The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 2013
Filed:
Jul. 29, 2010
Sean E. Gleason, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
Mohammad N. Anwar, Van Buren Township, MI (US);
David P. Tasky, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Shawn Scott Hawkins, Shelby Township, MI (US);
Peter J. Savagian, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Sean E. Gleason, West Bloomfield, MI (US);
Mohammad N. Anwar, Van Buren Township, MI (US);
David P. Tasky, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Shawn Scott Hawkins, Shelby Township, MI (US);
Peter J. Savagian, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle includes a motor, an alternating current (AC) power bus, a power inverter module (PIM), and a controller. The PIM includes a semiconductor die assembly with semiconductor power switches arranged in electrical parallel for delivering AC power to the motor via the bus. The controller determines an operating mode of the vehicle, selects and activates a designated one of the switches during a threshold low-current state of the PIM, and selects and activates all of the switches during a high-current state of the PIM. A PIM assembly for the vehicle includes the die assembly and controller. A method for optimizing energy efficiency of the vehicle includes providing the die assembly noted above, automatically determining the operating mode, and selecting and activating one of the switches when the operating mode corresponds to the threshold low-current state, and all of the electrical switches during the threshold high-current state of the PIM.