US-12620891-B2 - Systems and methods for three channel galvanic isolator for inverter for electric vehicle

Abstract

A system includes: 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.

Inventors

• Mark Wendell Gose

Assignees

• BorgWarner US Technologies LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230213

Claims (20)

1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/377,486, filed Sep. 28, 2022, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/377,501, filed Sep. 28, 2022, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/377,512, filed Sep. 28, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/378,601, filed Oct. 6, 2022, the entireties of which are incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for a three channel galvanic isolator for an inverter for an electric vehicle, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for a three channel galvanic isolator for an integrated gate driver for power device switches for an inverter for an electric vehicle. BACKGROUND Inverters, such as those used to drive a motor in an electric vehicle, for example, are responsible for converting High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) into Alternating Current (AC) to drive the motor. In an inverter, a gate driver for a power device switch may operate in a high voltage and electrically noisy environment, which may affect an operation of the gate driver and/or power device switches, and therefore may affect an operation of the inverter. The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of these above-referenced challenges. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system including: 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. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, 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. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, 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. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, 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. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, 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. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, 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 connecti