Single-phase phase locked loop suitable for use in a hybrid vehicle charging system and method for charging a hybrid vehicle from a single-phase power source

• US 7,911,180 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Esmaili, Gholamreza, Perisic, Milun
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US12/184,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20100026245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 320/142, 320/143
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Apparatus for charging an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle are provided. Particularly, apparatus for charging a hybrid vehicle from a single-phase standard (110 volt, single-phase, 60 Hz in the U.S.) are provided. In one implementation, a single-phase phase locked loop (PLL) receives a single-phase power gird voltage and delays it by one-quarter cycle to create an orthogonal imaginary second power signal. These signals are then applied to a transform matrix within a PLL to phase lock an output signal to the incoming power grid voltage.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a gas engine;

a battery array powering an electric motor to propel the hybrid vehicle in a first mode;

a generator, driven by the gas engine, for recharging the battery array; and

a charging control circuit coupled to a single phase power grid voltage for recharging the battery array from a charging signal phase locked to the single phase power grid voltage, the charging control circuit including a phase delay circuit for receiving the single phase power grid voltage and generating a delayed signal therefrom, a transformation circuit for phase shifting each of the single phase power grid voltage and the delayed signal for respective processing by the charging control circuit and a phase locked loop circuit and to achieve phase lock within one-quarter phase of the single phase power grid voltage to provide the charging signal for recharging the battery array.

2. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the delayed signal is delayed by one-quarter cycle from the single phase power grid voltage.

3. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the delayed signal is orthogonal to the single phase power grid voltage.

4. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is an alternating current motor.

5. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is a direct current motor.

6. A method of charging a battery array in an electrically propelled vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving a single phase power grid voltage;

delaying the single phase power grid voltage to provide a delayed signal;

transforming the single phase power grid voltage and the delayed signal to provide first and second phase shifted signals;

processing the first phase shifted signals in a phase locked loop and processing the second phase shifted signal in a control circuit to achieve phase lock within one-quarter phase of the single phase power grid voltage to provide a charging signal phase locked to the single phase power grid voltage; and

utilizing the charging signal to recharge a battery array of the electrically powered vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the delayed signal is delayed by one-quarter cycle.

8. The method of claim 6 which includes the step of generating a second charging signal from a generator powered by a gas engine for charging the battery array while the electrically propelled vehicle is in motion.

9. A phase locked loop suitable for use in a vehicle at least partially propelled by a battery array, comprising:

a delay circuit providing a delayed signal representing a delayed version of a single phase power grid voltage having a frequency in the range of 58 Hz to 62 Hz to a transformation matrix; and

the transformation matrix providing a phase shifted delayed signal and a phase shifted single phase power control voltage respectively to a phase locked loop and a control circuit for providing a charging signal phase locked to the single phase power grid voltage;

wherein, the phase locked loop can achieve phase lock to the single phase power control voltage across the frequency range of 58 Hz and 62 Hz in approximately one-quarter phase of the single phase power control voltage and the charging signal can be used to recharge the battery array while the vehicle is not in motion.

10. The phase locked loop of claim 9, wherein the delaying circuit delays the single phase power grid voltage by one-quarter cycle.

11. A vehicle powered by at least an electric motor, comprising:

a charging control circuit coupled to a single phase power grid voltage having a frequency in the range of 58 Hz to 62 Hz for recharging a battery array from a phase locked signal, the charging control circuit including a phase delay circuit for receiving the single phase power grid voltage and generating a delayed signal therefrom, a transformation circuit for phase shifting each of the single phase power grid voltage and the delayed signal for respective processing by a control circuit and a phase locked loop to achieve phase lock across the frequency range of 58 Hz to 62 Hz within one-quarter phase of the single phase power grid voltage to provide the phase locked signal for recharging the battery array.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, including:

a gas engine and a generator for charging the battery array while the vehicle is in operation.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electric motor is an alternating current motor.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electric motor is a direct current motor.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the delayed signal is delayed from the single phase power grid voltage by one-quarter cycle.