Abstract: A single phase, full wave diode bridge circuit is connected with a chopper on its DC output side. An output voltage of the chopper is smoothed by a smoothing capacitor and thereafter supplied for a load. A current control apparatus forms a current reference signal which is synchronized with an AC voltage applied to the bridge circuit and has a magnitude corresponding to a current flowing through the load and produces a deviation signal between the current reference signal and an actual AC input current of the bridge circuit. The chopper is controlled in accordance with the deviation signal so that the AC input current follows the current reference signal, whereby the power factor and the waveform of the AC input current in the bridge circuit are improved.

Abstract: An AC motor such as an induction motor or a synchronous motor is driven by a PWM inverter circuit. Power switching elements of the inverter circuit are ignited by PWM pulses resulting from comparison of a carrier wave signal with a sine wave modulation signal at a frequency proportional to a frequency setting signal so as to control the inverter circuit. A current polarity detector detects positive and negative components of a DC current flowing in the input side of the inverter circuit. The frequency setting signal is so corrected as to be decreased when only the positive current component flows in excess of one period of the carrier wave signal or increased when only the negative current component flows in excess of the one period.