Patents by Inventor Melissa R. McNeely

Melissa R. McNeely 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).

  • Fault shutdown control of an electric machine in a vehicle or other DC-powered torque system
    Patent number: 10340819
    Abstract: A torque system includes a DC power device, a polyphase electric machine, a contactor pair, a power inverter module (PIM), and a controller. The PIM connects to the power device via the contactor pair and directly connects to the electric machine. The controller executes a method to control a fault response under a fault condition resulting in opening of the contactor pair and a polyphase short condition. The controller calculates a back EMF of the electric machine and transmits switching control signals to semiconductor switches of the PIM to transition from the polyphase short condition to a polyphase open condition only when the calculated back EMF is less than a calibrated value and a voltage rise on a DC side of the PIM is less than a calibrated voltage rise. A vehicle includes the DC power device, road wheels, electric machine, PIM, and controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Berry, Wei D. Wang, Bon Ho Bae, Brian A. Welchko, Wesley G. Zanardelli, Melissa R. McNeely
  • FAULT SHUTDOWN CONTROL OF AN ELECTRIC MACHINE IN A VEHICLE OR OTHER DC-POWERED TORQUE SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20170317615
    Abstract: A torque system includes a DC power device, a polyphase electric machine, a contactor pair, a power inverter module (PIM), and a controller. The PIM connects to the power device via the contactor pair and directly connects to the electric machine. The controller executes a method to control a fault response under a fault condition resulting in opening of the contactor pair and a polyphase short condition. The controller calculates a back EMF of the electric machine and transmits switching control signals to semiconductor switches of the PIM to transition from the polyphase short condition to a polyphase open condition only when the calculated back EMF is less than a calibrated value and a voltage rise on a DC side of the PIM is less than a calibrated voltage rise. A vehicle includes the DC power device, road wheels, electric machine, PIM, and controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Daniel J. Berry, Wei D. Wang, Bon Ho Bae, Brian A. Welchko, Wesley G. Zanardelli, Melissa R. McNeely