Abstract: A device includes a plurality of phase legs configured to be coupled to a motor and arranged into at least two groups. Each group has more than one phase leg, and each phase leg has at least two power switches coupled between a positive dc rail and a negative dc rail of the group. The motor has a stator and a rotor configured to be magnetically coupled through an air gap and a plurality of phase windings distributed along a perimeter of the stator. Each of the plurality of phase windings is coupled to one of the plurality of phase legs. The device also has a first dc link switch placed between the dc rails of a group and the dc rails of another group, and a controller configured to close the first dc link switch for the device to operate in a motor drive mode, or open the dc link switch for the device to operate in a power conversion mode.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a stator with an inner surface and an outer surface, a plurality of rotors magnetically coupled to the stator, wherein a first rotor faces the inner surface of the stator and a second rotor faces the outer surface of the stator, and a first airgap between the inner surface of the stator and the first rotor, and a second airgap between the outer surface of the stator and the second rotor, wherein first conductors, the first airgap, and the first rotor form a first submotor, and second conductors, the second airgap, and the second rotor form a second submotor, and wherein the first submotor and the second submotor are so configured that the first rotor and the second rotor produce mechanical torques in a same direction when currents flow in the plurality of windings in an operation mode.

Abstract: A system includes a motor having a plurality of windings, a rotor and a stator magnetically coupled to the rotor, a plurality of power inverters connected to respective windings, wherein the plurality of power inverters is configured to control currents of the plurality of windings, and a controller configured to determine an injection ratio of a high-order harmonic component to a fundamental component based on a performance index, and wherein the injection ratio for a magnetizing component is different from the injection ratio for a torque component at a same harmonic frequency.

Abstract: A method comprises detecting a signal representing a current level at a power switch of a resonant converter with a sense switch coupled to the power switch and formed on a same semiconductor die, wherein the resonant converter comprises a primary side and a secondary side magnetically coupled to the primary side, and adjusting a capacitance of a variable capacitance network of the resonant converter based upon the current level of the power switch.

Abstract: An apparatus has a plurality of poles facing an air gap, and the poles are configured to generate a magnetic field in the air gap. The poles include a group of unchanged poles and a group of reversible poles, where a polarity of each reversible pole is configured to be changed during an operation mode, and after the polarity has been changed, each reversible pole and at least an adjacent unchanged pole in effect merged into one augmented pole, such that the pole number of the magnetic field in the air gap is changed.

Abstract: A device includes a switch network having a plurality of power switches and coupled to a dc rail with a dc voltage, and a resonant tank coupled to the switch network. The resonant tank has a first coil and a resonant capacitor. Gate drive signals of a group of power switches of the plurality of power switches in the switch network are configured to be turned on with a phase shift against a zero crossing of a current in the resonant tank, and the phase shift is configured to adjust the dc voltage or establish a soft-switching condition for the plurality of power switches in an operation mode.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a switch-capacitor network, a power-switch network and a controller. The switch-capacitor network has a plurality of control switches and a plurality of flying capacitors, where the control switches are configured to connect two of the flying capacitors in series in a first configuration and in parallel in a second configuration. The power-switch network has a plurality of power switches and is coupled between an input port having an input voltage and an output port having an output voltage, where the power switches are configured to couple the switch-capacitor network to the input port and the output port in different ways during a charging phase and a discharging phase. The controller is configured to operate the control switches to configure the switch-capacitor network into different configurations during the charging phase or the discharging phase such that a ratio of the output voltage over the input voltage is changed in an operation mode.

Abstract: A method includes adjusting currents of a plurality of windings of a motor through a plurality of power converters coupled to the plurality of windings so that the number of poles and the number of phases of the motor are dynamically adjustable, and injecting a plurality of high-order harmonic currents into the plurality of windings of the motor through controlling the plurality of power converters to improve a performance index of the motor.

Abstract: A system includes a first device, a second device, and a power control block. The first device has a first power converter and a first resonator which has a first resonant capacitor and a first coil. The second device has a second power converter and a second resonator which has a second resonant capacitor and a second coil. The second power converter is coupled to a ratio-controllable power converter, and the first coil and the second coil are magnetically coupled. The power control block is configured to adjust the system frequency, the second power converter output voltage and the current in the first coil in coordination.

Abstract: A device comprises a plurality of power converters, a resonator block and a connection block. The plurality of power converters is coupled to a power port having a voltage. Each power converter comprises a plurality of switch networks, and each switch network has a plurality of power switches. The resonator block comprises a plurality of resonators. Each resonator has a resonant capacitor and is coupled to one of the plurality of power converters. The connection block comprises a switching component and is coupled to one of the plurality of resonators, and the connection block and the said resonator are configured such that the device operates in a wireless charging mode with the resonator block activated or a wired charging mode with the connection block activated.

Abstract: A system includes a vehicle having an engine, a first motor mechanically coupled to a shaft of the engine, a second motor configured to provide torque to the vehicle or the engine in combination with the first motor, and a first controller coupled to at least one of the first motor and the second motor, wherein the first controller is configured such that the first motor and the second motor provide a mechanical torque to rotate the shaft of the engine before the engine is running.

Abstract: A power regulator includes an input capacitor connected between a first voltage bus and an intermediate point, an output capacitor connected between a second voltage bus and the intermediate point, a plurality of switches and an inductor connected between the input capacitor and the output capacitor, wherein a source of one switch of the plurality of switches is connected to the intermediate point and a protection device connected between the intermediate point and a third voltage bus.

Abstract: A method includes configuring a motor drive system with a motor/generator and a plurality of inverters coupled to the motor/generator, configuring a plurality of active harmonic planes to generate a torque on each of the active harmonic planes, and applying a harmonic plane synchronization mechanism to the plurality of active harmonic planes so that torque components and magnetizing components of currents are controlled in coordination on different active harmonic planes to output a desired torque from the motor/generator.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a stator with an inner surface and an outer surface, a plurality of rotors magnetically coupled to the stator, wherein a first rotor faces the inner surface of the stator and a second rotor faces the outer surface of the stator, and a first airgap between the inner surface of the stator and the first rotor, and a second airgap between the outer surface of the stator and the second rotor, wherein first conductors, the first airgap, and the first rotor form a first submotor, and second conductors, the second airgap, and the second rotor form a second submotor, and wherein the first submotor and the second submotor are so configured that the first rotor and the second rotor produce mechanical torques in a same direction when currents flow in the plurality of windings in an operation mode.

Abstract: A method includes magnetically coupling a first coil of a wireless power transfer system to a second coil of the wireless power transfer system, wherein the first coil is coupled to a first resonant tank comprising a first variable capacitance network, and the second coil is coupled a second resonant tank comprising a second variable capacitance network, and adjusting a capacitance of at least one of the first variable capacitance network and the second variable capacitance network to regulate an output voltage of the wireless power transfer system.

Abstract: A motor control method includes providing a motor comprising a plurality of windings, a rotor and a stator magnetically coupled to the rotor, coupling a plurality of power converters to the plurality of windings, configuring the plurality of power converters to operate in a first interleaving mode, controlling the plurality of power converters to dynamically adjust the number of poles of the motor and after the step of controlling the plurality of power converters to dynamically adjust the number of poles of the motor, configuring the plurality of power converters to leave the first interleaving mode and enter into a second interleaving mode.

Abstract: A system includes a switch network coupled to a power source, wherein the switch network comprises a plurality of power switches, a transmitter resonant tank coupled to the plurality of power switches, wherein the transmitter resonant tank comprises a first variable capacitance network, a transmitter coil coupled to the transmitter resonant tank, and a first receiver comprising a first receiver coil configured to be magnetically coupled to the transmitter coil, and a first receiver resonant tank coupled to the first receiver coil, wherein the first receiver resonant tank comprises a second variable capacitance network.

Abstract: A device comprises a rotor magnetically coupled to a stator, a plurality of slots for accommodating a plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of slots is evenly spaced, and each slot is configured to accommodate at least one conductor of the plurality of conductors, and wherein each conductor has a first end and a second end, and wherein the second end is configured to be coupled to a power converter and a plurality of connection apparatuses connected to first ends of the plurality of conductors.

Abstract: A device comprises a plurality of power converters, a resonator block and a connection block. The plurality of power converters is coupled to a power port having a voltage. Each power converter comprises a plurality of switch networks, and each switch network has a plurality of power switches. The resonator block comprises a plurality of resonators. Each resonator has a resonant capacitor and is coupled to one of the plurality of power converters. The connection block comprises a switching component and is coupled to one of the plurality of resonators, and the connection block and the said resonator are configured such that the device operates in a wireless charging mode with the resonator block activated or a wired charging mode with the connection block activated.

Abstract: A motor system comprises a device having a plurality of conductors coupled to a plurality of isolated connection bars, wherein the plurality of conductors is divided symmetrically into a plurality of conductor groups, and all conductors in a conductor group are connected to a connection bar, a first power converter group connected between a first power source and a first conductor group, a second power converter group connected between a second power source and a second conductor group, wherein the first group of conductors and the second group of conductors are configured such that a charge balance between the first power source and a second power source is achieved and a rotor magnetically coupled to a stator.