Bryan Paul Ludwig

US Patent:

7983013, Jul 19, 2011

Filed:

Nov 29, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/947272

Inventors:

Fengtai Huang - Northville MI, US
Bryan Ludwig - West Bloomfield MI, US
Fred Flett - Bloomfield MI, US
Subramanian S. Vadula - Novi MI, US
Lizhi Zhu - Canton MI, US
Richard J. Hampo - Plymouth MI, US

Assignee:

Continantal Automotive Systems US, Inc. - Auburn Hills MI

International Classification:

H02H 3/08
H02H 9/02

US Classification:

361 931

Abstract:

A circuit and method to provide dynamic fault protection to transistors are disclosed. The fault protection may be particularly suited for protecting insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs).

US Patent:

8164298, Apr 24, 2012

Filed:

Mar 26, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/412053

Inventors:

Mohammad N. Anwar - Van Buren Township MI, US
Bryan M. Ludwig - West Bloomfield MI, US
S.M. N. Hasan - Troy MI, US
Sean E. Gleason - West Bloomfield MI, US
Bon Ho Bae - Torrance CA, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H02P 3/18

US Classification:

318812, 318430, 318432, 318490, 361 23

Abstract:

Methods and systems are provided for detecting loss of isolation of a motor, connections, or phase cables while an AC motor is operating. The system includes a power supply that is substantially isolated from the ground or chassis having a power supply voltage, and a power inverter electrically coupled to the power supply. The power inverter is configured to provide AC current from the power supply in an AC phase at an AC terminal, with the phase having current at a fundamental frequency that controls the motor speed. An electric motor is electrically coupled to the AC terminal of the power inverter and has a chassis that is substantially electrically isolated from the AC terminal of the power inverter under normal operating conditions. A processor is configured to control the AC current provided by the power inverter. The processor is configured to receive a first voltage signal related to current flowing through a motor chassis.

US Patent:

8314578, Nov 20, 2012

Filed:

Feb 23, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/710424

Inventors:

Chandra S. Namuduri - Troy MI, US
Bryan M. Ludwig - West Bloomfield MI, US
Keith D. Van Maanen - Birmingham MI, US
Suresh Gopalakrishnan - Farmington Hills MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H02P 27/06

US Classification:

3184003, 31840001, 318700

Abstract:

A hybrid powertrain system includes an electric motor/generator unit having a multiphase asynchronous AC machine electrically connected to a multiphase bridge inverter. A high-voltage capacitor is electrically connected between positive and negative sides of a high-voltage DC power bus. High-voltage DC bus pre-charge circuits are electrically connected between gate drive bias power supplies and the multiphase bridge inverter. A low-voltage battery electrically charges the high-voltage DC link capacitor via the gate drive bias power supplies and the high-voltage DC bus pre-charge circuits when the high-voltage energy storage system is disconnected from the high-voltage DC power bus.

US Patent:

8606447, Dec 10, 2013

Filed:

May 23, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/113306

Inventors:

Chandra S. Namuduri - Troy MI, US
Suresh Gopalakrishnan - Farmington Hills MI, US
Keith D. Van Maanen - Birmingham MI, US
Bryan M. Ludwig - West Bloomfield MI, US
Bon Ho Bae - Torrance CA, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B60L 11/00
B60L 11/04

US Classification:

701 22

Abstract:

A powertrain system includes an electric motor/generator unit. Upon detecting an open high-voltage switch associated with a high-voltage DC electrical bus, low-voltage electrical power is employed to energize the high-voltage DC electrical bus, control parameters are adjusted to operate the electric motor/generator unit in a fault tolerant electric generation mode, an internal combustion engine is operated to spin the electric motor/generator unit, and the electric motor/generator unit is operated in the fault tolerant electric generation mode.

US Patent:

20130285581, Oct 31, 2013

Filed:

Apr 30, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/460011

Inventors:

David P. Tasky - Farmington Hills MI, US
S.M. Nayeem Hasan - Novi MI, US
Bryan M. Ludwig - West Bloomfield MI, US

Assignee:

GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H02P 1/00

US Classification:

318139

Abstract:

A vehicle includes a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS), an electric traction motor, a traction power inverter module (TPIM), a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) bus that electrically connects the RESS to the TPIM, a passive discharge circuit connected across the positive and negative rails of the bus, and a microprocessor. The circuit includes a semiconductor switch. The microprocessor provides an output signal at a first voltage level that opens the switch and prevents discharge of the HVDC bus when the microprocessor is operating normally, and at a default second voltage level that closes the switch in the presence of a predetermined vehicle condition to thereby discharge the HVDC bus. An optocoupler may receive the output signal, and a zener diode may be in electrical parallel with an output side of the optocoupler. The switch may be an insulated gate bipolar transistor or a thyristor in different embodiments.

US Patent:

20220185137, Jun 16, 2022

Filed:

Dec 15, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/122568

Inventors:

- Detroit MI, US
Jacob A. St George - Royal Oak MI, US
Brandon R. Jones - White Lake MI, US
Aniket P. Kothari - Rochester Hills MI, US
Patricia M. Laskowsky - Ann Arbor MI, US
Bryan M. Ludwig - West Bloomfield MI, US
Bryan T. Sauter - New Hudson MI, US
Giovanni Spoleti - Torino, IT
Jack M. Williams - Canton MI, US
Bo Xie - Novi MI, US
Matthew A. Thomas - Howell MI, US

Assignee:

GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B60L 53/62
B60L 53/16

Abstract:

A controller of a host system executes a method for detecting an external AC electrical device. While an AC charging inlet of the host system is electrically connected to the device via different vehicle-to-live (V2L) and jump-charge connections, the controller detects a control pilot voltage and a proximity voltage. When the control pilot voltage is V, the controller determines whether entry conditions are satisfied indicative of a desire to offload power from the host system to the device. When the entry conditions are satisfied, the proximity or control pilot voltage are modulated to generate a modulated voltage signal, which the controller compares to an expected voltage indicative of the device. Power is offloaded to the device when the modulated voltage signal matches the expected voltage.

US Patent:

20160334280, Nov 17, 2016

Filed:

May 12, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/709782

Inventors:

- Detroit MI, US
Bryan M. Ludwig - West Bloomfield MI, US
David P. Tasky - Farmington Hills MI, US

International Classification:

G01K 7/01
H01L 27/06
H01L 29/739

Abstract:

A number of variations may include a method which may include determining a temperature rise in an IGBT junction without the use of a temperature estimation or measurement device because determination may be made by first determining the power loss due to the conduction losses of the IGBT and power loss associated with switching the IGBT where these losses may be determined by utilizing the saturation voltage of the IGBT, IGBT PWM duty cycle, IGBT switching frequency, fundamental frequency along with a lookup table for the switching energies and the phase current going through the IGBT. The determined power loss may be multiplied by a measured, sensed or obtained thermal impedance from the IGBT junction. Finally, the determined temperature rise of the IGBT junction may be added to a measured, sensed or obtained temperature of the coolant in order to determine the absolute temperature of the IGBT junction.

US Patent:

20140118868, May 1, 2014

Filed:

Oct 31, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/665809

Inventors:

- Detroit MI, US
WILLIAM T. IVAN - SHELBY TOWNSHIP MI, US
BRYAN M. LUDWIG - WEST BLOOMFIELD MI, US
KRIS S. SEVEL - ROCHESTER HILLS MI, US

Assignee:

GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

H02H 9/08
H02H 7/122

US Classification:

361 42, 363 5601

Abstract:

Systems and methods for a fault protection are provided that can be implemented in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) to limit the magnitude of a current that flows when an AC-to-chassis fault (ACF) occurs between an AC connection and the chassis of the HEV. An electric machine having a winding, an inverter sub-module (ISM) having a first switch and a second switch, and fault protection elements (FPEs), coupled to the ISM, are provided. The winding is coupled to the ISM coupled via the AC connection. The FPEs can include, for example, first and second inductances. To limit the magnitude of the current, the current can be passed along a first current path that includes the second inductance when the first switch is closed, and can be passed along a second current path that includes the first inductance when the second switch is closed.