IP Library Granted Patent US 11,225,150
Granted Patent B2
US 11,225,150 · App. 16/439,199 · Granted Jan 18, 2022

Power supply management apparatus and method thereof

Inventors: Fei Li (Shanghai, CN); Xi Lu (Shanghai, CN); Jian Zhou (Shanghai, CN); Pengju Kang (Yorktown Heights, NY); Ronghui Zhou (Shanghai, CN); Xiangming Shen (Shanghai, CN); Fengchen Sun (Shanghai, CN); Hai Qiu (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
B60L50/53B60L8/003B60L8/006B60L15/2045B60L50/90B60L2200/40Y02T10/64Y02T10/70Y02T10/7072Y02T10/72
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,225,150
App. No.
16/439,199
Granted
Jan 18, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus comprising an onboard energy storage device, an onboard power conversion device configured to be electrically coupled to an external power source for receiving electrical power therefrom, and at least one drive system electrically coupled to the onboard energy storage device and the onboard power conversion device, wherein the onboard energy storage device and the onboard power conversion device cooperatively provide electrical power for the at least one drive system. A vehicle and a method for managing power supply are also disclosed.

Claims (44)

1. A vehicle comprising:

an energy storage device;

a power interface coupleable to a power source external to the vehicle;

a DC bus coupleable to the energy storage device and the power interface;

a traction drive system coupleable to the DC bus, the traction drive system configured to receive electrical energy from the energy storage device for enabling movement of the vehicle in a driving mode;

a power take-off (PTO) drive system coupleable to the DC bus, the PTO drive system configured to receive electrical energy from the energy storage device and the power interface for enabling movement of at least one implement of the vehicle;

a traction switch coupled between the DC bus and the traction drive system, the traction switch configured to:

be selectively opened to disable the traction drive system when the power interface is coupled to the external power source; and

be selectively closed to allow electrical energy from the energy storage device to be transferred to the traction drive system when the vehicle is operating in the driving mode; and

a PTO switch coupled between the DC bus and the PTO drive system, the PTO switch configured to be selectively closed to enable the PTO drive system when the power interface is coupled to the external power source.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the PTO drive system comprises a PTO converter coupled to a PTO motor.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the power interface comprises a power conversion device configured to be coupled to at least one of a utility power grid, a portable electrical generator, a solar panel device, a wind turbine generator, and a hydro turbine generator.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a DC-DC converter coupled between the energy storage device and the DC bus.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage (ES) switch coupled between the energy storage device and the DC bus.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the traction drive system comprises a traction motor converter coupled to a traction motor.

7. A method for operating a vehicle, the vehicle including an energy storage device and power interface coupleable to a DC bus, a traction drive system coupleable to the DC bus via a traction switch, and a power take-off (PTO) drive system coupleable to the DC bus via a PTO switch, the method comprising:

opening the traction switch to disable the traction drive system when the power interface is coupled to a power source external to the vehicle; and

closing the traction switch to allow electrical energy from the energy storage device to be transferred to the traction drive system when the vehicle is operating in a driving mode; and

closing the PTO switch to enable the PTO drive system when the power interface is coupled to the external power source.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the PTO switch is configured to be selectively opened when the power interface is coupled to the external power source and the state of charge of the energy storage device is equal to or below a predetermined threshold.

9. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the ES switch is configured to be selectively closed to enable the energy storage device to be charged and the PTO switch is configured to be selectively closed to enable the PTO drive system when the power interface is coupled to the external power source and the state of charge of the energy storage device is above a predetermined threshold.

10. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the ES switch and the traction switch are configured to be selectively closed to enable the traction drive system when the power interface is not coupled to the external power source.

11. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the ES switch and the traction switch are configured to be selectively closed to enable the traction drive system and the PTO switch is configured to be selectively opened to disable the PTO drive system when the power interface is not coupled to an external power source and the state of charge of the energy storage device is equal to or below a predetermined threshold.

12. A vehicle comprising:

an energy storage device;

a power interface coupleable to a power source external to the vehicle;

a DC bus coupleable to the energy storage device and the power interface;

a traction drive system coupleable to the DC bus, the traction drive system configured to receive electrical energy from the energy storage device for enabling movement of the vehicle in a driving mode;

a power take-off (PTO) drive system coupleable to the DC bus, the PTO drive system configured to receive electrical energy from the energy storage device and the power interface for enabling movement of at least one implement of the vehicle;

a traction switch coupled between the DC bus and the traction drive system;

a PTO switch coupled between the DC bus and the PTO drive system; and

a control system configured to:

selectively open the traction switch to disable the traction drive system when the power interface is coupled to the external power source;

selectively close the traction switch to allow electrical energy from the energy storage device to be transferred to the traction drive system when the vehicle is operating in the driving mode; and

selectively close the PTO switch to enable the PTO drive system when the power interface is coupled to the external power source.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the PTO drive system comprises a PTO converter coupled to a PTO motor.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the power interface comprises a power conversion device configured to be coupled to at least one of a utility power grid, a portable electrical generator, a solar panel device, a wind turbine generator, and a hydro turbine generator.

15. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a DC-DC converter coupled between the energy storage device and the DC bus.

16. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising an energy storage (ES) switch coupled between the energy storage device and the DC bus.

17. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the traction drive system comprises a traction motor converter coupled to a traction motor.

18. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the control system is further configured to selectively open the PTO switch when the power interface is coupled to the external power source and the state of charge of the energy storage device is equal to or below a predetermined threshold.

19. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the control system is further configured to selectively close ES switch to enable the energy storage device to be charged and selectively close the PTO switch to enable the PTO drive system when the power interface is coupled to the external power source and the state of charge of the energy storage device is above a predetermined threshold.

20. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the control system is further configured to selectively close the ES switch and the traction switch to enable the traction drive system when the power interface is not coupled to the external power source.

21. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the control system is further configured to selectively close ES switch and the traction switch to enable the traction drive system and selectively open the PTO switch to disable the PTO drive system when the power interface is not coupled to an external power source and the state of charge of the energy storage device is equal to or below a predetermined threshold.

Assignments (5)
QUITCLAIM ASSIGNMENT Recorded Apr 9, 2026
From: EDISON INNOVATIONS LLC
To: BUNKER HILL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 074326/0549 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2025
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 070636/0815 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 26, 2025
From: GE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
To: DOLBY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 070643/0907 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: DOLBY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LICENSING, LLC
To: EDISON INNOVATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 070293/0273 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2019
From: LI, FEI; LU, XI; ZHOU, JIAN; KANG, PENGJU; ZHOU, RONGHUI; SHEN, XIANGMING; SUN, FENGCHENG; QIU, HAI
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 049497/0616 →