Embedded wireless communications for electronic control unit having multiple ground references
First Claim
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1. A power electronics device for use onboard a vehicle having three or more isolated power systems, the power electronics device comprising:
- a converter for managing energy flow between a first one and a second one of the isolated power systems, the converter having a first stage on a first ground plane and a second stage on a second ground plane, the first and second ground planes being galvanically isolated from each other and including a plurality of switching power elements to facilitate managing energy flow between the first and second isolated power systems; and
an electronic control system (ECS) configured to control the switching power elements according to messages received from each of the isolated power systems, the ECS using wireless radio frequency communications to communicate the messages between each of the isolated power systems.
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Abstract
A system configured to facilitate wireless communications between different ground planes is provided. The system may rely on bi-directional communications between galvanically isolated components to support any number of operations, including but not limited operations associated with supporting wireless message communications between three or more isolated ground planes, such as but not limited to supporting communications between three or more ground planes included within an onboard vehicle charger.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A power electronics device for use onboard a vehicle having three or more isolated power systems, the power electronics device comprising:
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a converter for managing energy flow between a first one and a second one of the isolated power systems, the converter having a first stage on a first ground plane and a second stage on a second ground plane, the first and second ground planes being galvanically isolated from each other and including a plurality of switching power elements to facilitate managing energy flow between the first and second isolated power systems; and an electronic control system (ECS) configured to control the switching power elements according to messages received from each of the isolated power systems, the ECS using wireless radio frequency communications to communicate the messages between each of the isolated power systems. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An onboard high voltage charger for use in a vehicle having a mains power system, a high voltage (HV) power system, and a low voltage (LV) power system, each of the mains, HV, and LV power systems having electrically isolated ground planes, respectively referred to as a mains ground plane, an HV ground plane, and an LV ground plane, the charger comprising:
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a transformer for transferring energy from the main power system to the HV power system through an electrical coupling between a primary coil of a primary stage and a secondary coil of a secondary stage, the primary coil connecting to the mains power system and the secondary coil connecting to the HV power system, wherein energy flow to the primary coil is controlled with a first plurality of power elements and energy flow from the secondary coil is controlled with a second plurality of power elements; and an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control the first and second plurality of power elements, the ECU having a mains wireless interface, an HV wireless interface, and an LV wireless interface respectively connected to the mains, HV, and LV ground planes, the ECU relying on wireless exchange of messages between each of the wireless interfaces to control operations of the first plurality of power elements and the second plurality of power elements, wherein the mains wireless interface, the HV wireless interface and the LV wireless interface are galvanically isolated from each other wherein the wireless interfaces wirelessly exchange messages according to a redundant, data communication protocol that requires each of a transmitting one of the wireless interfaces to broadcast the message to each non-transmitting wireless interface. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An onboard high voltage charger for use in a vehicle having a mains power system, a high voltage (HV) power system, and a data network, each of the mains power system, HV power system, and the data network having electrically isolated ground planes, respectively referred to as a mains ground plane, an HV ground plane, and a data network ground plane, the charger comprising:
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a transformer for transferring energy from the mains power system to the HV power system through an electrical coupling between a primary coil of a primary stage and a secondary coil of a secondary stage, the primary coil connecting to the mains power system and the secondary coil connecting the HV power system, wherein energy flow to the primary coil is controlled with a first plurality of power elements and energy flow from the secondary coil is controlled with a second plurality of power elements; and an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control the first and second plurality of power elements, the ECU having a mains wireless interface, an HV wireless interface, and a data network wireless interface respectively connected to the mains, HV, and data network ground planes, the ECU controlling the first plurality of power elements and the second plurality of power elements based in part on messages transmitted from the data network wireless interface to at least one of the mains wireless interface and the HV wireless interface, wherein at least a portion of the messages transmitted from the data network wireless interface originate from one or more data collecting elements connected to the data network wherein the data network wireless interface transmits each message to both of the mains and HV wireless interfaces and each of the mains and HV wireless interface generate an acknowledgment message upon receipt thereof. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification