Responsive To Rotor Shaft Position Or Speed Patents (Class 318/721)
  • Publication number: 20140285125
    Abstract: This motor control device generates a voltage command value from a current command value, performs feedback control by means of a detected current flowing through a motor, and is provided with: a speed control unit that performs speed control of the motor; a voltage measurement unit that measures a voltage command value that is on the basis of the output of the speed control unit when the motor is rotating at a set speed; and a correction value calculation unit that calculates a correction value for the rotational position of the motor on the basis of the measured voltage command value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventor: Yoshiki Kato
  • Patent number: 8841876
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electrical machine that includes exciting a phase winding with a supply voltage, and freewheeling the phase winding when current in the phase winding exceeds a threshold. The threshold is then adjusted in response to changes in the supply voltage and/or the speed of the electrical machine. Additionally, a control system that implements the method and an electrical machine comprising the control system are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Mark Edward Leaver, Yu Chen, Tuncay Celik
  • Patent number: 8836262
    Abstract: In a method for the determination of a current initial rotational position of a rotor and in an arrangement for carrying out same, an incremental position encoder outputs an output signal. The output signal is produced by superposition of a chronologically random and systematically fluctuating signal interference on a basic signal, and composed of at least two component signals which change periodically in accordance with the rotational position of the rotor and are in a fixed angular relationship to one another. To determine the position, the output signal is used exclusively. The current initial rotational position of the rotor relative to a reference initial rotational position is determined by comparing the time profile of the portion of the systematically fluctuating signal interference of a current measured value sequence of the signal and the measured values of a signal sequence acquired starting from the reference initial rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Dr. Fritz Faulhaber GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Wagener, Achim Haag
  • Patent number: 8836265
    Abstract: In order to obtain an NC device that can easily shift by an arbitrary amount a main spindle single-revolution reference signal without being dependant on hardware and while rotating a main spindle, the NC device includes a main spindle reference angle correction amount setting unit for inputting a correction angle of a reference point, a main spindle within-single-revolution feed-back position correction unit for correcting the reference point by a correction angle set by the main spindle reference angle correction amount setting unit, and a main spindle within-single-revolution command position correction unit for correcting a main spindle within-single-revolution command position by the correction angle set by the main spindle reference angle correction amount setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Aya Katou, Yoshinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8836261
    Abstract: A detection control system includes a sensing unit, a control module and a driving module for a motor including a rotor and a stator. The sensing unit electrically connects the motor to sense a first and a second magnetic pole of the rotor cross a chip disposed between the rotor and the stator; a third magnetic pole is alternated to a forth magnetic pole of the stator to generate a sensing signal. A detection unit of the control module detects a kickback voltage value generated by a first current value changing to a second current value to calculate a minimum current value to generate a detecting signal. A timing unit receives the sensing and the detecting signal to calculate a first and a second period of time, and a discharging time. The driving module drives the rotor by receiving a control signal the control unit generates by controlling an alternating time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Feeling Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Sheng-Hsiang Yen, Hsuan-Chuan Chen
  • Patent number: 8823301
    Abstract: A device and method to determine the stopping rotor position of a washing machine motor includes an inverter, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, and an electronic motor controller. The controller determines the stopped rotor position of the motor by measuring induced currents in the stator field coils of the motor. While the motor is de-energized and slowly rotating, the controller directs the inverter to connect all of the stator field coils of the motor together. The stator field coils may be connected to a common D.C. rail, output from an A.C.-D.C. converter of the washing machine. In an embodiment, the controller determines the rotor position based on the polarities of current induced in the stator field coils. In another embodiment, the controller determines the rotor position based on the phase angle and angular frequency of the three phase currents, transformed into a stationary reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Biao He, Qiang Mei
  • Patent number: 8823300
    Abstract: An electric motor control device includes a control section adapted to control supply of a drive current to an electric motor, and a rotational speed detection section adapted to detect a rotational speed of the electric motor, the drive current includes a d-axis current and a q-axis current, and the control section calculates a q-axis current command value based on a torque command value to the electric motor, calculates a d-axis current command value using a difference between the rotational speed of the electric motor and a previously determined base rotational speed of the electric motor, and the q-axis current command value, and performs vector control on the electric motor using the d-axis current command value and the q-axis current command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Isamu Sejimo
  • Patent number: 8823313
    Abstract: The synchronous motors are controlled by a three-phase AC power controller. According to an embodiment of the invention, firing points for the AC power controller are determined. A pair of two or three phases is determined from the angular position of the rotor, for which the firing points can be present for the respective A.C power controller. Actual firing points are determined from the mains voltage phase position of the phases so that only positive torque is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Marcel Benecke
  • Patent number: 8810167
    Abstract: A method for driving a brushless motor including a first coil and a second coil for two phases but does not include a coil for one of three phases. A three-phase inverter circuit is connected to the first coil and the second coil. Currents having a phase difference corresponding to an electrical angle of 60 degrees are applied to the first coil and the second coil to generate a circular rotating magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Asmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Suzuki, Makoto Morisaki
  • Patent number: 8803454
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention permit the optimization of torque control of a permanent magnet machine including obtaining instantaneous terminal voltages of the machine, transforming the instantaneous terminal voltages to a zero direct axis voltage and a non-zero quadrature axis voltage, using a mathematical transformation, regulating the electrical frequency of the permanent-magnet machine such that the zero direct-axis voltage is adjusted to have a value of zero, determining a non-final electrical angle of the permanent-magnet machine by applying an integrator to the regulated electrical frequency of the machine, determining a final electrical angle of the of the machine by integrating the non-final electrical angle and an electrical angle from a previous calculation cycle, and regulating the current vector of the machine such that the current vector is perpendicular to the final electrical angle of the machine, thereby optimizing the torque of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: AeroVironment, Inc.
    Inventors: Zaher Abdallah Daboussi, Scott Garrett Berman
  • Patent number: 8796962
    Abstract: A drive unit, which can be included in an image forming apparatus with peripherals disposed thereto and use a control method therefore, includes an inner rotor brushless DC motor, a driver, a rotation detector, and a controller. The driver supplies power to drive the brushless DC motor. The rotation detector detects an amount and direction of rotations of an output shaft. The controller controls the rotations of the brushless DC motor and obtains a target drive signal of the brushless DC motor externally and a detection signal from the rotation detector and outputs a signal to the driver. The controller controls a speed of rotation of the brushless DC motor by varying the signal output to the driver based on the target drive signal and the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Murata, Shogo Sakamoto, Kenji Tomita
  • Patent number: 8796979
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for driving a BLDC motor, the apparatus including: a BLDC motor having a single sensing coil therein; a position/speed calculation unit for calculating a current position and a current speed of a rotor by using voltages at both ends of the sensing coil; a control unit for comparing the current speed of the rotor calculated by the position/speed calculation unit with a command speed and then outputting a control signal through a Proportional Integral (PI) control; a motor driving unit for generating a PWM signal based on the current position of the rotor calculated by the position/speed calculation unit and the control signal output by the control unit; and a power device unit for controlling the BLDC motor according to the PWM signal generated by the motor driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventor: Jimin Oh
  • Patent number: 8796983
    Abstract: A data storage device stores previous position readings of the rotor for a previous cycle of a pulse width modulation signal applied to the motor. A current raw position reading for the current cycle is received. A predicted position reading for a current cycle is determined based on at least one of the stored previous position readings of the previous cycle. A data processor determines whether a difference between the current raw position reading and the predicted position reading for a first mode and a second mode is within one or more preset thresholds. The data processor selects the current raw position reading as a verified reliable final position reading if a first difference for the first mode is equal to or less than a primary preset threshold or if a second difference for the second mode is equal to or less than a secondary preset threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Long Wu, Robert Shaw
  • Publication number: 20140197774
    Abstract: Power converters and methods are presented for driving an AC load connected through an intervening filter circuit, in which at least one filter current or voltage signal or value is determined according to feedback signals or values representing an output parameter at an AC output of the power converter, and AC electrical output power is generated at the AC output based at least partially on the at least one filter current or voltage signal or value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingbo Liu, Thomas Nondahl, Peter Schmidt, Semyon Royak
  • Patent number: 8773052
    Abstract: A method of controlling a brushless motor that includes exciting a winding of the motor in advance of predetermined rotor positions by an advance period. The length of the advance period is defined by a waveform that varies periodically with time. Additionally, a control system that implements the method, and a motor system that incorporates the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Charlton Clothier, Stephen Greetham, Tuncay Celik
  • Patent number: 8766586
    Abstract: A magnetic pole position detecting device includes a calculating unit for correcting a magnetic pole position detected by a magnetic pole position detecting unit. In this magnetic pole position detecting device, an additional phase is added to the magnetic pole position detected by the magnetic pole position detecting unit, in order to move a rotor. In relation to a movement amount before and after this movement, a movement amount detected by the magnetic pole position detecting unit is compared with a movement amount detected by an encoder. When a difference between them is larger than a predetermined threshold, a process of detecting the magnetic pole position is determined as false detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Sonoda, Masato Aochi
  • Patent number: 8754598
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus that can be used to drive a wide range of brushless motors without any limit to a magnetic pole number of a rotor magnet. One rotational period T of the rotor magnet is obtained, and one period S of the sine wave drive signal according to a mathematical expression of S=T/(n/2). The one period S of the sine wave drive signal is updated at intervals of one period of the output signal from one magnetic pole detecting element among the three magnetic pole detecting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Canon Precision Inc.
    Inventor: Hiromasa Masuta
  • Patent number: 8736206
    Abstract: A power converting apparatus including a power converter that converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage and applies the AC voltage to an AC rotating machine and a control unit that controls the power converter based on an operation command from the outside is provided. The power converting apparatus includes: a first calculating unit that calculates and outputs, from a d-axis current detection value and a q-axis current detection value detected by the AC rotating machine and current command values based on the operation command, first voltage command values to the power converter, magnetic fluxes of the AC rotating machine, and an angular frequency; and a second calculating unit that sets, as an initial value, at least one of the magnetic fluxes and the angular frequency input from the first calculating unit and calculates and outputs second voltage command value to the power converter and an angular frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kono, Keita Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 8736211
    Abstract: Provided is a motor control device which realizes automatic adjustment of control of a motor for driving a mechanical load through a simple operation. The motor control device includes: a follow-up control unit (6) for receiving detection information of a detector (3) to output a torque command signal and output a status of motor control of a motor (1) as a control status amount signal, when a command signal regarding the motor control to be output from an upper-level controller is absent; an oscillation detection unit (9) for receiving the control status amount signal and detecting oscillation of a control status amount to output an oscillation detection signal; and an automatic adjustment unit (10) for receiving the oscillation detection signal to monitor a control status of the motor (1) and adjust a control parameter of the follow-up control unit (6) only when abnormality is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tanabe, Yoshihiro Marushita, Hidetoshi Ikeda, Kei Terada, Tetsuya Tanabe, Masahiko Yoshida, Masanori Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8723464
    Abstract: A sensorless permanent magnet motor system that prevents negative torque caused by back EMF. The system determines the position of the rotating permanent magnet by monitoring back EMF generated on an inactive coil of the motor system. A snubber circuit is used to prevent the back EMF from causing negative torque on the motor. The voltage of back EMF used to power a logic circuit, such as a microcontroller, that controls the operation of the motor. The microcontroller controls the operation of the motor by detecting back EMF and is also partially powered by the back EMF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Mullin
  • Patent number: 8716960
    Abstract: A linear actuator comprising a spindle, a spindle nut, a transmission, an electrical motor, and an actuation element, is arranged to linearly move the actuation element by means of an interaction of the spindle and the spindle nut, which interaction is being driven by the electrical motor through the transmission. A position of the actuation element, the relative position between spindle and spindle nut, is determined by means of an absolute rotary position sensor and a counter. The counter keeps track of the number of under-flows and over-flows the absolute rotary position sensor generates during movement of the actuation element. A combination of a value from the absolute rotary position sensor and a count from the counter determines the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Johannes Andrianus Maria Duits, Mario Rossi
  • Patent number: 8710785
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating an electromechanical converter, in particular an electric variable transmission, provided with a primary shaft having a rotor mounted thereon, a secondary shaft having an interrotor mounted thereon, and a stator, fixedly mounted to the housing of the electromechanical converter, wherein, viewed from the primary shaft in radial direction, the rotor, the interrotor and the stator are arranged concentrically relative to each other. The rotor and the stator are designed with one or more windings. Further, the interrotor forms one whole both mechanically and electromagnetically, and is arranged as a conductor for magnetic flux in an at least tangential direction. The method comprises the step of variably controlling a magnetic rotor flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
    Inventor: Darren Leigh Foster
  • Patent number: 8710788
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive apparatus and drive method for switching an energization mode when a voltage of a non-energized phase of a brushless motor crosses a threshold. In threshold learning, first, the brushless motor is stopped at an initial position. The brushless motor is then rotated by performing phase energization based on the energization mode from the stopped state. The voltage of the non-energized phase at an angular position of switching the energization mode is detected from a maximum value or a minimum value of the voltage of the non-energized phase during the rotation, and the threshold is learned based on the detected voltage. Alternatively, the brushless motor is positioned at the angular position of switching the energization mode by maintaining one energization mode, and then the energization mode is switched to the next energization mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Hano, Yoshitaka Iwaji, Shigehisa Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 8704479
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the start position of a motor. According to an embodiment, a voltage pulse signal may be generated across a pair of windings in a motor. A current response signal will be generated and based upon the position of the motor, the response signal will be greater in one pulse signal polarity as opposed to an opposite pulse signal polarity. The response signal may be compared for s specific duration of time or until a specific integration threshold has been reached. Further, the response signal may be converted into a digital signal such that a sigma-delta circuit may smooth out glitches more easily. In this manner, the position of the motor may be determined to within 60 electrical degrees during a startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics, Inc., STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Frederic Bonvin, Davide Betta, Agostino Mirabelli, Andrea Di Ruzza
  • Publication number: 20140103854
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inverter control system and method for an eco-friendly vehicle, by which overall improvements can be obtained in terms of switching loss, electromagnetic performance, noise-vibration-harshness (NVH) performance, control stability, and so forth, when compared to a conventional case in which one fixed switching frequency and one fixed sampling frequency are used over the entire operation area. To this end, the inverter control method for an eco-friendly vehicle which generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal according to a switching frequency and a sampling frequency and controls ON/OFF driving of a switching element, in which a controller changes and sets the switching frequency according to a current motor speed, changes and sets a sampling frequency according to the switching frequency, and controls on/off driving of a switching element according to the switching frequency corresponding to the motor speed and the sampling frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Su Hyun Bae, Won Kyoung Choi, Sung Kyu Kim, Mu Shin Kwak
  • Patent number: 8698432
    Abstract: A control method for a sensor-less, brushless, three-phase DC motor. The stator coil in the electromagnets inside the motor may be used as the inductive element through which a voltage regulator can regulate the current as a means of regulating the output voltage. The value of the control signal provided to the drivers controlling power to the coils may be calculated based on at least the rail voltage, as measured in real time. This allows for a wide variation of input voltages, while maintaining a relatively constant output power to the motor. In general, by taking into account the value of the rail voltage when determining the final value of the control signal that is applied to the stator coils, the maximum current through the stator coils may be scaled to the same magnitude current that would be expected to flow through the coils if the rail voltage were the rated (nominal) fan/motor voltage, even when the actual rail voltage is different, e.g. higher than the rated fan/motor voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Standard Microsystems Corporation
    Inventor: Lynn R. Kern
  • Patent number: 8680807
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus for controlling a DC motor includes a first detection unit configured to detect an angular velocity of the DC motor, a driven member configured to be driven by the DC motor, a control unit configured to perform, during start-up of the DC motor, feed forward control for changing a control value used for controlling drive of the DC motor from a first control value corresponding to an angular velocity smaller than a target angular velocity to a second control value corresponding to the target angular velocity, and to change the feed forward control to feedback control for controlling the control value based on a detection result by the first detection unit to keep the DC motor at the target angular velocity, and a second detection unit configured to detect whether the driven member has been replaced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoritsugu Maeda
  • Patent number: 8680799
    Abstract: To achieve peak acoustic and power performance, the coil or applied current should be in phase or substantially aligned with the back electromotive force (back-EMF) voltage. However, there are generally phase differences between the applied current and back-EMF voltage that are induced by the impedance of the brushless DC motor (which can vary based on conditions, such as temperature and motor speed). Traditionally, compensation for these phase differences was provided manually and on an as-needed basis. Here, however, a system and method are provided that automatically perform a commutation advance by incrementally adjusting a drive signal over successive commutation cycles when the applied current and back-EMF voltage are misaligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: John K. Rote, Seil Oh, Brian L. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8674645
    Abstract: A drive for providing high dynamics for a machine, such as a production machine, includes a short-stroke motor, and a pulse-decoupling device for decoupling pulses of the short-stroke motor from the machine using closed-loop control. The pulse-decoupling device has at least one component for use as a working-point adjustment device for adjusting a working point of the short-stroke motor. The pulse-decoupling device is thus able to assume the function of pulse decoupling and in addition, at least partially, the function of working point adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Markus Knorr
  • Patent number: 8674646
    Abstract: A step motor and a motor control unit are connected to a battery, so that electrical power is continuously supplied to the step motor and the motor control unit. The motor control unit continuously drives the step motor until a rotor of the step motor reaches at a next excitation stable point, in a case that a display position adjusting switch or an ignition switch is turned off when the rotor of the step motor is on a way to the next excitation stable point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuki Oomori
  • Patent number: 8664900
    Abstract: A system for controlling a motor of a hybrid vehicle that secures robustness and stability of control by selecting an optimal approximation model according to a driving condition of the motor and determines current order for controlling the motor by using the selected optimal approximation model is disclosed. In particular, a current order generator utilizes a reference current determination module to determine reference currents of the first and second axes, a compensation value determination module to determine compensation values of the reference currents of the first and second axes, and a current determination module to determine the currents of the first and second axes from the reference currents of the first and second axes and the compensation values of the reference currents of the first and second axes in order to control the motor more efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Seong Yeop Lim, Young Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 8653774
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit may include a Hall sensor configured to generate a Hall signal according to the position of a rotor of a motor to be driven; a Hall bias circuit; an analog amplifier configured to amplify the Hall signal; an A/D converter configured to convert the Hall signal into a digital signal; an amplitude control circuit configured to adjust the amplitude of the digital signal; a control signal generating unit configured to generate a control signal to be used to drive the motor; and a driver circuit configured to drive the motor according to the control signal. The components may be monolithically integrated on a single semiconductor substrate. The amplitude control circuit may include an amplitude correction circuit; and a target amplitude judgment circuit configured to adjust the gain of the analog amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Shimizu, Hiroyuki Ishii, Nobuo Komura, Toshiya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8648556
    Abstract: A permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) includes a stator and rotor powered by an inverter. A device to control the PMSM includes a sensor to sample a measurement ?m of the position of the rotor, a control unit to control an operating point of the PMSM according to the position of the rotor and settings, and an estimation unit to determine an estimate {circumflex over (?)} of the rotor position. The device also includes a malfunction detector to detect a malfunction of the sensor and a switch to connect the control unit to the sensor so that the control unit receives the measured position ?m of the rotor while the malfunction detector does not indicate any sensor malfunction, and otherwise to connect the control unit to the estimation unit so that the control unit receives the estimated position {circumflex over (?)} of the rotor when the malfunction detector indicates a sensor malfunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hispano Suiza
    Inventors: Guilhem Lejeune, Sebastien Vieillard
  • Patent number: 8618755
    Abstract: A control device is for a motor, especially a brushless DC motor. The control device contains a bridge circuit for generating a rotating field for the motor and a sensor system for detecting a position of a rotor of the motor, a control signal for the bridge circuit being derivable from the signal representing the rotor position. The sensor system includes an absolute value transmitter which detects the absolute position of the rotor and which is configured to derive at least one incremental signal from the absolute position and to make it directly available to a control component for controlling the bridge circuit for commuting the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Christoph Schikora, Thomas Wiercioch
  • Patent number: 8618765
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a sensorless electric motor that drives an electric oil pump, in a case where a rotational speed of the motor deviates from a first range defined between a first upper limit value and a first lower limit value, a rotational speed limiting section generates a current command signal acting for controlling the rotational speed of the motor to suppress deviation of the rotational speed of the motor from the first range, and in a case where deviation of the rotational speed of the motor from the first range is continued for a predetermined time or more, the rotational speed limiting section sets a second range defined between a second upper limit value and a second lower limit value which are respectively displaced from the first upper limit value and the first lower limit value in a direction in which the deviation is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sano, Yuukou Nojiri, Ippei Suzuki, Jyunichi Noda
  • Patent number: 8610385
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit includes an inverter circuit which supplies a driving current to a coil of a single phase brushless DC motor, a position detection sensor which detects a magnetic pole position of a magnet rotor of the motor and outputs a position detection signal, and a controller which controls the inverter circuit based on the position detection signal and a speed instruction signal for instructing a rotating speed of the motor. At a time of startup of the motor, the controller makes a pulse width of a PWM signal for controlling the inverter circuit constant in a first time period which starts after the position detection signal zero-crosses and lasts until the position detection signal zero-crosses next time, and narrows the pulse width of the PWM signal as time elapses in a second time period immediately after the first time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 8604740
    Abstract: A power supply and control unit for submersed electric motors includes an enclosure which is jointly connected to the motor of a submersed electric pump and forms a hermetic chamber that contains an electronic power supply that can be connected to the motor. The unit includes a heat exchange means in the liquid state that completely fills the empty space within the hermetic chamber in order to transfer to the enclosure the heat generated by the electronic power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Sebastiano D'Amico, Andrea Fongaro
  • Patent number: 8604729
    Abstract: A method of controlling a permanent-magnet motor that includes sequentially exciting and freewheeling a winding of the motor. The method includes varying the angle over which the winding is freewheeled in response to changes in speed of the motor. Additionally, a control system for a permanent-magnet motor, and a product incorporating the control system and motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Charlton Clothier, Tuncay Celik, Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 8593086
    Abstract: A drive system, such as for a fluid jet cutting system, includes a brushless synchronous motor configured to drive movement through a loosely coupled transmission, a sensor configured to sense movement, and a control system configured to drive the brushless synchronous motor responsive to previously measured drive coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: OMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Hay, Brian Guglielmetti
  • Patent number: 8575880
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for adjusting torque and speed of a motor, while remaining within the voltage limit of a power supply. The invention provides a brushless direct current motor with independently driven and switchable stators. In an aspect, each stator and the rotor is structured to function as an independent motor separate from another stator and the rotor. A first power electronics directs energy to a first stator, and a second power electronics directs energy to a second stator. A rotor rotates relative to the stators. In an aspect, a commutation electronics determines electrical position of the rotor relative to the stators, and synchronizes current pulses directed to a sequentially selected phase of the stators, to generate a rotating magnetic field that communicates with the rotor. A controller sets the connection of the first power electronics in series or in parallel with the second power electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Inventor: Alan L. Grantz
  • Patent number: 8564229
    Abstract: A motor controlling device is provided that controls a brushless motor having a plurality of phases based on magnetic pole signals output by a plurality of magnetic pole signal output sections each corresponding to one of the phases. The motor controlling device includes an abnormality determining section, a signal generating section, and a motor controlling section. The abnormality determining section determines whether a magnetic pole signal output by each magnetic pole signal output section is an abnormal magnetic pole signal. When the abnormality determining section determines that at least one of the magnetic pole signals is an abnormal magnetic pole signal, the signal generating section generates a simulated signal corresponding to the abnormal magnetic pole signal based on the normal magnetic pole signals other than the abnormal magnetic pole signal and the rotational state of the brushless motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Imoto, Masahiro Matsuura, Hiroaki Niino
  • Patent number: 8558488
    Abstract: A vibration-type motor controller controls a driving speed of a vibration-type motor relatively moving a vibrating body in which a vibration is excited by an electromechanical energy conversion element 20 to which a first frequency signal and a second frequency signal having a phase difference are applied, and a contacting body which contacts the vibrating body. The vibration-type motor controller includes a speed controller 1 configured to alternately switch a frequency control which changes frequencies of the first and second frequency signals while fixing the phase difference and a phase difference control which changes the phase difference while fixing the frequency so that at least one of a plurality of frequency controls or a plurality of phase difference controls are included to increase and decrease the driving speed of the vibration-type motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Murakami
  • Patent number: 8558501
    Abstract: The command signal processing unit outputs, when a first PWM frequency command signal is received, a high-PWM frequency command signal such that an asynchronous PWM control is performed at a PWM frequency of a predetermined constant frequency. The command signal processing unit outputs, when a second PWM frequency command signal is received, a low-PWM frequency command signal such that an asynchronous or synchronous PWM control is performed at a frequency lower than the above-described frequency. The PWM frequency control unit controls the PWM frequency such that an asynchronous PWM control is performed if a motor has a rotational speed less than a predetermined rotational speed and that a synchronous PWM control is performed if the motor has a rotational speed greater than or equal to the predetermined rotational speed, when a low-PWM frequency command signal is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuji Tsunematsu, Kazushige Nakajima, Hiroyuki Kitazwa, Tomoyuki Yokogawa
  • Patent number: 8547049
    Abstract: A DC motor assembly includes a motorized unit for generating a rotatable power at an output shaft, and a step adjusting control arrangement including an optical grating and a photocoupler. The optical grating, which is operatively coupled at the output shaft, has a plurality of light transmissible portions and a plurality of light blocking portions alternating with the light transmissible portions. The photocoupler is activated to send out an impulse signal in responsive to a phase shift between the light transmissible portion and the light blocking portion of the optical grating, wherein the output shaft is controllably driven to be rotated and stopped in a sequent manner as a stepping movement thereof in responsive to the impulse signal so as to controllably adjust the rotational speed of the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Inventors: Xin Wang, Jiangqun Chen
  • Patent number: 8547044
    Abstract: A method for determining the angular position of a synchronous machine having a magnetically anisotropic rotor includes an (m) iteration stage and an (n) iteration stage. The (m) iteration stage encompasses: generating an (m) magnetic field of an (m) angular direction and acquiring an (m) peak value of the current pulse generated by the (m) voltage pulse; and providing at least two further (m+i) peak values in different (m+i) angular directions that differ from the (m) angular direction. The (n) iteration stage includes: ascertaining the angular directions (n) and (n+1) in which the two highest or the two lowest peak values from a peak value group occur; and providing an (n) angular direction, which resides between the (n+1) angular direction and the (n+2) angular direction, as an angular position output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Vollmer
  • Patent number: 8541971
    Abstract: When applying a high frequency voltage which alternates on positive and negative sides to a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a driving system of synchronous motor switches the applied voltage phase by 120 degrees successively and applies resultant voltages to three phases. A pulsating current generated by applying a high frequency voltage is detected at timing of elapse of a predetermined time ?t since an output voltage of at least one phase has changed from a state in which all output voltages of the three phases of a power converter are positive or negative. Current detection is conducted by using a DC resistor or a phase current sensor provided on a DC bus. A magnetic pole estimation unit calculates the rotor magnetic pole position of the permanent magnet synchronous motor on the basis of differences between positive side and negative side change quantities in three-phase currents obtained from detected current values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Sakai, Yoshitaka Iwaji, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Yoshiyuki Taguchi, Daigo Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8536816
    Abstract: A method of operating an electrical machine is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a brushless excitation system including a diode rectifier having at least one diode, sensing heat energy generated by at least one resistor connected in parallel with the at least one diode, wirelessly transmitting a signal representative of the heat energy, detecting a deviation of generated heat energy from the at least one resistor, and generating a signal indicating an error if the deviation in generated heat energy exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: William Earl Fish
  • Patent number: 8536813
    Abstract: A rotating electromechanical machine has a rotor having at least one current-carrying winding and at least one rotor-mounted sensor configured to sense a machine property or parameter during machine operation. Rotor-mounted circuitry dynamically modifies at least one property of the current-carrying winding during machine operation in response to the sensed machine property or parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8531143
    Abstract: A permanent magnet motor for position sensorless drive operation provides a stator design that exhibits a saliency (machine asymmetric) functionally dependent on rotor position as caused by periodic magnetic saturation of stator structure. This saturation property is caused by rotor zigzag leakage flux from surface permanent magnets. The stator structure may be designed to further saturate from zigzag leakage flux to provide greatest spatial saliency in the quadrature phase for motor position sensorless position estimation. The position, velocity, and shaft torque can be extracted by measuring the phase current from the stator coil of permanent magnet motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Shih-Chin Yang, Takhiro Suzuki, Robert Donald Lorenz, Thomas Merlin Jahns
  • Patent number: 8525458
    Abstract: A brushless motor position detection device has a set of first Hall elements (main Hall ICs 18 for detecting magnetic pole positions) and a set of second Hall elements (sub-Hall ICs 19 for detecting magnetic pole positions) mounted on a plane facing a magnetic pole position detecting magnet 16 for detecting the position of a rotor 12. They are subjected to offset adjustment and are mounted in such a manner that the difference between the maximum value of the magnetic flux density at the mounting positions of the first Hall elements and the maximum value of the magnetic flux density at the mounting positions of the second Hall elements is held within a prescribed limit (mounted in such a manner as to have the offset of a prescribed machine angle in the circumferential direction) to bring the detection accuracy of the plurality of sets of the Hall elements into agreement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenta Hatano, Toshiyuki Umemoto, Naoki Miyamoto, Satoshi Fujimura