# US 2014/0191692 A1 · Synchronous energy source switching controller and method of operation thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191692 A1 - Document ID: US20140191692A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/889,295 - Filed: 2013-05-07 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-07 - Assignees: Atieva, Inc. - Applicants: Atieva, Inc. - Inventors: Chia- Ming Chuang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191692A1 ## CPC - H02P 9/00: Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output - B60L 58/21: having the same nominal voltage - H02P 4/00: Arrangements specially adapted for regulating or controlling the speed or torque of electric motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies (vector control H02P21/00) - B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type - H02J 7/345: {using capacitors as storage or buffering devices} - H02J 7/96: in response to battery voltage - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - 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 - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present invention relates to a motor assembly, a method of operation thereof and a transport vehicle provided with the motor assembly. The motor assembly is provided with an energy source switching controller that is in synchronization with motor operation and provides an improved utilization of energy storage sources in an electric, hybrid electric, or fuel cell based motor vehicle drive train application. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motor assembly for switchably engaging with and receiving power from one of energy storage sources connected in parallel, the energy storage sources each having a positive electrode and a negative electrode, the motor assembly comprising: a multi-phase motor; a motor controller comprising: a voltage-stabilizing module adapted for selective connection to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of one of the energy storage sources; a plurality of switching modules for switching on/off the energy storage sources, the switching modules having an amount equal to that of the energy storage sources and coupling between the respective energy storage sources and the respective voltage-stabilizing modules, wherein the switching modules each has a precharge switch for limiting an in-rush current and an energizing switch connected in parallel to the precharge switch and having a lower resistance than the precharge switch; a detection module for detecting a output voltage difference between the positive and negative electrodes of one of the energy storage sources and a voltage difference between two ends of the voltage-stabilizing module connected to the one of the energy storage sources if the multi-phase motor is to be receiving power from the one of the energy storage sources; and a phase-controlling module for selectively energizing the multi-phase motor; and a system controlling device for selectively switching on/off the precharge switch and the energizing switch controlling the phase-controlling module upon receipt of the output voltage difference of one of the energy storage sources and the voltage difference between the two ends of the voltage-stabilizing module from the detection module. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The motor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the voltage-stabilizing module is a capacitor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The motor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the phase-controlling module comprises a plurality of insulating gate bipolar transistors. ### Claim 4 A method for switchably permitting transmission of power from one of energy storage sources connected in parallel to a multi-phase motor using a motor controller commanded by a system controlling device, the energy storage sources each having a positive electrode and a negative electrode, wherein the motor controller comprises a voltage-stabilizing module adapted for selective connection to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of one of the energy storage sources; a plurality of switching modules for switching on/off the energy storage sources, the switching modules having an amount equal to that of the energy storage sources and coupling between the respective energy storage sources and the respective voltage-stabilizing modules, each switching modules having a precharge switch for limiting an in-rush current and an energizing switch connected in parallel to the precharge switch and having a lower resistance than the precharge switch; a detection module for detecting a output voltage difference between the positive and negative electrodes of one of the energy storage sources and a voltage difference between two ends of the voltage-stabilizing module connected to the one of the energy storage sources if the multi-phase motor is to be receiving power from the one of the energy storage sources; a phase-controlling module for selectively energizing the multi-phase motor; and the system controlling device for switching on/off the precharge switch and the energizing switch controlling the phase-controlling module upon receipt of the output voltage difference of one of the energy storage sources and the voltage difference between the two ends of the voltage-stabilizing module from the detection module, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving a command from the system controlling device to determine which one of the energy storage sources supplies power to the multi-phase motor; b) using the detection module to detect whether the one of the energy storage sources has an energy level higher than a predetermined threshold; c) turning off the phase-controlling module; d) turning on the precharge switch corresponding to the one of the energy storage sources, so that the voltage difference across the voltage-stabilizing module approaches the output voltage difference of the one of the energy storage sources; e) turning off the precharge switch and turning on the energizing switch corresponding to the one of the energy storage sources to electrically connect the one of the energy storage sources to the multi-phase motor; and f) using the system controlling device to command the phase-controlling module to selectively energize the multi-phase motor and to perform a drive cycle duty. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A transport vehicle, comprising: a plurality of energy storage sources connected in parallel, each having a positive electrode and a negative electrode; a motor assembly according to claim 1, comprising: a multi-phase motor; a motor controller comprising: a voltage-stabilizing module adapted for selective connection to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of one of the energy storage sources; a plurality of switching modules for switching on/off the energy storage sources, the switching modules having an amount equal to that of the energy storage sources and coupling between the respective energy storage sources and the respective voltage-stabilizing modules, wherein the switching modules each has a precharge switch for limiting an in-rush current and an energizing switch connected in parallel to the precharge switch and having a lower resistance than the precharge switch; a detection module for detecting a output voltage difference between the positive and negative electrodes of one of the energy storage sources and a voltage difference between two ends of the voltage-stabilizing module connected to the one of the energy storage sources if the multi-phase motor is to be receiving power from the one of the energy storage sources; and a phase-controlling module for selectively energizing the multi-phase motor; and a system controlling device for switching on/off the precharge switch and the energizing switch controlling the phase-controlling module upon receipt of the output voltage difference of one of the energy storage sources and the voltage difference between the two ends of the voltage-stabilizing module from the detection module. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transport vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the energy storage sources comprise at least one DC battery module. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The transport vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the energy storage sources further comprise at least one super capacitor having larger in-rush output current than that of the at least one DC battery module.