# US 12,594,857 B2 · System solution for two-phase electric machine used for vehicle propulsion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,857 B2 - Document ID: US12594857B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/429,827 - Filed: 2024-02-01 - Published: 2025-08-07 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2024-02-01 - Assignees: Volvo Car Corporation - Applicants: Volvo Car Corporation - Inventors: Torbjorn Larsson; Jonas Forssell; Joachim John David Härsjö - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594857B2 ## CPC - B60L 50/51: characterised by AC-motors - B60L 58/18: of two or more battery modules - B60L 15/007: {Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles} - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer - B60L 53/22: Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 53/24: Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging - B60L 58/21: having the same nominal voltage - B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters - 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 Vehicle propulsion using a two-phase electric machine (e.g., using a computerized tool) is enabled. For example, a two-phase electric drivetrain can comprise a plurality of cell-level control units. Each cell-level control unit of the plurality of cell-level control units can respectively comprise one or more battery cells, an h-bridge operable as a cell-level inverter, and a DC/DC converter, in parallel with the h-bridge, that converts battery cell voltage to an output voltage. The plurality of cell-level control units can be arranged into a pair of control unit strings comprising a first control unit string and a second control unit string. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A two-phase electric drivetrain, comprising: a plurality of cell-level control units, wherein each cell-level control unit of the plurality of cell-level control units respectively comprises: one or more battery cells, an h-bridge operable as a cell-level inverter, and a DC/DC converter, in parallel with the h-bridge, that converts battery cell voltage to an output voltage, wherein the plurality of cell-level control units is arranged into a pair of control unit strings comprising a first control unit string and a second control unit string. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The two-phase electric drivetrain of claim 1, wherein first respective cell-level control units of the first control unit string are electrically connected in series, and wherein second respective cell-level control units of the second control unit string are electrically connected in series. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The two-phase electric drivetrain of claim 1, wherein the pair of control unit strings respectively comprise first ends and second ends, opposite the first ends, and wherein respective first ends of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected to a charging terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The two-phase electric drivetrain of claim 1, wherein respective second ends of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected to an end switch that enables charging of the pair of control unit strings in series and to a two-phase electric machine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The two-phase electric drivetrain of claim 4, further comprising: a pair of leg switches respectively between the two-phase electric machine and the pair of control unit strings, wherein closing the pair of leg switches enables power supply from the pair of control unit strings to respective phases of the two-phase electric machine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The two-phase electric drivetrain of claim 1, wherein the output voltage comprises DC 400V or DC 800V. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The two-phase electric drivetrain of claim 1, wherein the output voltage comprises DC 15V. ### Claim 8 A vehicle comprising: a two-phase electric drivetrain, comprising: a plurality of cell-level control units, wherein each cell-level control unit of the plurality of cell-level control units respectively comprises: one or more battery cells, an h-bridge operable as a cell-level inverter, and a DC/DC converter, in parallel with the h-bridge, that converts battery cell voltage to an output voltage, wherein the plurality of cell-level control units is arranged into a pair of control unit strings comprising a first control unit string and a second control unit string. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein first respective cell-level control units of the first control unit string are electrically connected in series, and wherein second respective cell-level control units of the second control unit string are electrically connected in series. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the pair of control unit strings respectively comprise first ends and second ends, opposite the first ends, and wherein respective first ends of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected to a charging terminal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein respective second ends of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected to an end switch that enables charging of the pair of control unit strings in series and to a two-phase electric machine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising: a pair of leg switches respectively between the two-phase electric machine and the pair of control unit strings, wherein closing the pair of leg switches enables power supply from the pair of control unit strings to respective phases of the two-phase electric machine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the output voltage comprises DC 400V or DC 800V. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the output voltage comprises DC 15V. ### Claim 15 A method for propelling an electric vehicle comprising: closing a pair of leg switches, wherein the pair of leg switches is located respectively between a two-phase electric machine and a pair of control unit strings, wherein closing the pair of leg switches enables power supply from the pair of control unit strings to respective phases of the two-phase electric machine; and opening an end switch that prevents charging of the pair of control unit strings via an external power source, wherein each control unit string of the pair of control unit strings comprises a respective plurality of cell-level control units, wherein each cell-level control unit of the respective plurality of cell-level control units respectively comprises: one or more battery cells, an h-bridge operable as a cell-level inverter, and a DC/DC converter, in parallel with the h-bridge, that converts battery cell voltage to an output voltage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein first respective cell-level control units of a first control unit string of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected in series, and wherein second respective cell-level control units of a second control unit string of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected in series. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the pair of control unit strings respectively comprise first ends and second ends, opposite the first ends, and wherein respective first ends of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected to a charging terminal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein respective second ends of the pair of control unit strings are electrically connected to an end switch that enables charging of the pair of control unit strings in series and to a two-phase electric machine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the output voltage comprises DC 400V or DC 800V. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the output voltage comprises DC 15V.