Abstract: A Battery Management System (BMS) integrating solid-state relay and current shunt sensor on a single printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), in lieu of traditional electro-mechanical contactors and fuses and external current sensor, is disclosed. The associated monitoring, driving, protection and energy clamping circuitries, and thermal management design to enable high-current and safety-critical applications are also disclosed.

Abstract: A battery management system (BMS) connected to a battery having a positive end and a negative end, the BMS also connected to a fast charger. The BMS includes: a battery management controller protection circuit board (PCB) configured to manage an operation of the battery; a charger controller PCB configure to control fast charging of the battery; and a fast charge contactor positioned between one of the positive and negative ends of the battery and the fast charger. No fast charge contactor is positioned between the other of the positive and negative ends of the battery and the fast charger. The BMS is configured to determine a location of an isolation fault by connecting and disconnecting one or more resistors.

Abstract: An EVSE with additional switches and control to allow for 120V/240V split-phase homes to be powered by an electric vehicle with only two AC power pins in its charge port.

Abstract: An Energy Management Unit (EMU) integrates the on-board charger (OBC) and battery management system (BMS) and optional DC-DC to behave like a lab based Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) device. New high-bandwidth charge control schemes, together with new high-voltage system architecture, are disclosed. During vehicle AC charging, the OBC outputs current that sweeps across various frequencies (typically 0.1 Hz to 10 kHz), while the BMS samples the voltage and current to create the Nyquist Plot (Real Vs Imaginary Impedance) of battery cell parameters, without high frequency cell voltage samples (which is not cost feasible for mobility and energy storage applications).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are electric vehicles with various characteristics. For example, electric vehicles with at least two energy storage systems are described. As another example, electric vehicles with liquid temperature regulated battery packs are described. As yet another example, electric vehicles with high voltage battery limit optimization are disclosed. And, as another example, electric vehicles with dual-battery system charge management are described.

Abstract: A controller of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The controller includes: a BMS LV module configured to manage a low voltage battery; a BMS HV module configured to manage a high voltage battery; a DC-DC module configured to control a plurality of DC-DC FETs; and an ampSwitch module configured to detect a short on a bus and switch to an open state, and further configured to command the DC-DC module or an alternator to match the low battery's voltage and switch to a closed state when voltage returns to normal.

Abstract: A controller of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The controller includes: a BMS LV module configured to manage a low voltage battery; a BMS HV module configured to manage a high voltage battery; a DC-DC module configured to control a plurality of DC-DC FETs; and an ampSwitch module configured to detect a short on a bus and switch to an open state, and further configured to command the DC-DC module or an alternator to match the low battery's voltage and switch to a closed state when voltage returns to normal.

Abstract: A controller for use in a battery charging system includes processing circuitry configured to perform certain tasks during battery charging operations, and other tasks during operational use of the battery. During a charging operation, the controller receives a measured DC impedance of a propulsion battery measured by a battery data acquisition and monitoring subsystem, obtains a reference DC impedance of a hypothetical battery, and determines an impedance degradation factor of the propulsion battery using the measured DC impedance and the reference DC impedance. During operational use of the propulsion battery, the controller obtains an operational reference impedance of the propulsion battery, determines a real-time effective impedance for the propulsion battery based on the impedance degradation factor and the operational reference impedance, and generates a feed-forward parameter based on the real-time effective impedance.

Abstract: A multi-processor architecture for automated driving systems can be used to improve performance and provide design flexibility. For example, a multi-processor architecture can be used to implement command generation and safety functionality in different processors. The command generation processor can be a high performing processor compared with the safety processor. The safety processor can verify the safety of commands output from the command generation processor and provide additional I/O channels that are typically absent on high performing processors. Additionally, processing of some sensor data can be moved to expansion modules with additional processors to reduce bottlenecks and provide design flexibility for systems with different sensing requirements.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle power system. In some examples, the vehicle power system can include a plurality of redundant low-power buses coupled to respective low-power batteries. The low-power buses can be powered by a vehicle battery having a higher voltage than the voltage of the low-power batteries by way of a DCDC converter, for example. In some examples, the DCDC converter can be coupled to the low-power buses via a plurality of switches included in an Auxiliary Voltage Controller (AVC). The DCDC converter and the AVC can be housed in a common package to reduce the size, weight, and complexity of the power system while also improving the power system's durability.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are electric vehicles with various characteristics. For example, electric vehicles with at least two energy storage systems are described. As another example, electric vehicles with liquid temperature regulated battery packs are described. As yet another example, electric vehicles with high voltage battery limit optimization are disclosed. And, as another example, electric vehicles with dual-battery system charge management are described.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communication between a vehicle system and a secure communication bus are disclosed. Systems can include a microcontroller and a transceiver configured to send transmit data to the communication bus, receive data from the communication bus, and send data received from the communication bus to the microcontroller. The microcontroller may be prevented from transmitting data to the transceiver by hardware separation between an output of the microcontroller and the transmit data input of the transceiver. The communication bus may be a CAN bus.

Abstract: Certain embodiments are described that provide a method for measuring battery parameters under discharge/charge. (a) A battery at rest is provided having an initial State of Charge (SoC). (b) A discharge/charge excitation is applied for a first period of time. (c) The battery is allowed to rest for a second period of time. (d) A discharge/charge is applied, having a higher current and shorter duration than the discharge/charge of step (b). (e) The battery is allowed to rest for a third period of time. (f) Steps (b)-(d) are repeated. Parameters of the battery are measured during a plurality of the steps.

Abstract: A controller of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The controller includes: a BMS LV module configured to manage a low voltage battery; a BMS HV module configured to manage a high voltage battery; a DC-DC module configured to control a plurality of DC-DC FETs; and an ampSwitch module configured to detect a short on a bus and switch to an open state, and further configured to command the DC-DC module or an alternator to match the low battery's voltage and switch to a closed state when voltage returns to normal.

Abstract: A system and method for cooling a solar panel to increase its efficiency is provided. The solar panel cooling system includes a plurality of heat transfer plates having central channels. Heat transfer pipes are disposed in the central channels and thermally bonded to the heat transfer plates. The heat transfer plates and heat transfer pipes are in turn thermally bonded to the back side of a solar panel. Water is then pumped through the heat transfer pipes and acts to cool the solar panel. The cool water is preferably pumped from a swimming pool and then returned to a swimming pool once heated by the solar panel in order to simultaneously cool the solar panel and heat the swimming pool.

Abstract: Serial communication verification and safety control is disclosed. A multi-part system such as a battery management system can include distributed or subsidiary components for determining status of various parts of the system with the components in serial or point-to-point communication with a collective main controller. A safety controller can be implemented to passively be coupled to the serial or point-to-point communication between the main controller and the subsidiary units. The safety controller can monitor and verify the communication between the main controller and the subsidiary units and send a safety command or verification indicator in another line of communication separate from the communication bus between the main controller and the subsidiary units.

Abstract: A battery level management system for an electric vehicle during a powered down and uncharged period is disclosed. A current output from a low voltage battery of the electric vehicle being above a threshold can be sensed to wake up a control unit associated with the low voltage battery without waking up or fully powering other control units. Upon waking up, the control unit associated with the low voltage battery can start monitoring the current output from the low voltage battery and controlling the power drawn from the low voltage battery by enabling or disabling other control units to manage the remaining low voltage battery power level.

Abstract: An adaptive and adjustable isolation fault testing of a multi-string battery of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The isolation fault testing can be performed in an adjustable or predetermined loop having dedicated time windows for respective battery strings in compliance with the system requirements, specification, and regulatory regime.

Abstract: A controller for use in a battery charging system includes processing circuitry configured to perform certain tasks during battery charging operations, and other tasks during operational use of the battery. During a charging operation, the controller receives a measured DC impedance of a propulsion battery measured by a battery data acquisition and monitoring subsystem, obtains a reference DC impedance of a hypothetical battery, and determines an impedance degradation factor of the propulsion battery using the measured DC impedance and the reference DC impedance. During operational use of the propulsion battery, the controller obtains an operational reference impedance of the propulsion battery, determines a real-time effective impedance for the propulsion battery based on the impedance degradation factor and the operational reference impedance, and generates a feed-forward parameter based on the real-time effective impedance.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vehicle power system. In some examples, the vehicle power system can include a plurality of redundant low-power buses coupled to respective low-power batteries. The low-power buses can be powered by a vehicle battery having a higher voltage than the voltage of the low-power batteries by way of a DCDC converter, for example. In some examples, the DCDC converter can be coupled to the low-power buses via a plurality of switches included in an Auxiliary Voltage Controller (AVC). The DCDC converter and the AVC can be housed in a common package to reduce the size, weight, and complexity of the power system while also improving the power system's durability.