Patent ID: 6987375

Claim:
A dual stage drive for a switched reluctance motor (SRM), the SRM having a plurality of phase coils associated therewith, comprising: a first power source; a first power bus connected to said first power source to supply power thereto, said first power bus having at least one of the plurality of phase coils connected thereto, said at least one of the plurality of phase coils being powered by said power from said first power bus, said first power source being insulated from discharge energy of said at least one of the plurality of phase coils; and a second power bus connected to said at least one of the plurality of phase coils to receive said discharge energy, said second power bus having at least one other of the plurality of phase coils connected thereto; and a second power source connected to said second power bus to supply power thereto, said at least said one other of the plurality of phase coils being powered solely by said power from said second power bus, said second power bus utilizing said discharge energy to provide said power supplied to said second power bus.