Patents Examined by Cortez Cook
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Patent number: 9912259Abstract: A thyristor starting device includes: a converter which converts AC power supplied from an AC power source into DC power; a DC reactor which smooths a DC current; an inverter which converts the DC power provided from the converter into AC power, and supplies the AC power to a synchronous machine; a gate pulse generation circuit which generates a gate pulse to be provided to thyristors of the converter and the inverter; a control unit which sets a phase control angle of the gate pulse to be provided to the thyristors of the converter, by controlling a current of the converter such that the DC current flowing into the DC reactor matches a current command value; and an abnormality detection unit which compares a detection value of the DC current with the current command value, and determines an abnormality in the gate pulse based on a comparison result.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2013Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Ogino, Akinobu Ando, Yasuhiko Hosokawa, Ryota Okuyama
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Patent number: 9893658Abstract: A method for starting a multiphase, sensorless commutated, brushless electric motor. The method has three operating phases. A start-up phase in which the motor is operated from a standstill with specified commutation times. An acceleration phase in which the motor is accelerated up to a nominal speed, wherein the commutation times are determined on the basis of the zero crossings of the BEMF voltage of the non-energized stator phase windings. And a stationary operating phase in which the nominal speed is kept constant. The transition from the start-up phase into the acceleration phase takes place when, during the start-up phase, a predetermined number of successive zero crossings of the BEMF voltage in the expected order in the expected motor phases have been identified. The transition from the acceleration phase into the stationary phase takes place once the nominal speed has been reached.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.Inventors: Martin Winker, Klaus Moosmann
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Patent number: 9871474Abstract: A method of synchronizing a synchronous reluctance electric machine wherein the machine has no speed and/or residual magnetization voltage sensor and includes power terminals and rotating masses whose mechanical rotation frequency is subjected to speed transients caused by power cut-off conditions. The method includes at least one step of applying a control voltage with predetermined amplitude and duration to the terminals after the transients, and one step of detecting the electric current induced by the control voltage, the current induced by the voltage having a harmonic spectrum variable according to the frequency differential between the frequency of the control voltage and the mechanical rotation frequency of the rotating masses, to restore power and synchronous rotation control of the machine.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2013Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: KSB AKTIENGESSELSCHAFTInventors: Federico Di Santo, Enrico Marodin
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Patent number: 9843282Abstract: Provided is a motor control apparatus for vehicles. The motor control apparatus may generate a current reference value based on a level of a field current (or a field current value) flowing in a field coil and may control a vehicle motor by using the current reference value, thereby improving torque response characteristic and maximum efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.Inventor: Sang Min Kim
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Patent number: 9823647Abstract: A servo control apparatus includes a sensor unit for detecting a motor speed; an amplifier for driving a motor and feeding back a current; a magnetic pole position detector; a position controller for outputting a speed command; a speed controller for outputting a current command; a current controller for outputting a voltage command; a speed estimator for calculating an estimated speed from the voltage command; a magnetic pole position estimator for calculating an estimated magnetic pole position from the estimated speed; a sensor malfunction detector; a stop position command generator; and a first switch for switching from the position command to the stop position command, a second switch for switching from the magnetic pole position to the estimated magnetic pole position, and a third switch for switching from the detected speed to the estimated speed, when the sensor malfunction detector has detected a malfunction.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2017Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventors: Kouki Kameta, Naoto Sonoda
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Patent number: 9821679Abstract: A method for the diagnosis of the offset of the resolver of an electric motor, comprising acquiring a predetermined offset of a resolver associated with the electric motor; in a first transient, supplying an excitation current to the phases of the electric motor. As a consequence of the excitation current, a current established on the axis d of minimum reluctance and a current established on an axis q in phase quadrature with respect to the axis of minimum reluctance are determined. The correctness of the offset of the resolver is diagnosed if the current established on the axis d in the first transient is higher than the current established on the axis d in the second or third transient, and if the current established on the axis q in the first transient is lower than the current established on the axis q in the second or third transient.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: MAGNETI MARELLI S.p.A.Inventors: Andrea Stefani, Alessandro Fossi, Roberto Betro', Marco Raimondi, Canio Caterini
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Patent number: 9806658Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an electric motor. Power is transmitted to windings of the electric motor by wireless magnetic coupling between transmission coils and the windings.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2014Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Peng Zeng, Brian J. Tillotson
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Patent number: 9796289Abstract: An electric vehicle comprises an electric motor for driving a wheel; a main battery for activating the electric motor; a case to which a sub-battery for activating the electric motor is detachably mounted; a connection terminal to which a terminal of the sub-battery is connected; a mounting detecting sensor for detecting that the connection terminal is connected to the terminal of the sub-battery; and a controller which detects the SOCs of the batteries and is configured such that electric power is supplied preferentially from the mounted sub-battery to the electric motor, when the SOC of the sub-battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and electric power is supplied from the main battery to the electric motor, when the SOC of the sub-battery is less than the predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2011Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takahito Murase, Takeshi Ikeda
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Patent number: 9800197Abstract: A method for generating a challenge-response pair in an electric machine as a basis for an identification or authentication is described, the electric machine having a stator and a rotor, a first alternating voltage between two points of a first defined point pair of the electric machine being applied as a challenge, which causes an induction in the electric machine, a variable dependent on the caused induction being determined as a response. The first alternating voltage has a frequency which is higher than the working frequency of the electric machine.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2014Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Jamshid Shokrollahi, Hamit Hacioglu, Hanne Beck
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Patent number: 9797406Abstract: A motor device configured to convey a fluid by driving a fan with a motor includes a position/speed acquirer configured to acquire a current rotation angle and a current rotation speed of the motor, a multiplier configured to calculate a flow-rate-constant target driving current by multiplying the rotation speed and a flow rate coefficient, and a current controller configured or programmed to control a motor driving current by setting, as a control target, the flow-rate-constant target driving current and to control a flow rate of the fluid to be maintained at a constant value which depends on the flow rate coefficient.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2015Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Nidec Servo CorporationInventor: Masatomo Ishikawa
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Patent number: 9780702Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one energy source and a drive system coupled to the at least one energy source. The drive system converts electrical power received from the at least one energy source and provides converted electrical power for driving at least one load. The drive system includes a first converter, a second converter, and a first switch module coupled to outputs of the first and second converters. When the apparatus is operating under a first mode, the first switch module is switched to assume a first state to allow a first output electrical power provided from the first converter and a second output electrical power provided from the second converter to be combined for driving a first load with the combined output electrical power.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Fei Li, Xi Lu, Jian Zhou, Pengju Kang, Ronghui Zhou, Xiangming Shen, Fengcheng Sun, Hai Qiu
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Patent number: 9780703Abstract: A power supply may include power generation circuits, each configured to drive a respective winding of a multiphase motor; converter circuits, each configured to generate a digital driving signal for a respective power generation circuit, and a memory configured to store a plurality of fast recirculation compensation values corresponding to combinations of the digital driving signals that would otherwise result in a fast recirculation condition. The power supply may also include a controller coupled to the memory and configured to determine when a given combination of the digital driving signals would otherwise result in a fast recirculation condition, and based upon the determination, substitute at least one corresponding fast recirculation compensation value for the given combination of the digital driving signals.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2015Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.Inventor: Giuseppe Maiocchi
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Patent number: 9755555Abstract: A drive circuit for an electric motor connected in series with an AC power source between a first node and a second node. The drive circuit includes a controllable bidirectional AC switch, an AC-DC conversion circuit connected in parallel with the controllable bidirectional AC switch between the first node and the second node, a position sensor configured to detect a position of a rotor of the motor, and a switch control circuit configured to control the controllable bidirectional AC switch to be conductive or non-conductive in a predetermined way, based on the position of the rotor and a polarity of the AC power source.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Johnson Electric S.A.Inventors: Yue Li, Chi Ping Sun, Bao Ting Liu, En Hui Wang, Fei Xin, Shing Hin Yeung, Xiu Wen Yang, Yan Yun Cui, Shu Juan Huang
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Patent number: 9751178Abstract: A servo control apparatus includes a sensor unit for detecting a motor speed; an amplifier for driving a motor and feeding back a current; a magnetic pole position detector; a position controller for outputting a speed command; a speed controller for outputting a current command; a current controller for outputting a voltage command; a speed estimator for calculating an estimated speed from the voltage command; a magnetic pole position estimator for calculating an estimated magnetic pole position from the estimated speed; a sensor malfunction detector; a stop position command generator; and a first switch for switching from the position command to the stop position command, a second switch for switching from the magnetic pole position to the estimated magnetic pole position, and a third switch for switching from the detected speed to the estimated speed, when the sensor malfunction detector has detected a malfunction.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2016Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Fanuc CorporationInventors: Kouki Kameta, Naoto Sonoda
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Patent number: 9716447Abstract: Embodiments of an integrated motor drive power electronics system are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the integrated motor drive power electronics system includes an active line filter (ALF) configured to control and regulate current drawn from an input power source and to attenuate current ripple fed back to the input power source, an energy storage capacitance coupled to an output of the active line filter, and a bidirectional low voltage power supply (LVPS). In some embodiments, the bidirectional LVPS may provide regulated power to a load and may selectively recycle power back to the input power source and regulate voltage at the load to a predetermined output voltage. In some embodiments, the energy storage capacitance may serve as a local input power source for higher power motor drive electronics and the bidirectional LVPS.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2014Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventor: Joe Anthony Ortiz
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Patent number: 9709979Abstract: A method of monitoring an actuator system including a control device, a torque motor having a voltage Umc across its terminals and actuating a servo-valve, and an actuator controlled by the servo-valve, is provided. The control device is suitable for delivering to the torque motor a control current Icmd as a function of a current setpoint I_c and of a measured current Imes. The monitoring method includes: comparing the voltage Umc measured across the terminals of the torque motor with a predetermined threshold voltage Vthresh; and if the voltage across the terminals of the torque motor is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold voltage, raising an alarm and indicating a failure of the servo-valve. The comparison of the voltage Umc is performed only if the control current Icmd is greater than a predetermined threshold current Iinhib, with a control current less than that inhibiting any signaling of a servo-valve failure.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Raphael Tanguy Guillory, Ghislain Nicolas Emmanuel Sanchis
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Patent number: 9698718Abstract: A motor speed control system includes a motor, a control module and a displaying module. The motor includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes at least one induction rotor portion. The stator includes at least one induction stator portion. The induction rotor portion is corresponding to the induction stator portion. The control module is electrically connected to the rotor and the stator. The control module controls an induction rotor current of the induction rotor portion and an induction stator current of the induction stator portion to produce a rotor speed. The control module decreases or turns off the induction rotor current to keep the rotor speed at a predetermined value according to a rotational inertia of the rotor and the induction stator current when the rotor speed reaches the predetermined value. The displaying module displays the rotor speed and variable currents.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: HANKING POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventor: Tzu-Nan Chuang
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Patent number: 9673747Abstract: A control apparatus of a rotary machine controls drive of the rotary machine with winding groups. The control apparatus includes electric power converters in multiple systems, a failure detection portion, and a controller. The electric power converter has switching elements in an upper arm and a lower arm, and converts direct current power. The failure detection portion detects a failure of an electric power converter or a failure of a winding group. The controller operates the switching elements and controls electricity supply. When the failure detection portion detects the failure, the controller stops output to an electric power converter in a failure system, and the controller reduces a total number of times of switching per unit time of the switching elements in a normally operating system.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2015Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kouichi Nakamura, Takashi Suzuki
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Patent number: 9667182Abstract: The invention describes a method for controlling a sensorless, brushless DC motor that is controlled via a bridge circuit preferably using pulse width modulation (PWM) having precommutation. According to the invention, in the braking operation each commutation interval is divided into two phases. A drive phase, lasting from the start of the commutation interval up to zero crossing in which the motor is controlled with the normal PWM, and a braking phase, lasting from zero crossing up to the next commutation time in which at least two motor phases are short-circuited and/or in which the PWM is operated with recovered energy. The efficiency of the control circuit is as low as possible so as to ensure that the braking energy is consumed in the control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: MINÄ–BEA CO., LTD.Inventors: Martin Winker, Klaus Moosmann
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Patent number: 9667137Abstract: The present invention relates to a control system and a method for raising the mains-side power factor ? of three-phase fed EC motors having a dc voltage intermediate circuit (2) with an intermediate center tap (DCM) for generating a positive and a negative intermediate circuit potential (DC+, DC?), comprising three active bridge arms (Ia, IIa, IIIa), each of which are connected to a subordinate two-point current control (ZPR1, ZPR2, ZPR3) and, in each case, via said current control to a superimposed intermediate circuit voltage control (3), which controls the potential difference between the middle circuit potentials (DC+, DC?) via set point settings for the subordinate two-point current controllers (ZPR1, ZPR2, ZPR3).Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2015Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: ebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Fabian Schneider