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US 11,376,977 B2Granted
Powertrain architecture for a vehicle utilizing an on-board charger
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsHui Tan, Manish Bhardwaj, Sangmin Kevin Chon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques related to powertrain architectures for vehicles (such as hybrid electric vehicle/electric vehicles) utilizing an on-board charger are disclosed. The techniques include a device for power regulation, the device comprising a direct current (DC)-to-DC voltage converter configurable to convert a first DC voltage from an alternating current (AC)-to-DC converter to generate a first converted DC voltage to charge a battery, and convert a second DC voltage from the battery to a second converted DC voltage for a DC-to-AC inverter. The inverter couples to a motor. A control circuit is configured to direct an operating mode of the voltage converter.
Claims17
A device for power regulation, the device comprising:
- a first direct current (DC)-to-DC voltage converter that includes:
- a first set of terminals configured to couple to a regulated voltage bus, the regulated voltage bus coupled to an alternating current (AC)-to-DC converter and a traction inverter that is separate from the AC-to-DC converter;
- and
- a second set of terminals configured to couple to a variable voltage bus, the variable voltage bus coupled to a battery;
- wherein the first DC-to-DC voltage converter is configurable to:
- convert a first DC voltage from the AC-to-DC converter to generate a first converted DC voltage to charge the battery via the variable voltage bus;
- and
- convert a second DC voltage from the battery to a second converted DC voltage for transmission to the traction inverter via the regulated voltage bus;
- a second DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the regulated voltage bus, the second DC-to-DC voltage converter configured to convert the second converted DC voltage to a third DC voltage;
- a third DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the variable voltage bus and configured to convert the first converted DC voltage to a fourth DC voltage different from the first converted DC voltage and different from the third DC voltage;
- and
- control circuitry to direct an operating mode of the first DC-to-DC voltage converter by:
- controlling the first DC-to-DC voltage converter to convert the first DC voltage from the AC-to-DC converter when an AC power source is available;
- and
- controlling the first DC-to-DC voltage converter to convert the second DC voltage from the battery when the AC power source is not available.
12 more elements
A system for power regulation, the system comprising:
- a first direct current (DC)-to-DC voltage converter that includes:
- a first set of terminals configured to couple to a regulated voltage bus, the regulated voltage bus coupled to an alternating current (AC)-to-DC converter and to a traction inverter that is separate from the AC-to-DC converter;
- and
- a second set of terminals configured to couple to a variable voltage bus, the variable voltage bus coupled to a battery;
- wherein the first DC-to-DC voltage converter is capable of operating in at least one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode to:
- when operating in the first operating mode, convert a first DC voltage from the AC-to-DC converter to generate a first converted DC voltage to charge the battery via the variable voltage bus;
- and
- while operating in the second operating mode, convert a second DC voltage from the battery to a second converted DC voltage for transmission to the traction inverter via the regulated voltage bus;
- a second DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the regulated voltage bus, the second DC-to-DC voltage converter configured to convert the second converted DC voltage to a third DC voltage;
- a third DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the variable voltage bus and configured to convert the first converted DC voltage to a fourth voltage different from the first converted DC voltage and different from the third DC voltage;
- and
- control circuitry to direct an operating mode of the first DC-to-DC voltage converter by:
- switching the first DC-to-DC voltage converter to operate in the first operating mode when an AC power source is available;
- and
- switching the first DC-to-DC voltage converter to operate in a second operating mode when the AC power source is not available.
12 more elements
A device comprising:
- a first direct-current-to-direct-current (DC-to-DC) converter configured to be coupled to a first direct current (DC) bus with a regulated voltage and a second DC bus, the first DC bus coupled to an alternating-current-to-direct-current (AC-to-DC) converter and to a traction inverter separate from the AC-to-DC converter and the second DC bus coupled to a battery via a variable voltage bus, the first DC-to-DC converter configured to:
- operate in a first mode to receive power from the AC-to-DC converter via the first DC bus and convert the power from the AC-to-DC converter to provide a voltage on the second DC bus;
- operate in a second mode to receive power from the battery via the second DC bus and convert the power from the battery to provide a voltage on the first DC bus;
- and
- operate in a third mode to receive power from the traction inverter via the first DC bus and convert the power from the traction inverter to provide a voltage on the second DC bus;
- a second DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the first DC bus, the second DC-to-DC voltage converter configured to convert the regulated voltage to a DC voltage;
- a third DC bus;
- a third DC-to-DC converter coupled to the second DC bus and the third DC bus, the third DC-to-DC converter configured to receive power from the battery via the second DC bus and convert the power from the battery to provide a voltage on the third DC bus, wherein the voltage provided by the third DC-to-DC converter is different from the DC voltage;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- control the first DC-to-DC converter to operate in the first mode when an AC power source is plugged in;
- and
- control the first DC-to-DC converter to operate in the second mode when the AC power source is not plugged in.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.