Patents Examined by Gabriel Agared
  • Patent number: 11393331
    Abstract: A system for moving a barrier includes a motor with an integrated encoder operative to generate pulses as a function of rotation of the rotatable shaft of the motor. A preferred form of encoder is a rotary optical encoder to generate optical pulses as a function of rotational movement of the rotatable shaft. Both a microcontroller to determine door status and a controller to control door movement receive the pulses and separately execute methods in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: GMI Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Ikeler, Leroy G. Krupke, Brent Buescher, Brent Alan Rauscher, Gregory D. Matias, Michael Dragomier
  • Patent number: 11387704
    Abstract: Disclosed are a portable private power generation apparatus, and a module equipped with same, the portable private power generation apparatus being small in size, and capable of efficiently generating private power to charge a battery, and able to be linked and used with a variety of smart modules when customary power cannot be supplied in times of emergencies such as during military operations, in refugee camps, during disasters due to earthquakes and the like, emergency situations on ships, and outdoor activities. The present invention comprises: a rotatable fly-wheel member; first and second rotating members for rotating the fly-wheel member; first and second wires for rotating the first and second rotating members, respectively, by means of a pulling action; first and second spring members for carrying out winding actions of the respective first and second wires; and a power generation member for generating power from the rotation of the fly-wheel member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: N-RIT Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dae Up Sohn
  • Patent number: 11382638
    Abstract: A motorized surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a displacement member, a motor coupled to the displacement member, a control circuit coupled to the motor, a position sensor coupled to the control circuit, and a timer circuit coupled to the control circuit. The control circuit is configured to receive, from the position sensor, a position of the displacement member in a current zone defined by a set displacement interval, measure time at a set position of the displacement interval, wherein the measured time is defined as the time taken by the displacement member to traverse the displacement interval, and set a command velocity of the displacement member for a subsequent zone based on the measured time in the current predefined zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Raymond E. Parfett, Shane R. Adams, David C. Yates
  • Patent number: 11387763
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor includes determining a PWM control signal, analyzing the PWM control signal to determine if components of the PWM signal are within a threshold amount of each other, applying duty-cycle blanking to the PWM control signal, if the components of the PWM control signal are within the threshold amount of each other, to generate an adjusted PWM control signal, and controlling the electric motor with the adjusted the PWM signal to limit parasitic effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Sayeed A. Mir, John D. Neely, Stanley L. Seely, John M. White
  • Patent number: 11378061
    Abstract: A rotor dynamics adjustment system includes a rotor system with at least one compressor section and at least one turbine section operably coupled to a shaft. The rotor dynamics adjustment system also includes one or more rotor system sensors configured to collect a plurality of sensor data from the rotor system, an electric motor operably coupled to the rotor system, and a controller. The controller is operable to monitor the one or more rotor system sensors while the rotor system is rotating. A dynamic motion of the rotor system is characterized based on the sensor data from the one or more rotor system sensors. A damping correction torque is determined to diminish the dynamic motion of the rotor system. The electric motor is commanded to apply the damping correction torque to the rotor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Alan H. Epstein
  • Patent number: 11374513
    Abstract: A system for controlling a motor includes a motor having a plurality of phases, each phase comprising a coil having a first end coupled to a motor neutral point. A motor driver circuit is coupled to a second end of each coil to provide power to each coil. A motor controller circuit is coupled to the motor driver circuit to control the power that is provided to the motor. A comparator is coupled to compare a voltage at the motor neutral point to a voltage at the second end of each coil to detect a back-EMF polarity and produce a polarity signal representing the back-EMF polarity. A back-EMF filter circuit is coupled to receive the polarity signal and invert the polarity signal if the polarity signal does not match an expected value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Kamyar Khosravi, Masahira Kurihara
  • Patent number: 11374527
    Abstract: A soft starter includes a plurality of live phases, wherein a semiconductor switching element and an electromechanical switch parallel-connected thereto are arranged in each phase. In the soft starter, on a load-facing side of the semiconductor switching elements and of the electromechanical switches, the plurality of phases are connected in a circuit forming a star point. The star point circuit includes at least one passive component and is configured for detecting a reduced voltage drop in a defective state of a semiconductor switching element and/or of an electromechanical switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Dirk Hertz, Johann Seitz
  • Patent number: 11359470
    Abstract: A system including a control system is provided. The control system includes a main drive that receives power from a power source and outputs a variable frequency and a variable amplitude AC voltage. The control system also includes a controller to interface with the main drive and an electric machine. The controller receives one or more electrical signals associated with an operating condition of the electric machine from one or more sensors disposed between the electric machine and the main drive. The controller determines correction information based on the received electrical signals and based on a desired operating condition of the electric machine. The controller transmits the correction information to the main drive. The correction information corresponds to a rotor position of the electric machine or operating commands configured to implement the desired operating condition of the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Tomas Sadilek, Nathaniel Benedict Hawes, David Allan Torrey, Di Pan, Kum Kang Huh
  • Patent number: 11356050
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a first inverter, a second inverter, first and second controller to control the first and second inverters, and a driving circuit to apply a control signal to turn on the low side switch elements of the first inverter when a fault occurs on the first inverter side, and apply a control signal to turn on the low side switch elements of the second inverter when a fault occurs on the second inverter side. The first power voltage generated on the first inverter side is supplied to the driving circuit when a fault occurs on the second inverter side, and the second power voltage generated on the second inverter side is supplied to the driving circuit when a fault occurs on the first inverter side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Motoki Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 11356036
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes a first inverter, a second inverter, a drive circuit to provide control signals turning on low-side switch elements in the first inverter to the low-side switch elements when a failure has occurred on a first inverter side, and provide control signals to turn on low-side switch elements in the second inverter to the low-side switch elements when a failure has occurred on a second inverter side, and a control circuit. When a failure has occurred on the second inverter side, a first power supply voltage generated on the first inverter side is supplied to the drive circuit, while when a failure has occurred on the first inverter side, a second power supply voltage generated on the second inverter side is supplied to the drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Motoki Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 11347188
    Abstract: Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relates to a stepper motor for use in a rotary control assembly of an input device. The stepper motor includes a shaft; a magnet coupled to the shaft and operable to rotate with a rotation of the shaft, the magnet generating a first magnetic field; a first coil arranged on a rotational path of the magnet; and a first current source configured to supply a first current to the first coil to cause the first coil to generate a second magnetic field, a main direction of the second magnetic field being substantially parallel with a main direction of the first magnetic field while the magnet rotates and passes the first coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Jason Greenslade
  • Patent number: 11323052
    Abstract: Automated speed ramp control of stepper motor acceleration and deceleration using direct memory access (DMA) and core independent peripherals (CIPs) comprises a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) controlled through direct memory access (DMA) transfers of prescale values used in combination with a clock oscillator to generate clock pulses that are a function of the clock oscillator frequency and the prescale values. This automates changing the frequency of the NCO, thereby controlling steeper motor speed, without requiring computer processing unit (CPU) overhead. The DMA module is enabled during a first number of clock pulses for step speed acceleration, disabled during a second number of clock pulses for normal operation at full step speed, and then re-enabled during a third number of clock pulses for step speed deceleration. A table in memory may store and provide a plurality of acceleration and deceleration prescale values for DMA transfers to the NCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Keith Edwin Curtis
  • Patent number: 11296637
    Abstract: A control device includes angular velocity detecting circuitry, feedback circuitry, torque command calculation circuitry, a limiter, a drive controller, and correction circuitry. The angular velocity detecting circuitry detects an angular velocity of a motor. The feedback circuitry obtains a feedback value from the angular velocity. The torque command calculation circuitry obtains a torque command value according to a superordinate torque command value supplied from a superordinate device and the feedback value. The limiter limits the torque command value obtained by the torque command calculation circuitry so as not to exceed a preset torque upper limit value. The drive controller performs a drive control of the motor according to the limited torque command value. The correction circuitry corrects the superordinate torque command value or the torque command value according to the feedback value and the superordinate torque command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignees: NIDEC CORPORATION, NIDEC ELESYS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Linfeng Lan, Tomonari Mori, Ryo Itaba, Tokuji Tatewaki
  • Patent number: 11264927
    Abstract: An electric vehicle propulsion control device includes a power converter that applies an alternating-current voltage to an induction machine and a controller that controls the power converter based on an external operation command. The controller includes a first calculation unit. The first calculation unit calculates, from current information (id and iq) detected at the induction machine and current command values (id*1 and iq*1) that are based on the operation command, a d-axis voltage command (Vd*1) and a q-axis voltage command (Vq*1) for the power converter, and a primary magnetic flux ?ds and a secondary magnetic flux ?dr of the induction machine. The first calculation unit also adds to or subtracts from a term including the q-axis voltage command (Vq*1) an interference term stemming from the d-axis voltage command (Vd*1) in calculating a first speed ?1 that is a free-run speed of the induction machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shota Nishida, Sho Kato
  • Patent number: 11233472
    Abstract: A motor control method and system are provided. The method includes calculating a measured value of a revolution per minute (RPM) of a motor based on a signal measured by a hall sensor installed in the motor and applying a motor system load model to calculate a predicted value of the RPM of the motor. Further, noise of a hall sensor signal is detected using the measured value of the RPM of the motor and the predicted value of the RPM of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Dong Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 11223316
    Abstract: Methods and control apparatus for operating a three-phase electric motor are described, in which the motor windings are switched between Star and Delta connections depending on torque requirements, and in which the motor windings are switched to a braking mode when braking torque is required. The electromagnetic torque of the motor is monitored, and a command to switch from Star to Delta is given when the electromagnetic torque rises to reach or exceed a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Power Drive Efficiency Ltd.
    Inventors: Igor Alexander Turevsky, Moshe Haim Naiman, Arthur Naiman
  • Patent number: 11223313
    Abstract: A device according to an embodiment includes an inverter main circuit; a detector configured to detect a current of an output line of the inverter main circuit; a starting time controller comprising a rotational phase angle estimator configured to calculate, based on a current response value detected by the detector, a value corresponding to a rotational phase angle of a motor connected to the inverter main circuit in a stationary reference frame, and a rotational speed estimator configured to calculate a value corresponding to a rotational speed of the motor by using the value corresponding to the rotational phase angle when the inverter main circuit is started; and a regular time controller configured to calculate, with the value corresponding to the rotational speed as an initial value, an estimated rotational phase angle of the motor in a rotating reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignees: Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, Toshiba Industrial Products and Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Taniguchi, Kazuya Yasui, Tomoaki Shigeta
  • Patent number: 11214297
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a first MCU and a second MCU. The first MCU includes an error detection unit, a resolver digital converter, and a first PWM generation unit. The resolver digital converter includes an encoder unit, which generates encoder pulses based on angle information and outputs the encoder pulses to the second MCU. The error detection unit outputs an error signal to the second MCU, when an error is detected in the first MCU. The first MCU controls the resolver digital converter to operate using a backup clock supplied from the second MCU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuro Nishikawa, Takao Koike, Shinya Abe
  • Patent number: 11205985
    Abstract: A load control device may control power delivered from a power source, such as an alternating-current (AC) power source, to at least two electrical loads, such as a lighting load and a motor load. The load control device may include multiple load control circuit, such as a dimmer circuit and a motor drive circuit, for controlling the power delivered to the lighting load and the motor load, respectively. The load control device may adjust the rotational speed of the motor load in a manner so as to minimize acoustic noise generated by the load control device and reduce the amount of time required to adjust the rotational speed of the motor load. The load control device may remain powered when one of the electrical loads (e.g., the lighting load) has been removed (e.g., electrically disconnected or uninstalled) and/or has failed in an open state (has “burnt out” or “blown out”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: James P. Steiner, Dinesh Sundara Moorthy
  • Patent number: 11196374
    Abstract: A modeling method of a stator winding air gap for temperature field analysis of an AC traction motor includes: changing the width of an air gap of a stator winding equivalent model according to a set value of spacing; establishing a three-dimensional finite element model of the AC traction motor with the stator winding air gap; based on the three-dimensional finite element model of different widths of the air gap, analyzing a temperature field to obtain a temperature field distribution diagram of the AC traction motor; carrying out the numerical fitting according to data in the temperature distribution diagram to obtain a function relation between the air-gap width and the temperature of the stator winding equivalent model; and by measuring the actual temperature of a motor stator winding, calculating an optimal air-gap width corresponding to the modeling of the stator winding of the current AC traction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Hunan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Xiaoping Zhang, Ping Liu, Sijian Kuang, Zhu Zhang