# US 12,224,580 B1 · Multi-function converter unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,224,580 B1 - Document ID: US12224580B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/359,401 - Filed: 2023-07-26 - Published: 2025-01-30 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-26 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Lei Hao; Shuonan Xu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224580B1 ## CPC - H02J 1/082: DC supplies with two or more different DC voltage levels - B60L 53/20: characterised by converters located in the vehicle - H02J 1/084: {for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources} - H02J 7/342: {The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68)} - H02M 3/155: using semiconductor devices only - B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters - H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - 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 - 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 Techniques are provided for activating a plurality of power features of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the techniques involve controlling a plurality of switches of a multi-function converter unit configuration to activate at least one of the plurality of power features of the vehicle, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration includes a multi-function converter unit, at least one charge port, and a load. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for activating a plurality of power features of a first vehicle, comprising: a processor; a multi-function converter unit comprising: a DC-DC converter including a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal, a first electrical path including a first voltage source connected to a first energy switch, wherein the first electrical path is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, a second electrical path including the first voltage source connected to a first pre-charge resistor connected to a first energy pre-charge switch, wherein the second electrical path is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, a third electrical path including a second voltage source connected to a second energy switch, wherein the third electrical path is connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal, a fourth electrical path including the second voltage source connected to a second energy pre-charge resistor connected to a second energy pre-charge switch, wherein the fourth electrical path is connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal, and a relay switch connected to the fourth terminal; and memory or storage comprising an algorithm or computer instructions, which when executed by the processor, performs an operation comprising: controlling a plurality of switches of a multi-function converter unit configuration to activate at least one of the plurality of power features of the first vehicle, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration includes the multi-function converter unit, the operation further comprising activating a first power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the first power feature involves simultaneously charging an element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via a first grid that is compatible with the first vehicle and a charging a second vehicle via a second grid that is incompatible with the second vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operation further comprising activating a second power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the second power feature represents a power transfer between the first voltage source and the second voltage source of the multi-function converter unit configuration. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operation further comprising activating a third power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the third power feature represents a pre-charging of the first voltage source and the second voltage source of the multi-function converter unit configuration. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operation further comprising activating a fourth power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the fourth power feature involves charging of an energy storage system of the second vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operation further comprising activating a fifth power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the fifth power feature involves charging the element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via the first grid that is compatible with the first vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operation further comprising activating a sixth power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the sixth power feature involves charging the element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via the second grid that is incompatible with the first vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the operation further comprising activating a seventh power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the seventh power feature involves simultaneously charging the element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via the second grid that is incompatible with the first vehicle and the charging the second vehicle via the second grid that is incompatible with the second vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration further includes: a first switch connected to a first charge port of the first vehicle and the first terminal; a second switch connected to the first charge port and the second terminal; a third switch connected to the first charge port and the third terminal; a fourth switch connected to the first charge port and the fourth terminal; and a load connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal via the relay switch. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration further includes: a first switch connected to a second charge port of the second vehicle and the first terminal, a second switch connected to the second charge port and the second terminal; a third switch connected to a first charge port of the first vehicle and the third terminal, a fourth switch connected to the first charge port and the fourth terminal; a fifth switch connected to the first charge port and the first terminal; and a load connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal via the relay switch. ### Claim 10 A multi-function converter unit for activating a plurality of power features of a first vehicle, comprising: a DC-DC converter including a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal; a first electrical path including a first voltage source connected to a first energy switch, wherein the first electrical path is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal; a second electrical path including the first voltage source connected to a first pre-charge resistor connected to a first energy pre-charge switch, wherein the second electrical path is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal; a third electrical path including a second voltage source connected to a second energy switch, wherein the third electrical path is connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal; a fourth electrical path including the second voltage source connected to a second energy pre-charge resistor connected to a second energy pre-charge switch, wherein the fourth electrical path is connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal; and a relay switch connected to the fourth terminal, wherein a plurality of switches of a multi-function converter unit configuration can be controlled to activate at least one of the plurality of power features of the first vehicle, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration includes the multi-function converter unit and wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration can be further controlled to activate a first power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the first power feature involves simultaneously charging an element of the multifunction converter unit configuration via a first grid that is incompatible with the first vehicle and a charging a second vehicle via a second grid that is incompatible with the second vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration can be further controlled to activate a second power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the second power feature represents a power transfer between the first voltage source and the second voltage source of the multi-function converter unit configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration can be further controlled to activate a third power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the third power feature represents a pre-charging of the first voltage source and the second voltage source of the multi-function converter unit configuration. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration can be further controlled to activate a fourth power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the fourth power feature involves charging of an energy storage system of the second vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration can be further controlled to activate a fifth power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the fifth power feature involves charging the element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via the second grid that is compatible with the first vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration can be further controlled to activate a sixth power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the sixth power feature involves charging the element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via the first grid that is incompatible with the first vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration can be further controlled to activate a seventh power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the seventh power feature involves simultaneously charging the element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via the second grid that is compatible with the first vehicle and the charging the second vehicle via the second grid that is incompatible with the second vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration further includes: a first switch connected to a first charge port of the first vehicle and the first terminal; a second switch connected to the first charge port and the second terminal; a third switch connected to the first charge port and the third terminal; a fourth switch connected to the first charge port and the fourth terminal; and a load connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal via the relay switch. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The multi-function converter unit of claim 10, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration further includes: a first switch connected to a second charge port of the second vehicle and the first terminal, a second switch connected to the second charge port and the second terminal; a third switch connected to a first charge port of the first vehicle and the third terminal, a fourth switch connected to the first charge port and the fourth terminal; a fifth switch connected to the first charge port and the first terminal; and a load connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal via the relay switch. ### Claim 19 A system for activating a plurality of power features of a first vehicle, comprising: a processor; a multi-function converter unit comprising: a DC-DC converter including a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal, a first electrical path including a first voltage source connected to a first energy switch, wherein the first electrical path is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, a second electrical path including the first voltage source connected to a first pre-charge resistor connected to a first energy pre-charge switch, wherein the second electrical path is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, a third electrical path including a second voltage source connected to a second energy switch, wherein the third electrical path is connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal, a fourth electrical path including the second voltage source connected to a second energy pre-charge resistor connected to a second energy pre-charge switch, wherein the fourth electrical path is connected to the third terminal and the fourth terminal, and a relay switch connected to the fourth terminal; and memory or storage comprising an algorithm or computer instructions, which when executed by the processor, performs an operation comprising: controlling a plurality of switches of a multi-function converter unit configuration to activate at least one of the plurality of power features of the first vehicle, wherein the multi-function converter unit configuration includes the multi-function converter unit, the operation further comprising activating a first power feature of the plurality of power features, wherein the first power feature involves simultaneously charging an element of the multi-function converter unit configuration via a first grid and a charging a second vehicle via a second grid that is incompatible with the second vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, where the first grid is not compatible with the first vehicle.