Granted Patent B2

US 12,620,891 · App. 18/168,146 · Granted May 5, 2026

Inventor: Mark Wendell Gose (Kokomo, IN)

Assignee: BorgWarner US Technologies LLC

H02M1/327H02M1/0054H02P27/08H05K7/20154H05K7/20254H05K7/2049H05K7/20854H05K7/209H05K7/20927H10W40/037H10W40/22H10W40/255H10W40/43H10W40/611H10W40/641H10W40/778H10W70/481H10W70/611H10W70/65H10W90/00B60L3/003B60L15/007B60L15/08B60L15/20B60L50/40B60L50/51B60L50/60B60L50/64B60L53/20B60L53/22B60L53/62B60L2210/30B60L2210/40B60L2210/42B60L2210/44B60L2240/36B60R16/02G01R15/20G06F1/08G06F13/4004G06F2213/40H02J7/855H02J2207/20H02M1/0009H02M1/08H02M1/084H02M1/088H02M1/123H02M1/32H02M1/322H02M1/4258H02M1/44H02M3/33523H02M7/003H02M7/537H02M7/5387H02M7/53871H02M7/53875H02M7/5395H02P27/06H02P27/085H02P29/024H02P29/027H02P29/68H02P2207/05H03K19/20H05K1/145H05K1/181H05K1/182H05K5/0247H05K7/2039H05K2201/042H05K2201/10166H10D64/018H10W40/226H10W40/235H10W40/47H10W40/60H10W70/685H10W70/692H10W72/07331H10W72/07354H10W72/30H10W72/347H10W90/734H10W90/736

Abstract

Claims (106)

1 . A system comprising:

an inverter configured to convert DC power from a battery to AC power to drive a motor, wherein the inverter includes:

an upper phase multi-chip module including:

a low-voltage upper phase controller;

a high-voltage upper phase A controller;

an upper phase A galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage upper phase controller to the high-voltage upper phase A controller;

a high-voltage upper phase B controller;

an upper phase B galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage upper phase controller to the high-voltage upper phase B controller;

a high-voltage upper phase C controller; and

an upper phase C galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage upper phase controller to the high-voltage upper phase C controller.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inverter further includes:

a point-of-use upper phase A controller configured to be connected to the high-voltage upper phase A controller;

a point-of-use upper phase B controller configured to be connected to the high-voltage upper phase B controller; and

a point-of-use upper phase C controller configured to be connected to the high-voltage upper phase C controller.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the inverter further includes:

an upper phase A power switch connected to the point-of-use upper phase A controller, and configured to be connected to a positive connection of the battery and a phase A connection of the motor;

an upper phase B power switch connected to the point-of-use upper phase B controller, and configured to be connected to the positive connection of the battery and a phase B connection of the motor; and

an upper phase C power switch connected to the point-of-use upper phase C controller, and configured to be connected to the positive connection of the battery and a phase C connection of the motor.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inverter further includes:

a lower phase multi-chip module including:

a low-voltage lower phase controller;

a high-voltage lower phase A controller;

a lower phase A galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage lower phase controller to the high-voltage lower phase A controller;

a high-voltage lower phase B controller;

a lower phase B galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage lower phase controller to the high-voltage lower phase B controller;

a high-voltage lower phase C controller; and

a lower phase C galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage lower phase controller to the high-voltage lower phase C controller.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the inverter further includes:

a point-of-use lower phase A controller configured to be connected to the high-voltage lower phase A controller;

a point-of-use lower phase B controller configured to be connected to the high-voltage lower phase B controller; and

a point-of-use lower phase C controller configured to be connected to the high-voltage lower phase C controller.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the inverter further includes:

a lower phase A power switch connected to the point-of-use lower phase A controller, and configured to be connected to a negative connection of the battery and a phase A connection of the motor;

a lower phase B power switch connected to the point-of-use lower phase B controller, and configured to be connected to the negative connection of the battery and a phase B connection of the motor; and

a lower phase C power switch connected to the point-of-use lower phase C controller, and configured to be connected to the negative connection of the battery and a phase C connection of the motor.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inverter further includes:

a phase A power module configured to be connected to the high-voltage upper phase A controller;

a phase B power module configured to be connected to the high-voltage upper phase B controller; and

a phase C power module configured to be connected to the high-voltage upper phase C controller.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

the battery configured to supply the DC power to the inverter; and

the motor configured to receive the AC power from the inverter to drive the motor.

9 . A system comprising:

a multi-chip module for an inverter, the multi-chip module including:

a low-voltage controller;

a first high-voltage controller;

a first galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage controller to the first high-voltage controller;

a second high-voltage controller;

a second galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage controller to the second high-voltage controller;

a third high-voltage controller; and

a third galvanic isolator connecting the low-voltage controller to the third high-voltage controller.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the low-voltage controller is configured to communicate with a pulse-width-modulation controller of the inverter.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein:

the first high-voltage controller is configured to communicate with a first point-of-use controller on a first power module of the inverter;

the second high-voltage controller is configured to communicate with a second point-of-use controller on a second power module of the inverter; and

the third high-voltage controller is configured to communicate with a third point-of-use controller on a third power module of the inverter.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the low-voltage controller is configured to receive a first control signal from the pulse-width-modulation controller, and, based on the first control signal, send a first gate control signal to the first high-voltage controller via the first galvanic isolator;

the low-voltage controller is configured to receive a second control signal from the pulse-width-modulation controller, and, based on the second control signal, send a second gate control signal to the second high-voltage controller via the second galvanic isolator; and

the low-voltage controller is configured to receive a third control signal from the pulse-width-modulation controller, and, based on the third control signal, send a third gate control signal to the third high-voltage controller via the third galvanic isolator.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first high-voltage controller is configured to send the first gate control signal to the first point-of-use controller on the first power module of the inverter;

the second high-voltage controller is configured to send the second gate control signal to the second point-of-use controller on the second power module of the inverter; and

the third high-voltage controller is configured to send the third gate control signal to the third point-of-use controller on the third power module of the inverter.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein:

the first high-voltage controller is configured to receive a first feedback signal from the first point-of-use controller on the first power module of the inverter, and send the first feedback signal to the low-voltage controller;

the second high-voltage controller is configured to receive a second feedback signal from the second point-of-use controller on the second power module of the inverter, and send the second feedback signal to the low-voltage controller; and

the third high-voltage controller is configured to receive a third feedback signal from the third point-of-use controller on the third power module of the inverter, and send the third feedback signal to the low-voltage controller.

15 . A system comprising:

an inverter configured to convert DC power from a battery to AC power to drive a motor, wherein the inverter includes:

an upper phase controller including a low voltage upper phase controller, a first high-voltage upper phase controller, a second high-voltage upper phase controller, and a third high-voltage upper phase controller;

a lower phase controller including a low voltage lower phase controller, a first high-voltage lower phase controller, a second high-voltage lower phase controller, and a third high-voltage lower phase controller;

a first power module including a first upper phase point-of-use controller, a first upper phase switch, a first lower phase point-of-use controller, and a first lower phase switch;

a second power module including a second upper phase point-of-use controller, a second upper phase switch, a second lower phase point-of-use controller, and a second lower phase switch; and

a third power module including a third upper phase point-of-use controller, a third upper phase switch, a third lower phase point-of-use controller, and a third lower phase switch.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the upper phase controller is configured to communicate with a pulse-width-modulation controller of the inverter, and is configured to communicate with the lower phase controller, and

the lower phase controller is configured to communicate with the pulse-width-modulation controller of the inverter, and is configured to communicate with the upper phase controller.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the first high-voltage upper phase controller includes a first upper phase galvanic isolator connected to the low voltage upper phase controller;

the second high-voltage upper phase controller includes a second upper phase galvanic isolator connected to the low voltage upper phase controller;

the third high-voltage upper phase controller includes a third upper phase galvanic isolator connected to the low voltage upper phase controller;

the first high-voltage lower phase controller includes a first lower phase galvanic isolator connected to the low voltage lower phase controller;

the second high-voltage lower phase controller includes a second lower phase galvanic isolator connected to the low voltage lower phase controller; and

the third high-voltage lower phase controller includes a third lower phase galvanic isolator connected to the low voltage lower phase controller.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein:

the first high-voltage upper phase controller is configured to be connected to the first upper phase point-of-use controller;

the second high-voltage upper phase controller is configured to be connected to the second upper phase point-of-use controller;

the third high-voltage upper phase controller is configured to be connected to the third upper phase point-of-use controller;

the first high-voltage lower phase controller is configured to be connected to the first lower phase point-of-use controller;

the second high-voltage lower phase controller is configured to be connected to the second lower phase point-of-use controller; and

the third high-voltage lower phase controller is configured to be connected to the third lower phase point-of-use controller.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein:

the first upper phase point-of-use controller is configured to control the first upper phase switch based on one or more first upper phase signals from the first high-voltage upper phase controller;

the second upper phase point-of-use controller is configured to control the second upper phase switch based on one or more second upper phase signals from the second high-voltage upper phase controller;

the third upper phase point-of-use controller is configured to control the third upper phase switch based on one or more third upper phase signals from the third high-voltage upper phase controller;

the first lower phase point-of-use controller is configured to control the first lower phase switch based on one or more first lower phase signals from the first high-voltage lower phase controller;

the second lower phase point-of-use controller is configured to control the second lower phase switch based on one or more second lower phase signals from the second high-voltage lower phase controller; and

the third lower phase point-of-use controller is configured to control the third lower phase switch based on one or more third lower phase signals from the third high-voltage lower phase controller.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the first upper phase switch is configured to be connected to a positive connection of the battery and a first phase connection of the motor;

the second upper phase switch is configured to be connected to a positive connection of the battery and a second phase connection of the motor;

the third upper phase switch is configured to be connected to a positive connection of the battery and a third phase connection of the motor;

the first lower phase switch is configured to be connected to a negative connection of the battery and the first phase connection of the motor;

the second lower phase switch is configured to be connected to a negative connection of the battery and the second phase connection of the motor; and

the third lower phase switch is configured to be connected to a negative connection of the battery and the third phase connection of the motor.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (243)