# US 11,999,263 B2 · Voltage control of multi-drive systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,263 B2 - Document ID: US11999263B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/982,775 - Filed: 2022-11-08 - Published: 2024-05-09 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-08 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Orgun A. Guralp; Suresh Gopalakrishnan; Chandra S. Namuduri; Chunhao J. Lee; Muhammad Hussain Alvi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999263B2 ## CPC - B60L 58/19: Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B60L 58/20: having different nominal voltages - B60L 58/21: having the same nominal voltage - B60L 2240/527: Voltage - B60L 2240/547: Voltage - B60L 2260/26: Transition between different drive modes - B60L 2260/28: Four wheel or all wheel drive - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system for controlling propulsion in a vehicle includes a switching system connected to a battery system and a propulsion system. The battery system includes a first battery assembly and a second battery assembly, the propulsion system includes a first drive unit and a second drive unit, and the switching system includes a first switching device configured to selectively connect the first drive unit to the battery system and a second switching device configured to selectively connect the second drive unit to the battery system. The first switching device and the second switching device are independently operable. The system also includes a controller configured to operate the switching system to vary a voltage applied to at least one of the first drive unit and the second drive unit during vehicle propulsion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for controlling propulsion in a vehicle, comprising: a switching system connected to a battery system and a propulsion system, the battery system including a first battery assembly and a second battery assembly, the propulsion system including a first drive unit and a second drive unit, the switching system including a first switching device configured to selectively connect the first drive unit to the battery system and a second switching device configured to selectively connect the second drive unit to the battery system, the first switching device and the second switching device being independently operable, wherein the first switching device includes a first switch and a second switch connected in parallel to the first drive unit, the second switching device includes a third switch and a fourth switch connected in parallel to the second drive unit, and the switching system includes a battery switching device configured to selectively connect the first battery assembly to the second battery assembly in series; and a controller configured to operate the switching system to vary a voltage applied to at least one of the first drive unit and the second drive unit during vehicle propulsion, the controller configured to control the switching system to put the propulsion system into an intermediate voltage state by closing the battery switching device, operating one of the first switching device and the second switching device to supply a low voltage to one of the first drive unit and the second drive unit, and operating another of the first switching device and the second switching device to supply a high voltage to another of the first drive unit and the second drive unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device include mechanical switches or solid state switches. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are operated sequentially to avoid a zero torque condition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first drive unit is configured to drive front wheels of the vehicle, and the second drive unit is configured to drive rear wheels of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to put the propulsion system into a low voltage state by opening the battery switching device, operating the first switching device to supply a low voltage to the first drive unit, and operating the second switching device to supply the low voltage to the second drive unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to put the propulsion system into a high voltage state by closing the battery switching device, operating the first switching device to supply a high voltage to the first drive unit, and operating the second switching device to supply the high voltage to the second drive unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are configured as single pole double throw switches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to vary the voltage by sequentially operating the first switching device and the second switching so that a drive torque is applied to the vehicle by one of the first switching device and the second switching device during operation of another of the first switching device and the second switching device to vary the voltage. ### Claim 9 A method of controlling propulsion of a vehicle, comprising: receiving a request to enter an operating mode of the vehicle, the vehicle including a switching system connected to a battery system and a propulsion system, the battery system including a first battery assembly and a second battery assembly, the propulsion system including a first drive unit and a second drive unit, the switching system including a first switching device configured to selectively connect the first drive unit to the battery system and a second switching device configured to selectively connect the second drive unit to the battery system, the first switching device and the second switching device being independently operable, wherein the first switching device includes a first switch and a second switch connected in parallel to the first drive unit, the second switching device includes a third switch and a fourth switch connected in parallel to the second drive unit, and the switching system includes a battery switching device configured to selectively connect the first battery assembly to the second battery assembly in series; and based on the request, operating the switching system by a controller to vary a voltage applied to at least one of the first drive unit and the second drive unit during vehicle propulsion, wherein operating the switching system includes controlling the switching system to put the propulsion system into an intermediate voltage state by closing the battery switching device, operating one of the first switching device and the second switching device to supply a low voltage to one of the first drive unit and the second drive unit, and operating another of the first switching device and the second switching device to supply a high voltage to another of the first drive unit and the second drive unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are operated sequentially to avoid a zero torque condition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first drive unit is configured to drive front wheels of the vehicle, and the second drive unit is configured to drive rear wheels of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein operating the switching system includes putting the propulsion system into a low voltage state by opening the battery switching device, operating the first switching device to supply a low voltage to the first drive unit, and operating the second switching device to supply the low voltage to the second drive unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein operating the switching system includes putting the propulsion system into a high voltage state by closing the battery switching device, operating the first switching device to supply a high voltage to the first drive unit, and operating the second switching device to supply the high voltage to the second drive unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are configured as single pole double throw switches. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to vary the voltage by sequentially operating the first switching device and the second switching so that a drive torque is applied to the vehicle by one of the first switching device and the second switching device during operation of another of the first switching device and the second switching device to vary the voltage. ### Claim 16 A vehicle system comprising: a memory having computer readable instructions; and a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the processing device to perform a method including: receiving a request to enter an operating mode of the vehicle, the vehicle including a switching system connected to a battery system and a propulsion system, the battery system including a first battery assembly and a second battery assembly, the propulsion system including a first drive unit and a second drive unit, the switching system including a first switching device configured to selectively connect the first drive unit to the battery system and a second switching device configured to selectively connect the second drive unit to the battery system, the first switching device and the second switching device being independently operable, wherein the first switching device includes a first switch and a second switch connected in parallel to the first drive unit, the second switching device includes a third switch and a fourth switch connected in parallel to the second drive unit, and the switching system includes a battery switching device configured to selectively connect the first battery assembly to the second battery assembly in series; and based on the request, operating the switching system by a controller to vary a voltage applied to at least one of the first drive unit and the second drive unit during vehicle propulsion, wherein operating the switching system includes controlling the switching system to put the propulsion system into an intermediate voltage state by closing the battery switching device, operating one of the first switching device and the second switching device to supply a low voltage to one of the first drive unit and the second drive unit, and operating another of the first switching device and the second switching device to supply a high voltage to another of the first drive unit and the second drive unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle system of claim 16, wherein the first drive unit is configured to drive front wheels of the vehicle, and the second drive unit is configured to drive rear wheels of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The vehicle system of claim 16, wherein operating the switching system includes putting the propulsion system into a low voltage state by opening the battery switching device, operating the first switching device to supply a low voltage to the first drive unit, and operating the second switching device to supply the low voltage to the second drive unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The vehicle system of claim 16, wherein operating the switching system includes putting the propulsion system into a high voltage state by closing the battery switching device, operating the first switching device to supply a high voltage to the first drive unit, and operating the second switching device to supply the high voltage to the second drive unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the first switching device and the second switching device are configured as single pole double throw switches.