Bae Systems Controls Inc.

Andrew S Clark

Robert J Vovos

Nicholas A Lemberg

Thomas J Cummings

Joseph M Dutko

A common-mode current sensor system and method for a traction inverter of an electric hybrid vehicle. The system and method detects/reduces excess common-mode currents that can be caused by the presence of alternating current (AC)-chassis type short circuit faults at the outputs of an inverter used for driving a two or more-phased load. In an embodiment, the system detects the presence of an AC-chassis fault of any varying strength, e.g., weak, medium, hard, in respective parallel paths. The system and method can isolate a particular AC-chassis type fault to a particular phase leg of the inverter thereby obviating a need of having to shut-down and/or re-program each phase leg of the whole power supply and vehicle operation. Rather, upon detecting a chassis short, a fault signal is asserted to control shutting down of one or more inverter switches without having to shut-down the vehicle or negatively impact the vehicle status.

Common-mode current sensing system and protection method for power converters

A multi-wire choke filter is implemented in an inverter module of a modular power control system for a vehicle. Such an inverter module includes gate driver circuits to control switching power transistors used to power loads in a vehicle. The switching power transistors and gate drivers are configurable to support both a three-phase and a single phase current drive driver circuit topology in which switching power transistors are connected in parallel to share driving currents and dynamic switching losses. In any configured topology, the multi-wire choke is connected in series between gate driver circuit components and switching power transistors to mitigate any EMI threat to the gate driver circuitry by presenting an impedance to reduce circuit susceptibility to any differential and common mode noise currents that can flow through the gate driver circuit that can overwhelm gate driver circuitry and negatively effect power transistor switching performance at any time.

Multi-wire common mode choke for increasing common mode transient immunity and minimizing circulating current in paralleled power semiconductors

Protection system and method for preventing damage to components in an inverter module caused by a permanent magnet (PM) electric machine being in an uncontrolled state is provided. The system has a back-up power supply to supply power to voltage rails for gate driver circuitry which controls at least one pair of semiconductor switches. At least one pair of semiconductor switches is electrically connected to the PM electric machine. The back-up power supply receives as input, a differential voltage of a DC bus. The protection system also has a control module electrically connected to the second power supply and receive power therefrom. The control module is configured to receive a sensed voltage of the DC bus and cause the gate driver circuitry to short respective phases when a differential voltage of the DC bus is greater than or equal to a first threshold and a condition is satisfied.

Protection system and protection method for power converters

A gate drive topology and gate drive power supply topology designed to allow for a single Printed Wiring Board (PWB) design to be configured for two applications. In one application, select paired locations of solder pads or connector locations in the circuitry are populated with connecting 'spanning' resistors for integration within the gate driver and gate driver power supply topologies. The physical manifestation of these resistors on the PWB allows paralleled gate drive switching of corresponding power transistor devices for driving a load. A common gate-source voltage is applied to all three gates and the switching devices share dynamic switching and conduction loss. In an alternate application, the select paired locations are not populated with spanning resistors thereby rendering a circuit topology permitting independent operation independent power transistor gate driving switching operations. The path across the unpopulated spanning resistors provides a high voltage creepage isolation between independent gate driver circuits.

High voltage gate drive circuitry

An electronic power device formed by a plurality of FETs formed on a circuit board formed of a plurality of layers, the plurality of transistors being formed on a first surface of the circuit board, the plurality of layers including a plurality of gate drive layers, a plurality of gate return layers, and a plurality of power layers. A gate drive circuit is formed on a second surface of the circuit board, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the gate drive circuit being connected to the gate and source of each of the plurality of transistors through the plurality of gate drive layers and the plurality of gate return layers. A voltage supply is connected to the drain of each of the plurality of transistors, the connections of the voltage supply to each of the plurality of transistors being interleaved through the plurality of power layers.

Growing community of inventors

Binghamton, NY, United States of America

Andrew S Clark