# US 2021/0242691 A1 · Adaptive fast-charging of multi-pack battery system in a mobile platform having dual charge ports

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- Number: US 2021/0242691 A1
- Document ID: US20210242691A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/780,308
- Filed: 2020-02-03
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-03
- Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
- Inventors: Lei Hao; Yue-Yun Wang; Suresh Gopalakrishnan; Chandra S. Namuduri; Rashmi Prasad; Madhusudan Raghavan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242691A1

## CPC

- B60L 53/11: {DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4}
- H02J 7/56: Active balancing, e.g. using capacitor-based, inductor-based or DC-DC converters
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/18: Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/24: Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
- B60L 53/31: Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
- B60L 53/67: Controlling two or more charging stations
- B60L 58/19: Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
- B60L 58/21: having the same nominal voltage
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- H02J 7/575: {Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit}
- B60L 2220/42: with use of more than one motor
- B60L 2240/423: Torque
- H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV]
- 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
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- 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
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A system for use with a direct current fast-charging (DCFC) station includes a controller and battery system. The battery system includes first and second battery packs, and first, second, and third switches. The switches have ON/OFF conductive states commanded by the controller to connect the battery packs in a parallel-connected (P-connected) or series-connected (S-connected) configuration. An electric powertrain with one or more electric machines is powered via the battery system. First and second charge ports of the system are connectable to the station via a corresponding charging cable. The first charge port receives a low or high charging voltage from the station. The second charge port receives a low charging voltage. When the station can supply the high charging voltage to the first charge port, the controller establishes the S-connected configuration via the switches, and thereafter charges the battery system solely via the first charge port.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for use with a direct current fast-charging (DCFC) station, the system comprising:
a controller;
a reconfigurable battery system that includes:
first and second battery packs;
first, second, and third switches having respective ON/OFF conductive states that are individually commanded by the controller to selectively connect the first and second battery packs in either a parallel-connected (P-connected) configuration or a series-connected (S-connected) configuration based on a desired operating mode;
an electric powertrain having one or more electric machines powered via the reconfigurable battery system; and
first and second charge ports each being connectable to the DCFC station via a corresponding charging cable during a DCFC event in which the first and/or second battery pack of the reconfigurable battery system is recharged via the DCFC station, wherein the first charge port is configured to receive a low charging voltage or a high charging voltage from the DCFC station, and the second charge port is configured to receive a low charging voltage that is less than half of the high charging voltage;
wherein the controller is configured, when the DCFC station is able to supply the high charging voltage to the first charge port, to selectively establish the S-connected configuration via control of the respective ON/OFF conductive states of the switches, and to thereafter charge the reconfigurable battery system solely via the first charge port.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured, when the DCFC station is able to supply the low charging voltage to the first charge port and the second charge port, to selectively establish the S-connected configuration via control of the respective ON/OFF conductive states of the switches, and to thereafter charge the reconfigurable battery system via the first charge port and the second charge port.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to record a diagnostic error code when the DCFC station is not able to supply the high charging voltage and is not able to supply the low charging voltage to the first charge port.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured, when the DCFC station is able to supply the low charging voltage only to the first charge port, to establish the P-connected configuration via control of the respective ON/OFF conductive states of the switches, and to thereafter sequentially charge the first battery pack and the second battery pack via the first charge port using the low charging voltage.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising an accessory load connected to the second charge port during the DCFC event, wherein during the DCFC event the controller is configured to power the accessory load at the low charging voltage via the second charge port concurrently with charging the reconfigurable battery system at the high charging voltage via the first charge port.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a fourth switch disposed between the second battery pack and the second charge port, wherein the controller is configured to selectively control the ON/OFF conductive state of the fourth switch to enable the second charge port to receive the high charging voltage from the DCFC station.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a vehicle body; and
road wheels connected to the vehicle body, wherein the road wheels are in rolling contact with a road surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, further comprising first and second power inverter modules connected to the reconfigurable battery system, wherein the road wheels include front and rear road wheels, and wherein the one or more electric machines includes a first electric machine connected to the first power inverter modules and configured to power the front road wheels, and a second electric machine connected to the second power inverter modules and configured to power the rear road wheels.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, further comprising a single power inverter module connected to the reconfigurable battery system, wherein the road wheels include front and rear road wheels, and wherein the one or more electric machines includes a plurality of electric machines each connected to the single power inverter module.

### Claim 10

A method for charging a reconfigurable battery system of an electrical system having a first battery pack and a second battery pack using a direct current fast-charging (DCFC) station, the method comprising:
verifying, via a controller, a connection of first and second charging cables from the DCFC station with respective first and second charge ports of the electrical system, wherein the first charge port is configured to receive either of a low charging voltage or a high charging voltage from the DCFC station, and the second charge port is configured to receive a low charging voltage that is less than half of the high charging voltage;
selectively establishing a series-connected (S-connected) configuration of the first and second battery packs, via the controller, by individually commanding respective ON/OFF conductive states of first, second, and third switches of the reconfigurable battery system; and
charging the reconfigurable battery system solely via the first charge port when the DCFC station supplies the high charging voltage to the first charge port.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
charging the reconfigurable battery system via the controller, the first charge port, and the second charge port when the DCFC station is able to supply the low charging voltage to the first charge port and the second charge port.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
recording a diagnostic error code via the controller when the DCFC station is not able to supply the high charging voltage to the first charge port, and is also not able to supply the low charging voltage to the first charge port.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
when the DCFC station is able to supply the low charging voltage only to the first charge port, establishing a parallel-connected (P-connected) configuration of the first and second battery packs of the reconfigurable battery system via control of the respective ON/OFF conductive states of the switches; and
thereafter sequentially charging the first battery pack and the second battery pack via the first charge port using the low charging voltage.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the electrical system includes an accessory load connected to the second charge port during the DCFC event, the method further comprising:
during the DCFC event, powering the accessory load at the low charging voltage via the second charge port concurrently with charging the reconfigurable battery system at the high charging voltage via the first charge port.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, herein the electrical system includes a fourth switch disposed between the second battery pack and the second charge port, the method further comprising:
selectively controlling the ON/OFF conductive state of the fourth switch to enable the second charge port to receive the high charging voltage from the DCFC station; and
charging the reconfigurable battery system via the second port using the high charging voltage.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the electrical system is part of a motor vehicle having road wheels connected to a vehicle body, the method further comprising:
energizing at least one rotary electric machine via the reconfigurable battery to thereby generate motor torque; and
transmitting the motor torque to the road wheels to thereby propel the motor vehicle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the road wheels include front and rear road wheels, and the at least one rotary electric machine includes first and second rotary electric machines connected to the reconfigurable battery system, the method further comprising:
energizing the first electric machine to generate a first motor torque;
energizing the second electric machine to generate a second motor torque;
transmitting the first motor torque to the front road wheels; and
transmitting the second motor torque to the rear road wheels.

### Claim 18

A motor vehicle comprising:
a controller;
a vehicle body;
road wheels connected to the vehicle body, wherein the road wheels are in rolling contact with a road surface;
a rotary electric machine connected to the road wheels;
a power inverter module;
a reconfigurable battery system connected to the power inverter module, and including:
first and second battery packs;
first, second, and third switches having respective ON/OFF conductive states that are individually commanded by the controller to selectively connect the first and second battery packs in either a parallel-connected (P-connected) configuration or a series-connected (S-connected) configuration based on a desired operating mode;
an electric powertrain having one or more electric machines powered via the reconfigurable battery system; and
first and second charge ports each being connectable to the DCFC station via a corresponding charging cable during a DCFC event in which the first and/or second battery pack of the reconfigurable battery system is recharged via the DCFC station, wherein the first charge port is configured to receive a low charging voltage or a high charging voltage from the DCFC station, and the second charge port is configured to receive a low charging voltage that is less than half of the high charging voltage;
wherein the controller is configured:
when the DCFC station is able to supply the high charging voltage to the first charge port, to selectively establish the S-connected configuration via control of the respective ON/OFF conductive states of the switches, and to thereafter charge the reconfigurable battery system solely via the first charge port;
when the DCFC station is able to supply the low charging voltage to the first charge port and the second charge port, to selectively establish the S-connected configuration via control of the respective ON/OFF conductive states of the switches, and to thereafter charge the reconfigurable battery system via the first charge port and the second charge port; and
to record a diagnostic error code when the DCFC station is not able to supply the high charging voltage and is not able to supply the low charging voltage to the first charge port.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The motor vehicle of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured, when the DCFC station is able to supply the low charging voltage only to the first charge port, to establish the P-connected configuration via control of the respective ON/OFF conductive states of the switches, and to thereafter sequentially charge the first battery pack and the second battery pack via the first charge port using the low charging voltage.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The motor vehicle of claim 18, further comprising an accessory load connected to the second charge port during the DCFC event, wherein during the DCFC event the controller is configured to power the accessory load at the low charging voltage via the second charge port concurrently with charging the reconfigurable battery system at the high charging voltage via the first charge port.