling system required for traction mode can be re-deployed for charging and V2G mode. The powertrain is mode shifted between charging and V2G mode through an optional polarity inversion module.

Abstract: A system for providing both driving and charging functionality by using a plurality of traction inverters and a plurality of energy storage devices coupled to one another across the electric motor; an AC/DC converter front-end circuit interfacing the first/second traction inverters and the power source; a controller circuit configured to control operating characteristics of the AC/DC converter front-end circuit, wherein the first/second traction inverters are provided gating signals to one or more switching gates of the first/second traction inverters to shape power characteristics of power delivered to the first/second energy storage devices, from the power source.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides electrical architecture for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). An EIS circuit comprises at least two current regulators and an electrical energy storage device, which are connected with one or more electrochemical cells in a configuration that decouples power flowing into the respective current regulators. The presence of the electrical energy storage device enables each regulator to operate simultaneously at lower power levels while inducing the desired EIS perturbation current. Operation at low power allows lower volume and cost for the same current compared to only dissipative or non-dissipative current regulators. Further, the electrical energy storage device allows the power flowing through the current regulators to be varied independently in order to achieve the desired EIS perturbation current while a minimum amount of heat is generated in the circuit, thus allowing the circuit to occupy minimal size and incur minimal cost.

Abstract: An electric vehicle fast charger and methods thereof are described, adapted for re-use of magnetic components of an electric vehicle having traction converters when the electric vehicle is stationary and connected to a power grid. A switching stage provided by one or more sets of switches is controlled complementarily with the switches of the traction converters to (i) provide inversion of a grid voltage and (ii) shape current of the grid current between the electric vehicle and the power grid to track a waveshape of the grid voltage. A single switching stage and a dual switching stage circuit are contemplated, along with switch controller circuits, and instruction sets for switch control. Variants provide for energy transfer to accommodate for energy imbalances between storage devices.