# US 12,179,618 B1 · Electrified vehicle with synchronous switching converter supporting exportable power and DC fast charging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,618 B1 - Document ID: US12179618B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/364,899 - Filed: 2023-08-03 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2023-08-03 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Colin Turner Lieberman; Prahlad Saggere; Haider Mhiesan; Christopher Ballard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179618B1 ## CPC - B60L 53/20: characterised by converters located in the vehicle - B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) - B60L 53/11: {DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4} - B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer - B60L 53/22: Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - 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 An electrified vehicle includes a synchronous switching DC/DC voltage converter, switches configured to selectively connect external charging terminals to a traction battery, the voltage converter, and external load terminals, and at least one controller programmed to operate the voltage converter and control the switches to connect the external charging terminals to the voltage converter and the external load terminals based on nominal voltage of the traction battery relative to voltage at the external charging terminals and a requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals. An associated method includes controlling the plurality of switches to selectively connect the external charging terminals, the voltage converter, and the external load terminals; and controlling whether the voltage converter operates to increase or decrease voltage based on which one or more of the voltage converter, the external charging terminals, the external load terminals, and the traction battery are connected by the plurality of switches. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrified vehicle comprising: an electric machine arranged to selectively provide propulsive torque to wheels of the electrified vehicle; a traction battery electrically coupled to the electric machine; a synchronous switching DC/DC voltage converter; a plurality of switches configured to selectively connect external charging terminals to the traction battery, the voltage converter, and external load terminals; and at least one controller programmed to selectively operate the voltage converter and control the plurality of switches to connect the external charging terminals to the voltage converter and the external load terminals based on nominal voltage of the traction battery relative to voltage detected at the external charging terminals and a requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is programmed to, in response to the voltage detected at the external charging terminals being a DC voltage within a predetermined range of the nominal voltage of the traction battery, control a first one of the plurality of switches to connect at least one of the external charging terminals to the traction battery; and control at least a second one of the plurality of switches to disconnect at least one of the external load terminals from the voltage converter and the traction battery to charge the traction battery. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The electrified vehicle of claim 2 wherein the at least one controller is programmed to, in response to the voltage detected at the external charging terminals being a DC voltage outside the predetermined range and less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery, control the first one of the plurality of switches to disconnect at least one of the external charging terminals from the traction battery; control at least the second one of the plurality of switches to connect at least one of the external load terminals to the voltage converter; and control the voltage converter to increase the DC voltage from the external charging terminals to the nominal voltage of the traction battery to charge the traction battery. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is programmed to, in response to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals being a DC voltage less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery, and the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals being within a predetermined range of the nominal voltage of the traction battery: control a first one of the plurality of switches to connect at least one of the external charging terminals to the traction battery and a high voltage terminal of the voltage converter; control a second one of the plurality of switches to disconnect at least one of the external charging terminals from a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; control at least a third one of the plurality of switches to connect the lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter to one of the external charging terminals; and control the voltage converter to decrease the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further programed to, in response to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals being a DC voltage less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery, and the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals being within a predetermined range of the nominal voltage of the traction battery, control at least a fourth one of the plurality of switches to disconnect the traction battery from the external load terminals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is programmed to, in response to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals and the voltage detected at the external charging terminals being a DC voltage less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery: control a first one of the plurality of switches to disconnect at least one of the external charging terminals from the traction battery and from a high voltage terminal of the voltage converter; control a second one of the plurality of switches to connect at least one of the external charging terminals to a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; control at least a third one of the plurality of switches to connect at least one of the external charging terminals to at least one of the external load terminals; and control the voltage converter to increase the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals to the nominal voltage of the traction battery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The electrified vehicle of claim 6 wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to, in response to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals and the voltage detected at the external charging terminals being a DC voltage less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery, control at least a fourth one of the plurality of switches to disconnect the traction battery from the external load terminals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The electrified vehicle of claim 6 wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to, in response to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals and the voltage detected at the external charging terminals being a DC voltage less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery: control at least a fourth one of the plurality of switches to connect the traction battery to the external load terminals; and control at least a fifth one of the plurality of switches to disconnect a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter from at least one of the external load terminals. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electrified vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is programmed to, in response to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals being a DC voltage less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery: control a first one of the plurality of switches to disconnect at least one of the external charging terminals from the traction battery and from a high voltage terminal of the voltage converter; control a second one of the plurality of switches to disconnect at least one of the external charging terminals from a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; control at least a third one of the plurality of switches to connect the lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter to at least one of the external load terminals; control at least a fourth one of the plurality of switches to disconnect the traction battery from at least one of the external load terminals; and control the voltage converter to decrease the DC voltage from the traction battery to the requested voltage supplied to the external load terminals. ### Claim 10 A method for controlling an electrified vehicle having a traction battery electrically coupled to an electric machine, a synchronous DC/DC voltage converter, and a plurality of switches configured to selectively connect external charging terminals to the voltage converter, the traction battery, and external load terminals, the method comprising, by a vehicle controller, based on nominal voltage of the traction battery relative to DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals and a predetermined DC voltage selectively delivered to the external load terminals: controlling the plurality of switches to selectively connect the external charging terminals, the voltage converter, and the external load terminals; and controlling whether the voltage converter operates to increase or decrease voltage based on which one or more of the voltage converter, the external charging terminals, the external load terminals, and the traction battery are connected by the plurality of switches. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of switches include: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch, the method further comprising, responsive to the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals being within a predetermined range of the nominal voltage of the traction battery: closing the first switch; opening the second, third, fourth, and fifth switches; and disabling the voltage converter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of switches include: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch, the method further comprising, responsive to the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals being less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery: opening the first, third, fourth, and fifth switches; closing the second switch; and operating the voltage converter to increase voltage from the external charging terminals to the nominal voltage of the traction battery. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of switches include: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch, the method further comprising, responsive to the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals being within a predetermined range of the nominal voltage of the traction battery, and the predetermined DC voltage being less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery: closing the first, third, and fourth switches; opening the second and fifth switches; and operating the voltage converter to decrease voltage from the external charging terminals to the predetermined DC voltage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of switches include: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch, the method further comprising, responsive to the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals and the predetermined DC voltage both being less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery: closing the second, third, and fourth switches; opening the first and fifth switches; and operating the voltage converter to increase voltage from the external charging terminals to the nominal voltage of the traction battery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of switches include: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch, the method further comprising, responsive to no DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals and the predetermined DC voltage being less than the nominal voltage of the traction battery: closing the third and fourth switches; opening the first, second, and fifth switches; and operating the voltage converter to decrease voltage from the traction battery to the predetermined DC voltage supplied to the external load terminals. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of switches include: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch, the method further comprising: closing the fourth and fifth switches; opening the first, second, and third switches; and disabling the voltage converter to provide unregulated traction battery voltage to the external load terminals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of switches include: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch, the method further comprising, responsive to the DC voltage detected at the external charging terminals being within a predetermined range of the nominal traction battery voltage: closing the first, fourth, and fifth switches; opening the second and third switches; and disabling the voltage converter to provide unregulated voltage from the external charging terminals to the external load terminals. ### Claim 18 An electrified vehicle system comprising: a traction battery; a bi-directional synchronous DC/DC voltage converter; a plurality of switches configured to selectively connect at least one of the voltage converter and the traction battery to at least one of external charging terminals and external load terminals; and a controller programmed to operate the voltage converter in one of a disabled mode, boost mode, and buck mode based on which of the voltage converter, the traction battery, the external charging terminals, and the external load terminals are connected, and responsive to voltage of the traction battery relative to voltage at the external charging terminals and voltage supplied to the external load terminals. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 wherein the plurality of switches comprises: a first switch between a first one of the external charging terminals and the traction battery; a second switch between the first external charging terminal and a lower voltage terminal of the voltage converter; a third switch between the second switch and a first one of the external load terminals; a fourth switch between a second one of the external charging terminals and a second one of the external load terminals; and a fifth switch between the first switch and the third switch. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19 wherein the controller is programmed to operate the plurality of switches and the voltage converter to simultaneously supply power from the external charging terminals to the traction battery and the external load terminals.