# US 11,897,367 B2 · Drive system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,367 B2 - Document ID: US11897367B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/458,166 - Filed: 2021-08-26 - Published: 2022-03-17 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-11 - Assignees: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC - Applicants: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Nikhil Edlabadkar; Ajith Kuttannair Kumar; Joe Ferko - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897367B2 ## CPC - B60L 7/22: Dynamic electric resistor braking, combined with dynamic electric regenerative braking - H02P 3/22: by short-circuit or resistive braking - B60L 7/02: Dynamic electric resistor braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence) - B60L 7/06: for vehicles propelled by AC motors - B60L 7/14: for vehicles propelled by AC motors - B60L 15/20: for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed - H02M 1/007: {Plural converter units in cascade (push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826)} - H02M 1/322: {Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock} - H02M 1/36: Means for starting or stopping converters - H02P 27/06: using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) - B60L 7/08: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/04, B60L7/06 take precedence) - B60L 7/18: Controlling the braking effect (B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence) - B60L 2200/26: Rail vehicles - H02M 1/4225: {using a non-isolated boost converter} - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A system comprising resistive circuit legs coupled with and disposed between (a) a converter that converts electric current for a motor of a powered system and (b) a source of electric current for powering the motor, each of the circuit legs including a braking resistor coupled with the converter, a contactor coupled with the braking resistor such that the braking resistor is between the converter and the contactor, and a semiconductor switch coupled with the contactor such that the contactor is between the semiconductor switch and the braking resistor, where, during a regenerative braking mode of operation of the powered system, the regenerated energy from the motor is conducted to the braking resistor and dissipated as heat. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: at least one resistive circuit leg coupled with and disposed between (a) a converter that converts first electric current for a motor and (b) a source of the first electric current for powering the motor, the at least one resistive circuit leg including: a braking resistor, and a contactor coupled with the braking resistor; a first semiconductor switch coupled with and disposed parallel to the at least one resistive circuit leg; and a second semiconductor switch coupled with the first semiconductor switch and the at least one resistive circuit leg with the at least one resistive circuit leg connected with the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch in a location that is between the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch, wherein, during a regenerative braking mode, a rheostatic braking mode, or a combination of both the regenerative braking mode and the rheostatic braking mode, the contactor is closed and the first semiconductor switch is controlled to alternate between an open state and a closed state to conduct at least some of a regenerated electric current from the motor to the braking resistor to control braking by the motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second semiconductor switch is configured to close while the contactor closes and the first semiconductor switch is individually controlled to alternate between the open state and the closed state during the regenerative braking mode, the rheostatic braking mode, or the combination of both the regenerative braking mode and the rheostatic braking mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the first semiconductor switch is configured to cause at least part of the regenerated electric current from the motor to be conducted through a capacitor while the first semiconductor switch is in the open state, the capacitor disposed between (a) a circuit leg having the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch connected in series with each other and fb) the converter with the capacitor disposed in and parallel to the at least one resistive circuit leg and between the circuit leg having the first semiconductor switch and the second semiconductor switch and the converter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the braking resistor is configured to dissipate at least part of the regenerated electric current from the motor as heat. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first source of the first electric current is one or more of an electrified rail, a catenary, or an energy storage device. ### Claim 6 A system comprising: a positive bus configured to be connected with a source of electric current; a negative bus configured to be connected with the source of the electric current, the positive bus and the negative bus connected with a converter that converts the electric current for a motor of a powered system; a braking resistor coupled with the positive bus; several parallel circuit legs coupled in series with the braking resistor, each of the circuit legs including a contactor; and several semiconductor switches connected in parallel to each other with each of the semiconductor switches connected in series with a different circuit leg of the several parallel circuit legs between the positive bus and the negative bus, wherein, during a regenerative braking mode or a rheostatic braking mode of the powered system, regenerated electric current from the motor is conducted to the braking resistor and dissipated as heat with different ones of the semiconductor switches closing at different times while others of the semiconductor switches remain open. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising inductors connected in parallel to each other between the source of the electric current and the circuit legs, each of the inductors connected with a different one of the circuit legs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the source of the electric current is one or more of an electrified rail, a catenary, or an energy storage device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein a capacitor is connected to the positive bus and the negative bus in parallel to the converter and the circuit legs. ### Claim 10 A system comprising: one or more first semiconductor switches; one or more second semiconductor switches; two or more inductors, with each inductor of the two or more inductors configured to be disposed onboard a powered system and selectively coupled with a source of first electric current and a converter that converts the first electric current for a motor of the powered system, the two or more inductors each coupled with nodes located between the one or more first semiconductor switches and (a) one or more diodes or (b) the one or more second semiconductor switches, second semiconductor switches coupled with a converter; contactors connected in parallel with each other between the source of the first electric current and the converter; and braking resistors connected in parallel with each other, each of the braking resistors connected in series with a different contactor of the contactors between the contactor and the converter; wherein, the first semiconductor switch of the one or more first semiconductor switches is coupled with a contactor of the contactors connected in parallel with each other, such that the contactor of the contactors connected in parallel with each other is between the first semiconductor switch of the one or more first semiconductor switches and the braking resistors, wherein, during a regenerative or rheostatic braking mode of operation of the powered system, regenerated electric current from the motor of the powered system is conducted to the braking resistors and dissipated as heat, based on which of the contactors or the one or more first semiconductor switches are closed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the two or more inductors and (a) the diode or (b) the second semiconductor switch are connected in parallel to the contactors and the braking resistors between the source of the first electric current and the converter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the source of the first electric current is one or more of an electrified rail, a catenary, or energy storage device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein (a) the two or more inductors, (b) the diode or the second semiconductor switch, (c) the contactors, and (d) the braking resistors are connected with the converter in parallel to an alternator and a rectifier. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein a capacitor is connected with the converter in parallel to an alternator and a rectifier.