Patents Examined by Bradley R Brown
  • Patent number: 11876477
    Abstract: A control system for an electrical motor comprises a rotor, a stator having a plurality of phase windings, and an inverter for applying voltage to the plurality of phase windings by connecting individual phase windings to a first or second voltage level. The control system is configured to measure a first rate of change of current in a first phase winding, of said plurality of phase windings, connected to the first voltage level, to measure a second rate of change of current in a second, different phase winding connected to the first voltage level, and to calculate a difference between the first and second rate of change of current. The control system is further configured to use the calculated difference to obtain data related to a position of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Technelec Ltd
    Inventors: Charles Pollock, Helen Pollock
  • Patent number: 11831223
    Abstract: A motor controller includes an actuator and a programmable wheel. The actuator includes first and second conductive rods configured to receive external electric power. Each rod has upper and lower rod contacts. First and second crisscrossed electrodes are movable between, and electrically connectible to, the upper and lower rod contacts. A power terminal is electrically connected to the crisscrossed electrodes. The programmable wheel has first and second directional appendages mounted thereon. The wheel is configured to engage the actuator such that for each revolution of the wheel: the first directional appendage moves the crisscrossed electrodes into electrical contact with the upper rod contacts to route the electric power to the power terminal at a first polarity, and the second directional appendage moves the crisscrossed electrodes into electrical contact with the lower rod contacts to route the electrical power to the power terminal at a second opposing polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: Elliott Baker
  • Patent number: 11824470
    Abstract: Described is a method of determining an initial rotor position on start-up of a synchronous motor. The method comprises applying at each of a plurality of pre-set motor angles a pair of voltage vector pulses, the pair of voltage vector pulses comprising a first and second pulses, each having the same amplitude but opposite polarities, the second pulse being applied immediately or near immediately after the first pulse. The method includes determining the stator current responses to said pairs of applied voltage vector pulses at said plurality of pre-set motor angles. Then, the initial rotor position can be determined from either of a stator angle corresponding to a pair of vector voltage pulses resulting in (a) a largest sum of stator currents or (b) where the sum of stator currents changes from a negative to a positive motor angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Kinetic Technologies International Holdings LP
    Inventor: Kwei Chung Li
  • Patent number: 11811351
    Abstract: A motor controller includes a motor drive unit configured to drive and control a motor, an electrical discharge control unit configured to perform control in which regenerative power from the motor is consumed by a regenerative power discharge resistor, and a housing formed to accommodate the motor drive unit and the electrical discharge control unit, wherein at least a part of the housing is configured as the regenerative power discharge resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norihiro Chou
  • Patent number: 11811343
    Abstract: Examples include a method for controlling a synchronous motor using a variable speed drive. The motor includes a permanent magnet rotor generating a magnetic flux. The method includes applying a predefined electrical command signal to the motor and estimating a motor speed in response to the applying of the predefined electrical command signal. The method also includes reaching a desired estimated motor speed and, in response to reaching the desired estimated motor speed, estimating a parameter related to the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet rotor. The method further includes recording the estimated parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: Al Kassem Jebai, Thomas Devos, François Malrait
  • Patent number: 11799408
    Abstract: To provide a controller for AC rotary electric machine which can suppress that the control accuracy of current is deteriorated, when switching from the all phase short circuit state to the switching control. A controller for AC rotary electric machine calculates voltage command values based on current command values and current detection values; carries out switching between a switching control that turns on and off plural switching devices provided in the inverter based on the voltage command values, and all phase short circuit control that turns on and off the plural switching devices so that the plural-phase windings are short-circuited mutually; and when switching from the all the phase short circuit control to the switching control, sets the current command values to switching current values which are current values corresponding to currents which flow in executing the all phase short circuit control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Harada
  • Patent number: 11784603
    Abstract: A method for adapting a deceleration of a motor powered by a variable speed drive, the variable speed drive comprising a plurality of at least N low-voltage power cells linked in series, N being greater than or equal to 1, the method comprising the following operations during a period of deceleration of the motor: determination of at least one average motor voltage over a given period as a function of motor voltage values measured at the terminals of the motor over the given period; as a function of the determined average motor voltage, determination of an average rectified voltage value, wherein a rectified voltage corresponds to a voltage obtained at the output of a rectifier of each power cell; and adaptation of the deceleration of the electrical device as a function of the average rectified voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: François Malrait, Alain Dutrey
  • Patent number: 11764715
    Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control circuit configured to output a drive control signal for driving a motor, and a drive circuit configured to drive the motor with the drive control signal. The control circuit calculates a lead angle value ? allowing a d-axis current value Id of a two-phase rotating coordinate system to be zero with a q-axis current value Iq calculated from drive current values Iu, Iv, and Iw of a coil of the motor and rotation speed ? of a rotor of the motor. The control circuit performs a space vector conversion based on an angle ? obtained by adding the lead angle value ? and rotation angle ? and voltage command value Vref of the two-phase rotating coordinate system calculated to reduce a difference between the q-axis current value Iq and a q-axis current command value Iqref, to generate the drive control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kokubo, Shinji Totsuka, Shigemi Masuda
  • Patent number: 11757389
    Abstract: A method for noise reduction of a three-phase-driven electrical machine includes recording an angular state of a rotor of the electrical machine, calculating a reference frequency on the basis of the recorded angular state, forming a sine and cosine value of the calculated reference frequency, and filtering the sine and cosine value. The method may also include recording a sound-related feedback variable, forming a weighting vector, forming a superposition signal, and applying the superposition signal to a manipulated variable of the electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jan Naegelkraemer, Maximilian Barkow
  • Patent number: 11722078
    Abstract: A control apparatus that controls a stepping motor, comprises a determination unit configured to determine a current value to be applied to the stepping motor by looking up a first driving table, which is to be looked up when driving is to be performed in a first driving direction, and a second driving table, which is to be looked up when driving is to be performed in a second driving direction in reverse of the first driving direction. The determination unit includes an interpolation calculation unit configured to calculate the current value by interpolation calculation that looks up both the first driving table and the second driving table, in a case in which driving is to be performed in a driving direction different from a driving direction of a preceding driving operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Fujinaga
  • Patent number: 11716047
    Abstract: A system and method for shaping the trajectory of a motion command to reduce the effects of a load on performance of a motor dynamically modifies the motion profile in real time to limit the reference signals in the motion profile to feasible commands. A load observer determines an estimated disturbance acceleration. The estimated disturbance acceleration includes the dynamics of the controlled load and is used to modify a maximum and a minimum limit for the acceleration reference. The acceleration limits are, in turn, used to determine velocity limits. The motion profile and modified acceleration and velocity limits are provided to a state filter which determines a new motion profile for use by the motor drive to control operation of a motor and to control the load connected to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Hoffman, Brian Fast, Robert J. Miklosovic
  • Patent number: 11697392
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to security mechanisms for electric motors and associated systems. For example, the present technology includes a powertrain assembly having (1) a motor having multiple sets of coils; (2) a drive circuitry electrically coupled to the multiple sets of coils; and (3) a security unit electrically coupled to the drive circuitry and the multiple sets of coils. The security unit is configured to short-circuit at least one set of the multiple sets of coils responsive to a signal from a controller. The signal indicates that the motor is, or has been, turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Gogoro Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Yuan Lin, Yu-Se Liu, Liang-Yi Hsu
  • Patent number: 11691519
    Abstract: There is provided an electrically driven vehicle that well balances calculation volumes and communication volumes of two control devices configured to drive and control motors for driving. The electrically driven vehicle comprises at least one motor for driving and a first control device and a second control device configured to control the motor. The first control device is configured to calculate a target torque that is to be output from the motor, based on information including an accelerator position, to calculate a current command based on the calculated target torque, and to send the calculated current command to the second control device. The second control device is configured to use the current command, a phase current of the motor and a rotational angle of the motor such as to drive the motor by feedback control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya Taniguchi, Taro Shimosaka, Kunihiro Suzuki, Ken Toshiyuki, Koichi Sakata
  • Patent number: 11691744
    Abstract: Provided in this disclosure is a dual-motor propulsion assembly, and corresponding methods of operation, that is configured for use in an electric aircraft. Dual-motor propulsion assembly provides redundant systems by including vertically stack motors, where one motor powers a propulsor of the assembly if the other motor malfunctions or becomes inoperative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey K. Petter
  • Patent number: 11689136
    Abstract: A method includes adjusting currents of a plurality of windings of a motor through a plurality of power converters coupled to the plurality of windings so that the number of poles and the number of phases of the motor are dynamically adjustable, and injecting a plurality of high-order harmonic currents into the plurality of windings of the motor through controlling the plurality of power converters to improve a performance index of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Quanten Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hengchun Mao, Xuezhong Jia
  • Patent number: 11677340
    Abstract: A motor drive device that includes: a power control unit that drives a motor, which configures a motive power source of a moving body, by supplying a drive signal modulated according to a carrier frequency; a memory; and a processor that is coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to: predict torque demand on the motor, and change the carrier frequency of the power control unit in a case in which an increase in the torque demand on the motor has been predicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Katoh, Masayuki Yoshikawa, Kenichi Ichinose, Hiroyuki Nishimura, Kazuhisa Ori
  • Patent number: 11677342
    Abstract: A method for detecting an initial position of a rotor of a permanent magnet synchronous motor in a no-load environment can comprise the steps of: estimating a temporary initial position ?? by means of aligning a d axis; measuring a first voltage command which is output by performing velocity control within predetermined velocity ranges with respect to the forward direction of a motor on the basis of the temporary initial position ??; measuring a second voltage command which is output by performing velocity control within the predetermined velocity range with respect to the reverse direction of the motor on the basis of the temporary initial position ??; calculating respective variations of the first voltage command and second voltage command, and calculating a compensation angle ??; and calculating an initial position ? of the rotor on the basis of the sum of the temporary initial position ?? and compensation angle ??.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY ACADEMY COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Geun Ho Lee, Dong Gil Kang, Soon Ho Kwon, Ji Hwan Park, Joon Ik Uhm, Hee Sun Lim, Jung Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 11643281
    Abstract: An improved system for determining the identification of movers in a motion control system is disclosed, where the motion control system includes multiple movers traveling on a track. The physical construction of at least one element of one of the movers is different on one mover than on each of the other movers. The control system for the movers detects the difference in construction and identifies the unique mover as a first mover. Each of the other movers along the track are assigned an identifier based on their relative position to the first mover. According to one embodiment, a position sensing system is utilized to identify the first mover. According to another embodiment, the drive system for the movers is utilized to identify the first mover. In still another embodiment, a combination of the position sensing system and the drive system is utilized to identify the first mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick E. Ozimek, Oliver C. Haya, Peter M. Smit, Marc Koeppel
  • Patent number: 11646649
    Abstract: In the position sensorless control method in low-speed region of the fault-tolerant permanent magnet motor system based on the envelope detection and the non-orthogonal phase-locked loop of the present disclosure, the position sensorless control of the motor is implemented by injecting the high-frequency voltage signals into any two non-faulty phase windings of the motor, extracting the high-frequency response currents of the high-frequency injected phases by the digital bandpass filter, calculating the differential mode inductances of the two phase windings through the envelope detecting and signal processing, and extracting the rotor position and rotational speed signals from the estimated two phase inductances through the non-orthogonal phase-locked loop. In addition, the controller of the present disclosure is small in size, high in accuracy, and high in reliability, which can effectively meet the performance requirements of the onboard electric actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Beihang University
    Inventors: Jinquan Xu, Hong Guo, Hao Fang
  • Patent number: 11637513
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor includes receiving a duty cycle for the electric motor for delivering a target torque from the electric motor, generating a pulse train, and pulsing the electric motor with the generated pulse train. Generating the pulse train being at least partially based on the received duty cycle. The generated pulse train optimized to improve at least one of noise, vibration, or harshness of the electric motor when compared to a constant pulse frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew W. Phillips, Matthew A. Younkins, Paul Carvell, John M. Fuerst