Fault tolerant motor including redundant wye winding and dual-state neutral leads

A method of controlling an electric motor system, the method comprising:

• delivering alternating current (AC) power to a redundant wye-wounded motor that includes a first plurality of phase leads and a second plurality of phase leads and includes a first plurality of neutral leads and a second plurality of neutral leads
• establishing, via a first phase-lead switch, a first selectable signal path that connects the first plurality of phase leads to a power supply;
• establishing, via a second phase-lead switch, a second selectable signal path that connects the second plurality of phase leads to the power supply;
• establishing, via a first neutral-lead switch, a third selectable signal path that connects the first plurality of neutral leads to the redundant wye-wounded motor;
• establishing, via a second neutral-lead switch, a fourth selectable signal path that connects the second plurality of neutral leads to the redundant wye-wounded motor;
• detecting, via a controller in signal communication with the redundant wye-wounded motor, a circuit fault among a plurality of different types of circuit faults;
• and
• controlling, via the controller, the operation of one or both of the first neutral-lead switch and the second neutral-lead switch based on the circuit fault,
• wherein the redundant wye-wounded motor includes a stator disposed within a housing, and wherein first ends of the first plurality of neutral leads and the second plurality of neutral leads are selectively connected to the stator and opposing second ends of the of the first plurality of neutral leads and the second plurality of neutral leads are located externally from the housing.