Torque-equalizing fault response for loss of low voltage DC electrical power in electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11673473-B2
Application number	US-202117389072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2021
Priority date	Jul 29, 2021
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

An illustrative dual power inverter module includes a detection circuit configured to detect loss of low voltage DC electrical power supplied to a controller for a first power inverter and a second power inverter of a drive unit for an electric vehicle. A first backup power circuit is associated with the first power inverter and a second backup power circuit is associated with the second power inverter. Each backup power circuit is configured to convert high voltage DC electrical power to low voltage DC electrical power responsive to detection of loss of low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller. Three-phase short circuitry is configured to apply a same fault action to the first power inverter and the second power inverter responsive to detection of loss of low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller, wherein the same fault action includes applying equalized torque to each axle operatively coupled to the drive unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual power inverter module comprising: a detection circuit configured to detect loss of low voltage direct current (DC) electrical power supplied to a controller for a first power inverter and a second power inverter of a drive unit for an electric vehicle; a first backup power circuit associated with the first power inverter and a second backup power circuit associated with the second power inverter, each backup power circuit being configured to convert high voltage DC electrical power to the low voltage DC electrical power responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller; and three-phase short circuitry configured to apply a same fault action to the first power inverter and the second power inverter responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller, wherein the same fault action includes applying equalized torque to each axle operatively coupled to the drive unit.

2. The module of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit includes an optocoupler.

3. The module of claim 2 , wherein each backup power circuit includes a step-down DC-DC converter operably coupled to receive the high voltage DC electrical power, configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power to the low voltage DC electrical power, and further configured to output the low voltage DC electrical power.

4. The module of claim 2 , wherein each backup power circuit includes a normally-shut relay having a relay coil operably coupled to the optocoupler.

5. The module of claim 4 , wherein the normally-shut relay also includes a normally-shut contact responsive to the relay coil.

6. The module of claim 5 , wherein each backup power circuit includes a voltage divider operably coupled to receive the high voltage DC electrical power, configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power to the low voltage DC electrical power, and further configured to output the low voltage DC electrical power to the normally-shut contact.

7. The module of claim 1 , wherein the first power inverter and the second power inverter each include two banks of three-terminal power semiconductor devices.

8. The module of claim 7 , wherein the three-phase short circuitry is further configured to cause one bank of three-terminal power semiconductor devices in the first power inverter and the second power inverter to short responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller.

9. An electric vehicle comprising: a vehicle body; a high voltage direct current (DC) electrical battery disposed within the vehicle body; first and second electric motors mechanically couplable to rotate at least one set of axles; and at least one dual power inverter module including: a detection circuit configured to detect loss of low voltage DC electrical power supplied to a controller for a first power inverter and a second power inverter of a drive unit for an electric vehicle; a first backup power circuit associated with the first power inverter and a second backup power circuit associated with the second power inverter, each backup power circuit being configured to convert high voltage DC electrical power to the low voltage DC electrical power responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller; and three-phase short circuitry configured to apply a same fault action to the first power inverter and the second power inverter responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller, wherein the same fault action includes applying equalized torque to each axle operatively coupled to the drive unit.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the detection circuit includes an optocoupler.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 10 , wherein each backup power circuit includes a step-down DC-DC converter operably coupled to receive the high voltage DC electrical power, configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power to the low voltage DC electrical power, and further configured to output the low voltage DC electrical power.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 10 , wherein each backup power circuit includes a normally-shut relay having a relay coil operably coupled to the optocoupler.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the normally-shut relay also includes a normally-shut contact responsive to the relay coil.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 13 , wherein each backup power circuit includes a voltage divider operably coupled to receive the high voltage DC electrical power, configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power to the low voltage DC electrical power, and further configured to output the low voltage DC electrical power to the normally-shut contact.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the first power inverter and the second power inverter each include two banks of three-terminal power semiconductor devices.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the three-phase short circuitry is further configured to cause one bank of three-terminal power semiconductor devices in the first power inverter and the second power inverter to short responsive to detection of loss of low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller.

17. A method comprising: detecting loss of low voltage direct current (DC) electrical power supplied to a controller for a first processor for a first power inverter and a second processor for a second power inverter of a drive unit for an electric vehicle; converting high voltage DC electrical power to the low voltage DC electrical power responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller; and applying a same fault action to the first power inverter and the second power inverter responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller, wherein the same fault action includes applying equalized torque to each axle operatively coupled to the drive unit.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: generating a control signal responsive to presence of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein applying the same fault action to the first power inverter and the second power inverter including applying equalized torque to each axle operatively coupled to the drive unit responsive to detection of loss of the low voltage DC electrical power supplied to the controller further includes applying the same fault action to the first power inverter and the second power inverter responsive to absence of the control signal, wherein the same fault action includes applying equalized torque to each axle operatively coupled to the drive unit.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the same fault action includes causing one bank of three-terminal power semiconductor devices in the first power inverter and the second power inverter to short.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Schulz Steven E
• Tang David
• Hiti Silva
• Breese Richard M

Classifications

• B60L15/04

  using DC · CPC title

• B60L2210/10

  DC to DC converters · CPC title

• B60L2240/527

  Voltage · CPC title

• B60L15/2054

  by controlling transmissions or clutches · CPC title

• B60L2240/423

  Torque · CPC title