US 12,451,831 B2
Control of switching speed in a multiphase inverter
Muhammad Hussain Alvi, Troy, MI (US); Yilun Luo, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Brian A Welchko, Oakland Township, MI (US); and Suresh Gopalakrishnan, Troy, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/342,248.
Prior Publication US 2025/0007440 A1, Jan. 2, 2025
Int. Cl. B60L 15/20 (2006.01); B60L 15/00 (2006.01); B60L 50/51 (2019.01); H02P 27/08 (2006.01)
CPC H02P 27/085 (2013.01) [B60L 15/007 (2013.01); B60L 50/51 (2019.02); B60L 2210/42 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an inverter configured to output multiphase alternating current (AC) currents to an electric motor, the multiphase AC currents including a first phase current and a second phase current, the inverter including a set of switches for each phase current; and
a switching controller operably connected to each set of switches, the switching controller configured to control a gate driver connected to a switch of the set of switches, the switching controller configured to determine a time difference between a first switching event of a first phase and a second switching event of a second phase during a switching cycle, and control a switching speed of the switch based on the time difference, wherein the time difference is determined based on timing information specifying a timing of switching events according to a modulation scheme, the timing information including space vector information representing the multiphase AC currents.
 
10. A method comprising:
receiving electrical power by an inverter configured to output multiphase AC currents to an electric motor, the multiphase AC currents including a first phase current and a second phase current, the inverter including a set of switches for each phase current, each switch of the set of switches controllable by a gate driver;
determining a time difference between a first switching event of a first phase and a second switching event of a second phase during a switching cycle; and
controlling a gate driver connected to a switch of the set of switches to control a switching speed of the switch based on the time difference, wherein the time difference is determined based on timing information specifying a timing of switching events according to a modulation scheme, the timing information including space vector information representing the multiphase AC currents.
 
17. A vehicle system, comprising:
an inverter configured to output multiphase AC currents to an electric motor for propulsion of the vehicle, the multiphase AC currents including a first phase current and a second phase current, the inverter including a set of switches for each phase current; and
a processor configured to:
determine a time difference between a first switching event of a first phase and a second switching event of a second phase during a switching cycle;
compare the time difference to a time threshold representing a desired separation between the first switching event and the second switching event; and
based on the time difference being less than the time threshold, control a gate driver connected to a switch of the set of switches to adjust a switching speed of the switch, wherein the time difference is determined based on timing information specifying a timing of switching events according to a modulation scheme, the timing information including space vector information representing the multiphase AC currents.