With Field Excitation Application Patents (Class 318/712)
  • Patent number: 11290048
    Abstract: A method for adaptive motor control includes acquiring current parameters in an operation process of the motor at a current moment; determining a type of a region in which the motor operates at the current moment according to the current parameters; triggering a corresponding motor model according to the type of the region in which the motor operates at the current moment; and inputting the current parameters into the corresponding motor model, generating control parameters for motor operation according to the current parameters, and controlling the operation of the motor according to the control parameters for motor operation. An apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed. In comparison with the conventional motor control which uses the single nonlinear model, the motor control method disclosed herein can greatly improve the reliability of the control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiang Lu, Zheng Xiang, Yajun Zheng
  • Patent number: 11251688
    Abstract: In a rotating electric machine, a stator includes a stator winding, a field winding includes a series-connection body including a plurality of winding portions, and a rotor includes main pole portions protruding from a rotor core in a radial direction. A harmonic current for inducing a field current in the field winding flows to the stator winding. A rectifying element is connected in series to the field winding, configures a closed circuit with the field winding, and rectifies the field current that flows to the field winding to flow in one direction. In a capacitor, a first end is connected to a connection point between adjacent winding portions and a second end is connected to either of both ends of the rectifying element. A partitioning portion is disposed between at least a single set of adjacent winding portions among the plurality of winding portions and includes a magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Seguchi
  • Patent number: 11101708
    Abstract: A rotor has a shaft, a rotor core, and a position detection magnet. The rotor core is formed of electromagnetic steel sheets and has an annular shape about the shaft. The position detection magnet has an annular shape about the shaft and is attached to one side of the rotor core in an axial direction of the shaft. The position detection magnet has a first end surface facing the rotor core and a second end surface opposite to the first end surface. The position detection magnet has a tapered part at an inner periphery thereof, and the tapered part is inclined so that a distance from the shaft is maximum at the second end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryogo Takahashi, Hiroki Aso, Takanori Watanabe, Takaya Shimokawa
  • Patent number: 10936770
    Abstract: A mathematical model between the optimization objects and the optimization objectives is established, with finite-time control parameters as optimization objects, and a total harmonic distortion of an output voltage, a deviation signal of a capacitor voltage and a deviation signal of an output current of BBMC as optimization objectives. A multi-objective optimization satisfaction function and a multi-objective optimization fitness function are established. Multiple sets of optimal finite-time control parameters are iteratively optimized using an adaptive wolf pack algorithm. Functional relationships between respective optimal finite-time control parameters and the corresponding actual output current of BBMC are obtained using a numerical fitting method. Optimal control parameters corresponding to any load are obtained according to the obtained functional relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hunan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Xiaoping Zhang, Ji Liu
  • Patent number: 10931215
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus 1 includes a fixed phase setting section that sets a fixed phase of a motor according to a detection signal. At the start of rotation of a rotor, the fixed phase setting section sets a first fixed phase that is equal to or greater than ?90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a maximum electrical angle and is equal to or less than 90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a minimum electrical angle of the rotor as the fixed phase, and sets a second fixed phase that is equal to or greater than ?90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a maximum electrical angle and is equal to or less than 90 degrees relative to a stable stopping point at a minimum electrical angle of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Kanazawa, Takeshi Tomizaki, Nobumasa Usiro, Makoto Maruyama, Yuji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10742151
    Abstract: A device according to an embodiment includes an circuit; a detector for detecting a current response output from the circuit; a vector converter for converting the current response into a d-axis current and a q-axis current by using a rotational phase angle of a motor connected to the circuit; a calculator for calculating, based on a torque command and a current phase angle command, a current amplitude command of the current response output from the circuit; a dq-axes converter for calculating a d-axis current command and a q-axis current command from the current amplitude command and the current phase angle command; and a controller for calculating a voltage command so that the d-axis current command and the q-axis current command are equal to the d-axis current and the q-axis current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation, Toshiba Industrial Products and Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Taniguchi, Kazuya Yasui, Tomoaki Shigeta
  • Patent number: 10608560
    Abstract: A motor controller includes target current value generating circuitry that generates a d-axis target current value and q-axis target current value, motor current value generating circuitry that generates a d-axis motor current value and a q-axis motor current value of current supplied to a motor, command voltage value generating circuitry that generates a d-axis command voltage value from a difference between the d-axis motor current value and the d-axis target current value and a q-axis command voltage value from a difference between the q-axis motor current value and the q-axis target current value, command voltage value converting circuitry that converts the d-axis command voltage value and the q-axis command voltage value into three-phase command voltage values, and command voltage value modifying circuitry that modifies the three-phase voltage values based on motor flux values and target flux values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Ahmad Ghaderi
  • Patent number: 10530383
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device, a sine wave signal is input to a first input part and a cosine wave signal is input to a second input part. A multiplexer alternately selects one of the sine wave signal and the cosine wave signal. An analog to digital converter converts the output signal of the multiplexer into a digital value. A switching circuit is coupled between at least one of the first and second input parts and the multiplexer. The switching circuit is configured to be able to invert the input sine wave signal or the input cosine wave signal, in order to reduce the angle detection error due to the non-linearity error of the A/D converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Kurooka, Yoshihiro Funato
  • Patent number: 10344634
    Abstract: A motor drive device for valve timing control of an internal combustion engine includes: a motor drive unit that controls a phase of a camshaft to drive a motor for controlling opening and closing operation of a valve; and a determination unit that determines whether a timing is to start up the motor or to normally drive the motor. The motor drive unit drives the motor with an advance angle when it is determined that the timing is to normally drive the motor by the determination unit, and the motor drive unit normally drives the motor without the advance angle when it is determined that the timing is to start up the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Kishimoto, Masatake Sato
  • Patent number: 10298168
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods configured to monitor and protect an electric motor during startup using a motor model. The motor model parameters may be calculated using measurements taken during a calibration start of the electric motor. The measurements may include slip, stator current, stator voltage, frequency, and/or other electrical or physical parameters. In some embodiments, the motor model parameters may be calculated by minimizing the difference between a measured slip and a calculated slip. The motor model may comprise a variety of parameters used to determine operation parameters of the motor during the startup. In one specific embodiment, the motor model may determine a thermal capacity used (TCU). The TCU may be compared to a threshold value to determine whether protective action is necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Marcos A. Donolo
  • Patent number: 10298100
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shaft-mounted monitor for monitoring conditions of a rotating shaft using a calculated rotational component of the rotating shaft. The monitor may include a sensor such as an accelerometer, thermal sensor, strain gauge, or the like. In various embodiments, a variety of parameters relating to the rotating shaft may be monitored, such as a temperature, rotational speed, angular position, torque, power, frequency, or the like. The monitor may include a wireless transmitter to transmit the monitored condition of the rotating shaft to an intelligent electronic device or a monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Marcos A. Donolo
  • Patent number: 10186940
    Abstract: A charging system is provided. The charging system includes an inverter, a wound rotor synchronous motor that has at least one stator coil supplied with power converted by the inverter and a rotor having a plurality of field coils, and a switching circuit unit that is configured to selectively supply power to the plurality of field coils. Additionally, a controller is configured to operate the switching circuit unit to supply power from the battery to at least one of the plurality of field coils when the wound rotor synchronous motor operates as a motor and isolate the field coils from the battery and operate the switching circuit unit to supply grid power to a portion of the field coils when the wound rotor synchronous motor is charging when the wound rotor synchronous motor supplies the grid power to the field coil side to charge the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ho Joon Shin, Mu Shin Kwak, Su Hyun Bae, Jun Mo An, Sung Kyu Kim, Joo Young Park
  • Patent number: 10128657
    Abstract: A system transmits electrical power between a first and a second alternating voltage network. A self-commutated converter can be connected to the second alternating voltage network, the converter being connected to an unregulated rectifier via a direct voltage connection. The unregulated rectifier can be connected to the first alternating voltage network on an alternating voltage side. The system has a network generation device, which can be connected to the first alternating voltage network and is provided for generating an alternating voltage in the first alternating voltage network. The network generation device is configured to exchange reactive power and active power with the first alternating voltage network. Furthermore, a method is provided which stabilizes a network frequency of the first alternating voltage network, in which the network frequency in the first alternating voltage network is regulated by changing a voltage at the direct voltage terminal of the self-commutated converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hartmut Huang, Peter Menke, Karlheinz Springer, Michael Weinhold
  • Patent number: 9912215
    Abstract: A motor control device according to this invention includes a correction unit which calculates a correction coefficient for correcting the temperature of windings, based on the result of a comparison between a winding estimated temperature rise profile representing the temperature of the windings estimated by a winding temperature estimation unit and a winding actual temperature rise profile representing the temperature of the windings measured by a temperature sensor, when a motor as attached to a machine is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed, to match the winding estimated temperature rise profile with the winding actual temperature rise profile, and corrects a temperature rise estimation arithmetic expression using the correction coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Taku Oohara
  • Patent number: 9802642
    Abstract: A method of controlling a motor of a power steering system is provided. The method generates a direct-axis voltage command and a quadrature-axis voltage command based on a current measurement signal received from the motor. The method transforms the direct-axis voltage command and the quadrature-axis voltage command into an alpha voltage command and a beta voltage command. The method determines an offset error in the phase current measurement based on the alpha and beta voltage commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Siddharth Ballal, Timothy A. Klinesmith, Dennis B. Skellenger
  • Patent number: 9531305
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to improve current detection accuracy and to reduce noise of carrier frequency. A motor apparatus and a motor drive apparatus calculate motor currents Iu, Iv, and Iw using a DC bus current detected value Idc of an inverter and control a magnitude and a phase of an applied voltage of a motor to drive the motor. A carrier adjuster decreases a carrier frequency Fc of the inverter if a motor output is relatively larger and that increases the carrier frequency Fc of the inverter if the motor output is relatively smaller. A pulse shift adjuster shifts an interphase waveform of a PWM pulse according to the carrier frequency Fc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ajima, Kimihisa Furukawa, Shigehisa Aoyagi, Tohma Yamaguchi, Daisuke Goto, Masaki Kashima
  • Patent number: 9438158
    Abstract: A motor control device includes: a calculating unit for calculating a speed reference value that decreases as a torque command increases; a determining unit for determining a magnitude relationship between a speed command and a speed reference value calculated for a torque command by the calculating unit; a q-axis-current commanding unit for generating a q-axis current command on the basis of a torque command and an inverse number of a torque constant of the synchronous motor when a speed command is smaller than a speed reference value, and generating the q-axis current command on the basis of a function of which independent variable is a speed command, the torque command, the inverse number of the torque constant, and when a speed command is equal to or larger than a speed reference value; and a d-axis-current commanding unit generating a d-axis current command, on the basis of a q-axis current command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Uematsu
  • Patent number: 9389060
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor can include a plurality of magnetic field sensing elements; an angle processing circuit to generate an uncorrected x-y angle value representative of an angle of a magnetic field in an x-y plane, the uncorrected x-y angle value comprising a first angle error component; an angle error correction module to generate an x-y angle error value indicative of an error in the uncorrected x-y angle value, wherein the angle error correction module uses a sinusoidal error relationship, a sine look up table, and a coefficient table memory to determine the x-y angle error value; and a combining module to combine the uncorrected x-y angle value with the x-y angle error value. A similar method is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: Hernan D. Romero, Ricardo Scheinkerman, Gerardo A. Monreal
  • Patent number: 9347801
    Abstract: To provide a motor driving system for an electrically powered automotive vehicle, in which the drive motor is rotationally controlled to increase the reliability, the use is made of an angle sensor for detecting the relative rotational angle between a stator and a rotor of a drive motor for driving the electric vehicle and a controller for controlling the rotation of the drive motor on the basis of the relative rotational angle detected by the angle sensor. The angle sensor is provided in a plural number. The controller includes an angle sensor switching unit operable to select and activate one of the plurality of the angle sensors and then to switch over to an activation of another one of the angle sensors in the event that the one of the angle sensors is determined abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Shintarou Ueno, Toru Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9270215
    Abstract: The invention relates methods and devices for compensating for load factors in permanently excited motors, wherein the rotor position is determined from the inductivities of the phases. The methods and devices are characterized by a stabilization of the inductivity-based signals for the determination of the position of the rotor in permanently excited motors against load factors. To this end, advantageously current-dependent faults of the angular values determined during the operation of the motor are corrected. For this purpose, in order to correct the inductivity-based determination of the position of the rotor, in a measuring device either the phase currents are measured or the intermediate circuit current is captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Elmos Semiconductor AG
    Inventors: Alexander Scheit, Horst-Günter Seelig
  • Patent number: 9225274
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for estimating angles in a synchronous machine (11), having an angle sensor device (15) which is designed to determine event-discrete measured values for a rotor angle (?) of a rotor of the synchronous machine (11) and to output a measurement signal dependent on the determined measured values, an estimation device (16) which is designed to record current and/or voltage signals from the synchronous machine (11), to calculate a deviation (??) of the rotor angle (?) of the rotor of the synchronous machine (11) from an expected rotor angle on the basis of the recorded current and/or voltage signals and to output a deviation signal dependent on the calculated deviation (??), and a combining device (17) which is designed to receive the measurement signal and the deviation signal and to calculate an estimated value ({circumflex over (?)}) for the rotor angle (?) of the rotor of the synchronous machine (11) from a combination of the measurement signal and the deviation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Lingenfelser, Eckart Mayer-John, Gunther Goetting
  • Patent number: 9207061
    Abstract: An object is to provide a magnetic-pole position detection apparatus for synchronous machines that allows a desired accuracy of magnetic-pole position detection regardless of variation in DC voltage of a DC voltage source. Calculation means (2a) changes a pulse width (tp) and a pulse-quiescent width (tn) in accordance with a DC voltage detection value (Vdc), using a pulse width determination section (22a), such that a desired accuracy of magnetic-pole position detection can be obtained regardless of variation in DC voltage of a DC voltage source (5). The calculation means (2a) also performs control such that a sampling timing is fixed at the end point of the pulse width (tp) of voltage vectors regardless of the DC voltage detection value (Vdc).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hisanori Yamasaki, Keita Hatanaka, Masaki Kono, Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 9059650
    Abstract: An angle detecting module for a motor rotor is provided. The angle detecting module includes a permanent-magnet synchronous motor, three linear hall components and a processing device. The permanent-magnet synchronous motor includes a stator and a rotor. The three linear hall components are disposed on the stator; and the linear hall components are spaced by electrical 120 degrees. Each of the linear hall components outputs an analog signal after measuring a magnetic field position of the rotor, and each of the analog signals has magnetically saturated third harmonic component. The processing device is electrically connected to the linear hall components, and the processing device optimizes each of the analog signals and generates an average rotor angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: RHYMEBUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ming-Shi Huang, Hung-Hsing Chiang, Ming-Chang Chou, Cheng-Ching Chang
  • Patent number: 9018888
    Abstract: A synchronous electrical motor includes a rotor with a DC field winding. An exciter is configured to energize the DC field winding by generating a DC current in a first direction across the DC field winding when activated. A control system is configured to control a current flow across the DC field winding, the control system including a field discharge resistor and a by-passing circuitry. The by-passing circuitry is configured to implement a first by-passing to electrically by-pass the field discharge resistor during a current flow in the first direction across the DC field winding, and to implement a second by-passing to electrically by-pass the field discharge resistor during a current flow in a second direction across the DC field winding. The control system is able to direct all the DC current generated by the exciter to flow across the DC field winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Yujing Liu, Hongyang Zhang, Djordje Savinovic
  • 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: 8963476
    Abstract: A separately excited synchronous machine (1b1k) with an excitation circuit on the side of the rotor includes an excitation winding (3) and a power supply for the excitation winding (3) as well as a switching element (8a, 8e) for connecting the power supply to the excitation winding (3). Further, the synchronous machine (1b1k) comprises a first stator-side primary winding (5a5f) and a first rotor-side secondary winding (6a6f). Moreover, the synchronous machine (1b1k) may comprise a) a tap of the first rotor-side secondary winding (6d) connected to a control element (9a, 9e) of the switching element (8a, 8e) or b) a second rotor-side secondary winding (14d), which is coupled to the first stator-side primary winding (5a5f) and connected to a control element (9a, 9e) of the switching element (8a, 8e).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: BRUSA Elektronik AG
    Inventor: Enzo Illiano
  • Patent number: 8947032
    Abstract: A system for estimating a rotor position may include a synchronous machine, including at least one stator winding pair configured to create a magnetic field when an input voltage is applied and a rotor having a field winding and configured to rotate within the magnetic field created by the at least one stator winding pair. The system may include a phase detector configured to determine a phase difference between the input voltage and a field voltage induced in the field winding of the rotor. The system may also include a processor configured to receive a signal from the phase detector indicative of the phase difference between the input voltage and the field voltage, and to estimate the rotor position based on the phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Michael Nee, Garrett Tyler Nielson
  • Patent number: 8853974
    Abstract: A method for connecting a second motor to a variable speed drive in parallel with at least one existing motor under load and controlled by the variable speed drive is provided. The method disconnects the existing motor from the variable speed drive and a state estimator calculates transient state of the existing motor including at least the speed of the existing motor based on a previously established load model. The method then connects the second motor to the variable speed drive and the second motor is operated using a suitable directive until the actual state of the second motor attains the calculated transient state of the existing motor at a given time. Upon attaining the calculated transient state, the existing motor is reconnected to the variable speed drive such that no current spike is generated in the aforementioned process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: Thomas Devos, François Malrait
  • Patent number: 8618760
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical machine and to a method for the operation thereof, particularly as a drive motor for an electrical tool or as starter generator for a motor vehicle. The electrical machine includes a rotor excited by a permanent magnet and a stator carrying a multi-phase winding, and operates in a voltage-controlled, lower rotational speed range via a transformer on a DC voltage source. The electrical machine can also be operated in a higher rotational speed range by field weakening, and the structure of the machine can be changed by reducing the flux linkage between the rotor and the stator in order to weaken the field. Preferably, the change to the structure of the machine is carried out by turning off winding parts or by switching them between series and parallel connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Bosch, Kurt Reutlinger
  • Patent number: 8593095
    Abstract: An example method of initiating operation of a wound field synchronous machine in a motoring mode includes estimating an initial position of a rotor of a wound field synchronous machine using a carrier injection sensorless stimulation signal. The method tracks an operating position of the rotor based on current harmonics of the wound field synchronous machine. The method also calibrates the tracking using the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Albert L. Markunas, Dhaval Patel
  • Patent number: 8519653
    Abstract: A control device for performing PWM control of an inverter includes a synchronous PWM control circuit for generating a control command for the inverter by performing PWM control based on a comparison between a sinusoidal voltage command signal for operating the AC motor according to, an operation command and a carrier signal, and a carrier generating unit for keeping an integer as a synchronization number being a frequency ratio between the voltage command signal and the carrier signal, and producing the carrier signal by switching the synchronization number according to an operation state of the AC motor. The carrier generating unit adjusts a phase relationship between the voltage command signal and the carrier signal according to the synchronization number such that an AC current transmitted between the inverter and the AC motor according to the control command provided from the synchronous PWM control circuit is symmetrical with respect to a boundary between positive and negative portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Masaki Okamura, Takanori Degaki
  • Patent number: 8497655
    Abstract: The present invention provides a simple, robust, and universal position observer for use with sensorless synchronous machines. The observer may be implemented using an equivalent EMF model of a synchronous machine or, alternately, using a sliding mode controller based on the equivalent EMF model of the synchronous machine. The observer may be used on any type of synchronous machine, including salient or non-salient pole machines such as a permanent magnet, interior permanent magnet, wound rotor, or reluctance synchronous machine. The observer provides low sensitivity to parameter variations and disturbances or transient conditions in the machine. In addition, no knowledge of speed is required as an input to the observer and an estimated position may be calculated using a subset of the machine parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingbo Liu, Semyon Royak, Mark M. Harbaugh, Thomas A. Nondahl, Peter B. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8362728
    Abstract: A method of operating a WFSM in a motoring mode determines a relative position of a PMG rotor with respect to the WFSM rotor. A PMG is coupled to the WFSM via a coupling shaft. A relative difference between the WFSM rotor position and the PMG rotor position is determined based on carrier injection sensorless (“CIS”) stimulation signals. The relative difference between the PMG rotor and the WFSM main machine in conjunction with the PMG rotor position is used to determine the WFSM rotor position during motoring operation of the main machine. A stator of the WFSM main machine is energized to maintain operation of the WFSM in response to the detected main rotor position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Dhaval Patel, Albert L. Markunas, Michael C. Harke
  • Patent number: 8344682
    Abstract: A first and a second drive current for an electrical drive are generated as a function of a nominal value for a movement variable, such as drive torque or rotational speed. An alternating magnetic field is generated in the drive by the drive currents. The alternating magnetic field causes movement of the drive. A first measurement signal and a second measurement signal are determined by a measurement device. The two measurement signals represent the first drive current and the second drive current. A field-producing direct-axis current component and a torque-producing quadrature-axis current component are determined as a function of the first and second measurement signals. In addition, an actual value of the movement variable is determined as a function of the measurement signals. At least one of the drive currents is generated with a variable test current component which forms a test pattern for checking the measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Roland Gaiser, Marcus Gossner, Dirk Scheffner
  • Patent number: 8228020
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid motor, The hybrid motor, uses a permanent magnet instead of a field coil for a rotor, winds a coil round a stator in a multi-phase independent parallel manner, fixes a rectifying type encoder to the rotor and connects a sensor to a driving circuit. The apparatus comprises: an encoder attached to a rotor in cooperation with a pole sensor a speed input unit for generating a speed instruction signal a power switching circuit to generate motor driving signals; a drive module receiving the speed instruction signal and the sensor signal and outputting the speed instruction signal synchronized with the sensor signal as a driving motor signal; a power supply for applying a DC voltage to the power switching circuit; A logic power supply for converting the DC voltage into a logic voltage, and applying logic voltage to the drive module. The motor has n phases, n power switching circuits and n drive modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Eni Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Ryul Shin, Pyeong-Hun Cho
  • Patent number: 8222855
    Abstract: A system and method for exciting an electrical machine with instantaneous non-sinusoidal current waveforms is disclosed. The system includes an inverter that controls current flow and terminal voltages in an electrical machine. The controller is further programmed to receive feedback on an air gap magnetic field in the electrical machine generated by an initial sinusoidal current demand, generate a non-sinusoidal current demand based on received air gap magnetic field feedback, and input the non-sinusoidal current demand to the inverter, thereby causing the inverter to output a non-sinusoidal current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ahmed Mostafa El-Antably, Ayman Mohamed Fawzi El-Refaie, Robert Dean King
  • Patent number: 8217616
    Abstract: A power supply for an electric motor includes a converter that can increase and decrease a voltage supplied into an inverter and then into the stator windings of the motor. As a separate feature, the inverter includes a control coil which is positioned within a motor housing such that it may be cooled by a thermal management system for the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignees: HJamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Kevin Dooley
  • Patent number: 7977910
    Abstract: A starting method and system for a motor where the motor may be started as an induction motor by applying a magnetizing current to build flux through the stator, with the field current set at the maximum permissible exciter stator current (i.e., the current that will cause rated no-load current in the main field at the transition speed). The motor stator currents will be maintained at a value that allows the motor to generate sufficient breakaway torque to overcome any stiction. At a specific transition speed or after a period of time, the drive will initiate a transition from induction motor control to synchronous motor control by removing the initial magnetizing current, and a field current is then applied to the motor through the DC exciter. Once this transition is completed, the drive may ramp up to the desired speed demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard H. Osman, Kinjal Patel, Mukul Rastogi
  • Patent number: 7966157
    Abstract: A signal processing circuit for a rotation detector outputs accurate rotational information including a rotating direction of a rotor which rotates with an object. A phase difference compensation substantiating block decides whether a predetermined phase difference compensating condition is established. The condition relates to decision whether noise effects on first and second filter signals in first and second filter blocks are different from each other. When the phase difference compensating condition is established, the phase difference compensation substantiating block corrects the phase relationship between first and second phase difference compensation output signals so that the phase relationship is identical to that attained just before the phase difference compensating condition is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Reiji Iwamoto, Satoshi Ohi
  • Patent number: 7880424
    Abstract: A rotary electric apparatus comprise a synchronous machine of field winding type, an inverter, a DC power supply, a current flow regulator, and a controller. The DC power supply outputs first voltage of a first voltage value and second voltage of a second voltage value higher than the first voltage value. The current flow regulator regulates directions of currents flowing through a field winding by rotor exciting currents into one way, the current flow regulator being electrically connected to the field winding. The controller controls the inverter such that the inverter produces armature currents consisting of synchronized currents producing rotating fields depending on a rotating position of a rotor and rotor exciting currents different in waveforms from the synchronized currents and superposed on the synchronized currents. At least the rotor exciting currents are powered on a second voltage from the DC power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Seguchi
  • Patent number: 7800337
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an AC rotary machine, including first voltage command calculation means for calculating first voltage commands from current commands, an angular frequency, and constant set values of the AC rotary machine, second voltage command calculation means for calculating second voltage commands on the basis of difference currents between the current commands and current detection values, so that the difference currents may converge into zero, third voltage command calculation means for calculating third voltage commands by adding the first voltage commands and the second voltage commands, voltage application means for applying voltages to the AC rotary machine on the basis of the third voltage commands, and constant measurement means for calculating the constant set values on the basis of the second voltage commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Kinpara, Takahiko Kobayashi, Keita Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 7777436
    Abstract: A system for controlling a trapezoidally (square wave) driven DC motor includes a unipolar commutation circuit coupled between a DC power supply and a brushless DC motor. The motor has three phases formed by respective stator windings coupled at respective proximal ends to a common node and having respective opposite ends remote from the common node. The commutation circuit drives the motor according to a commutation cycle including three primary steps. During each primary step, one of the phases is driven while the other two phases are not driven. Voltages at the remote ends of the undriven phases are sensed, and timing signals are generated at points where the voltages coincide. The timing signals are used to determine motor position and speed, and to synchronize the commutation cycle with motor position and speed. In one embodiment, the commutation cycle includes transitional steps between the primary steps for smoother operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: The Bergquist Torrington Company
    Inventors: Robert G. Brown, Ashit Kumar Das
  • Patent number: 7714529
    Abstract: A low-cost sine-wave drive for a 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous AC machines (PMSM) in open-loop control is based on the measurements of two linear Hall sensors. The two Hall sensors are excited by a magnetic ring with the same pole number as the PMSM rotor magnet and sinusoidal flux distributions. The output signals of the Hall sensors are unified through a two-phase-type phase-lock-loop in order to reduce the impact of the sensor mounting non-uniformity during mass production. The peak torque and speed of motor is simply controlled by adjusting the amplitude of pulse-width-modulation carrier. Smooth torque control is achieved due to sinusoidal 3-phase currents. Such a simple sine-wave drive can be achieved with or without the assistance of a micro-controller unit (MCU). No current sensor is required for the motor phase current detection. This motor can be used in industrial applications where there is no strict requirement on torque response and constant speed control of PMSM machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Xiaojiang Chen, Adam Pride, Shinichiro Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 7659685
    Abstract: A method for estimating the state of a system, as well as an extended Kalman filter (EKF), allows nonlinear mathematical models to be used for describing the system. Accurate precision is provided since the method is based on an EKF technique while using a filter that implements a first degree Stirling approximation formula. The method may be used for estimating position and speed of a brushless motor, and may be implemented in a relative device. Such a device may be introduced in a control loop of a brushless motor of a power steering system for a vehicle to provide a countering torque on the steering wheel based on speed of the vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Nicola Cesario, Stefano Baratto, Maurizio Di Meglio
  • Patent number: 7640084
    Abstract: A method and system for adaptively controlling a hybrid vehicle comprises a recorder for recording a historical load or duty cycle of vehicle during or after operation of the vehicle. A classifier classifies the historical load in accordance with a load category. A controller assigns at least one of a current control curve and a slew rate control curve associated with the load category for a defined time period after the recording of the historical load or if the vehicle is presently operating generally consistent with the load category. At least one of the current control curve and the slew rate control curve, or data representative thereof, are used to control an operation of an electric drive motor of the vehicle for the defined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: James William Musser
  • Patent number: 7598692
    Abstract: An electric power converter, electric power converter controlling method and electric power converting system for converting multi-phase alternating-current inputted from a generator and outputting multi-phase alternating current for controlling a drive of a motor. An input power factor commanding section outputs a command value of an input power factor according to an operating condition of the motor, and an input power factor controlling section controls the input power factor of the generator on the basis of the command value of the input power factor from the input power factor commanding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Maikawa, Kantaro Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 7586286
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a permanent magnet motor are disclosed. Briefly described, one embodiment receives a torque command and a flux command; receives information corresponding to a direct current (DC) bus voltage and a motor speed; computationally determines feedforward direct-axis current information and feedforward quadrature-axis current information from a plurality of parameters associated with the permanent magnet motor; determines a current signal (idq*) based upon at least the requested torque command, the flux command, the DC bus voltage, the motor speed, the feedforward direct-axis current information, and the feedforward quadrature-axis current information; and controls a power inverter that converts DC power into alternating current (AC) power that is supplied to the permanent magnet motor, such that the permanent magnet motor is operated in accordance with the determined idq*.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Bing Cheng, Tod R. Tesch
  • Patent number: 7521885
    Abstract: In a method for improving commutation of the at least one phase (Pi) of an electric motor (1), the commutation angle (alpha) of the one or more phases (Pi) is continuously varied in accordance with the rotary frequency (f) of the electromagnetic energizing field (F) of the electric motor (1) and/or in accordance with an adjustable variable (S) which is characteristic of the driving power. A device (9) suitable for carrying out the method has a frequency converter 5) and a control unit (6) controlling the same and adapted to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuerzburg
    Inventor: Johannes Schwarzkopf
  • Patent number: 7518332
    Abstract: A brushless synchronous motor is provided in a simple configuration and at a low cost. The brushless synchronous motor comprises a rotor having salient magnets arranged in a circumferential direction, a stator having driving magnetic poles arranged in the circumferential direction, and an exciting coil wound around each driving magnetic pole, where the rotor is made in a non-circular profile. For example, the rotor may comprise a cylindrical body which has at least one flat surface perpendicular to one magnetic pole direction of the rotor, or a cylindrical body having an elliptic profile with a longer diameter in one magnetic pole direction of the rotor. A detector circuit is associated with each of a predetermined number of exciting coils for outputting a detection signal indicative of the impedance of the exciting coil in accordance with the distance between the driving magnetic pole and rotor, to detect a rotating angle of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiharu Nakazawa, Atsushi Ooyama
  • Patent number: 7518331
    Abstract: Solving Means: A field coil current and a stator current are controlled by a controller. The stator current is controlled under vector control and is controlled so that the phase keeps an efficient motor zone. In a case of rated power generation, when the motor speed is low, the phase current and field coil current are increased to reserve the generated power. And, as the speed is increased, the phase current is decreased to reduce the copper loss, while in place of decreasing the phase current, the field coil current is kept high to reserve the generated power. Thereafter, as the speed is increased more, the field coil current is decreased to reduce the iron loss, while in place of decreasing the field coil current, the phase current is increased to reserve the generated power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Fujino, Toshiyuki Innami, Keita Hashimoto