Patent ID: 9163600
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: B60W,F02N,H02J,H02K,Y02T

Abstract:
1. An alternator-starter system mechanically coupled with an engine, comprising: a stator having three coils; an inverter/rectifier having three nodes connected to respective ones of the stator coils, the inverter/rectifier having an upper rail and a lower rail defining a DC bus; a plurality of batteries, each battery having a positive (+) terminal and a negative (−) terminal; first and second switches for each battery, the first switch being operable to switchably connect the upper rail with the respective (+) terminal, the second switch being operable to switchably connect the lower rail with the respective (−) terminal; and a controller operable to monitor voltages of each battery and operably coupled with the first and second switches for each battery wherein the controller selectively operates the alternator-starter system in a generating mode wherein the plurality of batteries are charged or a motoring mode wherein the alternator-starter system generates a mechanical torque and wherein when the alternator-starter system supplies a torque to the engine to start the engine in the motoring mode, the plurality of batteries are connected in series; and wherein when the controller operates the alternator-starter system in the generating mode, the controller is adapted to selectively charge individual ones of the plurality of batteries.