PROGRAMMABLE POWER-CONTROL CIRCUIT AND METHODS OF OPERATION

• US 20100007293A1
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: David Wayne Boyd, Ives Burr Meadors
• Original Assignee: David Wayne Boyd, Ives Burr Meadors
• Inventors: Boyd, David Wayne, Meadors, Ives Burr
• Application Number:
  US12/499,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007293A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electric-motor controller uses multiple semiconductor switches in parallel, arranged so as to improve turn-on and turn-off synchronization. A physical “sandwich” arrangement improves manufacturability of some embodiments. A system using the controller can recharge a battery pack from a charging source of a different voltage by using a field coil of the motor as an inductor in a step-up or step-down circuit. Controller software monitors parameters such as battery voltage, temperature and current to adjust system operation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a rechargeable battery pack having a first nominal voltage;

an electric motor including an inductive element;

a power controller to regulate delivery of power from the rechargeable battery pack to the electric motor in an operational-mode circuit configuration; and

a charging switch to convert the operational-mode circuit configuration into a charging-mode circuit configuration, wherein

a recharging current from a source having a second nominal voltage flows through the inductive element and a switch of the power controller during a first recharging phase, and

the recharging current flows through the inductive element and a diode of the power controller during a second recharging phase.

2. A system comprising:

a rechargeable battery pack having a first nominal voltage;

an electric motor including an inductive element;

a power controller to regulate delivery of power from the rechargeable battery pack to the electric motor in a first circuit configuration; and

a charging switch to convert the first circuit configuration to a second circuit configuration, wherein

the power controller and the inductive element operate as a voltage converter to charge the rechargeable battery pack from a recharging source at a second nominal voltage, said second nominal voltage being different than said first nominal voltage.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the first nominal voltage is less than the second nominal voltage.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the first nominal voltage is greater than the second nominal voltage.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the inductive element is a field winding of a direct-current (“

DC”

) motor.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the inductive element is a stator winding of an alternating-current (“

AC”

) motor.

7. An electric-vehicle recharging adapter comprising:

a circuit-reconfiguration switch to alter a connection of a battery/controller/motor circuit;

a motor disabler to prevent energization of a portion of the motor; and

a controller input emulator to cause the controller to operate as if a driver input device was being adjusted, wherein

the altered configuration of the battery/controller/motor circuit functions to charge the battery.

8. The recharging adapter of claim 7 wherein the controller input emulator is to emulate a vehicle throttle signal.

9. The recharging adapter of claim 7 wherein the controller input emulator is to emulate a vehicle brake signal.

10. The recharging adapter of claim 7 wherein the controller input emulator is to emulate a vehicle transmission control signal.