Abstract: A control device for controlling the position of a rotor supported by active magnetic bearings is provided. The control device includes a trajectory planning module for generating a requested position, speed and acceleration; a feedback unit for generating a position feedback value and a speed feedback value; a first correction circuit for generating a first command signal according to the difference between the requested position and speed and the position and speed feedback value respectively; a feed-forward controller for generating a second command signal; an adder for adding first and second command signals and delivering a third command signal for a non-linear inversion circuit connected to the adder for generating flux command signals for the electromagnets, and a second correction circuit for generating voltage command signals for the power amplifiers which control the current flowing in the electromagnet coils of the active magnetic bearings.

Abstract: A control device for controlling the position of a rotor supported by active magnetic bearings is provided. The control device includes a trajectory planning module for generating a requested position, speed and acceleration; a feedback unit for generating a position feedback value and a speed feedback value; a first correction circuit for generating a first command signal according to the difference between the requested position and speed and the position and speed feedback value respectively; a feed-forward controller for generating a second command signal; an adder for adding first and second command signals and delivering a third command signal for a non-linear inversion circuit connected to the adder for generating flux command signals for the electromagnets, and a second correction circuit for generating voltage command signals for the power amplifiers which control the current flowing in the electromagnet coils of the active magnetic bearings.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a brushless motor, driver, incremental displacement sensor, and processor. The motor has a rotor, stator, and electrical terminals accepting a drive signal. The initial phase of the rotor is unknown. The driver is connected to the electrical terminals and produces the drive signal. The displacement sensor is configured to measure a displacement of the rotor and to produce an output signal. The processor has an input receiving the output signal and an output connected to the driver. The processor causes the driver to produce the drive signal according to a predetermined function of time, observes the output signal from the displacement sensor resulting from the drive signal, and performs mathematical computations on the basis of the observed output signal and a model of dynamic behavior of the motor to estimate the initial phase of the rotor.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a brushless motor, driver, incremental displacement sensor, and processor. The motor has a rotor, stator, and electrical terminals accepting a drive signal. The initial phase of the rotor is unknown. The driver is connected to the electrical terminals and produces the drive signal. The displacement sensor is configured to measure a displacement of the rotor and to produce an output signal. The processor has an input receiving the output signal and an output connected to the driver. The processor causes the driver to produce the drive signal according to a predetermined function of time, observes the output signal from the displacement sensor resulting from the drive signal, and performs mathematical computations on the basis of the observed output signal and a model of dynamic behavior of the motor to estimate the initial phase of the rotor.

Abstract: Method intended for automatic control of an underwater pipe for connecting the lower end of the pipe to a wellhead, wherein the following stages are carried out: Stage 1: determining a mathematical model expressing the position of the lower end of the pipe as a function of the position of the upper end of the pipe, Stage 2: determining a reference path leading to the wellhead, Stage 3: from the mathematical model determined in stage 1, determining control laws allowing to control the path of the lower end of the pipe, Stage 4: applying determined motions to the upper end of the pipe so that the position of the lower end is as close as possible to the reference path determined in stage 2.

Abstract: A Process and device for displacing a moveable unit on a base. The process includes: a) a force (F) is determined which, applied to the moveable unit (4), produces a combined effect, on the one hand, on the moveable unit (4) so that it exactly carries out the envisaged displacement on the base (2), especially as regards the prescribed duration and prescribed distance of the displacement, and, on the other hand, on the elements (MA1, MA2, MA3, 4) brought into motion by this displacement so that all these elements are immobile at the end of said displacement of the moveable unit (4); and b) the force (F) thus determined is applied to the moveable unit (4).

Abstract: Method intended for automatic control of an underwater pipe for connecting the lower end of the pipe to a wellhead, wherein the following stages are carried out: Stage 1: determining a mathematical model expressing the position of the lower end of the pipe as a function of the position of the upper end of the pipe, Stage 2: determining a reference path leading to the wellhead, Stage 3: from the mathematical model determined in stage 1, determining control laws allowing to control the path of the lower end of the pipe, Stage 4: applying determined motions to the upper end of the pipe so that the position of the lower end is as close as possible to the reference path determined in stage 2.

Abstract: According to the invention: a) a force (F) is determined which, applied to the moveable unit (4), produces a combined effect, on the one hand, on the moveable unit (4) so that it exactly carries out the envisaged displacement on the base (2), especially as regards the prescribed duration and prescribed distance of the displacement, and, on the other hand, on the elements (MA1, MA2, MA3, 4) brought into motion by this displacement so that all these elements are immobile at the end of said displacement of the moveable unit (4); and b) the force (F) thus determined is applied to the moveable unit (4).

Abstract: A process for monitoring the rotation of a DC electric motor, wherein the voltage and the intensity of the current supplying the motor are measured in a manner sampled over time and wherein, for each sampling instant tn, an estimate &thgr;n, of the angular position is calculated as a function of a determined or known position for a previous sampling instant and of an estimate of a value of angular speed between these two instants, which is dependent on the voltage and on the intensity of current measured for the sampling instant tn, and/or for one or more previous sampling instants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for displacing a moving body (4) on a base (2) mounted elastically with respect to the ground (S), the moving body (4) being displaced linearly with a predetermined displacement under the action of a controllable force (F). According to the invention: a) a mathematical relationship illustrating the movements of the entity formed by the base (2) and the moving body (4) is defined; b) using said mathematical relationship there is determined a force (F) which, applied to the moving body (4), produces a combined effect on the moving body (4) so that it performs said predetermined displacement, and on the base (2) at least so that it is immobile at the end of the displacement of the moving body (4); and c) the force (F) thus determined is applied to the moving body (4).

Abstract: According to the invention:

Abstract: A process for monitoring the rotation of a DC electric motor, wherein the voltage and the intensity of the current supplying said motor are measured in a manner sampled over time and wherein, for each sampling instant tn, an estimate &thgr;n of the angular position is calculated as a function of a determined or known position for a previous sampling instant and of an estimate of a value of angular speed between these two instants, which is dependent on the voltage and on the intensity of current measured for the sampling instant tn and/or for one or more previous sampling instants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of governing a system such as a vehicle screen wiping system. It also relates to a governing apparatus for performing the method of the invention, and to a governed system of the simultaneous or synchronized type, for wiping a glass surface of a vehicle.The governing apparatus according to the invention includes a low level control module which effects, in the system, a reversion to a stable state. The command signal from the low level control module is generated by an intermediate level control module which operates as an open loop. Finally perturbations are compensated for by a high level control module which produces a modification of the command signals in such a way as to render the governing action convergent. The modification of the command signals consists in reducing the rate of propagation of the command signals when the load increases.