Patent ID: 8102142

Claim:
A double ended inverter system for an AC electric traction motor of a vehicle, the system comprising: a first energy source having first operating characteristics associated therewith; a first inverter subsystem coupled to the first energy source and configured to drive the AC electric traction motor; a second energy source having second operating characteristics associated therewith, wherein the first operating characteristics and the second operating characteristics are different; a second inverter subsystem coupled to the second energy source and configured to drive the AC electric traction motor; and a controller coupled to the first inverter subsystem and to the second inverter subsystem, the controller being configured to influence operation of the first inverter subsystem and the second inverter subsystem to manage power transfer among the first energy source, the second energy source, and the AC electric traction motor, and wherein the controller is configured to drive the AC electric traction motor primarily with the first energy source during continuous loading events associated with operation of the vehicle, and primarily with the second energy source during short duration peak power events associated with operation of the vehicle.