Patents Examined by Cortez Cook
  • Patent number: 9407128
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus for alarming an inverter status and an apparatus for analyzing a motor status in a mobile terminal. The apparatus for analyzing a motor status in a mobile terminal includes: a first recognition unit configured to recognize vibrations of a motor contacting thereto, and providing the vibrations to a controller; a second recognition unit configured to recognize sound of the motor, and providing the sound to the controller; and the controller configured to analyze a frequency from the vibrations and sound of the motor, to check a change of the vibrations, and thus to obtain an analysis result on a status of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jubeom Son
  • Patent number: 9401674
    Abstract: A motor controller for providing a three-phase alternating current (AC) signal to a three-phase motor. The motor controller uses current feedback from a single shunt to monitor or control the three phase AC signal. The motor controller may include a three-phase DC to AC power inverter, a single-shunt current sensor, and a processor. During individual duty cycles when two or more phase signals are too close to each other, the processor may shift one of the phase signals in time so that its leading or trailing edges are a predetermined conflict time away from each other. Then, the processor may sample current from the single-shunt current sensor to determine currents of two of the three phase signals and then calculate current of a remaining one of the three phase signals. Sample times may depend on pulse widths and shifting of the phase signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher D. Schock, Prakash B. Shahi
  • Patent number: 9391553
    Abstract: A circuit includes a processor that analyzes a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal feedback from a brushless DC motor to determine a transition between a mutual inductance zero crossing condition and a Back Electro Motive Force (BEMF) zero crossing condition of the brushless DC motor. A mutual inductance controller is executed by the processor to commutate the brushless DC motor at startup of the motor when the mutual inductance zero crossing condition is detected by the processor. A BEMF controller is executed by the processor to commutate the brushless DC motor after startup of the motor when the BEMF zero crossing condition is detected by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yisong Lu, Ruochen Zhang, Wei Zuo
  • Patent number: 9391551
    Abstract: A device may detect the zero-cross event of a BEMF of an electric motor with first, second, and third phase windings driven by respective first, second, and third power driving stages. The device may include a control circuit configured to place at an impedance state the third power driving stage relative to the third phase winding, the third phase winding being coupled to a zero-cross detecting circuit, introduce a masking signal to mask an output signal of the zero-cross detecting circuit in correspondence with each rising edge of a first driving signal of the first power driving stage relative to the first phase winding, and determine whether a first duty-cycle of the first driving signal is such that a duration of a masking window of the masking signal is greater than an on-time period of the first driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Michele Boscolo Berto, Federico Magni
  • Patent number: 9379657
    Abstract: A multi-phase voltage from a utility grid is applied to a first side of a plurality of open windings of a stator. A phase of the multi-phase voltage is determined. Stator currents measured from a second side of the plurality of open windings are converted to a non-rotating direct-quadrature (d-q) reference frame. A q-axis of the non-rotating d-q reference frame contains a voltage vector defined from the multi-phase voltage, and a d-axis is normal to the voltage vector. A d-axis component of the converted stator currents is applied as an error signal to a proportional-integral controller to determine an output voltage signal. The output voltage signal is converted from the non-rotating d-q reference frame to a reference frame defined by the phase. The output voltage signal is applied to an inverter to define a second output voltage. The second output voltage is applied to the second side of the plurality of open windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Lipo, Prabhdeep S. Virk
  • Patent number: 9379656
    Abstract: A force feedback mechanism disposed inside a casing for vibration balance of the casing is disclosed in the present invention. The force feedback mechanism includes an accelerator, a force generator and a controller. The accelerator detects an acceleration parameter of the casing. The force generator respectively generates an effective force at a first direction and a second direction. The first direction is substantially opposite to the second direction. The controller is electrically connected to the accelerator and the force generator. The controller obtains and analyzes absolute value and vector of the acceleration parameter, and drives the force generator to generate the corresponding effective force according to the absolute value and the vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Wen-Chieh Hsu, Ming-Chih Chen
  • Patent number: 9350279
    Abstract: A method of compensating for a friction torque of a permanent magnet synchronous motor may include: receiving input of a motor current and a rotor speed of the permanent magnet synchronous motor; estimating a motor torque based on the input motor current; acquiring a first friction torque corresponding to the input rotor speed and the estimated motor torque by using a lookup table of friction torques; compensating for a second friction torque of the permanent magnet synchronous motor based on the first friction torque, wherein the compensating is in response to a first torque command input to control driving of the permanent magnet synchronous motor and outputs a second torque command that compensates for the second friction torque; and/or controlling the driving of the permanent magnet synchronous motor based on the second torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR CORPORATE COLLABORATION
    Inventors: Hyun-bae Kim, Jung-hyo Lee, Jei-hoon Baek, Kyu-bum Han
  • Patent number: 9337754
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an AC motor that drives and controls the AC motor includes a damping control unit that calculates a damping manipulated variable that suppresses a fluctuation in the capacitor voltage, wherein the damping control unit calculates a fluctuation rate of the capacitor voltage, calculates the damping manipulated variable based on the fluctuation rate and a predetermined value that is set as a value in a predetermined range around a maximum torque of the AC motor, generates a torque command or a current command of the AC motor based on the damping manipulated variable, and controls an inverter so as to change a current flowing in the inverter in a fluctuation suppressing direction with respect to a fluctuation in the capacitor voltage based on the torque command or the current command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 9325261
    Abstract: Provided is a motor driving circuit which transmits a driving signal to a motor, including a gate driver generating the driving signal corresponding to a pulse width modulation signal, a pulse width modulation signal generator generating the pulse width modulation signal according to Hall sensor signals received from Hall sensors mounted in the motor, a current sensor measuring a link current provided to the gate driver, a low pass filter outputting a filter current that high frequency components are removed from the measured link current, and a minimum power consumption estimating unit generating a lead angle according to a start signal with reference to the filter current, wherein the pulse with modulating signal is changed according to the lead angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jimin Oh, Minki Kim, Jung Hee Suk, Sewan Heo, Yil Suk Yang
  • Patent number: 9325260
    Abstract: In a butting control, while performing a constant current control for a motor based on an output of a current sensor, the motor is driven by sequentially switching over a current supply phase of the motor in a one-phase current supply method, in which only one of the phases of the motor is powered. By performing the constant current control in the butting control, changes in a current value of each phase caused by temperature changes or aging changes is suppressed and hence a torque change of the motor is suppressed. In addition, by sequentially switching over the current supply phase of the motor in the one phase current supply method under the constant current control, a torque change of the motor can be suppressed while maintaining the current value of the current supply phase at a constant value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 9300231
    Abstract: An output control apparatus of a motor includes a controller formed by having a power device to bridge a motor and a power supply. The controller incorporating the power device provides voltage control modulation during different motor speeds so as to fix the recharging voltage at the DC bus in a specific range without involvement of any voltage converter. It is unnecessary to use additional complex circuits or other DC/DC converters to reduce the voltage recharged from the motor running at a high speed. In addition, space for the apparatus is reduced, and the specification and function of the original controller can be maintained without trading off work in redesigning the motor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Shih-Hsiang Chien, Chin-Hone Lin, Hsieh-Tai Su, Pin-Yung Chen, Yung-Chen Wang
  • Patent number: 9294016
    Abstract: While motors or generators stacked in series may allow for higher operating voltages, such motors or generators may also exhibit instability. To minimize instability, the motors or generators may be controlled to have an approximately equal current. An example motor system may include motor stacks connected in series, each motor stack exhibiting a respective stack voltage and a respective differential power (based on a difference in power between motors in the motor stack). A control system may average the stack voltages to generate an average stack voltage and generate a nominal stack power corresponding to each stack voltage. The control system may receive the differential powers, combine each differential power and nominal stack power for the respective motor stack to generate first and a second motor powers, and control each motor stack using the first and second motor powers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew David Goessling, Leo Francis Casey
  • Patent number: 9294017
    Abstract: While motors or generators stacked in series may allow for higher operating voltages, such motors or generators may also exhibit instability. To minimize instability, the motors or generators may be controlled to have an approximately equal current. An example motor system may include motor stacks connected in series, each motor stack exhibiting a respective stack voltage and a respective differential power (based on a difference in power between motors in the motor stack). A control system may average the stack voltages to generate an average stack voltage and generate a nominal stack power corresponding to each stack voltage. The control system may receive the differential powers, combine each differential power and nominal stack power for the respective motor stack to generate first and a second motor powers, and control each motor stack using the first and second motor powers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew David Goessling, Leo Francis Casey
  • Patent number: 9270211
    Abstract: An electric power tool includes a power supply, a motor capable of being driven in a forward rotation mode or a reverse rotation mode, and a voltage step-up unit capable of performing a voltage step-up operation to raise a voltage supplied from the power supply and supply a raised voltage to the motor. The voltage step-up unit is configured to change the voltage step-up operation in accordance with whether a rotation mode of the motor is the forward rotation mode or the reverse rotation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kaizo, Tadashi Arimura, Toshiharu Ohashi
  • Patent number: 9257930
    Abstract: A controller for a multiple-phase rotating machine includes power converters for supplying alternating current to winding sets of the rotating machine. A pair of each electrical power converter and a corresponding winding set forms a system. The controller further includes a failure detector for detecting a failure in each system. The failure causes a braking current in the rotating machine. The controller further includes a control section for setting a d-axis current and a q-axis current to drive the power converter in each system. When the failure detector detects the failure in any one of the systems, the control section stops the power converter in the failed system and sets the d-axis current in the normal system in such a manner that an electric current in the failed system is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9257919
    Abstract: In one aspect of the teachings herein, an interface circuit obviates the need for a microcontroller with multi-channel PWM capability in the context of controlling a brushless, three-phase DC motor. Instead, the interface circuit generates the requisite set of motor-phase control signals using a single PWM channel from the microcontroller. The interface circuit is implemented as a standalone integrated circuit (IC) in one embodiment, and is integrated into a pre-driver circuit in another embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Lucretiu Pisau
  • Patent number: 9252700
    Abstract: A motor controller that controls energization of a motor in which a plurality of coils U1 to W2 that applies torque to a rotor is arranged in a circular pattern includes: a rotation speed detection sensor that detects a rotation speed of the motor; and an energization control unit that controls energization of the plurality of coils U1 to W2 using the detected rotation speed. The energization control unit sequentially energizes the plurality of coils U1 to W2 in all energization patterns if the detected rotation speed is outside of predetermined conditions and sequentially energizes the plurality of coils U1 to W2 in remaining energization patterns (for example, U?V phase, V?W phase, V?U phase, W?U phase, and W?V phase) excluding a partial energization pattern (for example, U?W phase) of all energization patterns if the detected rotation speed is within the predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahisa Toda
  • Patent number: 9225282
    Abstract: A method of controlling an output voltage of an inverter driving an electric motor may include calculating a current total harmonic distortion (THD) of a current output to the electric motor; comparing the current THD with a reference current THD; determining a pulse width modulation (PWM) method to be changed from a first modulation method that reduces harmonic components of the current output to the electric motor to a second modulation method when the current THD is less than the reference current THD, the PWM method modulating a pulse width of a control pulse signal for controlling the output voltage of the inverter; and/or generating the control pulse signal based on the determined PWM method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jei-hoon Baek, Jong-soo Kim, Hyun-bae Kim, Kyu-bum Han
  • Patent number: 9219442
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and controlling the amount of electrical current provided to a motor used to actuate a field device within a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventor: Clyde T. Eisenbeis
  • Patent number: 9213379
    Abstract: A device for processing graphics data may include a plurality of graphics processing units. The device may include a fan to dissipate thermal energy generated during the operation of the plurality of graphics processing units. Each of the plurality of graphics processing units may generate a pulse width modulated signal to control the speed of the fan. The device may include one or more monitoring units configured to monitor a signal controlling the speed of the fan. One or more of the plurality of pulse width modulated signals may be adjusted based on the monitored signal. One or more of the plurality of pulse width modulated signals may be adjusted such that a signal controlling the fan maintains a desired duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin Wong, Thomas Dewey, Craig Ross, Andrew Bell, John Lam, Gabriele Gorla