Patents Examined by David Luo
  • Patent number: 11989009
    Abstract: Methods and systems to control stacked hexapod platforms for use as tools, which function with both high accuracy and high precision are provided. In some embodiments, the methods and systems include a convergence of modern control theory, and machine learning. Furthermore, some embodiments provide control algorithms to carry out autonomous in-space assembly operations using assemblers. Some embodiments provide methods and systems which combine long-reach low precision manipulators and smaller, high-precision assembler with interchangeable tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: James H. Neilan, II, Matthew K. Mahlin, John R. Cooper, Laura M. White, Benjamin N. Kelley, Matthew P Vaughan, Iok M. Wong, John W. Mulvaney, Erik E. Komendera, William D Chapin, Joshua N. Moser, Samantha H. G. Chapin
  • Patent number: 11990852
    Abstract: A control device for an electric motor includes an inverter circuit; and a control circuit that finds a voltage command value such that the d-axis current and the q-axis current approach a d-axis current command value and a q-axis current command value, and turns the plurality of switching elements on and off by using a drive signal in accordance with a result of comparison between the voltage command value and a carrier wave. The control circuit corrects the voltage command value by using a polarity of the alternating current during dead time, and causes the d-axis current command value in a certain length of time before and after the alternating current reaches zero to be greater than the d-axis current command value in a length of time other than the certain length of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventor: Akira Ide
  • Patent number: 11984831
    Abstract: A device for controlling a motor is provided. A type of a power component in a first drive circuit of the device is different from a type of a power component in a second drive circuit of the device. A loss of the power component in the first drive circuit is greater than a loss of the power component in the second drive circuit. When determining that a load of the motor is less than a preset load, a controller of the device controls the first drive circuit to stop working and controls the second drive circuit to start to work. When determining that the load of the motor is greater than or equal to the preset load, the controller controls both the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit to start to work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ningbo Feng, Chunyang Liu
  • Patent number: 11982453
    Abstract: A controller for controlling operation of an actuator in an HVAC system is shown. The controller includes a processing circuit configured to receive, via a position sensor communicatively coupled to the actuator, a first voltage value, the first voltage value indicative of a first position of the actuator. The processing circuit is further configured to provide a control signal to the actuator to move to a second position. The processing circuit is further configured to, in response to the actuator moving to the second position, determine that the actuator is located in a different position than the second position based on a second voltage value via the position sensor. The processing circuit is further configured to automatically perform a fault correction process to calculate an updated stroke range of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH
    Inventors: Justin J. Seifi, Mark G. Freund
  • Patent number: 11982729
    Abstract: A motor inverter is provided. The motor inverter is coupled to an input power source and a motor and controls the mechanical switch to receive or turn off the input power source. The motor inverter includes primary and secondary auxiliary circuits, a microprocessor, a gate driver, and a motor drive circuit. The primary and secondary auxiliary circuits are coupled to the input power source and outputs first and second output voltages respectively. The microprocessor operates the driving switches of the motor drive circuit through the gate driver to switch the input power source for driving the motor. If the microprocessor determines that the first output voltage is abnormal and the motor rotational speed exceeds a safe speed limit, the microprocessor controls the driving switches to form an active short circuit for stopping the motor, and the microprocessor turns off the mechanical switch for protecting the input power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Kuo-Heng Chao, Yu-Kai Chang
  • Patent number: 11985902
    Abstract: A driving circuit and a driving method are provided. The driving circuit includes a charging circuit and a discharging circuit. The charging circuit is configured to receive an input voltage to charge the piezoelectric load. The piezoelectric load discharges electricity through the discharging circuit. Operation states of the charging circuit and the discharging circuit are controlled. During a first operation interval of an operation period, the charging circuit charges the piezoelectric load so that a power supply voltage signal provided to the piezoelectric load corresponds to the reference voltage in a first interval. During a second operation interval of the operation period, the piezoelectric load discharges electricity through the discharging circuit so that the power supply voltage signal corresponds to the reference voltage in a second interval. The driving circuit according to the present disclosure requires a few switches, thereby facilitating circuit integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SILERGY SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY HANGZHOU LTD
    Inventors: Zhiwei Xu, Chiqing Fang, Chen Zhao
  • Patent number: 11981273
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electric motor for operating shift elements in an automatic transmission for a vehicle that has an actuator for operating the electric motor mounted thereon. The actuator can be coupled to a data bus for communication. The actuator also has a communication module for communicating with at least one other actuator that can be coupled to the data bus for communication in at least one other electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen
    Inventor: Josef Loibl
  • Patent number: 11981033
    Abstract: A failure diagnosing device diagnoses failure of a plurality of reduction gears of a mechanical apparatus which includes a plurality of operation parts, a plurality of motors, and the plurality of reduction gears. The failure diagnosing device includes an acceleration/deceleration period identifying module configured to identify an acceleration/deceleration period of operation of one of the plurality of operation parts, a motor current processing module configured to acquire a peak value of an amplitude of a frequency component of motor current in a specific frequency band of one motor that drives the one operation part, in the acceleration/deceleration period, and a determining module configured to determine whether a sign of failure exists in one of the reduction gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Kitamura, Makoto Kawai, Tetsuo Kaneda, Tetsuya Taguchi
  • Patent number: 11979092
    Abstract: A system for limiting charging current of capacitive filters of power cells of a cascaded modular power converter during the start-up period where a low-voltage power source is used, supplying a controlled power switching arrangement controlled by the general controller of the cascaded modular power converter, making it possible to limit the charging current of the capacitors of the power cells during the start-up period of the cascaded modular converter. The controlled power switching arrangement communicates with the general controller of the cascaded modular power converter over a communication channel. The communication means send the commands to start or end the start-up process of the cascaded modular converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: WEG DRIVES & CONTROLS AUTOMACAO LTDA
    Inventors: Adriano Da Silva Dias, Marcio Sari
  • Patent number: 11973402
    Abstract: A drive device, in particular an electric-motor adjustment drive of a motor vehicle, comprising a drive housing having a brushless electric motor mounted therein, the electric motor having a stator having a stator winding and a rotor having a rotor shaft, the rotor shaft being coupled to a transmission mechanism. The drive housing has a transmission mechanism housing and a motor housing, which is connected to the transmission mechanism housing at a connection interface. A plug connection for receiving a mating plug connection is provided on the motor housing or on the transmission mechanism housing, the plug connection having a number of connection contacts. A number of phase connections of the stator winding is led into a joining and/or contacting position. The phase connections are led, for the electrical contacting thereof, to the connection contacts of the plug connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Bamberg
    Inventors: Roland Kalb, Gabriele Lange, Helmut Pfalzgraf, Wolfgang Strauß, Uwe Christian
  • Patent number: 11973400
    Abstract: A power consumption control device includes: a voltage detection circuit configured to detect whether an input power supply of a magnetic levitation system to be controlled is turned off; and a comparison unit configured to detect an operating parameter of a motor of the magnetic levitation system during an operation of the motor as a generator, and compare the operating parameter with a set parameter to obtain a comparison result; a motor controller of the magnetic levitation system controls the motor of the magnetic levitation system to operate as the generator in a case that the input power supply is turned off, a bearing controller of the magnetic levitation system adjusts a magnitude of a bearing bias current of the magnetic levitation system according to the comparison result, to control a power consumption of a magnetic levitation bearing of the magnetic levitation system within a set range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Yusheng Hu, Weilin Guo, Yongling He, Daofu Hu, Xue Li, Cong Zhao
  • Patent number: 11973445
    Abstract: Systems and methods for auto-calibration of current supplied to a motor of an actuator may include supplying an initial electrical current to the motor. One or more sensors may measure a condition corresponding to the motor as the initial electrical current is supplied to the motor. A processing circuit may compare the measured condition to an expected condition. The processing circuit may adjust a supply of the initial electrical current to the motor until the measured condition substantially matches the expected condition. The processing circuit may store data regarding an association between the adjusted supply of initial electrical current and the expected condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Mattia Lovati, Michele Carozzi, Alessio Ghisla, Stefano Quadri, Achim Reinders, Claudio Viscardi
  • Patent number: 11962258
    Abstract: A method for estimating the temperature of a stator coil of a magnetic suspension bearing of a rotor that is connected by connection wires to circuits for servo-controlling the position of the rotor includes the following steps: measuring the electric voltage at the terminals of the connection wires of the stator coil; measuring the intensity of the current passing through the stator coil; estimating the electric resistance of the stator coil and of the connection wires on the basis of an adaptive filter, the measured electric voltage and the intensity of the measured current; and estimating the temperature of the coil on the basis of the value of the estimated resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SKF MAGNETIC MECHATRONICS
    Inventors: Stephane Marie Turpault, Salim Benbouzid
  • Patent number: 11958157
    Abstract: A power tool includes a housing. A motor is housed in the housing. A platen is driven by the motor. The housing includes a first housing part, a second housing part and a third housing part. The housing defines a battery receptacle portion configured to receive a removable battery pack which powers the motor. Each of the first housing part, the second housing part and the third housing part form part of the battery receptacle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Drake L. Fisher, Brent A. Kuehne, Christian V. Elder
  • Patent number: 11962255
    Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling a length of an air gap in an electric machine using an air gap controller may include: determining an air gap length value for an electric machine at least in part using an air gap controller, comparing the determined air gap length value to an air gap target value using the air gap controller, and outputting a control command from the air gap controller to a controllable device associated with an air gap control system when the determined air gap length value differs from the air gap target value by a predefined threshold. A control command may be configured to impart a change to an operating parameter associated with the air gap control system to adjust a length of an air gap between an outer surface of a rotor core and an inner surface of a stator core of the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pablo Gabriel Piazza Galarza, Fabian Isaza
  • Patent number: 11955915
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a variable-frequency compressor with adaptive heating power control and a method for operating the same. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the variable-frequency compressor includes: a compression unit, for compressing a medium entering the variable-frequency compressor; a motor, including a stator and a rotor, for driving the compression unit; and a controller, configured to adaptively control a heating power of a winding of the stator according to information of the variable-frequency compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: DANFOSS (TIANJIN) LTD.
    Inventors: Shizhong Ji, Wanzhen Liu, Yingke Sun, Li Yao
  • Patent number: 11949297
    Abstract: A measurement circuit that is configured to provide a torque reading to a motion controller includes an offset controller and an amplifier. The offset controller is configured to read a temperature signal and to generate an offset voltage in response to receiving the temperature signal. The amplifier is configured to read a differential voltage from a differential sensor and to receive the offset voltage from the offset controller. The amplifier is also configured to add the offset voltage to the differential voltage after applying a gain to the differential voltage to generate an adjusted voltage. The amplifier is then configured to transmit the adjusted voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Richard S. Lech, Alok Agrawal
  • Patent number: 11949341
    Abstract: A power converter including a diode converter, an inverter, a smoothing capacitor, a resistor; a current sensor; an estimation unit; and a control unit. The diode converter rectifies an alternating current from a power supply. The inverter is formed such that a DC side is connected to a DC output of the diode converter and an AC side is connected to an electric motor and includes a semiconductor switching element which converts DC power on the DC side into AC power and a reverse connection diode which is connected in antiparallel with the semiconductor switching element. The smoothing capacitor is provided in the DC output of the diode converter. The resistor is connected in parallel with the smoothing capacitor. The current sensor detects a load current flowing between the inverter and the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuda, Shunsuke Tobayashi
  • Patent number: 11949289
    Abstract: A stator defines multiple stator poles with associated electrical windings. A rotor includes multiple rotor poles. The rotor is movable with respect to the stator and defines, together with the stator, a nominal gap between the stator poles and the rotor poles. The rotor poles includes a magnetically permeable pole material. The rotor also includes a series of frequency programmable flux channels (FPFCs). Each FPFC includes a conductive loop surrounding an associated rotor pole. The stator and the rotor are arranged such that the electrical windings in the stator induce an excitement current within at least one of the FPFCs during start-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TAU MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Walter Wesley Pennington, III, Matthew J Rubin, Gregory Gordon Stevenson, Michael Parker Owen
  • Patent number: 11949353
    Abstract: There is provided a motor control device which enables torque ripple suppressing control high in followability by executing direct voltage control. A motor control device includes a voltage command calculation unit 15 which calculates a d-axis voltage command value Vdref and a q-axis voltage command value Vqref from a d-axis current command value id* and a q-axis current command value iq* of a motor 6, a feed forward command value calculation unit 23 which calculates a qi-axis voltage feed forward command value Vqff* for generating a q-axis current ripple on the basis of spatial harmonic parameters and the frequency characteristics of a motor winding, and a subtraction unit 10 which subtracts the q-axis voltage feed forward command value Vqff* calculated by the feed forward command value calculation unit 23 from the q-axis voltage command value Vqref calculated by the voltage command calculation unit 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SANDEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yushi Araki, Tatsuki Kashihara