Patent ID: 8810189

Claim:
A drive system comprising: a machine including a plurality of phases and configured to generate power based on a plurality of phase currents, each respectively associated with the plurality of phases; a direct current (DC) bus, operatively connected to the machine, the DC bus including, a high-side line, a low-side line, and an inverter including a plurality of switching systems, operatively connected between the high-side line and the low-side line, the plurality of switching systems, each configured to output a respective one of the plurality of phase currents, at least one of the plurality of switching systems includes, a high-side switching system operatively connected to the high-side line, the high-side switching system configured to output the phase current associated with the at least one of the plurality of switching systems, and a low-side switching system operatively connected to the low-side line; a controller, operatively connected to the DC bus and the machine, the controller configured to determine if a failure exists in the drive system based on the plurality of phase currents and a DC bus voltage, the DC bus voltage being a voltage across the high-side line and the low-side line; and a plurality of current sensors configured to respectively measure the plurality of phase currents and output measurement signals including the measured phase currents, the controller being configured to receive the measurement signals, wherein the controller is configured to determine an over current value for the high-side switching system, activate the high-side switching system, determine if an over current failure exists based on the measured phase current and the over current value.