Abstract: A drive control apparatus and method drives an AC motor by applying a rectangular wave voltage thereto. The apparatus estimates the torque of a rotor of the AC motor, and detects a torque deviation which is the difference between the estimated torque and a required torque of the motor. A controller controls a state of the rectangular wave voltage applied to the AC motor, through torque feedback control based on the torque deviation, so that the torque approaches the torque command value. The controller detects a current rotation speed of the motor, and switches, in a predetermined order, a plurality of predetermined rectangular wave voltage states corresponding to different phase values of the rectangular wave voltage. The switching timing of the rectangular wave voltage states is set to a timing that deviates from a reference timing determined based on the current rotation speed, by a length of time corresponding to the torque deviation.

Abstract: The technique of the present invention sets a torque voltage to be applied to a motor in response to a required torque and adjusts the duty of an inverter to ensure application of the torque voltage according to the observed voltage of a battery. In a motor controller constructed to attain such control, before a start-up of normal operation of the motor, a fixed duty is set for switching the inverter to apply a voltage to the motor. The value of electric current running in response to the applied voltage is measured. The mapping of the value of electric current to the source voltage in the case of switching the inverter at a fixed duty is stored in advance in the form of a table. The procedure reads the true value of the source voltage from the table and thereby specifies an offset error occurring in a voltage sensor of the battery. The procedure then corrects the observed voltage of the battery and adequately regulates the torque voltage.

Abstract: A drive control apparatus and method drives an AC motor by applying a rectangular wave voltage thereto. The apparatus estimates the torque of a rotor of the AC motor, and detects a torque deviation which is the difference between the estimated torque and a required torque of the motor. A controller controls a state of the rectangular wave voltage applied to the AC motor, through torque feedback control based on the torque deviation, so that the torque approaches the torque command value. The controller detects a current rotation speed of the motor, and switches, in a predetermined order, a plurality of predetermined rectangular wave voltage states corresponding to different phase values of the rectangular wave voltage. The switching timing of the rectangular wave voltage states is set to a timing that deviates from a reference timing determined based on the current rotation speed, by a length of time corresponding to the torque deviation.

Abstract: The expected power to be output from a synchronous motor is obtained based on a torque command value and revolution speed of the motor. Meanwhile electric power consumption is detected based on voltage and current actually applied to the motor. If a parameter derived from a deviation or a ratio of the two exceeds a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that step-out has occurred. When using the deviation of the expected power from the electric power consumption as the parameter, the threshold value is determined in relation to the torque command value and the revolution speed. When using the ratio of the expected power and the electric power consumption as the parameter, the threshold value is set in relation to the revolution speed. This enables step-out to be accurately determined with an extremely light computational load.

Abstract: An electrical angle detecting apparatus determines an electrical angle &thgr; from voltages Vd, Vq, and currents Id, Iq along a d-axis and a q-axis of a synchronous motor, by using the following expressions: &thgr;=&thgr;(n−1)+k1×&Dgr;Id+k2×&Sgr;(&Dgr;Id) &Dgr;Id=Id(n)−Id(n−1)−t(Vd−R×Id(n−1)+&ohgr;×Lq×Iq(n−1))/Ld; &ohgr;=(k1×&Dgr;Id+k2×&Sgr;(&Dgr;Id))/t where (n−1) indicates a value of each variable at the previous timing; (n) indicates a value at the given timing; R is the resistance of a coil; t is the determination executing period; and k1, k2 are coefficients. This determination makes it easier to set appropriate gains, so that precision improves. Furthermore, the amount of determination reduces, and the processing time shortens.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to carry out control and enable an engine to output a desired power, thereby preventing unexpected charge or discharge of storage battery means. A power output apparatus of the present invention sets energy Pe to be output from an engine, in order to cancel a deviation .DELTA.Pb of a charge-discharge electric power Pb of a battery from its target value Pb* , and controls operation of the engine to output the energy Pe. The energy Pe output from the engine is subjected to torque conversion by means of a clutch motor and an assist motor and output to a drive shaft as a required power. In case that the converted energy is not equal to the required power, the battery is charged with the surplus electric power or is discharged to supplement the shortage of electric power. Namely regulation of the energy Pe results in controlling the charge-discharge electric power Pb of the battery.

Abstract: A power output apparatus 20 includes an engine 50, a clutch motor 30 having rotors 31 and 33 respectively linked with a crankshaft 56 and a drive shaft 22, an assist motor 40 attached to a rotor-rotating shaft 38, a first clutch 45 for connecting and disconnecting the rotor-rotating shaft 38 to and from the crankshaft 56, a second clutch 46 for connecting and disconnecting the rotor-rotating shaft 38 to and from the drive shaft 22, and a controller 80 for controlling the motors 30 and 40. The controller 80 operates the clutches 45 and 46 according to the states of the engine 50 and the drive shaft 22 and changes the connection of the rotor-rotating shaft 38, so as to enable power output from the engine 50 to be efficiently converted by the motors 30 and 40 and output to the drive shaft 22.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electric apparatus comprising a housing with a door, a turntable arranged in the housing for rotating an object, a synchronous motor for driving the turntable, and a control portion for controllling the driving of the synchronous motor, the control portion having apparatus for storing the time required for the turntable to rotate once, apparatus for determining whether or not a time period which is approximately a natural number multiple of the time required for the turntable to rotate once, has elapsed since initiation of turntable rotation, and apparatus for stopping an operation for the rotation of the turntable on the basis of the determination that time, which is approximately a natural number multiple of the time required for one rotation of the turntable, has elapsed.

Abstract: An induction heating cooking apparatus contains a cooker main unit (1), comprising a connector (17) attached to an operation part (7) of the cooker main unit (1) in a freely attachable/detachable manner. A probe (13) containing a thermistor therein is coupled to the connector (17). The probe (13) is inserted into the foodstuff to be cooked in a cooking pan (5), and the thermistor detects the temperature thereof. A light emitting device (23) installed in the connector (17) outputs a light signal in response to the output from the thermistor. This light signal is introduced into the cooker main unit (1) through a light transmitting part (25) formed at a bottom part (19) of the connector (17) and another light transmitting part (27) formed in the operation part (7), being received by a light receiving device (29). In response to the output from the light receiving device (29), a driving circuit drives an inverter.

Abstract: An electric cooking oven for use a normal cooking mode and defrost mode is provided which comprises a detector for detecting a temperature of a food body during cooking thereof, the detector comprising a thermistor which detachably attached to the food body to sense the temperature thereof. A circuit is provided for compensating the gradient of the output characteristics of the temperature detector to increase the gradient of the output characteristic curve of the resistance of the thermistor as a function of temperature in when the thermistor is operating in a temperature range in which it has a low accuracy of temperature sensing.