Gm Global Technology Operations LLC

Southwest Research Institute

Michigan State University

Yilun Luo

Chandra S Namuduri

Khorshed Mohammed Alam

Rashmi Prasad

Junghoon Kim

Suresh Gopalakrishnan

Muhammad Hussain Alvi

Scott R Hotz

Benjamin S Ngu

Brian A Welchko

Terrence Francis Alger, Ii

Graham Thomas Conway

Minh-Khai Nguyen

Brad David Moore

Christopher Suhocki

Ronnie E Randolph

Michael Z Pieszala

Sanjeev Manubhai Naik

Mohammad N Anwar

Evangelyn C Alocilja

Terrence F Alger, Iii

William T Ivan

Christopher James Chadwell

Luciano Nunziato Di Perna

Hong Wai Nguyen

Mohamed Kamel

Renato Amorim Torres

Douglas Arthur McKee

Terry Alger

Robert T Coppersmith, Iii

Azadeh Narimissa

Saranraj Karuppuswami

Ioan Suciu

Aspects of the disclosure include a symmetric direct current (DC) link capacitor having a low parasitic equivalent series L-inductance (ESL). An exemplary capacitor can include one or more positive-dielectric-negative (PDN) stacks having a positive layer, a negative layer, and a dielectric layer between the positive layer and the negative layer. A first contact layer is electrically coupled to the positive layer on a sidewall of the one or more PDN stacks and a second contact layer is electrically coupled to the negative layer on the sidewall of the one or more PDN stacks. A positive terminal is electrically coupled to the first contact layer and a negative terminal is electrically coupled to the second contact layer.

Low parasitic equivalent series L-inductance (ESL) symmetric direct current (DC) link capacitor

A multi-phase power inverter for an electric propulsion system includes a plurality of X-type multilevel power converters arranged between a high-voltage direct current (DC) power supply and an electric machine. Each of the plurality of X-type multilevel power converters is a solid-state integrated circuit (IC) that includes a positive DC power bus, a negative DC power bus, a neutral bus, and a plurality of semiconductor switches disposed in a stacked arrangement. The plurality of semiconductor switches is interconnected via the positive DC power bus, the negative DC power bus, and the neutral bus.

System for mutual inductance cancellation for X-type multilevel converters

A vehicle system includes a first battery pack connected to a second battery pack via multi-level inverter. A motor is connected to the multi-level inverter. A controller is connected to the motor and the multi-level inverter. The multi-level inverter is a neutral point clamped inverter. The controller includes a memory storing instructions configured to cause the controller to control the multi-level inverter as a direct current (DC)-DC converter such that a circulating current passes through the motor, the first battery pack and the second battery pack.

Using a multilevel neutral point clamped inverter

A choke device for an electric machine system is provided. The choke device includes a common-mode choke including a magnetic core configured in cross-section as a geometric shape including a hollow center. The choke device further includes a plurality of electric transmission lines configured for transmitting electrical energy in alternating current, wherein the plurality of electric transmission lines is routed through the hollow center. The geometric shape includes a number of sides based upon a number of the electric transmission lines present and is configured for minimizing or reducing an overall flux length of the magnetic core.

Choke device for an electric machine system

An electric motor control system includes an alternating current (AC) electric motor having a first phase input, a second phase input, and a third phase input, and an AC electrical energy source having a first phase output, a second phase output and a third phase output. The system also includes conductors coupled between the phase outputs of the AC electrical energy source and the phase inputs of the AC electric motor. The electric motor control system also has circuitry that further includes a rectifier with phase inputs coupled to the conductors. The rectifier produces a rectified voltage between a positive rectifier output and a negative rectifier output. The system additionally includes an energy storage element coupled across the positive rectifier output and the negative rectifier output and a voltage limiting diode coupled to the positive rectifier output to limit a voltage of the positive rectifier output.

Overvoltage mitigation system

An electric vehicle includes a drive system that performs a method of transferring power between a vehicle and an external location. The drive system includes a battery, a rectifier, and a processor. The rectifier is one of a two-level rectifier and a multi-level rectifier. The processor is configured to connect the rectifier between an alternating current (AC) port of an outlet of an external location and the battery. The rectifier is configured to convert between an AC power at the AC port on an external side of the rectifier and a direct current (DC) power at a vehicle side of the rectifier in order to transfer power bi-directionally between the external location and the battery.

Method and apparatus for integrated bi-directional charging

A multi-level inverter control system includes a power storage system having a high voltage terminal, a low voltage terminal, and an intermediate voltage terminal. The intermediate voltage terminal is at a voltage between the high voltage terminal and the low voltage terminal. A multi-level inverter includes a plurality of switches, a high voltage input connected to the high voltage terminal, a low voltage input connected to the low voltage terminal, and an intermediate voltage input connected to the intermediate voltage terminal. A controller is controllably coupled to the multi-level inverter. The controller includes at least a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions configured to cause the controller to operate the multi-level inverter in a three-level inverter mode, a full power two-level inverter mode, a first partial power two-level inverter mode and a second partial power two-level inverter mode.

Multilevel direct current power source powering multilevel inverter

A method for control of an alternating current (AC) electric motor through a voltage inverter having a plurality of electric switches with on-off states that collectively define a plurality of non-zero vectors angularly disposed about a common origin includes through one or more controllers, calculating a rotating voltage reference vector to apply to the AC electric motor through the voltage inverter. The method also includes through one or more controllers, calculating voltage inverter switching times using a first subset of the plurality of non-zero vectors, the first subset including fewer than all of the plurality of non-zero vectors and including no adjacent non-zero vectors, to synthesize the rotating voltage reference vector. Additionally, the method includes through the voltage inverter, applying the rotating voltage reference vector to the AC electric motor.

Electric motor control

A variable slew rate gate drive system for powering an electric machine. The system may include a gate driver operable for controlling each of a plurality of hybrid switch power modules between opened and closed states to facilitate powering the electric machine. The gate driver may be operable for selecting slew rates and controlling ON and OFF states of first and second semiconductor switches included as part of each power module to optimize powering of the electric machine by varying the slew rates as a function of performance characteristics of the first and second semiconductor switches.

Variable slew rate gate driver for hybrid switch power module

A system and method for receiving, at a multi-chip power module, multiple electronic control signals by one or more semiconductor devices of a first device type configured in parallel to one or more semiconductor devices of a second device type. The one or more semiconductor devices of the first device type and the one or more semiconductor devices of the second device type form a plurality of functional switches. The functional switches independently change states, in response to the plurality of electronic control signals. The one or more semiconductor devices of the first device type are configured to be electrically controlled for use independently and de-coupled, or in parallel, with the one or more semiconductor devices of the second device type.

Hybrid switch multi-chip power module for a vehicle battery

A multi-phase power inverter for an electric propulsion system includes a plurality of T-type multilevel power converters arranged between a high-voltage direct current (DC) power supply and an electric machine. Each of the plurality of T-type multilevel power converters is a solid-state integrated circuit that includes a positive DC power bus, a negative DC power bus, a neutral bus, and a plurality of semiconductor switches disposed in a stacked arrangement. The plurality of semiconductor switches is interconnected via the positive DC power bus, the negative DC power bus, and the neutral bus.

System for mutual inductance cancellation for T-type multilevel converters

A variable current gate driver for a transistor includes a first current control device having a first controllable output current. The first current control device is electrically connected between a first bus and an activator of the transistor, and a second current control device having a second controllable output current. The second current control device is electrically connected between the activator of the transistor and a second bus. A controller is operatively connected to the first and second current control devices to control the first and second controllable output currents to control the first and second current control devices to control activation of the transistor via the activator. The controller is operative to control the first and second current control devices to control a slew rate of the transistor.

Variable current gate driver and system

A system includes an electronic device including a circuit having a semiconductor switch, and a switching control system operably connected to the semiconductor switch. The switching control system is configured to control a switching speed of the semiconductor switch based on a received voltage by altering at least one of a gate resistance and a gate capacitance of the semiconductor switch.

Electronic control of switching slew rates

A transition device for transitioning microwaves from an air-filled waveguide to an antenna. The air-filled waveguide is assumed to have an attachment flange, with the transition device having a compatible transition attachment flange. A rod has an upper portion extending upwardly through the flanges and a lower portion extending downwardly into the air-filled waveguide. The rode is made from a solid piece of high-dielectric material. The rod's outer surfaces of the upper portion (other than its end face) are metal plated, such that the upper portion provides a solid waveguide having a radiating aperture antenna.

Microwave transition device for transitions from air-filled waveguide to solid waveguide with radiating aperture antenna

A system for providing microwave energy to aftertreatment devices that treat the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. The system has a microwave generator and a transmission network for delivering the microwaves to one or more of the aftertreatment devices. The transmission network comprises a combination of solid and hollow waveguides. Antenna(s) transmit microwave energy into the working chamber the aftertreatment device(s), with at least one of the devices having antenna(s) capable of distributing microwave energy throughout its chamber.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Yilun Luo