Charging system for an electric vehicle using traction inverter and electric machine

Abstract

An electric vehicle charging system is provided. In some embodiments, the electric vehicle charging system may include a three-phase motor and an inverter. The inverter may be connected to the three-phase motor and a battery. In various embodiments, the inverter may include a switch and a capacitor. In another embodiment, the switch may be closed to precharge the capacitor to a defined fraction of the battery voltage.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 155,032, filed March 1, 2021, entitled “Charging System for an 800V Vehicle Using a Traction Inverter and a Motor,” and U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 587,681, filed January 28, 2022, entitled “Charging System for an Electric Vehicle Using a Traction Inverter and a Motor,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The disclosed subject matter relates to electric vehicle charging systems, and more specifically, to electric vehicle charging systems that utilize traction inverters and motors to utilize charging stations that output voltages lower than that of the electric vehicle batteries. Background Technology

[0004] There are two main types of electric vehicle charging: (1) AC charging, where the vehicle is connected to a residential or public AC outlet and is often referred to as slow charging; and (2) DC charging, where the vehicle is connected to a DC charging outlet and is often referred to as DC fast charging. During DC fast charging, the battery in the electric vehicle is directly connected to the DC charging station, allowing the station to deliver a high current. Many electric vehicles include a 400-volt (V) battery storage system. In such a 400V system, to charge at 200 kilowatts (kW), for example, the vehicle draws 500 amps (A) from the charging station. However, if the battery voltage is increased from 400V to 800V (e.g., in an 800V electric vehicle), for the same 200kW power, the vehicle will draw 250A from the charging station (half the current drawn by the 400V battery system). Currently, very few vehicles utilize 800V battery systems, and most installed DC charging stations have a maximum operating voltage of up to 500V. Therefore, conventional 800V vehicles require additional DC-DC converters or boosters to charge from such 400V stations, which leads to an increase in the size, weight, and cost of the corresponding electric vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following summary is presented to provide a basic understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential elements or to depict any scope of a particular embodiment or any scope of the claims. Its sole purpose is to present the concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows. As described, there is a need for a cheaper and more space-saving boost system for charging 800V electric vehicles (or electric vehicles with other voltages greater than those of the charging station) using a 400V charging station.

[0006] According to an embodiment, an electric vehicle charging system may include a three-phase motor and an inverter connected to the three-phase motor and a battery, wherein the inverter includes a switch and a capacitor, and wherein the switch is closed to precharge the capacitor to a defined fraction of the battery voltage.

[0007] According to another embodiment, the electric vehicle may include: a three-phase electric motor, an inverter connected to the three-phase electric motor and a battery, wherein the inverter includes a switch and a capacitor; and a controller including a processor that closes the switch to precharge the capacitor to a defined fraction of the battery voltage in response to the controller determining that a charging station connected to the electric vehicle has an output voltage lower than the battery voltage.

[0008] According to another embodiment, a method may include: in response to a system including a processor determining that a maximum battery voltage is greater than a maximum charging station voltage, the system closing a switch to allow a capacitor to be precharged from the battery; in response to the system determining that the capacitor has been precharged to a defined voltage, the system determining a maximum DC input current of the charging station and a converted battery current request current; and in response to the system determining the minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current, the system sending a current request signal to the charging station, wherein the current request signal includes the minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 A block diagram of an example charging system for an electric vehicle according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown.

[0010] Figure 2 A block diagram of a charging system according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown.

[0011] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating an example non-limiting charging process according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown.

[0012] Figure 4 Exemplary non-limiting current waveforms according to one or more embodiments described herein are shown.

[0013] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an example non-limiting battery charging process according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown.

[0014] Figure 6 This is an example non-limiting computing environment in which one or more embodiments described herein can be implemented.

[0015] Figure 7 This is an example non-limiting networking environment in which one or more embodiments described herein can be implemented. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The following detailed description is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the embodiments and / or their application or use. Furthermore, it is not intended to be construed as being limited by any express or implied information presented in the preceding Background or Summary of the Invention or Detailed Description sections.

[0017] One or more embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used throughout to refer to the same elements. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth for purposes of explanation in order to provide a more thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. However, it will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced in various circumstances without these specific details.

[0018] It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being "coupled" to another element, it can describe one or more different types of coupling, including but not limited to chemical coupling, communication coupling, capacitive coupling, electrical coupling, electromagnetic coupling, inductive coupling, operational coupling, optical coupling, physical coupling, thermal coupling, and / or other types of coupling. As referenced herein, "entity" can include people, customers, users, computing devices, software applications, agents, machine learning models, artificial intelligence, and / or other entities. It should be understood that such entities can facilitate the implementation of the subject matter disclosed according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0019] Figure 1 An example non-limiting charging system 102 (e.g., vehicle 134) according to one or more embodiments described herein is illustrated. In various embodiments, the charging system 102 may include switches 104, 106, 108, 122, 116, 114, and 118, capacitors 120, 130, and 132, a DC positive terminal 126, a DC negative terminal 128, a battery 110, an inverter 112, and / or a three-phase motor 124.

[0020] According to an embodiment, the three-phase motor 124 (e.g., an e-Machine or an AC motor) may include three-phase stator windings and may be connected to a common point (e.g., a neutral terminal or circuit) and an inverter 112, which can generate three-phase power as needed by the three-phase motor 124.

[0021] According to embodiments, inverter 112 may include at least six switches: insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), or other suitable switches, contactors, or relays. The switches (e.g., semiconductor switches) (e.g., S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6) may include built-in body diodes (e.g., D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6). Two capacitors (e.g., capacitors 130 and 132) may be located on the input side of inverter 112; however, it should be noted that inverter 112 may include other numbers or combinations of capacitors. In various embodiments, L A L B and L C It may include the stator inductance of a three-phase motor 124, and R A R B and R C It can include winding resistance.

[0022] To avoid the need for a dedicated DC-DC boost converter (which significantly reduces package size, weight, and cost when omitted), embodiments of this paper can charge the battery 110 by utilizing a three-phase motor 124 and an inverter 112 within the vehicle 134. Because the motor (e.g., three-phase motor 124) and inverter (e.g., inverter 112) are otherwise idle during battery 110 charging, DC-DC boost can be achieved without adding a separate DC-DC boost converter (e.g., by utilizing the coils in the three-phase motor 124 to provide the energy storage capacity required during boost operation). In various embodiments, the inverter 112 and the three-phase motor 124 can be rated from 100kW to 150kW. Therefore, by utilizing other kW ratings, DC-DC boost functionality can be implemented with 100kW to 150kW power during charging from a 400V station. In addition, a smaller electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) filter can be used when using a three-phase motor 124 and an inverter 112 to boost the DC voltage, compared to using a separate booster.

[0023] In various embodiments, inverter 112 may include one or more switches and one or more capacitors, and may be connected to a three-phase motor 124 via a separate bus. It should be noted that in one or more embodiments, switches 122, 116, 114, and 118, and capacitor 120, may be located internally within inverter 112. When the DC positive terminal 126 and DC negative terminal 128 are connected to a 400V DC charging station, capacitor 120 may be used during boost operation. When the DC positive terminal 126 and DC negative terminal 128 are connected to an 800V DC charging station, capacitor 120 is not needed because boost operation is not required. In this respect, the 800V charging station can directly charge an 800V battery. Depending on the charging station voltage level (e.g., 400V charging station versus 800V charging station), capacitor 120 may be disabled or enabled by opening or closing switch 118, which can be turned on or off. In some embodiments, switch 118 may be circuit-driven and responsive to a defined voltage input. In other embodiments, switch 118 may be controlled by a controller (e.g., as discussed later herein). It should be noted that by implementing switch 118, capacitor 120 does not need to include a voltage greater than that of battery 110, thereby reducing the size and weight of capacitor 120. Therefore, in various embodiments, capacitor 120 may include a 400V capacitor. It should be noted that in various embodiments, capacitor 120 may be connected in parallel or in series with three-phase motor 124 and inverter 112 (e.g., by opening or closing one or more of switches 104, 106, 108, 122, 116, 114 and / or 118).

[0024] According to an embodiment, pre-charging of capacitor 120 can be performed before the 400V DC charging station is connected to the DC positive terminal 126 and the DC negative terminal 128 and / or before the power transfer from the charging station (e.g., charging station 206, discussed later herein) to battery 110 begins. To perform the pre-charging operation of capacitor 120, inverter 112 can operate as a buck DC-DC converter with an 800V battery as input and charge capacitor 120 with, for example, a duty cycle of 0.5 (50%). According to an embodiment, capacitor 120 can be charged to half the voltage of battery 110. For example, if the voltage of battery 110 includes 760V, capacitor 120 can be charged to 380V. Switches (e.g., semiconductor switches) (e.g., S1 and D4 (body diode of S4)) inside inverter 112 can be used in single-phase buck operation to charge capacitor 120 when switch 118 is closed. Once capacitor 120 is precharged to half the voltage of battery 110, switches 122 and 116 can be closed, allowing the 400V charging station to initiate power transmission.

[0025] Because different global DC charging standards exist, the preconditions for closing switches 122 and 116 differ. Using the CCS (Combined Charging System) standard, the voltage difference between capacitor 120 and the 400V charging station output can be less than or equal to 20V to close switches 122 and 116. In this respect, the 400V CCS charging station can precharge its output near the capacitor 120 voltage before closing switches 122 and 116. For other DC charging standards (e.g., ChAdeMO, GB / T DC, Chaoji, etc.), switches 122 and 116 can close after capacitor 120 has been precharged to half the voltage of battery 110, allowing the 400V DC charging station to initiate internal precharging within the charging station.

[0026] Now go to Figure 2 This document describes a non-limiting charging system 202 according to one or more embodiments. The charging system 202 may be similar to 102 and may include switches 104, 106, 108, 122, 116, 114, and 118; capacitors 120, 130, and 132; a DC positive terminal 126; a DC negative terminal 128; a battery 110; an inverter 112; and / or a three-phase motor 124. For brevity, repeated descriptions of similar elements and / or processes used in the various embodiments are omitted.

[0027] The charging system 202 may additionally include a controller 204 (e.g., including a processor 210 and a memory 212). In various embodiments, the controller 204 (e.g., a microcontroller) may be connected to the charging station 206 via a bus 208 (e.g., a controller area network (CAN bus) or a communication protocol (PLCBUS)). It should be noted that in various embodiments, the vehicle 134 may include the charging system 202.

[0028] In various embodiments, signals V_BAT and I_BAT may respectively include actual voltage and current measurements of battery 110. Similarly, V_DC and I_DC may respectively include actual DC input voltage and current measurements. Signals P_max and V_DC(max) may be transmitted from charging station 206 (e.g., via bus 208 between controller 204 and charging station 206) to the vehicle. Signal P_max may represent the maximum power that charging station 20 can deliver to vehicle 134 or charging system 202, and V_DC(max) may represent the maximum voltage that charging station 206 can provide to the vehicle's DC inputs (e.g., 126 and 128).

[0029] In various embodiments, controller 204 may control switches 122, 116, 114, and 118, and may also control semiconductor switches (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6) within inverter 112. Controller 204 may receive (e.g., from a battery or charging controller) or determine (e.g., via a voltmeter) the maximum voltage V_BAT(max) of battery 110 of vehicle 134 (e.g., which may correspond to a fully charged state of battery 110). Controller 204 may additionally / alternatively determine or receive (e.g., vehicle charging controller of vehicle 134) a battery current request signal I_BAT(request) (e.g., via bus 208). In further embodiments, controller 204 may determine V_BAT(max) and / or I_BAT(request). In one or more embodiments, controller 204 may be located inside inverter 112, but controller 204 may additionally / alternatively be located outside inverter 112. In this regard, the same controller 204 and inverter 112 that can be used to drive vehicle 134 can also be used during DC fast charging (e.g., as described herein).

[0030] In various embodiments, controller 204 may include memory 212 that can store one or more computer / machine-readable and / or executable components and / or instructions that, when executed by processor 210 (e.g., a classical processor, a quantum processor, etc.), facilitate the execution of operations defined by the executable components and / or instructions. The memory may include volatile memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), etc.) and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), etc.) that may employ one or more memory architectures. Controller 204 may include a processor that may include one or more types of processors and / or electronic circuitry (e.g., a classical processor, a graphics processor, a quantum processor, etc.) that can implement one or more computer and / or machine-readable, writable, and / or executable components and / or instructions that can be stored on the memory. For example, a processor can perform a variety of operations that can be specified by computer and / or machine-readable, writable, and / or executable components and / or instructions, including but not limited to logic, control, input / output (I / O), arithmetic, etc. In some embodiments, the processor described herein may include one or more central processing units, multi-core processors, microprocessors, dual microprocessors, microcontrollers, system-on-a-chip (SoC), array processors, vector processors, quantum processors, and / or other types of processors.

[0031] reference Figure 3A flowchart 300 depicts an example non-limiting charging process according to one or more embodiments described herein. In this respect, flowchart 300 may represent the charging process of charging system 102 or 202 (or another suitable charging system). At 302, after the vehicle is plugged into a charging station (e.g., charging station 206), a microcontroller (e.g., controller 204) may communicate with charging station 206 (e.g., via bus 208 or wirelessly). Controller 204 may determine the maximum voltage V_DC(max) of charging station 206 and compare V_DC(max) with the maximum battery 110 voltage V_BAT(max). At 304, if the maximum battery 110 voltage V_BAT(max) is greater than the maximum voltage V_DC(max) of charging station 206 (e.g., provided by charging station 206 via bus 208), it can be determined that charging station 206 includes a 400VDC charging station. When charging station 206 includes a 400V charging station 206, switch 118 can be closed at 310 to precharge capacitor 120 (e.g., from battery 110) at 312 by changing the power flow direction of inverter 112 and operating three-phase motor 124 as a buck DC-DC converter. In various embodiments, capacitor 120 can be precharged to half the voltage of battery 110 (e.g., by utilizing a fixed duty cycle of 0.5 (50%)). In this regard, the voltage V_DC at the DC input can be equal to 0.5 * V_BAT, and the voltage across capacitor 120 can be equal to 0.5 * V_BAT. For example, if V_BAT = 760V, then V_DC can be equal to 380V. At 314, buck mode operation of inverter 112 and three-phase motor 124 can be disabled, and switches 122 and 116 can be closed (e.g., immediately closed) to allow power transfer via three-phase motor 124 and inverter 112. If at 304, the maximum battery voltage V_BAT(max) of 110 is less than or equal to V_DC(max) provided by charging station 206, then switches 122 and 114 can be closed at 306, allowing power transmission to bypass the three-phase motor 124 and inverter 112. In this regard, charging station 206 can be defined as an 800V DC charging station 206 that can directly charge battery 110 (e.g., when the battery includes an 800V battery 110). At 308, the duty cycle can be set to 1 (100%). At 316, the maximum input current I_DC(max) that charging station 206 can provide can be determined (e.g., by controller 204) using I_DC(max) = P_max / V_DC (e.g., based on P_max information as the maximum power provided by 400V charging station 206). For example, if P_max is 100kW and V_dc = 380V, then I_DC(max) = 263A.At 318, controller 204 can determine I_DC(request) = I_BAT(request) / duty cycle (e.g., 0.5). At 320, controller 204 can determine the minimum value of I_DC(max) and I_DC(request). At 322, controller 204 can send data including the minimum value of I_DC(max) and I_DC(request) (e.g., via bus 208) to charging station 206. In this respect, the signal I_BAT(request) can correspond to 800V, so the equivalent current I_DC(request) at 400V is I_BAT(request) / duty cycle. For example, if I_BAT(request) = 100A, then the equivalent current on the 400V input can be 200A (e.g., with a duty cycle of 0.5). In this regard, the minimum of I_DC(max) and I_DC(request) (e.g., 200A and 263A) is 200A, and data including the 200A request can be sent (e.g., via bus 208) to charging station 206, so that charging station 206 can transmit I_DC = 200A. In various embodiments, the semiconductor switches (e.g., S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6) inside inverter 112 can operate with a duty cycle of 0.5 and a 120-degree interleaving operation. In various embodiments, when the three arms of inverter 112 operate with a duty cycle of 0.5 degrees and a 120-degree phase shift between each arm, the input current ripple on the I_DC signal is thus reduced or minimized.

[0032] Figure 4 Exemplary non-limiting current waveforms according to one or more embodiments described herein are shown. In this respect, Figure 4The stator currents I_LA 404, I_LB 406, and I_LC 408 are shown. The sum of the stator currents I_LA 404, I_LB 406, and I_LC 408 may include the input current (I_DC) at the DC input of vehicle 134 and / or charging system 202. When charging station 206 includes an 800V charging station 206, switches 122 and 114 can be closed (e.g., via controller 204) after comparing the V_DC(max) information from the charging station with V_BAT(max). The voltage V_DC at the DC input can then be equal to V_BAT. The controller 204 can then calculate the I_DC(max) provided by the station using I_DC(max) = P_max / V_DC. The controller 204 can then determine the minimum of I_DC(max) and I_DC(request). When charging station 206 includes an 800V charging station 206, the duty cycle can be set to 1. Therefore, I_DC(request) = I_BAT(request), which can be compared with I_DC(max). The minimum value between I_DC(max) and I_DC(request) can be represented in the current request message transmitted to charging station 206 (e.g., by controller 204 via bus 208), allowing the station to transmit I_DC.

[0033] Figure 5 A flowchart of an example non-limiting battery charging process 500 according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. For brevity, repeated descriptions of similar elements and / or processes employed in the various embodiments are omitted. At 502, process 500 may include, in response to a system including a processor (e.g., controller 204) determining that the maximum voltage of the battery (e.g., battery 110) is greater than the maximum voltage of the charging station (e.g., charging station 206), closing a switch (e.g., switch 118) by the system to allow a capacitor (e.g., capacitor 120) to be precharged from the battery (e.g., battery 110). At 504, process 500 may include, in response to a system determining that the capacitor (e.g., capacitor 120) has been precharged to a defined voltage (e.g., up to half the voltage of charging station 206 or battery 110, or another suitable defined voltage), determining the maximum DC input current of the charging station (e.g., charging station 206) and a converted battery current request current. At 506, process 500 may include sending a current request signal to the charging station (e.g., charging station 206) in response to the system determining the minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current, wherein the current request signal includes the minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current.

[0034] The systems described herein can be coupled (e.g., communication ground, electrical ground, operability ground, optical ground, etc.) to one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices (e.g., electronic control systems (ECUs), classical and / or quantum computing devices, communication devices, etc.). For example, the systems (or other systems, controllers, processors, etc.) described herein can be coupled (e.g., communication ground, electrical ground, operability ground, optical ground, etc.) to one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices using data cables (e.g., High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), RS-232, Ethernet cables, etc.) and / or one or more wired networks described below.

[0035] In some embodiments, the system described herein can be network-coupled (e.g., communicative ground, electrical ground, operative ground, optical ground, etc.) to one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices (e.g., electronic control units (ECUs), classical and / or quantum computing devices, communication devices, etc.). In these embodiments, such a network can include one or more wired and / or wireless networks, including but not limited to cellular networks, wide area networks (WANs) (e.g., the Internet), and / or local area networks (LANs). For example, the system described herein can communicate with one or more local or remote (e.g., external) systems, sources, and / or devices (e.g., computing devices using such a network), which can virtually include any desired wired or wireless technology, including but not limited to: PowerLine Ethernet, Wireless Fibre (Wi-Fi), etc. Fiber optic communication, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMAX), Enhanced Universal Packet Radio Service (Enhanced GPRS), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Zigbee and other 802.xx wireless technologies and / or traditional telecommunications technologies, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), RF4CE protocol, WirelessHART protocol, 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over Low Power Wireless LAN), Z-Wave, ANT, Ultra Wideband (UWB) standard protocols and / or other proprietary and non-proprietary communication protocols. In this example, the system described herein may therefore include hardware (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), transceivers, decoders, antennas (e.g., UWB antennas, etc.). The combination of hardware and software that facilitates the transfer of information between the system described herein and remote (e.g., external) systems, sources and / or devices (e.g., computing and / or communication devices, such as, for example, smartphones, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, etc.).

[0036] The systems described herein may include one or more computer and / or machine-readable, writable, and / or executable components and / or instructions that, when executed by a processor (e.g., a classical processor, a quantum processor, etc.), facilitate the performance of operations defined by such components and / or instructions. Furthermore, in many embodiments, as described herein with or without reference to the various accompanying drawings disclosed herein, any component associated with the systems herein may include one or more computer and / or machine-readable, writable, and / or executable components and / or instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate the performance of operations defined by such components and / or instructions. For example, any component associated with the systems disclosed herein (e.g., communicatively, electronically, operatively, and / or optically coupled to and / or employed by the systems described herein) may include such computer and / or machine-readable, writable, and / or executable components and / or instructions. Therefore, according to many embodiments or systems herein and / or any components associated therewith as disclosed herein, a processor may be employed to execute such computer and / or machine-readable, writable and / or executable components and / or instructions to aid in the performance of one or more operations described herein with reference to the systems and / or any such components associated therewith.

[0037] The systems described herein can include any type of system, device, machine, apparatus, component, and / or instrument, including a processor and / or capable of communicating with one or more local or remote electronic systems and / or one or more local or remote devices via wired and / or wireless networks. All such embodiments are contemplated. For example, the systems described herein can include computing devices, general-purpose computers, special-purpose computers, airborne computing devices, communication devices, airborne communication devices, server devices, quantum computing devices (e.g., quantum computers), tablet computing devices, handheld devices, server-type computing machines and / or databases, laptop computers, notebook computers, desktop computers, cellular phones, smartphones, consumer appliances and / or instruments, industrial and / or commercial equipment, digital assistants, telephones enabling multimedia internet access, multimedia players, and / or other types of devices.

[0038] To provide additional context for the various embodiments described herein, Figure 6The following discussion is intended to provide a brief general description of a suitable computing environment 600 in which various embodiments of the embodiments described herein may be implemented. While the embodiments have been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions that can run on one or more computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments may also be implemented in combination with other program modules and / or as a combination of hardware and software.

[0039] Typically, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, etc., that perform specific tasks or implement specific abstract data types. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the methods of this invention can be practiced with other computer system configurations, including single-processor or multi-processor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, distributed computing systems, and personal computers, handheld computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, each of which can be operatively coupled to one or more associated devices.

[0040] The embodiments illustrated in this paper can also be practiced in a distributed computing environment, where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices linked via a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can reside in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0041] Computing devices typically include a variety of media, which may include computer-readable storage media, machine-readable storage media, and / or communication media, these two terms being used differently from each other herein. A computer-readable storage medium or a machine-readable storage medium can be any available storage medium that can be accessed by a computer, and includes volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example and not limitation, a computer-readable storage medium or a machine-readable storage medium can be implemented using any method or technique for storing information such as computer-readable or machine-readable instructions, program modules, structured data, or unstructured data.

[0042] Computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc (BD) or other optical disc storage, magnetic tape cassettes, magnetic tape, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, solid-state drives or other solid-state storage devices, or other tangible and / or non-transitory media that can be used to store desired information. In this regard, the terms “tangible” or “non-transitory” used herein to describe storage devices, memories, or computer-readable media should be understood as modifiers that exclude the propagation of transient signals themselves, and do not waive the rights to all standard storage devices, memories, or computer-readable media that do not only propagate transient signals themselves.

[0043] Computer-readable storage media can be accessed by one or more local or remote computing devices, for example via access requests, queries or other data retrieval protocols, for various operations concerning the information stored on the media.

[0044] Communication media typically embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other structured or unstructured data in data signals such as modulated data signals (e.g., carrier waves or other transmission mechanisms), and include any information transmission or delivery medium. The term "modulated data signal" or signal refers to a signal whose one or more characteristics are set or altered in a manner that encodes information in one or more signals. By way of example and not limitation, communication media include wired media (such as wired networks or direct wired connections) and wireless media (such as acoustic, RF, infrared, and other wireless media).

[0045] Refer again Figure 6 An example environment 600 for implementing various embodiments of the aspects described herein includes a computer 602, which includes a processing unit 604, a system memory 606, and a system bus 608. The system bus 608 couples system components, including but not limited to the system memory 606, to the processing unit 604. The processing unit 604 can be any of a variety of commercially available processors. Dual microprocessors and other multiprocessor architectures can also be used as the processing unit 604.

[0046] System bus 608 can be any of several types of bus architectures, which can be further interconnected to memory buses (with or without memory controllers), peripheral buses, and local buses using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. System memory 606 includes ROM 610 and RAM 612. The Basic Input / Output System (BIOS) can be stored in non-volatile memory such as ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or EEPROM, containing basic routines that facilitate, for example, transferring information between components within computer 602 during startup. RAM 612 may also include high-speed RAM, such as static RAM for caching data.

[0047] Computer 602 also includes an internal hard disk drive (HDD) 614 (e.g., EIDE, SATA), one or more external storage devices 616 (e.g., floppy disk drive (FDD) 616, memory stick or flash drive reader, memory card reader, etc.), and an optical disc drive 620 (e.g., capable of reading from or writing to CD-ROMs, DVDs, BDs, etc.). While the internal HDD 614 is shown as residing within computer 602, it can also be configured for external use within a suitable chassis (not shown). Additionally, although not shown in environment 600, a solid-state drive (SSD) may be used in addition to or in place of HDD 614. HDD 614, external storage devices 616, and optical disc drive 620 can be connected to system bus 608 via HDD interface 624, external storage interface 626, and optical drive interface 628, respectively. The interface 624 for the external driver implementation may include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394 interface technologies. Other external driver connectivity technologies are contemplated in the embodiments described herein.

[0048] The drive and its associated computer-readable storage medium provide non-volatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, etc. For computer 602, the drive and storage medium accommodate the storage of any data in a suitable digital format. Although the above description of computer-readable storage media refers to various types of storage devices, those skilled in the art will understand that other types of computer-readable storage media, whether currently existing or developed in the future, may also be used in the example operating environment, and further, any such storage medium may contain computer-executable instructions for performing the methods described herein.

[0049] Multiple program modules can be stored in the drive and RAM 612, including an operating system 630, one or more application programs 632, other program modules 634, and program data 636. All or part of the operating system, applications, modules, and / or data can also be cached in RAM 612. The systems and methods described herein can be implemented using various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0050] Computer 602 may optionally include emulation technology. For example, a hypervisor (not shown) or other intermediary may emulate the hardware environment used for operating system 630, and the emulated hardware may optionally be compatible with... Figure 6 The hardware shown is different. In such an embodiment, the operating system 630 may include one of a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) hosted at the computer 602. Furthermore, the operating system 630 may provide a runtime environment for the application 632, such as the Java Runtime Environment or the .NET Framework. A runtime environment is a consistent execution environment that allows the application 632 to run on any operating system that includes a runtime environment. Similarly, the operating system 630 may support containers, and the application 632 may be in the form of a container, which is a lightweight, standalone, executable software package that includes, for example, code, runtime, system tools, system libraries, and application settings.

[0051] Furthermore, computer 602 can be enabled with a security module, such as a Trusted Processing Module (TPM). For example, using a TPM, the boot component times-hashes the next boot component before loading it and waits for the result to match a security value. This process can occur at any layer of the computer 602's code execution stack, for example, at the application execution level or at the operating system (OS) kernel level, thereby achieving security at any level of code execution.

[0052] Users can input commands and information into computer 602 through one or more wired / wireless input devices (e.g., keyboard 638, touchscreen 640, and pointing devices such as mouse 642). Other input devices (not shown) may include microphones, infrared (IR) remote controls, radio frequency (RF) remote controls or other remote controls, joysticks, virtual reality controllers and / or virtual reality headsets, game controllers, styluses, image input devices (e.g., cameras), gesture sensor input devices, visual motion sensor input devices, emotion or face detection devices, biometric input devices (e.g., fingerprint or iris scanners), etc. These and other input devices are typically connected to processing unit 604 via input device interface 644, which can be coupled to system bus 608, but can be connected via other interfaces such as parallel ports, IEEE 1394 serial ports, game ports, USB ports, IR interfaces, etc. Interfaces, etc.

[0053] Monitor 646 or other types of display devices can also be connected to system bus 608 via an interface such as video adapter 648. In addition to monitor 646, the computer typically includes other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, etc.

[0054] Computer 602 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wired and / or wireless communications to one or more remote computers (such as remote computers 650). Remote computer 650 can be a workstation, server computer, router, personal computer, laptop computer, microprocessor-based entertainment device, peer-to-peer device, or other public network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to computer 602; however, for brevity, only memory / storage device 652 is shown. The depicted logical connections include wired / wireless connections to a local area network (LAN) 654 and / or a larger network (e.g., a wide area network (WAN) 656). Such LAN and WAN networking environments are common in offices and companies and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which can connect to global communication networks, such as the Internet.

[0055] When used in a LAN networking environment, computer 602 can connect to local network 654 via a wired and / or wireless communication network interface or adapter 658. Adapter 658 can facilitate wired or wireless communication to LAN 654, which may also include a wireless access point (AP) configured thereon for communicating with adapter 658 in wireless mode.

[0056] When used in a WAN networking environment, computer 602 may include modem 660, or may be connected to a communication server on WAN 656 via other means (such as via the Internet) for establishing communication over WAN 656. Modem 660 may be an internal or external device, and a wired or wireless device, which may be connected to system bus 608 via input device interface 644. In a networking environment, program modules depicted relative to computer 602 or parts thereof may be stored in remote memory / storage device 652. It will be understood that the network connection shown is an example, and other means of establishing communication links between computers may be used.

[0057] When used in a LAN or WAN networking environment, computer 602 can access cloud storage systems or other network-based storage systems, in addition to or replacing the external storage device 616 described above. Typically, the connection between computer 602 and the cloud storage system can be established, for example, via adapter 658 or modem 660 through LAN 654 or WAN 656. When computer 602 is connected to an associated cloud storage system, external storage interface 626 can manage the storage provided by the cloud storage system by means of adapter 658 and / or modem 660, just like other types of external storage. For example, external storage interface 626 can be configured to provide access to cloud storage sources as if these sources were physically connected to computer 602.

[0058] Computer 602 is operable to communicate with any wireless device or entity operably configured in wireless communication, such as a printer, scanner, desktop and / or laptop computer, portable data assistant, communications satellite, any device or location associated with a wirelessly detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk, newsstand, store shelf, etc.), and telephone. This can include Wi-Fi and Wireless technology. Therefore, communication can be a predefined structure like a regular network, or simply self-organizing communication between at least two devices.

[0059] Now for reference Figure 7 This diagram illustrates a schematic block diagram of a computing environment 700 according to this specification. System 700 includes one or more clients 702 (e.g., computers, smartphones, tablets, cameras, PDAs). Client 702 can be hardware and / or software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). For example, client 702 can use specifications to contain website browsing information data (cookies) and / or associated contextual information.

[0060] System 700 also includes one or more servers 704. Server 704 can also be hardware or a combination of hardware and software (e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). For example, server 704 can accommodate threads to perform transformations of media items by employing aspects of this disclosure. One possible form of communication between client 702 and server 704 can be the form of data packets suitable for transmission between two or more computer processes, wherein the data packets may include encoded, analyzed top spaces and / or inputs. For example, data packets may include website browsing information data and / or associated contextual information. System 700 includes a communication framework 706 (e.g., a global communication network such as the Internet) that can be used to facilitate communication between client 702 and server 704.

[0061] Communication can be facilitated via wired (including fiber optic) and / or wireless technologies. Client 702 is operatively connected to one or more client data stores 708, which can be used to store information locally on client 702 (e.g., website browsing information data and / or associated contextual information). Similarly, server 704 is operatively connected to one or more server data stores 710 that can be used to store information locally on server 704.

[0062] In one exemplary embodiment, client 702 may transmit an encoded file (e.g., an encoded media item) to server 704. Server 704 may store the file, decode the file, or send the file to another client 702. It will be understood that client 702 may also transmit an uncompressed file to server 704, and server 704 may compress and / or transform the file in accordance with this disclosure. Similarly, server 704 may encode information and send it to one or more clients 702 via communication frame 706.

[0063] The aspects shown in this disclosure can also be practiced in a distributed computing environment, where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices linked via a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can reside in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0064] The above description includes non-limiting examples of various embodiments. It is certainly not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methods for the purpose of describing the disclosed subject matter, and those skilled in the art will recognize that further combinations and arrangements of the various embodiments are possible. The disclosed subject matter is intended to cover all such changes, modifications, and variations falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0065] Regarding the various functions performed by the aforementioned components, devices, circuits, systems, etc., unless otherwise stated, the terminology used to describe these components (including references to "apparatus") is intended to also include any structure (e.g., functional equivalents) that performs the specified functions of the described components, even if they are not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure. Furthermore, while specific features of the disclosed subject matter have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, as may be desirable and advantageous for any given or particular application.

[0066] The terms “exemplary” and / or “illustrative” as used herein are intended to mean as an example, instance, or illustration. To avoid ambiguity, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited to these examples. Furthermore, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and / or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor does it exclude equivalent structures and techniques known to those skilled in the art. Moreover, the use of the terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and other similar words in the detailed description or claims is intended to be inclusive—in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word—without excluding any additional or other elements.

[0067] The term "or" as used herein is intended to mean inclusive "or" rather than exclusive "or". For example, the phrase "A or B" is intended to include instances of A, B, and both A and B. Furthermore, nouns used in this application and the appended claims should generally be interpreted as meaning "one or more" unless otherwise stated or clearly indicated from the context in the singular form.

[0068] As used herein, the term "set" does not include an empty set, i.e., a set containing no elements. Therefore, "set" in this subject disclosure includes one or more elements or entities. Similarly, as used herein, the term "group" refers to a collection of one or more entities.

[0069] The description of the embodiments shown in this disclosure, including those described in the abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments and examples have been described herein for illustrative purposes, various modifications are believed to be possible within the scope of these embodiments and examples, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In this regard, although the subject matter has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments and corresponding drawings, it will be understood where applicable that other similar embodiments may be used, or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiments to perform the same, similar, alternative, or substitute functions of the disclosed subject matter without departing from the disclosed subject matter. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, but should be interpreted in breadth and scope according to the appended claims.

[0070] Other aspects of the invention are provided by the subject matter of the following provisions:

[0071] An electric vehicle charging system includes:

[0072] Three-phase electric motor; and

[0073] An inverter connected to a three-phase motor and a battery, wherein the inverter includes a switch and a capacitor, and wherein the switch is closed to precharge the capacitor to a defined fraction of the battery voltage.

[0074] 2. The electric vehicle charging system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the three-phase electric motor operates as a step-down DC-DC converter.

[0075] 3. The electric vehicle charging system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the defined fraction comprises 1 / 2 of the battery voltage.

[0076] 4. The electric vehicle charging system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inverter is connected to a charging station.

[0077] 5. The electric vehicle charging system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the charging station includes an output voltage lower than that of the battery.

[0078] 6. The electric vehicle charging system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the charging station comprises a 400-volt charging station, and wherein the battery comprises an 800-volt battery.

[0079] 7. The electric vehicle charging system as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inverter includes a 50% duty cycle.

[0080] 8. The electric vehicle charging system as described in Clause 1 above, having any combination of the above-described electric vehicle charging systems 2-7.

[0081] 9. An electric vehicle, comprising:

[0082] Three-phase electric motor;

[0083] An inverter connected to a three-phase motor and a battery, wherein the inverter includes switches and capacitors; and

[0084] A controller, including a processor, closes a switch to precharge a capacitor to a predetermined fraction of the battery voltage in response to determining by the controller that the output voltage of the charging station connected to the electric vehicle is lower than the battery voltage.

[0085] 10. An electric vehicle as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein,

[0086] The three-phase motor and the inverter operate as a DC-to-DC boost converter in a first power flow direction, wherein the first power flow direction includes a direction for transferring power from the charging station to the battery; and

[0087] The three-phase motor and the inverter operate as a step-down DC-DC converter in the second power flow direction, wherein the second power flow direction includes the direction for transferring power supplied by the battery to the capacitor.

[0088] 11. An electric vehicle as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein,

[0089] In the first power flow direction, the capacitor is connected in parallel to an inverter operating as a DC-to-DC boost converter and a three-phase motor; and

[0090] In the second power flow direction, the capacitor is connected in series with a three-phase motor and an inverter that operate as a step-down DC-DC converter.

[0091] 12. The electric vehicle as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inverter comprises a three-phase inverter.

[0092] 13. The electric vehicle as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the capacitor is connected to the neutral circuit of the three-phase motor, and each phase of the three-phase motor is connected to the corresponding phase of the inverter.

[0093] 14. The electric vehicle as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the inverter comprises at least six semiconductor switches.

[0094] 15. The electric vehicle as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the at least six semiconductor switches comprise insulated-gate bipolar transistors or silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors.

[0095] 16. An electric vehicle as described in Clause 9 above, having any combination of the above-described electric vehicles 10-15.

[0096] 17. A method comprising:

[0097] In response to the system, including the processor, determining that the maximum voltage of the battery is greater than the maximum voltage of the charging station, the system closes a switch to allow the capacitor to be pre-charged from the battery;

[0098] In response to the system determining that the capacitor has been pre-charged to a specified voltage, the system determines the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the requested battery current; and

[0099] In response to the system determining the minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current, the system sends a current request signal to the charging station, wherein the current request signal includes the minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current.

[0100] 18. The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the converted battery current request current includes a current request based on the battery voltage divided by the duty cycle.

[0101] 19. The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the duty cycle includes 50%.

[0102] 20. The method described in any of the foregoing clauses further includes:

[0103] In response to a current request signal sent by the system, the system uses its three-phase motor and inverter to charge the battery from the charging station.

[0104] 21. The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the switch comprises a first switch, wherein charging the battery comprises closing a second switch and a third switch, and wherein the second switch connects the inverter to the charging station, and the third switch connects the three-phase motor to the charging station.

[0105] 22. The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the charging station comprises a 400-volt charging station, and wherein the battery comprises an 800-volt battery.

[0106] 23. The method described in Clause 17 above, having any set of combinations of methods 18-22 above.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle charging system comprising: a three-phase motor; and an inverter connected to the three-phase motor and a battery, wherein the inverter includes a switch and a capacitor, a controller including a processor, a bypass switch between a positive terminal of a charging station and the battery, and a capacitor pre-charge switch between the positive terminal of the charging station and the switch, wherein, in response to the controller determining that a charging station connected to the electric vehicle includes a maximum output voltage that is lower than a maximum voltage of the battery, the controller closes the switch to pre-charge the capacitor to a defined fraction of the voltage of the battery using the inverter and the three-phase motor in a step-down mode, wherein, in response to determining that the maximum voltage of the battery is lower than or equal to the maximum output voltage of the charging station, the controller closes the bypass switch to charge the battery directly from the charging station without using the three-phase motor and the inverter for step-up operation, wherein, when the charging station includes an output voltage that is lower than the voltage of the battery, the battery is charged using the capacitor, the inverter, and the three-phase motor, and wherein, based on the type of the charging station, the controller closing the capacitor pre-charge switch is in response to determining that the capacitor has been pre-charged to a voltage difference that is less than or equal to 20V of the output voltage of the charging station or in response to determining that the capacitor has been pre-charged to at least half of the voltage of the battery.

2. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein, the defined fraction includes 1 / 2 of the voltage of the battery.

3. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein, the inverter is connected to a charging station.

4. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein, the charging station includes a 400 volt charging station, and wherein the battery includes an 800 volt battery.

5. The electric vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein, the inverter includes a 50% duty cycle.

6. An electric vehicle comprising: a three-phase motor; an inverter connected to the three-phase motor and a battery, wherein the inverter includes a switch and a capacitor; and a controller including a processor, a bypass switch between a positive terminal of a charging station and the battery, and a capacitor pre-charge switch between the positive terminal of the charging station and the switch, wherein, in response to the controller determining that the charging station connected to the electric vehicle includes a maximum output voltage that is lower than a maximum voltage of the battery, the controller closes the switch to pre-charge the capacitor to a defined fraction of the voltage of the battery using the inverter and the three-phase motor via the battery in a step-down mode, wherein, in response to determining that the maximum voltage of the battery is lower than or equal to the maximum output voltage of the charging station, the controller closes the bypass switch to charge the battery directly from the charging station without using the three-phase motor and the inverter for step-up operation, wherein, when the charging station includes an output voltage that is lower than the voltage of the battery, the battery is charged using the capacitor, the inverter, and the three-phase motor, and wherein, based on the type of the charging station, the controller closing the capacitor pre-charge switch is in response to determining that the capacitor has been pre-charged to a voltage difference that is less than or equal to 20V of the output voltage of the charging station or in response to determining that the capacitor has been pre-charged to at least half of the voltage of the battery.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein, the three-phase electric motor and the inverter operate as a DC-to-DC step-up converter in a first power flow direction, wherein the first power flow direction includes a direction for transferring power from a charging station to the battery; and the three-phase electric motor and the inverter operate as a step-down DC-to-DC converter in a second power flow direction, wherein the second power flow direction includes a direction for transferring power supplied by the battery to the capacitor.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein, in the first power flow direction, the capacitor is connected in parallel to the inverter and the three-phase electric motor operating as a DC-to-DC step-up converter; and in the second power flow direction, the capacitor is connected in series to the three-phase electric motor and the inverter operating as a step-down DC-to-DC converter.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein, the inverter includes a three-phase inverter.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 9, wherein, the capacitor is connected to a neutral circuit of the three-phase electric motor, and each phase of the three-phase electric motor is connected to a respective phase of the inverter.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein, the inverter includes at least six semiconductor switches.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, wherein, the at least six semiconductor switches include insulated-gate bipolar transistors or silicon carbide metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors.

13. A method for an electric vehicle charging system, comprising: in response to a determination by a system comprising a processor that a maximum voltage of a battery is greater than a maximum voltage of a charging station, closing, by the system, a switch of an inverter of an electric vehicle to enable a capacitor of the inverter to be pre-charged from the battery; in response to a determination by a controller that a charging station connected to the electric vehicle includes an output voltage that is lower than a voltage of the battery, closing, by the controller, the switch to pre-charge the capacitor to a defined fraction of the voltage of the battery using the inverter and a three-phase electric motor via the battery in a step-down mode, in response to a determination by the system that the capacitor has been pre-charged to a defined voltage, determining, by the system, a maximum DC input current of the charging station and a converted battery current request current; in response to a determination by the system of a minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current, sending, by the system, a current request signal to the charging station, wherein the current request signal includes the minimum of the maximum DC input current of the charging station and the converted battery current request current, in response to a determination by the system that a maximum voltage of a battery is lower than or equal to a maximum voltage of a charging station, closing, by the system, a bypass switch between a positive terminal of the charging station and the battery to directly charge the battery from the charging station without using the three-phase electric motor and the inverter; and when the charging station includes an output voltage that is lower than a voltage of the battery, charging the battery using the capacitor, the inverter, and the three-phase electric motor, wherein in response to a determination that the capacitor has been pre-charged to a voltage difference that is less than or equal to 20 V of the output voltage of the charging station or in response to a determination that the capacitor has been pre-charged to at least half of the voltage of the battery, the controller closes a capacitor pre-charge switch between a positive terminal of the charging station and the switch. ​ 14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The converted battery current request current includes a current request based on a voltage of the battery divided by a duty cycle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, The duty cycle includes 50%.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising: charging the battery from a charging station using the three-phase motor and inverter of the system in response to the system sending a current request signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein, The switch includes a first switch, wherein charging the battery includes closing a second switch and the capacitor pre-charge switch, and wherein the second switch connects the inverter to the charging station and the capacitor pre-charge switch connects the three-phase motor to the charging station.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein, The charging station includes a 400 volt charging station, or wherein the battery includes an 800 volt battery.

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