Intelligent controls for independently operable inverters

A method of operating an electric machine using a controller, the method comprising:

• receiving a torque demand for the electric machine, the electric machine comprising a plurality of independently operable inverters;
• determining available inverters from the plurality of independently operable inverters;
• selecting, from the available inverters, a subset number of the available inverters to operate based on an efficiency map of the electric machine and the torque demand for the electric machine;
• and
• based on one or more conditions, switching operation of at least one inverter of the subset number of the available inverters with at least one inverter of the available inverters that is not in the subset number of the available inverters.

A method of operating an electric machine using a controller, the method comprising:

• receiving a torque demand for the electric machine, the electric machine comprising a plurality of independently operable inverters;
• determining available inverters from the plurality of independently operable inverters;
• selecting one or more inverter pairs of the available inverters to operate, wherein each inverter pair includes two of the available inverters coupled to machine winding sets positioned in 180 degrees of separation from each other in the electric machine;
• and
• switching operation of at least one of the selected inverter pairs with at least one other inverter pair of the available inverters, wherein the at least one other inverter pair is not among the selected inverter pairs of the available inverters.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a controller, cause the processor to:

• receive a torque demand for an electric machine, the electric machine comprising a plurality of independently operable inverters;
• determine available inverters from the plurality of independently operable inverters;
• select, from the available inverters, at least one of (i) a subset number of the available inverters to operate, and (ii) one or more inverter pairs of the available inverters to operate, each inverter pair including two of the available inverters coupled to machine winding sets positioned in 180 degrees of separation from each other in the electric machine;
• and
• based on one or more conditions, switch operation of at least one of (i) the subset number of the available inverters and (ii) the one or more inverter pairs of the available inverters with at least one of the available inverters that is not in the subset number of the available inverters or the one or more inverter pairs of the available inverters.