IP Library › Granted Patent US 12709240
Granted Patent B2
US 12709240 · App. 18/926,526 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Power distribution system for a vehicle

Inventors: Mohamed Ahmed Kamel Ahmed (Birmingham, MI); Robert A. De Stefano (Macomb Township, MI); Jonathan O. Conell (Sterling Heights, MI); Lyall Kenneth Winger (Waterloo, CA); Suresh Gopalakrishnan (Troy, MI); James Morrison (Wheatley, CA); Dave Gerard Rich (Sterling Heights, MI)
Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
B60R16/033
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12709240
App. No.
18/926,526
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power distribution system for a vehicle includes power grids including a first power grid having a first polarity and a second power grid having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity. Aggregators are coupled to the power sources and include a first low voltage grid and a second low voltage grid. At least one load is defined by the first low voltage grid and the second low voltage grid and includes one or more of a non-critical load and a critical load. A plurality of switches is coupled to the aggregators to define a load path for each of the plurality of loads. A controller is operably coupled to each of the power grids and the plurality of switches and is configured with a power distribution architecture that includes modes. Each mode is defined by selective operation of one or more of the plurality of switches.

Claims (50)

1 . A power distribution system for a vehicle, the power distribution system comprising:

a chassis ground;

at least two power sources;

a first converter coupled to at least one power source of the at least two power sources, the first converter including a first sub-converter and a second sub-converter and a negative port isolated from the chassis ground to define a secondary ground;

a second converter coupled to at least one power source of the at least two power sources, the second converter including a third sub-converter and a fourth sub-converter;

one or more buses coupled to the first converter and the second converter, the one or more buses including a first bus and a second bus;

a first supplementary switch coupled to and between the first bus and the second bus;

a second supplementary switch coupled to and between the secondary ground and the second bus;

a third supplementary switch coupled to and between the secondary ground and the chassis ground; and

a controller operably coupled to each of the at least two power sources, the first converter, the second converter, and each of the first, second, and third supplementary switches, the controller configured with a power distribution architecture including modes.

2 . The power distribution system of claim 1 , further including a critical load and a plurality of non-critical loads.

3 . The power distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of non-critical loads includes a first non-critical load and a second non-critical load, the first non-critical load defined between the first bus and the secondary ground via a first disconnect switch and the second non-critical load defined between the second bus and the chassis ground by a second disconnect switch.

4 . The power distribution system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more buses includes a third bus and a fourth bus, the first and second sub-converters of the first converter being coupled to the third bus and the third and fourth sub-converters of the second converter being coupled to the fourth bus.

5 . The power distribution system of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of non-critical loads is connected across one of the third bus and the fourth bus and the chassis ground through a switch.

6 . The power distribution system of claim 4 , wherein the first converter includes a positive output and a negative output, the positive output being coupled to the third bus through a switch and the negative output being coupled to the chassis ground.

7 . A power distribution system for a vehicle, the power distribution system comprising:

a chassis ground;

at least two power sources;

a first converter coupled to at least one power source of the at least two power sources, the first converter including a first sub-converter and a second sub-converter and a negative port isolated from the chassis ground to define a secondary ground;

a second converter coupled to at least one power source of the at least two power sources, the second converter including a third sub-converter and a fourth sub-converter;

one or more buses coupled to the first converter and the second converter, the one or more buses including a first bus and a second bus;

a super cap coupled across the first bus and the chassis ground;

a critical load;

a plurality of non-critical loads;

a first supplementary switch coupled to and between the first bus and the second bus;

a second supplementary switch coupled to and between the secondary ground and the second bus;

a third supplementary switch coupled to and between the secondary ground and the chassis ground; and

a controller operably coupled to each of the at least two power sources, the first converter, the second converter, and each of the first, second, and third supplementary switches, the controller configured with a power distribution architecture including modes.

8 . The power distribution system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of non-critical loads includes a first non-critical load and a second non-critical load.

9 . The power distribution system of claim 8 , wherein the first non-critical load is defined between the first bus and the secondary ground via a first disconnect switch and the second non-critical load is defined between the second bus and the chassis ground by a second disconnect switch.

10 . The power distribution system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more buses includes a third bus and a fourth bus.

11 . The power distribution system of claim 10 , wherein the first and second sub-converters of the first converter are coupled to the third bus and the third and fourth sub-converters of the second converter are coupled to the fourth bus.

12 . The power distribution system of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of non-critical loads is connected across one of the third bus and the fourth bus and the chassis ground through a switch.

13 . The power distribution system of claim 10 , wherein the first converter includes a positive output and a negative output, the positive output being coupled to the third bus through a switch and the negative output being coupled to the chassis ground.

14 . The power distribution system of claim 7 , further including a current limiting device, wherein the super cap is coupled across the first bus and the chassis ground via the current limiting device.

15 . A power distribution system for a vehicle, the power distribution system comprising:

a chassis ground;

at least two power sources;

a first converter coupled to at least one power source of the at least two power sources, the first converter including a first sub-converter and a second sub-converter and a positive port and a negative port isolated from the chassis ground to define a secondary ground;

a second converter coupled to at least one power source of the at least two power sources, the second converter including a third sub-converter and a fourth sub-converter and a positive port and a negative port, the negative port of the second converter coupled to the chassis ground;

one or more buses coupled to the first converter and the second converter, the one or more buses including a first bus connected to the positive port of the first converter and a second bus;

a first supplementary switch coupled to and between the first bus and the second bus;

a second supplementary switch coupled to and between the secondary ground and the second bus;

a third supplementary switch coupled to and between the secondary ground and the chassis ground; and

a controller operably coupled to each of the at least two power sources, the first converter, the second converter, and each of the first, second, and third supplementary switches, the controller configured with a power distribution architecture including modes.

16 . The power distribution system of claim 15 , further including a critical load and a plurality of non-critical loads.

17 . The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of non-critical loads includes a first non-critical load and a second non-critical load, the first non-critical load is defined between the first bus and the secondary ground via a first disconnect switch and the second non-critical load is defined between the second bus and the chassis ground by a second disconnect switch.

18 . The power distribution system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more buses includes a third bus and a fourth bus, the first and second sub-converters of the first converter being coupled to the third bus and the third and fourth sub-converters of the second converter being coupled to the fourth bus.

19 . The power distribution system of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the plurality of non-critical loads is connected across one of the third bus and the fourth bus and the chassis ground through a switch.

20 . The power distribution system of claim 18 , wherein the first converter includes a positive output and a negative output, the positive output being coupled to the third bus through a switch and the negative output being coupled to the chassis ground.