Granted Patent B2

US 12,722,516 · App. 17/702,129 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Bahman Sharifipour (Newington, NH); Brian Reeves (Hamilton, CA); Paul Reeves (Oakville, CA); Sean Burke (Morgan Hill, CA)

B60L53/51B60L53/22B60L53/60H02J3/381H02J3/46H02J7/35H02M1/0067H02M1/007B60L53/14B60L53/16B60L2210/10B60L2210/30H02J2101/24H02J2207/20H02J2207/40H02M1/10

Abstract

Claims (91)

1 . An electric vehicle (EV) solar charging system, comprising:

a DC/DC conversion system comprising a photovoltaic solar input configured to receive direct current (DC) electricity from a photovoltaic source;

the DC/DC conversion system configured to generate a converted DC electricity by adjusting a voltage of the DC electricity from the photovoltaic source to a necessary voltage; and

the DC/DC conversion system further configured to transmit an EV charging DC electricity to a first EV via a DC input port of the DC/DC conversion system;

wherein the DC/DC conversion system comprises a first converter configured to generate a first output current by modifying the voltage of a first input current from the photovoltaic source based on at least one predetermined voltage parameter, and a bidirectional converter configured to receive the first output current and generate the EV charging DC electricity, wherein the EV charging DC electricity is dynamically matched to a voltage level requested by a battery management system of the first EV;

wherein the DC/DC conversion system comprises a second converter electrically connected to a second switch and configured to receive a second input current, the second converter further configured to generate a second output current based on the second input current and to output the second output current through the second switch when the second switch is closed;

wherein the DC/DC conversion system further comprises a controller configured to receive, from the first EV or the battery management system, a voltage-required signal and to generate and send a photovoltaic (PV) voltage-request signal to the photovoltaic source to cause the first converter to adjust the first output current;

wherein a first predetermined voltage parameter comprises a minimum operational voltage of 380 VDC and a second predetermined voltage parameter comprises 420 VDC, and the first converter is configured to alter the first output current by comparing a measured PV voltage to one or more of the predetermined voltage parameters and adjusting toward a range between the first predetermined voltage parameter and the second predetermined voltage parameter;

wherein the DC/DC conversion system is further configured to combine the first output current with a second output current from an energy storage and a third output current converted from AC power to form a combined charging current, and to supply the combined charging current to the first EV through a DC charging plug;

wherein the DC/DC conversion system is configured to operate in a charging mode and a discharging mode, wherein, during the discharging mode, electricity is received from the EV battery and routed back to a building load or a grid through the bidirectional converter and AC inverter, the AC inverter comprising a hybrid PV inverter configured to receive EV discharge current and provide AC to a household or the grid;

wherein the bidirectional converter comprises a third converter electrically connected to a fourth converter through the third output current switch, the third output current switch configured to alternate between electrically connecting the third converter and the fourth converter when the third output current switch is closed and electrically disconnecting the third converter and the fourth converter such that that the third converter is not electrically connected to the fourth converter when the third output current switch is open; and

wherein in the charging mode, the EV solar charging system is configured such that:

the inverter switch electrically connects the inverter to the first converter and the photovoltaic source and

the third output current switch is closed, and

wherein in the discharging mode, the EV solar charging system is configured such that:

the inverter switch electrically connects the inverter to the second converter and to the energy storage and

the third output current switch is open;

wherein the EV solar charging system, for discharging the first EV, is further configured to receive a discharging input current delivered from an electric vehicle energy source and to output an inverter output current.

2 . The EV solar charging system of claim 1 , wherein the EV charging DC electricity is also provided by the energy storage, the EV solar charging system configured to charge the energy storage with at least one of the DC electricity from the photovoltaic source and electricity from the grid, the energy storage configured to transmit a storage electricity to the first EV via the DC/DC conversion system as necessary to supplement or substitute the DC electricity from the photovoltaic source, the storage electricity incorporated into the EV charging DC electricity; and

wherein the DC/DC conversion system is configured to directly transmit the EV charging DC electricity to a battery pack system on the first EV configured to power the first EV.

3 . The EV solar charging system of claim 1 , wherein an AC input is provided to the EV solar charging system, the AC input converted to DC in an AC/DC converter, and transmitted to the first EV, the AC/DC converter configured to transmit a DC-converted AC input to the first EV via the DC/DC conversion system as necessary to supplement or substitute the DC electricity from the photovoltaic source; and

wherein the AC/DC converter is configured to convert the AC input to AC/DC converter output and to transmit the AC/DC converter output to the first EV via the DC/DC conversion system as necessary to supplement or substitute the DC electricity from the photovoltaic source, the storage electricity from the energy storage, or both the DC electricity from the photovoltaic source and the storage electricity from the energy storage.

4 . The EV solar charging system of claim 1 , wherein the direct current (DC) electricity from the photovoltaic source comprises at least one of

DC electricity directly from the photovoltaic source,

DC electricity from the photovoltaic source through an optimizer, and

DC electricity from the photovoltaic source through a PV hybrid string inverter.

5 . The EV solar charging system of claim 2 , wherein the DC/DC conversion system is further configured to generate the EV charging DC electricity based on the converted DC electricity.

6 . The EV solar charging system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to control one or more switches of the EV solar charging system, wherein the one or more switches are configured to change the EV solar charging system between the charging mode and the discharging mode.

7 . The EV solar charging system of claim 6 , wherein the bidirectional converter is configured to transmit the EV charging DC electricity to the first EV and to receive EV discharging DC electricity from the first EV via an EV charging DC plug.

8 . The EV solar charging system of claim 7 , further comprising an EV charging AC plug, where an AC electricity source is directed, through the EV charging AC plug, to an AC charging port of a second EV and charges the battery of a second EV through an onboard AC/DC charger of the second EV when the AC electricity source is not being used to charge the first EV.

9 . The EV solar charging system of claim 8 , wherein the photovoltaic source includes a rapid shutdown optimizer.

10 . An electric vehicle (EV) charging system, comprising:

a first converter electrically connected to a first switch and configured to receive a first input current, the first converter further configured to generate a first output current based on the first input current and to output the first output current through the first switch when the first switch is closed;

a second converter electrically connected to a second switch and configured to receive a second input current, the second converter further configured to generate a second output current based on the second input current and to output the second output current through the second switch when the second switch is closed;

a third converter electrically connected to a third switch and configured to receive a third input current, the third converter further configured to generate a third output current based on the third input current and to output the third output current through the third switch when the third switch is closed;

a fourth converter configured to receive the first output current when the first switch is closed, the second output current when the second switch is closed, and the third output current when the third switch is closed, the fourth converter further configured to output a fourth output current based on one or more of the first output current, the second output current, and the third output current;

wherein the EV charging system is configured to receive the first input current delivered from a renewable energy source as direct current and to output the fourth output current as direct current for charging an electric vehicle energy source;

wherein the EV charging system further comprises an energy storage electrically and communicably connected to the second converter and configured to generate the second input current and an inverter electrically connected to the first converter and the renewable energy source;

wherein the EV charging system further comprises a third output current switch and an inverter switch,

wherein the second converter is bidirectional;

wherein the fourth converter is bidirectional; and

wherein the inverter is electrically connected to the first converter and the renewable energy source through the inverter switch, the inverter switch configured to alternate between electrically connecting the inverter with the first converter and the renewable energy source, and electrically connecting the inverter with the second converter and the energy storage such that the inverter is not electrically connected to the first converter and the renewable energy source;

wherein the third converter is electrically connected to the fourth converter through the third output current switch, the third output current switch configured to alternate between electrically connecting the third converter and the fourth converter when the third output current switch is closed and electrically disconnecting the third converter and the fourth converter such that that the third converter is not electrically connected to the fourth converter when the third output current switch is open; and

wherein the EV charging system has a charging mode and a discharging mode,

wherein in the charging mode, the EV charging system is configured such that:

the inverter switch electrically connects the inverter to the first converter and the renewable energy source; and

the third output current switch is closed, and

wherein in the discharging mode, the EV charging system is configured such that:

the inverter switch electrically connects the inverter to the second converter and to the energy storage; and

the third output current switch is open;

wherein the EV charging system, for discharging an EV, is further configured to receive a discharging input current delivered from the electric vehicle energy source and to output an inverter output current.

11 . An electric vehicle (EV) charging system, comprising:

a first converter electrically connected to a first diode and configured to receive a first input current, the first converter further configured to generate a first output current based on the first input current and to output the first output current through the first diode;

a second converter electrically connected to a second diode and configured to receive a second input current, the second converter further configured to generate a second output current based on the second input current and to output the second output current through the second diode;

a third converter electrically connected to a third diode and configured to receive a third input current, the third converter further configured to generate a third output current based on the third input current and to output the third output current through the third diode, wherein the third converter, through the third diode, is electrically connected to a third output current switch;

a fourth converter configured to receive the first output current, the second output current, and the third output current when the third output current switch is closed, the fourth converter further configured to output a fourth output current based on one or more of the first output current, the second output current, and the third output current;

wherein the EV charging system is configured to receive the first input current delivered from a renewable energy source as direct current and to output the fourth output current as direct current for charging an electric vehicle energy source;

wherein the EV charging system further comprises an inverter switch,

wherein the second converter is bidirectional;

wherein the fourth converter is bidirectional; and

wherein an inverter is electrically connected to the first converter and the renewable energy source through the inverter switch, the inverter switch configured to alternate between electrically connecting the inverter with the first converter and the renewable energy source, and electrically connecting the inverter with the second converter and an energy storage such that the inverter is not electrically connected to the first converter and the renewable energy source;

wherein the third converter is electrically connected to the fourth converter through the third output current switch, the third output current switch configured to alternate between electrically connecting the third converter and the fourth converter when the third output current switch is closed and electrically disconnecting the third converter and the fourth converter such that that the third converter is not electrically connected to the fourth converter when the third output current switch is open; and

wherein the EV charging system has a charging mode and a discharging mode,

wherein in the charging mode, the EV charging system is configured such that:

the inverter switch electrically connects the inverter to the first converter and the renewable energy source and

the third output current switch is closed, and

wherein in the discharging mode, the EV charging system is configured such that:

the inverter switch electrically connects the inverter to the second converter and to the energy storage and

the third output current switch is open;

wherein the EV charging system, for discharging an EV, is further configured to receive a discharging input current delivered from the electric vehicle energy source and to output an inverter output current.

12 . The EV charging system of claim 11 , wherein the first converter configured to generate the first output current based on the first input current is further configured to determine a first voltage differential by comparing a voltage of the first input current with a predetermined voltage parameter and to generate the first output current based on the first input current and the first voltage differential; and

wherein the predetermined voltage parameter is a minimum operational voltage, and the first converter is further configured to generate a voltage of the first output current at least as high as the predetermined voltage parameter.

13 . The EV charging system of claim 12 , wherein the minimum operational voltage is at least 200 volts.

14 . The EV charging system of claim 11 , wherein the third input current is alternating current, and the third output current is direct current.

15 . The EV charging system of claim 11 , wherein the first diode is an ORing diode.

16 . The EV charging system of claim 11 , wherein in the discharging mode:

the fourth converter is further configured to receive the discharging input current and generate a first discharging output current based on the discharging input current;

the second converter is further configured to receive the first output current and the first discharging output current, and to generate a second discharging output current;

at least part of the second discharging output current is received by at least one of the inverter and the energy storage; and

the inverter is further configured to output the inverter output current.

17 . The EV charging system of claim 11 , further comprising an energy storage switch,

wherein the energy storage is electrically connected to the second converter through the energy storage switch, the energy storage switch configured to alternate between electrically connecting the energy storage and the second converter and electrically connecting the energy storage and the inverter such that the energy storage is not electrically connected to the second converter;

the energy storage switch connects the energy storage to the inverter.

18 . The EV charging system of claim 17 , wherein in the discharging mode:

the fourth converter is further configured to receive the discharging input current and generate a first discharging output current based on the discharging input current;

the second converter is further configured to receive the first output current and the first discharging output current, and to generate a second discharging output current;

the second discharging output current is received by the inverter;

an inverter-storage current flows between the inverter and the energy storage, such that inverter-storage current flows in a direction corresponding to at least one from the inverter to the energy storage and from the energy storage to the inverter; and

the inverter is further configured to output the inverter output current;

wherein the inverter is a hybrid inverter and further comprises a first inverter converter electrically connected to a second inverter converter via an internal converter connection; and

wherein the inverter-storage current flows between the energy storage and the internal converter connection.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (88)