With Particular Motor Control System Responsive To The "actuating Signal" Patents (Class 318/671)
  • Patent number: 11713884
    Abstract: An operating device for a built-in kitchen appliance includes a central piece, an operating element mounted rotatably on the central piece, at least one position sensor, which is designed for sensing a rotational position of the operating element, and at least one touch-sensitive and/or pressure-sensitive sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventor: Wilhelm Bruckbauer
  • Patent number: 11682999
    Abstract: A motor control method inputs one or more controlled variables or target values each representing a state of a motor to one or more node layers as an input value, and performs calculation in each of the one or more node layers to output one or more manipulated variables used for control of the motor and control the motor in accordance with the one or more manipulated variables. Each the one or more node layers has a plurality of nodes that execute calculations in parallel. Each of the plurality of nodes multiplies the input value by a coefficient specified for the corresponding node, and performs calculation using a function specified for the corresponding node and designating a multiplied value as an input variable to determine an output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ken'ichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11341867
    Abstract: Apparatus for dental simulation comprising: a display; one or more processors; a hand piece comprising a light emitter and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), wherein the IMU is in communication with at least one of the one or more processors, and wherein the IMU is configured to generate IMU position and orientation data, wherein the IMU position and orientation data describes the position and orientation of the hand piece; at least two cameras in communication with at least one of the one or more processors, wherein each of the at least two cameras is configured to generate a series of images using light emitted by the light emitter; wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receive the series of images from each of the at least two cameras, generate, based on two dimensional coordinate data derived from the series of images, three dimensional coordinate data identifying the position of the LED; receive the IMU position and orientation data; and further wherein the one or more processors are con
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Nissin Dental Products Inc.
    Inventors: Wouter Biemans, Dyon Bode, Luuk Steitner
  • Patent number: 11092655
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for testing electrical wiring of a device are provided. In one example, the device has a conductive portion, an electrical component, and a multiphase plug that is electrically coupled to a neutral conductor and at least two phase conductors. The neutral conductor is coupled to the conductive portion and the at least two phase conductors are coupled to the electrical component. The apparatus includes a receptacle that removably couples to the multiphase plug. A grounding cable removably couples to the conductive portion. A power supply generates power and is in electrical communication with the receptacle to communicate the power to the receptacle. An annunciator is in electrical communication with the power supply and the grounding cable and is configured to generate a response when the receptacle, the multiphase plug, the conductive portion, and the grounding cable are in electrical communication to communicate the power therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Bret Bell, James Perdue, Peyton Zeagler, Paul Dellinger
  • Patent number: 10309805
    Abstract: In a length or position measuring system which has an at least locally substantially linear measuring gauge and at least one sensor able to be moved relative to the measuring gauge wherein the measuring gauge includes an incremental track and at least one absolute track and wherein the incremental track and the at least one absolute track have pole pairs arranged in the longitudinal direction of the measuring gauge, it is provided in particular that at least one pole pair of the absolute track is phase-shifted relative to a corresponding pole pair of the incremental track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Balluff GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Burkhardt
  • Patent number: 10162008
    Abstract: A test circuit performs fault detection tests on a motor branch circuit, to detect pre-existing faults before a motor start-up to pre-empt potential damage to the motor branch circuit therefrom. The test circuit is configured to be coupled to the phase lines of a motor branch circuit at a set of test points strategically located on the phase lines. The test circuit includes test lines that are each coupled to a different one of the phase lines at one of the set of test points. The test circuit includes a test controller that, during a test mode, sequentially presents a low voltage supply to each phase line through the test line coupled thereto, to test for ground faults then sequentially couples the low voltage supply across each possible pairing of the phase lines to test for line-to-line faults. The test mode can be initiated manually or automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventor: James J. Kinsella
  • Patent number: 10110152
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) chip for driving a mass of a linear resonant actuator (LRA) using low-latency closed-loop control is described. The IC chip includes class-D amplifier circuitry configured to provide to coils of the LRA, a driving signal, which has a pulse-width modulation configured to control a position of the mass as a function of time. The driving signal has a frequency in a range of 10-100 kH, and the pulse-width modulation has a bandwidth smaller than 1 kHz. The IC chip also includes class-D controller circuitry configured to process (i) a position-monitoring signal, which (a) is received from position sensors of the LRA and (b) corresponds to the position of the mass, and (ii) a drive-monitoring signal, which relates to the driving signal, to obtain a digital driving signal. The class-D amplifier circuit is configured to amplify the digital driving signal to obtain the analog driving signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Arman Hajati
  • Patent number: 9000708
    Abstract: To provide a motor control circuit that variably controls the speed of a motor, in which an appropriate control gain corresponding to the speed of the motor that is set can be automatically set. The motor control circuit includes a period error signal output means, a speed error signal output means and a gain correction means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignees: Minebea Co., Ltd., Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Inoue, Kenichi Kishimoto, Yuji Hamada
  • Patent number: 9000692
    Abstract: A linear electrodynamic-type motor, for compressing a fluid circulating in a cryocooler notably using a Stirling cycle, includes a translationally movable induction coil; a power-supply circuit adapted to deliver, to at least one induction coil, an AC power-supply current; a movable mass adopting a translational movement; an induction coil arranged so as to move a respective movable mass between a first position and a second position where the movable mass can compress the fluid; and a secondary circuit arranged to connect the terminals of at least one induction coil in short-circuit. The secondary circuit comprises a compensation component for producing a phase shift between the power-supply voltage and the power-supply current, so as to reduce the phase difference that the inductance of the induction coil produces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Gerald Aigouy, James Butterworth, Benoit Debray, Jean Christophe Rey
  • Patent number: 9000709
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling and diagnosing a prime mover of a vehicle traction system includes an alternator having a rotor and coupled to a crankshaft of the prime mover, a source of electrical energy, a position sensor supplying a position signal representative of an angular position of the rotor, and a control computer. The computer supplies energy to the alternator to crank the prime mover at a controlled rate. In a diagnosis mode, the computer generates a condition signal indicative of a malfunction of the prime mover, from a compression signal derived from an acceleration signal which is derived from the position signal. In a barring-over mode, the computer also supplies energy to the alternator and monitors the position signal to place the crankshaft in a desired angular position in an operation separate from diagnosis mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian T. Concannon
  • Patent number: 8963474
    Abstract: A motor control device includes: an acceleration/deceleration processing unit that generates a servo command according to an acceleration/deceleration parameter; a servo control unit that controls a motor drive torque to drive a control target machine motor according to the servo command; a power supply unit that supplies electric power of a predetermined power supply capacity from a commercial power supply to the servo control unit; an electrical storage unit that supplies electric power supplementing the electric power; and an acceleration/deceleration parameter setting unit that computes maximum power that can be used for acceleration/deceleration based on a power storage amount in the electrical storage unit, the power supply capacity, and all energy required for acceleration, computes an acceleration/deceleration parameter that causes electric power at a time of acceleration/deceleration to be equal to or lower than the maximum power, and sets the acceleration/deceleration parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Nagaoka, Shinya Nishino, Toshiaki Kimata, Daisuke Fujino
  • Patent number: 8957620
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus that controls the rotational angle of a motor (111) which drives a rotating body (112) includes a synchronizing means (200) for generating and outputting an interrupt signal (700) based on an external reference signal (600) input from outside and a rotating body reference signal (500) generated by the rotating body, and a controlling means (300) for computing a command value for making the rotational angle of the motor follow a target rotational angle and outputting the command value to the motor each time the interrupt signal is inputted. The synchronizing means (200) changes the output period of the interrupt signal (700) in accordance with a time difference between the external reference signal (600) and the rotating body reference signal (500).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, NEC TOSHIBA Space Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiho Yanagita, Kazuhiko Aoki, Toshihiro Kurii
  • Patent number: 8860353
    Abstract: Methods of intervening to protect a close motor for a network protector unit for a power distribution transformer are discussed. The close motor is protected from damage by intervening to prevent further attempts to energize the close motor after an abnormal condition is detected. The intervention may be cleared after a cooling off period or some other metric. In some implementations, the intervention remains in effect until an operator investigates and then clears the intervention so that the close motor may be energized to close the network protector breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: DGI Creations, LLC
    Inventors: John Robert Weber, Jr., Charles Thomas Barnes
  • Patent number: 8860352
    Abstract: A method controls an operation of an actuator. A first control signal is determined to change a position of a moving element of the actuator according to a trajectory of the moving element. A second control signal is determined to compensate for a first component of an error of the operation due to uncertainty of a model of the actuator. A third control signal is determined to compensate for a second component of the error of the operation due to an external disturbance on the actuator. The operation of the actuator is controlled based on a combination of the first control signal, the second control signal, and the third control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mouhacine Benosman, Gokhan Atinc
  • Patent number: 8841874
    Abstract: An electrical stepper motor comprises a magnetical rotor and at least two electromagnetical driving coils for causing rotation of the rotator. A method of detecting an operating condition of the as e.g. a stall state of the electrical stepper motor comprises the steps of connecting one contact pin (P, M) of at least one of the electromagnetical driving coils via a high-impedance resistor (R1, R2) to a defined voltage source during a non-activated state of the driving coil, detecting a voltage induced at the driving coil during the non-activated state and converting the detected voltage into a digital signal, and digitally analyzing the digital signal and deriving an operating condition of the rotor by evaluation of the signal waveform including positive and negative components of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Jens Wagner, Armin Dietrich, Kai Dieffenbach, Marco Bodenmüller, Jürgen Rohn, Wolfgang Wiewesiek
  • Patent number: 8823295
    Abstract: An electrical system assembly of an electric automobile includes an energy system, a power system, and an instrument system. The energy system includes a battery module and a management module for managing the battery module; the power system includes a motor and a controller; the battery module includes a number of storage batteries connected in series and a solar panel for charging the storage batteries; and the storage batteries provide energy to the controller, controlling the motor through the controller. There is communication between the management module, the controller and the instrument system, thereby each of these is capable of knowing the working status of the other two, thus facilitating coordination and enabling a powerful protection function for the electrical system assembly of the electric automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Suzhou Eagle Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ke Lan, Weiping Li
  • Patent number: 8810186
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes a charging detection and reverse current prevention portion and a pulse selection control portion. The charging detection and reverse current prevention portion detects a charging state of a secondary battery that is charged by an electromotive force of a solar battery, the charging state indicating whether the secondary battery is being charged. The pulse selection control portion causes a first drive pulse for driving a motor to be generated and, in a case where the charging state that is detected by the charging detection and reverse current prevention portion is different after the first drive pulse has been output from what it was before the first drive pulse was output, causes a second drive pulse for driving the motor to be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Shotaro Kamiyama, Kenji Ogasawara, Saburo Manaka, Keishi Honmura, Kazumi Sakumoto, Hiroshi Shimizu, Kosuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8803467
    Abstract: A partial arc servomotor assembly having a curvilinear U-channel with two parallel rare earth permanent magnet plates facing each other and a pivoted ironless three phase coil armature winding moves between the plates. An encoder read head is fixed to a mounting plate above the coil armature winding and a curvilinear encoder scale is curved to be co-axis with the curvilinear U-channel permanent magnet track formed by the permanent magnet plates. Driven by a set of miniaturized power electronics devices closely looped with a positioning feedback encoder, the angular position and velocity of the pivoted payload is programmable and precisely controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Keyw Corporation
    Inventor: Xiuhong Sun
  • Patent number: 8803463
    Abstract: A method for moving a movable element into a block position includes providing a supply voltage to an electric motor associated with the movable element for the motor to generate a motor current and drive the element with motor power dependent on the motor current in order to move the element along a path. Upon the element being moved into a block position of the path, the supply voltage provided to the motor is controlled such that the motor current generated by the motor is continuously reduced over a time period to zero. For instance, the supply voltage is pulse-width modulated at a decreasing pulse duty ratio over the time period such that the motor current generated by the motor is continuously reduced over the time period to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Otte, Matthias Steinbach
  • Patent number: 8796981
    Abstract: A portable device for remotely opening and closing the discharge gate of a bulk seed box. The device is lightweight and easily engages the bulk seed box. The device is cantilevered in place by sliding the mounting base into the receiving portion of the bulk seed box. The mounting base is configured to engage a series of holes in the bulk seed box. A remotely electric actuator operates a pivotally swinging opener arm. The opener arm engages the discharge gate handle, opening the discharge gate when the electric actuator arm is extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: BMZE LLC
    Inventor: Brian Zindel
  • Publication number: 20140210395
    Abstract: A range switching device may switch a shift range despite resetting and restarting of a controller. When the controller is reset and restarted during a switching operation of the shift range and the shift range before or after being switched is a P range, the controller controls a motor to rotate the motor until a range switching mechanism abuts against a first limit position of a movable range of the range switching mechanism and learns a rotation position of the motor as a reference position of the motor. When the shift ranges before and after being switched are the ranges other that the P range, the controller controls the motor to rotate until the range switching mechanism abuts against a second limit position of the movable range and learns the rotation position of the motor as the reference position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromitsu NAGATA, Jun YAMADA, Kazuhiro YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 8786240
    Abstract: The invention realizes a method for controlling an electric cylinder and a control system for the cylinder that can prevent a load for pressurizing from significantly exceeding a target load and can shorten the time for the pressurization. A servo controller 17 can set the speed of the rod 11 and a load for stopping Ps that is used for determining whether the rod 11 should be stopped so that the load for pressurizing Pm does not significantly exceed the target load Pt. The servo controller 17 drives the rod 11 under the position control mode and determines whether the load for pressurizing Pm that is detected by a load detector 13 is bigger than or equal to the load for stopping Ps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sintokogio, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Shirai, Masahiko Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 8766585
    Abstract: A control device (1) for controlling on-board equipment has a mount (5) having hinged thereto at least one drive lever (2) movable between two extreme positions, and also including a magnetic friction member (3) connected to the lever (2) and opposing resistance to movement thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Sagem Defense Securite
    Inventors: Sébastien Magnan, Jean-François Weibel, Philippe Gouze
  • Patent number: 8716973
    Abstract: A haptic arm comprising: a user connection element; a reference; a first linkage connecting the user connection element to the reference, where the first linkage provides at least six independent degrees of freedom, and contains an intermediate link, three force sensors, three angle sensors; a second linkage connecting the intermediate link to the reference; a third linkage connecting the intermediate link to the reference a fourth linkage connecting the intermediate link to the reference; the second, third, and fourth linkages each containing an independent actuator and position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Moog Inc.
    Inventor: Pieter Lammertse
  • Patent number: 8716959
    Abstract: A linear motion control device for use in a linear control system is presented. The linear motion control device includes a coil driver to drive a coil that, when driven, effects a linear movement by a motion device having a magnet. The linear motion control device also includes a magnetic field sensor to detect a magnetic field associated with the linear movement and an interface to connect an output of the magnetic field sensor and an input of the coil driver to an external controller. The interface includes a feedback loop to relate the magnetic field sensor output signal to the coil driver input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: Paul David, Shaun D. Milano
  • Patent number: 8698444
    Abstract: An aircraft electrical actuator arrangement includes a plurality of actuators and a master power converter to convert power from the electrical power distribution network for supply to each actuator. The actuators include an environmental control system actuator, an aileron actuator, a flap actuator, a slat actuator, a landing gear actuator, a thrust reverser actuator, a brake actuator and a taxiing actuator. A controller is coupled to the master power converter and is arranged to allow the supply of power from the master power converter to the environmental control system actuator during a first mode of operation of the aircraft. The controller is arranged to allow the supply of electrical power from the master power converter to at least one of the aileron, the flap, the slat, the landing gear, the thrust reverser, the brake actuator or the taxiing actuator during a second mode of operation of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Peter Malkin, David R Trainer
  • Patent number: 8686669
    Abstract: A method of controlling a linear motion system has a linear synchronous motor comprising a stator and at least two carrier units moveable in relation to the stator, the stator comprising a number of coil units, each of the at least two carrier units comprising a magnetic unit including an array of alternate-pole magnets having a regular magnet pole-pitch, wherein in order to form a train the at least two carrier units are arranged relative to each other so that the mutual distance between two identically poled magnets of two different magnetic units is an integer multiple of the magnet pole-pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Walrick Dirkx, Wilco Pancras
  • Publication number: 20140070753
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling and diagnosing a prime mover of a vehicle traction system includes an alternator having a rotor and coupled to a crankshaft of the prime mover, a source of electrical energy, a position sensor supplying a position signal representative of an angular position of the rotor, and a control computer. The computer supplies energy to the alternator to crank the prime mover at a controlled rate. In a diagnosis mode, the computer generates a condition signal indicative of a malfunction of the prime mover, from a compression signal derived from an acceleration signal which is derived from the position signal. In a barring-over mode, the computer also supplies energy to the alternator and monitors the position signal to place the crankshaft in a desired angular position in an operation separate from diagnosis mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventor: Brian T. Concannon
  • Patent number: 8606376
    Abstract: A method of actuating a system comprising a movable component and an actuator configured to move the movable component comprises providing a control signal representative of a desired motion of the movable component. The control signal is supplied to one or more resonators. Each of the one or more resonators has a mode of oscillation representative of at least one elastic mode of oscillation of the system. The control signal is modified by subtracting from the control signal a signal representative of a response of the one or more resonators to the control signal. The actuator is operated in accordance with the modified control signal. Thus, undesirable elastic oscillations of the system which might occur if the system were operated with the original control system can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignees: Mitutoyo Corporation, Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Endvertreten Durch den Präsidenten der Physikalisch-Technischen Bundesanstalt
    Inventors: Hartmut Illers, Kazuhiko Hidaka, Akinori Saito, Hans-Ulrich Danzebrink
  • Publication number: 20130300337
    Abstract: A motor control device includes: an acceleration/deceleration processing unit that generates a servo command according to an acceleration/deceleration parameter; a servo control unit that controls a motor drive torque to drive a control target machine motor according to the servo command; a power supply unit that supplies electric power of a predetermined power supply capacity from a commercial power supply to the servo control unit; an electrical storage unit that supplies electric power supplementing the electric power; and an acceleration/deceleration parameter setting unit that computes maximum power that can be used for acceleration/deceleration based on a power storage amount in the electrical storage unit, the power supply capacity, and all energy required for acceleration, computes an acceleration/deceleration parameter that causes electric power at a time of acceleration/deceleration to be equal to or lower than the maximum power, and sets the acceleration/deceleration parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Nagaoka, Shinya Nishino, Toshiaki Kimata, Daisuke Fujino
  • Patent number: 8519660
    Abstract: An electrical device removal tool for electrical equipment, such as circuit breakers, is disclosed herein. The tool can be lightweight, portable, and rugged for providing electrically operated controlled insertion and removal of the electrical equipment by an operator from a remote location using a coupling device engaged with the electrical equipment housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventors: Ashley Sue Ledbetter, Finley Lee Ledbetter
  • Patent number: 8471517
    Abstract: A motor controlling apparatus includes a control unit which sets a motor on standby for a predetermined time if an enable signal is applied and sets the motor to a default state by rotating the motor at least once for the next predetermined time. The apparatus includes a driver unit which generates a drive signal to control the motor and outputs the drive signal to the motor. Accordingly, a stepping out of the motor may be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tae-young Kim, Hyoung-il Kim
  • Patent number: 8461794
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling of a servo-drive, in particular of a solid state actuator in which the servo-drive is controlled during each control process by means of a two-point regulator (R2P), the two-point regulator (R2P) has a power signal (I) as control signal for actuation of the servo-drive. An upper switch point (PO) of the two-point controller (R2P) is allocated to one maximum power value (ÎOn) and a lower switch point (PU) of the two-point controller (R2P) is allocated to one minimum power value (ÎUm). The upper switch point (PO) and the lower switch point (PU) are established during the controlling process so that they are separated in pairs by at least a minimum default spacing (Dmin).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Schrod, Christian Tump
  • Patent number: 8390224
    Abstract: A drive device for an adjusting device for adjusting a vehicle component of a vehicle includes an electronically commutated motor and an electronic control device which actuates the electronically commutated motor with an actuating voltage. The electronic control device can adapt the signal form of the actuating voltage on the basis of at least one operating parameter in order to optimize the power output, the acoustics, the electromagnetic irradiation and/or the heating of the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Coburg
    Inventor: Uwe Klippert
  • Patent number: 8368338
    Abstract: This invention provides a device and method for detecting a type of a fan. The device for detecting a type of a fan includes a detector and a voltage controller. The detector is used for detecting and comparing a control voltage with a reference voltage to generate a comparison signal and transmitting the comparison signal to the voltage controller. The voltage controller outputs a variable voltage or a constant voltage to a voltage input terminal of a fan according to the comparison signal. The voltage controller can include an integrator for integrating a modulation signal and outputting the variable voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Pegatron Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Kai Shen, Kuan-Yin Lin
  • Publication number: 20130026966
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus that controls the rotational angle of a motor (111) which drives a rotating body (112) includes a synchronizing means (200) for generating and outputting an interrupt signal (700) based on an external reference signal (600) input from outside and a rotating body reference signal (500) generated by the rotating body, and a controlling means (300) for computing a command value for making the rotational angle of the motor follow a target rotational angle and outputting the command value to the motor each time the interrupt signal is inputted. The synchronizing means (200) changes the output period of the interrupt signal (700) in accordance with a time difference between the external reference signal (600) and the rotating body reference signal (500).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicants: NEC TOSHIBA SPACE SYSTEMS, LTD., NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiho Yanagita, Kazuhiko Aoki, Toshihiro Kurii
  • Patent number: 8355115
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a positioner configured to position a first part of the apparatus relative to a second part of the apparatus, the positioner including a motor having a motor position dependent motor constant defining a relation between a motor input and a motor output, and a control system to drive the motor, the control system including a set-point generator to provide a reference signal based on a desired position of the first part relative to the second part, and a controller to provide a drive signal to the motor based on the reference signal, wherein the controller includes a compensator which is configured to at least partially compensate the drive signal for the motor position dependent motor constant. The invention further relates to a positioner, a method to optimize the positioning system, and a method to derive a motor position dependent motor constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Robertus Leonardus Tousain, Martijn Robert Hamers, Jeroen Arnoldus Leonardus Johannes Raaymakers
  • Patent number: 8334669
    Abstract: In the multi-axis driver control method for transmitting a command from an external device to the drive-axis basis controller of the multi-axis driver to set operation and/or parameters of the drive-axis basis controller, the external device is connected to the multi-axis driver on a one-to-one basis, and the external interface is connected to the drive-axis basis controller via a multi-dropped connecting portion. The drive-axis basis controller determines whether the command is self-addressed or not and, if the command is self-addressed, the drive-axis basis controller executes the command and transmits response data corresponding to the command and a transmission permission flag to the multi-dropped connecting portion. The multi-dropped connecting portion opens a transmission port in response to the transmission permission flag and transmits the response data to the external device, and after transmission is finished, the multi-dropped connecting portion closes the transmission port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Nagato
  • Patent number: 8203300
    Abstract: A method of closed-loop controlling determines a first feedback variable by sampling a control variable and a second feedback variable by averaging the control variable, compares the first and second feedback variables with a command variable, and sets the control variable on the basis of the comparing result so that the control variable follows a command variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Onno Krah
  • Publication number: 20120139468
    Abstract: Multi-rotation hobby servo motors are provided. In one embodiment, a hobby servo motor comprises a rotatable output shaft, a feedback mechanism, and a control circuit. The feedback mechanism generates a feedback signal that is indicative of rotation of the rotatable output shaft, and the control circuit utilizes the feedback signal to generate a control signal for the rotatable output shaft. The feedback mechanism is optionally an encoder such as, but not limited to, a magnetic encoder, an optical encoder, a rotary encoder, or a linear encoder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: ROBOTZONE, LLC
    Inventor: Brian T. Pettey
  • Patent number: 8174230
    Abstract: A switch section includes a common terminal connected to a terminal at one end of each of a pair of motors, a first terminal connected to a terminal at the other end of one of the motors and a second terminal connected to a terminal at the other end of the other of the motors, and three-contact switches each including one common contact and two switching contacts. In the switch section two switches corresponding to one direction selected from the up and down directions form a switch group, at least one switch corresponding to the other direction selected from the up and down directions is provided, two switches corresponding to one direction selected from the left and right directions form a switch group, and at least one switch corresponding to the other direction selected from the left and right directions is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Ataka, Tomoaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8148933
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for automatic, load-dependent control of at least one winding current of a respective motor winding of a self-timed bipolar stepper motor, includes a first power driver circuit for a first motor winding and a second power driver circuit for a second motor winding. The circuit arrangement includes a first XOR gate and a second XOR gate, and a first resistor connected so as to couple the first XOR gate to an anode of a first diode. A cathode of the first diode is coupled to the comparator input of the first power driver circuit via a second resistor. A third resistor is connected so as to couple the second XOR gate to an anode of a second diode. A cathode of the second diode is coupled to the current-controlling comparator input of the second power driver circuit via a fourth resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: BDT AG
    Inventor: Siegfried Moeller
  • Patent number: 8080968
    Abstract: A stepper motor control device includes a control device that controls an operation of a stepper motor. The control device implements a target rotational angle change computation process that calculates a target rotational angle change of the stepper motor and a divisional target rotational angle computation process that equally divides the target rotational angle change within a range not exceeding a rotational limit for loss of synchronism of the stepper motor. The divisional target rotational angle computation process divides the target rotational angle change within the range to calculate a “quotient” and a “remainder” thereof. The drive control device of the stepper motor sets the “quotient” to “quotient+1” in the case the “remainder” portion is not—and obtains a first divisional target rotational angle and a second divisional target rotational angle differing from the first divisional target rotational angle to drive the stepper motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventor: Dai Katagiri
  • Patent number: 8072176
    Abstract: A displacement sensing method of the present invention includes the steps of superimposing a predetermined signal on a torque command to supply a drive torque to a motor, measuring an amplitude spectrum ratio between the drive torque in superimposing the predetermined signal on the torque command and a motor angle measured by a displacement sensor, generating correction data for evening out the amplitude spectrum ratio, and correcting the measured motor angle so that the motor angle measured by the displacement sensor is equal to an actual motor angle using the correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Ueda
  • Patent number: 8030875
    Abstract: Interruption in supervisory position control signals can cause problems with respect to actuators which upon loss of such control signals for the actuator will generally slew to a fixed idle position. In such circumstances a machine such as a gas turbine engine in which an actuator is associated will not sustain performance even though there is continued local power supply to the actuator. By utilizing a local controller which stores actuator response profiles for certain machine status stages through perturbation or marginal activation of the actuator an appropriate actuator response profile can be chosen and therefore sustaining control signals presented to the actuator to maintain machine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Shane Regunath
  • Patent number: 8030994
    Abstract: A driver supplies an output voltage to an inductive load. The driver includes an input to receive a pulse width modulated control signal having a controllable duty cycle within a predetermined range. A first switch circuit receives a first switch signal to supply a first voltage, a second switch circuit receives a second switch signal to supply a second voltage, and the output voltage is the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. An inverter and delay circuit receives the control signal to supply the first switch signal and the second switch signal being inverted and delayed with respect to each other. The delay of the delay circuit is selected to obtain an output voltage having a single polarity for each one of the controllable duty cycles within the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Gian Hoogzaad
  • Publication number: 20110181228
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling of a servo-drive, in particular of a solid state actuator in which the servo-drive is controlled during each control process by means of a two-point regulator (R2P), the two-point regulator (R2P) has a power signal (I) as control signal for actuation of the servo-drive. An upper switch point (PO) of the two-point controller (R2P) is allocated to one maximum power value (ÎOn) and a lower switch point (PU) of the two-point controller (R2P) is allocated to one minimum power value (ÎUm). The upper switch point (PO) and the lower switch point (PU) are established during the controlling process so that they are separated in pairs by at least a minimum default spacing (Dmin).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Walter Schrod, Christian Tump
  • Patent number: 7965051
    Abstract: A user selectable optional power tinting system. A typical OPTS includes a user selection interface operable to allow a user to select a tinting option from a plurality of tinting options, a panel selection assembly coupled to the user selection interface and operable to engage a window panel corresponding to an option selected by the user selection interface, an actuator motor operable to engage the panel selection assembly when an option is selected from the user selection interface, and a plurality of differently tinted panels operable to be engaged by the panel selection assembly when an option is selected from the user selection interface, each differently tinted panel corresponding to one of the plurality of tinting options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Inventors: Wayne Walker, Earnie Lee Walker
  • Patent number: 7880423
    Abstract: A detector device and a method for detecting a stall condition in a stepper motor, wherein the characteristics of the back EMF are identified directly from a waveform of the back EMF, specifically a first peak of the back EMF, a valley of the back EMF, and a second peak of the rectified integral of the back EMF, to determine a condition of the stepper motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Paul Russ, Jeff Turner
  • Publication number: 20100295497
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a position command filter. The position command filter is configured to filter a position command in accordance with a predetermined filter constant. A controller is configured to output a torque command to control a motor based on the filtered position command and based on a detected position of the motor such that the position of the motor follows the filtered position command. A power converter is configured to apply a voltage command based on the torque command to a motor winding in the motor. A shift amount calculator is configured to calculate a shift amount of the motor per sampling time based on the position command. A filter constant setting part is configured to set the filter constant of the position command filter based on the shift amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventor: Shoji TAKAMATSU