Patents Examined by Bentsu Ro
  • Patent number: 11218102
    Abstract: In a method for determining the rotor position of a three-phase machine without using a rotary encoder, and a device for controlling a three-phase motor without using a rotary encoder, the three-phase machine is fed by a converter that can be operated by pulse-width modulation, and the converter has model variables for the rotor angle and the current indicator of the three-phase machine, and the converter has device(s) by using which, in control operation, at least two values are measured which represent a measure of the local inductances of the machine which represent a measure of the local inductances of the machine, the error of the model rotor angle is determined in that, depending on the model rotor angle and the model current indicator, at least two weighting factors are determined, and in that a weighted sum is formed from the at least two measured values and the at least two weighting factors, and in that a further offset value is subtracted from the sum, which is likewise determined on the basis of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hammel, Harald Wolf
  • Patent number: 11201567
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a vehicle. The vehicle includes an AC electric machine configured to generate traction driving force, a DC bus configured to provide a DC voltage, an inverter, and a controller. The inverter is coupled with the DC bus and configured to convert the DC voltage from the DC bus to an AC voltage to drive the AC electric machine, and the inverter includes a plurality of transistors. The controller is configured to control the inverter to maintain the vehicle to run in a fault-tolerant mode when an open circuit fault occurs in one of the transistors in the inverter during running of the vehicle. The present invention further discloses a control method of the vehicle and a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Changjin Liu, Fei Li, Tao Wu
  • Patent number: 11201401
    Abstract: A system includes a remote electronic tilt phase shifter module, a motor, a mechanical linkage that connects the motor to the remote electronic tilt phase shifter module, a current management circuit that generates a motor control signal responsive to a current control signal, and a driver circuit that is configured to selectively connect the motor to a power supply in response to the motor control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Wencai George Jing, Dale R. Moore, Sammit Patel
  • Patent number: 11159118
    Abstract: An electric power steering device includes: an electric motor including multi-phase coils, which is configured to cause a steering mechanism of a vehicle to rotate; and a control unit including a plurality of inverter circuits configured to drive the electric motor, wherein the inverter circuits include capacitors for smoothing, which are small in number than phase number of the electric motor, and the capacitors are arranged between bridge circuits of respective phases of the inverter circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Rei Araki, Yu Kawano, Norihiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11146198
    Abstract: The invention suppresses the generation of an excessive current in a SR motor during switching between drive control and brake control. This motor control device is for controlling rotation of a multiphase SR motor, and is provided with a control unit that controls the rotational speed of the SR motor while switching between drive control for generating drive torque in the SR motor and brake control for generating braking torque in the SR motor, wherein the control unit performs switching from the drive control to the brake control or vice versa under the condition that the current flowing through a winding wire of an energized phase is less than a prescribed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBA Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Okada
  • Patent number: 11133766
    Abstract: An electric working machine in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a driving device, a controller, a control power source, and an operation state determiner. The control power source includes a first converter and a second converter. The control power source transitions to a first conversion state when the operation state determiner determines that the controller is in a control operation state. The control power source in the first conversion state supplies a first control current to the controller. The control power source transitions to a second conversion state when the operation state determiner determines that the controller is in a low power operation state. The control power source in the second conversion state (i) stops operation of the first converter, and (ii) supplies a second control current to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Suzuki, Akihiro Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 11133764
    Abstract: A signal converter, including: a power circuit, a microprocessor, a plurality of input signal interface circuits, a first multiplexer switch, and an output signal interface circuit. The power circuit supplies power for each circuit of the signal converter. The plurality of input signal interface circuits is disposed side by side, and in operation, one of the plurality of input signal interface circuits is connected to the first multiplexer switch to work. The plurality of input signal interface circuits includes input terminals and output terminals. The input terminals receive corresponding input signals, and the output terminals are connected to the microprocessor. The microprocessor includes an output terminal which is connected to the output signal interface circuit. The microprocessor controls the first multiplexer switch to connect to one of the plurality of input signal interface circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: ZHONGSHAN BROAD-OCEAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ge Hu, Wenqing Bian
  • Patent number: 11133772
    Abstract: A multi-voltage battery pack including a converting system for converting the battery pack between a low voltage configuration and a high voltage configuration. The converting system includes a converter element moves between a first position and a second position to configure the battery pack between the low voltage configuration and the high voltage configuration. The converter element includes a set of contacts that mates with a set of contact pads to establish the voltage configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. White, Matthew J. Velderman, Michael Varipatis, Nathan J. Osborne
  • Patent number: 11128248
    Abstract: A control system for a switched reluctance machine includes a capacitor and an inverter connected to the capacitor, wherein the inverter generates current signals and a ripple current returned to the capacitor. A switched reluctance machine (SRM) receives the current signals and generates a position signal. A controller receives the ripple current, current signal values of the current signals, and the position signal and generates desired reference current waveforms received by the inverter to adjust the current signals received by the SRM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: The Universitv of Akron
    Inventor: Yilmaz Sozer
  • Patent number: 11128240
    Abstract: A motor starter includes a plurality of semiconductor switches configured to couple respective phases of an AC power source to respective phases of a motor and a control circuit configured to configured to selectively operate the semiconductor switches to gradually increase a voltage applied to the motor, to determine root mean square (RMS) current values of a current of the motor as the voltage increases, and to cause the semiconductor switches to apply a full voltage or a more steeply ramping voltage to the motor responsive to the RMS current values meeting a criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventors: Hanning Tang, Benjamin Stewart Wells, Stan Rex Simms, Thomas A. Farr
  • Patent number: 11121665
    Abstract: Integrated circuitry, such as a microcontroller, for controlling an electric motor includes circuitry for measuring a bi-directional current flowing within a coil of the electric motor. The current is sensed by an externally implemented current sensing element, such as a shunt resistor, to produce a differential voltage that is delivered to input pins of the microcontroller, which are protected by electrostatic discharge protection circuits. Current sources implemented within the microcontroller are coupled to the input pins, and work in concert with external resistors to shift the differential voltage so that it is maintained within an appropriate voltage operating range so that an accurate measurement of the bi-directional current can be made by the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Hubert Martin Bode
  • Patent number: 11110955
    Abstract: An electric steering device includes a motor and a control circuit. The motor applies a steering force to a steering mechanism of a vehicle. The control circuit includes an inverter that converts DC power of a DC power supply to AC power and supplies the AC power to the motor, and a power supply relay that permits or blocks a current flow to the motor through the inverter. In the control circuit, the power supply relay is provided on a ground line connecting the inverter and a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Syuhei Miyachi
  • Patent number: 11114966
    Abstract: A device for estimating a rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine is presented. The device controls stator voltages (uu, uv, uw) of the induction machine so that a voltage space-vector constituted by the stator voltages has a fixed direction and a current space-vector constituted by stator currents (iu, iv, iw) of the induction machine has a pre-determined length or a predetermined d-component. The rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation is/are estimated based on a waveform of a q-component of the current space-vector, where the d-component of the current space-vector is parallel with the voltage space-vector and the q-component of the current space-vector is perpendicular to the voltage space-vector. The device is usable when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Danfoss Editron Oy
    Inventor: Anssi Sakari Sinervo
  • Patent number: 11108351
    Abstract: An electric motor control device includes an electronic control unit configured to perform switching control of a switching element of an inverter in PWM control mode when a modulation degree is less than a first predetermined value, perform switching control of the switching element in square wave control mode when the modulation degree is greater than or equal to a second predetermined value, and perform switching control of the switching element in intermediate control mode when the modulation degree is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than the second predetermined value. The intermediate control mode uses a switching pattern in which, in a pulse pattern in the square wave control mode, a slit or a short pulse having the same width as the slit is formed according to whether a pulse is present at the time when a phase current crosses zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Shamoto, Hiroyuki Oyanagi
  • Patent number: 11108345
    Abstract: A control circuit includes a first high-side transistor coupled between a voltage supply terminal and the first terminal of a DC motor and a second high-side transistor coupled between the voltage supply terminal and the second terminal of the DC motor. The control circuit includes a first low-side transistor coupled between a ground terminal and the first terminal of the DC motor and a second low-side transistor coupled between the ground terminal and the second terminal of the DC motor. The control circuit includes a first pull-up resistor coupled between the voltage supply terminal and a gate terminal of the first low-side transistor and a second pull-up resistor coupled between the voltage supply terminal and a gate terminal of the second low-side transistor. The pull-up resistors apply bias currents to turn ON the first and second low-side transistors to provide a conductive path to brake the DC motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Nicholas James Oborny, Ashish Ojha, Priyank Anand, Clark Douglas Kinnaird, Chinmay Jain, Arun Tej Vemuri
  • Patent number: 11105836
    Abstract: A three-phase load is powered by a PWM (e.g., SVPWM) driven DC-AC inverter having a single shunt-topology. A shunt voltage and a branch voltage of the inverter (across a transistor to be calibrated) are measured during a second period of each SVPWM sector, and the drain-to-source resistance of the calibrated transistor is calculated. During the fourth period of each SVPWM sector, the branch voltage is measured again, and another branch voltage across another transistor is measured. Using the drain-to-source resistance of the calibrated transistor and the voltage across the calibrated transistor measured during the fourth period, the phase current through the calibrated transistor is calculated. Using the other branch voltage measured during the fourth period and the drain-to-source resistance of its corresponding transistor (known from a prior SVPWM sector), the phase current through that transistor is calculated. From the two calculated phase currents, the other phase current can be calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.r.l., STMicroelectronics (Shenzhen) R&D Co. Ltd
    Inventors: Dino Costanzo, Cheng Pan Cai, Xi Yu Xu
  • Patent number: 11104375
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine control device is provided to control a motor having motor winding sets and includes a plurality of inverter circuits and a plurality of control circuits capable of mutual communication. The inverter circuits switch over the current supply to the motor winding sets. The control circuits include driver control sections, which control the inverter circuits provided correspondingly, and abnormality monitor sections, which monitor the abnormality. The abnormality monitor sections monitor the abnormality of the own system and the other system based on the plurality of abnormality information. The driver control sections change a control mode according to the abnormal state. It is thus possible to control the driving of the motor appropriately based on the abnormality state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichi Nakamura, Nobuyori Nakazima
  • Patent number: 11098967
    Abstract: A drive system for driving a fan in a wet cooling tower, wherein the fan has a fan hub and fan blades attached to the fan hub. The drive system has a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a motor casing, a stator and a rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured for connection to the fan hub. The drive system includes a variable frequency drive device to generate electrical signals that effect rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor in order to rotate the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: PRIME DATUM, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick M. Rollins, George Lucas
  • Patent number: 11101753
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motor includes obtaining addressing information of an electronic speed governor coupled to the motor, determining a rotation direction of the motor based on the addressing information, and providing a drive signal to the motor according to the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changxing Zhou, Wanqi Liu, Qiu Lan
  • Patent number: 11095236
    Abstract: A method for configuring a variable speed drive in charge of power supply of an electric motor. The method comprises the application of a sequence of motor voltages to the electric motor by the variable speed drive and the obtaining, in parallel, of measurements of motor current. The method then determines a feature of the electric motor on the basis of the measurements of motor current and determines a type of electric motor at least as a function of the feature. The variable speed drive is then set up on the basis of the determined type of electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: François Malrait, Thomas Devos, Al Kassem Jebai