Motiv Power Systems, Inc.

James Michael Castelaz

Justin Tomlin

Venkatesh Prasad Hanglur Narasimha

Elias Stein

William Treichler

Tai-Sik Hwang

Grayson Zulauf

Joseph O DeAngelo

Brandon Tsuge

Sowmya Akella

Joshua Sealand

Shivam Gupta

Cullen Teague McMahon

Jared Wayne Bowen

Joshua Guy Villyard

Tai-sik Hwang

Krishnakumar Ramamoorthy

A vehicle includes a wakeup circuit and a connector. When the connector is connected to a charging station, the wakeup circuit receives a charging control signal from the charging station. The wakeup circuit generates a wakeup pulse using a filtered version of the charging control signal (CPFS) and a reset signal. The reset signal transitions state when the filtered version of the charging control signal crosses a threshold. In one embodiment, the wakeup circuit comprises a reset circuit, a wakeup pulse generator, and an opto-coupler. The reset circuit generates the reset signal that inhibits the wakeup circuit so that only one wakeup pulse is generated until removal of the CPFS. In another embodiment, the wakeup circuit includes a filter that generates the CPFS, a wakeup comparator circuit that generates the reset signal based on the CPFS, and a reset circuit that generates the wakeup pulse based on the reset signal.

Generating vehicle wakeup signal

A heat pump vehicle thermal system comprises a battery pack thermal system, a two-phase refrigeration system, and a power electronics thermal system. When the outer environment is cold relative to the interior of the vehicle (cold ambient), the heat pump thermal system is controlled in a first mode where the two-phase refrigeration system transfers heat generated by the power electronics thermal system to either the battery pack thermal system or to the cabin or to both. When the outer environment is hot relative to the interior of the electric vehicle (hot ambient), the heat pump thermal system is controlled in a second mode where the two-phase refrigeration system absorbs heat from the battery pack thermal system and the cabin and transfers the absorbed heat to the ambient environment. In the second mode, no heat generated by the power electronics is transferred to either the cabin or the battery packs.

Heat pump vehicle thermal system

Methods and apparatus for hill hold in an electric vehicle are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a motor and a controller operable in a hill hold control mode. The motor is coupled to one or more wheels of a vehicle. In the hill hold control mode, the controller controls the motor to generate a holding torque to maintain a vehicle speed at zero. The holding torque prevents a change in vehicle position. The holding torque opposes changes in the road grade, the shaft stiffness, or the vehicle weight to prevent oscillations in the vehicle position. The controller uses at least one of road grade, shaft stiffness, and vehicle weight to control the motor to generate the holding torque. The hill hold control mode operates across a range of vehicle weights, a range of shaft stiffnesses, and a range of road grades, without additional tuning of the controller.

Methods and apparatus for performing hill hold with reduced oscillations in vehicle position

A smart battery balancer is provided that monitors the voltage output levels of two battery packs and switches current into a selected one of the batteries to maintain balanced voltage output levels. In one embodiment, first and second batteries are connected in series to generate a high voltage output. Current from the batteries is stored in an inductor that is connected to first and second switches. A switch control circuit is configured to generate drive signals to control the first and second switches. The drive signals close the first switch and open the second switch when an output voltage of the first battery is greater than an output voltage of the second battery. The drive signals open the first switch and close the second switch when the output voltage of the second battery is greater than the output voltage of the first battery.

Smart battery balancer for balancing voltage output levels of multiple batteries

A vehicle includes a vehicle mass estimator circuit. The vehicle mass estimator circuit is configurable to estimate a mass of vehicle during real-time operation of the vehicle without employing a scale or dedicated mass sensing system. The vehicle mass estimator circuit generates the vehicle mass Mfrom: (1) an estimated torque or sensed torque, (2) an estimated motor angular velocity or sensed motor angular velocity, and (3) sensed acceleration or without any sensed acceleration. In one embodiment, the vehicle mass estimator circuit senses motor current during vehicle operation and estimates a mass of the vehicle using the motor current without any dedicated acceleration sensor such as an accelerometer. A motor angular velocity is estimated from the motor current. In another embodiment, the vehicle mass estimator circuit senses motor current during vehicle operation and estimates a mass of the vehicle using the motor current and acceleration information provided by an accelerometer.

Real-time reporting and estimating of mass of vehicles using drive characteristics

Methods and apparatus to monitor the precharging of high voltage circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a switch that selectively enables or disables precharge current to a high voltage circuit based on a switch control signal. The apparatus also includes a comparison circuit that compares a scaled version of a circuit voltage to a reference voltage to generate the switch control signal. In one embodiment, the switch control signal is generated to enable the precharge current when the scaled version of the circuit voltage is greater than the reference voltage.

Methods and apparatus for precharge monitoring of high voltage circuits

A network access credential change request is received onto a network access credential updating system. The network access credential change request is a request to update access credentials of a network near a vehicle charge station. The new credential in the request is communicated to an electric vehicle. The network is updated with the network access credential. The vehicle is able to connect to the network with the updated credential after the network has been updated. In one embodiment, the network access credential updating system includes an application. A charge station operating entity communicates a network access credential change request for a particular network to the application. After sending the request, the charge station operating entity updates the network access credential for the network in accordance with a credential update agreement. The credential update agreement tends to afford adequate opportunity for vehicles to receive updated credentials before networks are updated.

Vehicle charge station network access credential updating system

An eFuse for use in high voltage applications is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a solid-state switch having source and drain terminals connected to switch a load current from a high voltage source through a high voltage load. The apparatus also includes a sense circuit that senses a voltage between the switch source and drain terminals and turns off the switch when the voltage exceeds a selected voltage level.

EFuse for use in high voltage applications

A vapor-compression multi-evaporator cooling system comprises a cooling control system and two or more evaporators each coupled to an expansion valve. Each evaporator is selectively enabled or disabled during operation. When an evaporator is enabled, the evaporator transfers heat into a working fluid within the system. When an evaporator is disabled, the evaporator does not exchange any appreciable amount of heat within the system. The cooling control system includes a cooling controller, an adjustable compressor, a condenser, and a variable speed fan that provides selectable amounts of cooling to the condenser. During operation, the cooling controller adjusts the compressor operation and fan speed to maintain stable operation of the cooling system. To compensate for enabling or disabling of evaporators, the cooling controller adjusts compressor operation and fan speed to provide more or less compression and more or less condenser cooling to maintain stable and efficient operation of the cooling system.

Methods and apparatus for controlling cooling capacity of a multi- evaporator cooling system

Charging apparatus and methods are provided that support multiple charging devices. In an embodiment, a charging apparatus includes a secondary signal generator (SSG) and an output circuit. The SSG receives charging control signals and generates one or more secondary charging control signals. The output circuit outputs the charging control signals to a primary charging device and the one or more secondary charging control signals to one or more secondary charging devices, thereby enabling the use of multiple charging devices in battery applications. In an embodiment, the secondary charging signals are pulse width modulated to control the current output of the secondary charging devices to avoid over-current conditions.

Charging apparatus and methods to support multiple charging devices

A system comprises an EVSE and an electric vehicle having a precharge mode. To charge a battery, the vehicle is connected to the EVSE. In some cases, the battery is unable to energize power buses. For example, if the battery is too cold and has insufficient charge, then the battery will not energize the power buses. If the battery cannot energize the power buses, then a precharge mode is enabled. During the precharge mode, charge is pumped onto two power buses until a setpoint voltage is reached. For example, a precharge circuit pumps charge onto one power bus and a power converter pumps charge from that bus onto a second bus. Once the setpoint voltage is reached, a current source charger is enabled, and energy stored on both buses is used to facilitate the turn-on of the charger, the precharge mode is disabled, and the EVSE charges the battery.

Electric vehicle with precharge mode

A characteristic, such as State Of Health (SOH) or State Of Charge (SOC), is estimated for an Energy Storage System (ESS) by supplying a pre-determined signal to the ESS, measuring a response signal output by the ESS, and obtaining an impedance spectrum of the ESS. In one example, the ESS is one of several electrochemical battery packs of an electric vehicle. The pre-determined signal is a current signal generated by a switching power converter that transfers charge from the battery pack to other battery packs or transfers charge from the other battery packs onto the battery pack. The pre-determined signal is generated without disrupting any load supplied by the battery packs. The battery pack outputs a voltage signal in response to receiving the pre-determined current signal. A processor obtains an impedance spectrum using the current and voltage signals, and thereby obtains an SOH and SOC estimate of the battery.

Performing active interrogation of battery packs in situ to obtain precise SOC and SOH estimates

A controller generates a target motor torque and target accessory power information during operation of an electric vehicle. The target motor torque and target accessory power information maintain a DC-link of the electric vehicle powertrain within a safe DC-link operating range. The DC-link has a DC-link voltage that is used to supply an accessory device and a motor. The accessory device is disposed on the electric vehicle and includes vehicle indictors, hydraulics, or any other accessory involved in the operation of the vehicle. The motor drives the vehicle. The controller receives the DC-link voltage, motor speed, desired output torque information, desired accessory power information, and the safe DC-link operating range and generates therefrom the target motor torque and the target accessory power information.

Growing community of inventors

Alameda, CA, United States of America

James Michael Castelaz