Patents by Inventor Minoru Kurosawa

Minoru Kurosawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8258732
    Abstract: A drive system of a permanent magnet motor is constituted of a mode switching trigger generator which monitors a state of a permanent magnet motor and issues a mode switching trigger, a conduction mode determining unit which receives the mode switching trigger and switches the mode of the permanent magnet motor, and a PWM generator which outputs a PWM signal to an inverter in accordance with the output of the conduction mode determining unit. The mode switching trigger is generated on condition that the speed electromotive force of the permanent magnet motor exceeds a constant or variable threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Yasuhiko Kokami, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 8232751
    Abstract: A position sensorless drive method capable of driving a permanent magnet motor by an ideal sine-wave current and enabling the driving from an extremely low-speed range in the vicinity of zero-speed is provided. A neutral-point potential of the permanent magnet motor is detected in synchronization with a PWM waveform of an inverter. The position of a rotor of the permanent magnet motor is estimated from the variation of the neutral-point potential. Since the neutral-point potential is varied in accordance with the magnetic circuit characteristics of an individual permanent magnet motor, the position can be detected regardless of the presence of saliency of the permanent magnet motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Yasuhiko Kokami, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 8089232
    Abstract: The disclosed invention achieves a significant reduction in the noise and vibration of a brushless motor from a startup up to the number of steady revolutions. To drive the brushless motor from stop up to the number of steady revolutions, when the arithmetic sequencer detects a rise of a clock signal CARYCLK, current control arithmetic is executed. On detecting a fall of the clock signal, the arithmetic sequence determines whether a division control signal DIVCNT has changed. If this signal has changed, soft switch arithmetic is executed. When the division control signal has not changed or after the completion of soft switching arithmetic, the arithmetic sequencer determines whether a rise of a mask signal MASK has occurred during one cycle of the PWM carrier signal CARYCLK. If a rise of the mask signal has not occurred, the operation returns to the first step. If a rise of the mask signal has occurred, PLL control arithmetic is executed, then the operation returns to the first step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kichiya Itagaki, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20110156625
    Abstract: This invention provides a motor driving apparatus that made it possible to reduce torque ripples including those attributed to load variation of the motor and an associated method for control of motor revolution. An output stage to a multiphase DC motor is comprised of power elements to supply output voltages to multiphase coils and a predriver to supply drive voltages to the power elements. A resistor means detects a current flowing through the power elements. A supply current detector detects a voltage signal produced across the resistor means as a supply current, using a high-speed ADC and a moving average filter. An output controller generates a PWM signal with a frequency lower than the frequency of the high-speed ADC so that the current detected by the supply current detector conforms to a current signal indicating a motor revolving speed and transfers the PWM signal to the output stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minoru KUROSAWA, Yasuhiko KOKAMI
  • Publication number: 20110074324
    Abstract: A control technology for a synchronous motor for suppressing rotational pulsation caused by variation in individuals without making a control algorithm complex is provided. In a motor drive system which is a control device for a synchronous motor, in order to suppress the pulsation component of N times as high as the AC frequency for driving the synchronous motor, a controller in which the phase property of the disturbance response of the controller with respect to the pulsation frequency is within ±45° is arranged. Therefore, the torque pulsation component generated from distortion in induction voltage or variation between phases is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Yasuhiko Kokami, Minoru Kurosawa, Junnosuke Nakatsugawa
  • Patent number: 7915844
    Abstract: This invention provides a motor driving apparatus that made it possible to reduce torque ripples including those attributed to load variation of the motor and an associated method for control of motor revolution. An output stage to a multiphase DC motor is comprised of power elements to supply output voltages to multiphase coils and a predriver to supply drive voltages to the power elements. A resistor means detects a current flowing through the power elements. A supply current detector detects a voltage signal produced across the resistor means as a supply current, using a high-speed ADC and a moving average filter. An output controller generates a PWM signal with a frequency lower than the frequency of the high-speed ADC so that the current detected by the supply current detector conforms to a current signal indicating a motor revolving speed and transfers the PWM signal to the output stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Kurosawa, Yasuhiko Kokami
  • Patent number: 7859209
    Abstract: A control technology for a synchronous motor for suppressing rotational pulsation caused by variation in individuals without making a control algorithm complex is provided. In a motor drive system which is a control device for a synchronous motor, in order to suppress the pulsation component of N times as high as the AC frequency for driving the synchronous motor, a controller in which the phase property of the disturbance response of the controller with respect to the pulsation frequency is within ±45° is arranged. Therefore, the torque pulsation component generated from distortion in induction voltage or variation between phases is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Yasuhiko Kokami, Minoru Kurosawa, Junnosuke Nakatsugawa
  • Patent number: 7847500
    Abstract: Control technique of a synchronous motor capable of suppressing rotation pulsation caused by individual difference without complicating control algorithm is provided. A pulsation generator superimposing a pulsation component anticipated in advance to a current command for the synchronous motor and a correction current generator superimposing a correction signal substantially having an average value of zero to the current command are provided in a synchronous motor control device. By this configuration, the correction signal suppressing a distortion component is superimposed to a value of the current command with a simplified control configuration. Torque pulsation is suppressed by determining the correction signal from difference between a detection current and a command current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Junnosuke Nakatsugawa, Yasuhiko Kokami, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 7750586
    Abstract: A drive control device of motor capable of starting up even a motor of such a type that the polarity of induced voltage does not switch every 180° of electrical angle or the polarity, positive or negative, does not occur with accuracy without causing a reverse rotation is provided. In a start-up control of motor, the following operation is performed: a current is passed through any coils in two phases, and the polarity of voltage induced in the non-conducting phase is detected. A conducting phase at start-up is determined based on the detected polarity of induced voltage. The average value of induced voltages in non-conducting phase detected with respect to the coils in respective phases is determined. The average value and the detected induced voltages are compared with each other, and relative polarities are determined from the magnitude relation with the average value to determine a conducting phase at start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Minoru Kurosawa, Yasuhiko Kokami
  • Patent number: 7723937
    Abstract: A motor drive control device and motor startup method prevent startup noise and reduce startup time. At startup, a current to which a rotor does not react is passed through two phase coils of a polyphase DC motor in succession, and a voltage polarity induced in a non-conducting phase is detected. A first operation decodes the detected signal, and determines phase coils of the motor through which a current should pass to rotate the rotor and the energization direction. A second operation forms a control signal for passing a current according to the determination to drive the motor, detects a voltage peak induced in the non-conducting phase during the drive, and performs switching control of a conducting phase. In normal operation, the position of the rotor is detected based on a back EMF in each phase, and rotation control is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Minoru Kurosawa, Yasuhiko Kokami
  • Publication number: 20100066284
    Abstract: A position sensorless drive method capable of driving a permanent magnet motor by an ideal sine-wave current and enabling the driving from an extremely low-speed range in the vicinity of zero-speed is provided. A neutral-point potential of the permanent magnet motor is detected in synchronization with a PWM waveform of an inverter. The position of a rotor of the permanent magnet motor is estimated from the variation of the neutral-point potential. Since the neutral-point potential is varied in accordance with the magnetic circuit characteristics of an individual permanent magnet motor, the position can be detected regardless of the presence of saliency of the permanent magnet motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: RENESAS TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka IWAJI, Yasuhiko KOKAMI, Minoru KUROSAWA
  • Patent number: 7615909
    Abstract: In an energy recovery type surface acoustic wave motor, an increase in energy efficiency at the time of energy recovery and supply is achieved by adjusting phase change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignees: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd, Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Masahiro Kirigaya, Masahiro Sato, Youhei Ishigami, Kazuo Sawada, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20090200971
    Abstract: A drive system of a permanent magnet motor is constituted of a mode switching trigger generator which monitors a state of a permanent magnet motor and issues a mode switching trigger, a conduction mode determining unit which receives the mode switching trigger and switches the mode of the permanent magnet motor, and a PWM generator which outputs a PWM signal to an inverter in accordance with the output of the conduction mode determining unit. The mode switching trigger is generated on condition that the speed electromotive force of the permanent magnet motor exceeds a constant or variable threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Yoshitaka IWAJI, Yasuhiko Kokami, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20090189556
    Abstract: The disclosed invention achieves a significant reduction in the noise and vibration of a brushless motor from a startup up to the number of steady revolutions. To drive the brushless motor from stop up to the number of steady revolutions, when the arithmetic sequencer detects a rise of a clock signal CARYCLK, current control arithmetic is executed. On detecting a fall of the clock signal, the arithmetic sequence determines whether a division control signal DIVCNT has changed. If this signal has changed, soft switch arithmetic is executed. When the division control signal has not changed or after the completion of soft switching arithmetic, the arithmetic sequencer determines whether a rise of a mask signal MASK has occurred during one cycle of the PWM carrier signal CARYCLK. If a rise of the mask signal has not occurred, the operation returns to the first step. If a rise of the mask signal has occurred, PLL control arithmetic is executed, then the operation returns to the first step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Kichiya ITAGAKI, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20090072773
    Abstract: This invention provides a motor driving apparatus that made it possible to reduce torque ripples including those attributed to load variation of the motor and an associated method for control of motor revolution. An output stage to a multiphase DC motor is comprised of power elements to supply output voltages to multiphase coils and a predriver to supply drive voltages to the power elements. A resistor means detects a current flowing through the power elements. A supply current detector detects a voltage signal produced across the resistor means as a supply current, using a high-speed ADC and a moving average filter. An output controller generates a PWM signal with a frequency lower than the frequency of the high-speed ADC so that the current detected by the supply current detector conforms to a current signal indicating a motor revolving speed and transfers the PWM signal to the output stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Minoru KUROSAWA, Yasuhiko Kokami
  • Publication number: 20080297082
    Abstract: A drive control device of motor capable of starting up even a motor of such a type that the polarity of induced voltage does not switch every 180° of electrical angle or the polarity, positive or negative, does not occur with accuracy without causing a reverse rotation is provided. In a start-up control of motor, the following operation is performed: a current is passed through any coils in two phases, and the polarity of voltage induced in the non-conducting phase is detected. A conducting phase at start-up is determined based on the detected polarity of induced voltage. The average value of induced voltages in non-conducting phase detected with respect to the coils in respective phases is determined. The average value and the detected induced voltages are compared with each other, and relative polarities are determined from the magnitude relation with the average value to determine a conducting phase at start-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Minoru Kurosawa, Yasuhiko Kokami
  • Publication number: 20080252171
    Abstract: In an energy recovery type surface acoustic wave motor, an increase in energy efficiency at the time of energy recovery and supply is achieved by adjusting phase change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicants: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd., Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Masahiro Kirigaya, Masahiro Sato, Youhei Ishigami, Kazuo Sawada, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 7411365
    Abstract: A drive control device of motor capable of starting up even a motor of such a type that the polarity of induced voltage does not switch every 180° of electrical angle or the polarity, positive or negative, does not occur with accuracy without causing a reverse rotation is provided. In a start-up control of motor, the following operation is performed: a current is passed through any coils in two phases, and the polarity of voltage induced in the non-conducting phase is detected. A conducting phase at start-up is determined based on the detected polarity of induced voltage. The average value of induced voltages in non-conducting phase detected with respect to the coils in respective phases is determined. The average value and the detected induced voltages are compared with each other, and relative polarities are determined from the magnitude relation with the average value to determine a conducting phase at start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Minoru Kurosawa, Yasuhiko Kokami
  • Publication number: 20080143288
    Abstract: Control technique of a synchronous motor capable of suppressing rotation pulsation caused by individual difference without complicating control algorithm is provided. A pulsation generator superimposing a pulsation component anticipated in advance to a current command for the synchronous motor and a correction current generator superimposing a correction signal substantially having an average value of zero to the current command are provided in a synchronous motor control device. By this configuration, the correction signal suppressing a distortion component is superimposed to a value of the current command with a simplified control configuration. Torque pulsation is suppressed by determining the correction signal from difference between a detection current and a command current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: Renesas Technology Corp.,
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Junnosuke Nakatsugawa, Yasuhiko Kokami, Minoru Kurosawa
  • Publication number: 20080100243
    Abstract: A motor drive control device and motor startup method prevent startup noise and reduce startup time. At startup, a current to which a rotor does not react is passed through two phase coils of a polyphase DC motor in succession, and a voltage polarity induced in a non-conducting phase is detected. A first operation decodes the detected signal, and determines phase coils of the motor through which a current should pass to rotate the rotor and the energization direction. A second operation forms a control signal for passing a current according to the determination to drive the motor, detects a voltage peak induced in the non-conducting phase during the drive, and performs switching control of a conducting phase. In normal operation, the position of the rotor is detected based on a back EMF in each phase, and rotation control is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: Minoru KUROSAWA, Yasuhiko KOKAMI