Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of a rotating electric machine including a plurality of winding sets. The apparatus includes a plurality of inverters for the respective winding sets and a control unit. The control unit includes a physical quantity comparator configured to compare physical quantities that are responsive to power supplied to the respective winding sets, a temperature estimator configured to estimate system temperatures that are temperatures of respective systems, each of which systems is a combination of a respective one of the plurality of winding sets and its associated components, and a parameter modifier configured to modify a parameter used to estimate a temperature of each system in response to a result of comparison between the physical quantities.

Abstract: A control device of a power converter controls a system including a converter that converts alternating current (AC) power of a power supply into direct current (DC) power, an inverter that converts the DC power into AC power, a capacitor that is charged with and discharges the DC power, and a rotary electric machine that is driven by the AC power supplied from the inverter or regenerates the AC power to the power supply, the control device including: a vibration suppression control unit that outputs a torque current command correction value for canceling an axial vibration component due to a vibration frequency of a transmission system including the rotary electric machine and an output compensation control unit that outputs a correction value for suppressing AC power of the power supply fluctuated by the vibration suppression control unit to a voltage control unit of the converter.

Abstract: An apparatus for ejecting an electric DVD deck may include a housing fixedly disposed in an internal space of a vehicle body trim panel, the DVD deck disposed in a lower portion of the housing, an actuator disposed between the housing and the DVD deck such that the DVD deck is ejected from the internal space of the vehicle body trim panel by upward and downward movement of the DVD deck, a sensor to detect upward and downward movement of the DVD deck, and a control module to control the actuator, in which, when a signal of the sensor is not received within a reference time during operation of the actuator, the control module may allow the DVD deck to return to a movement start position.

Abstract: A battery waking circuit and a battery leakage circuit are provided. The battery waking circuit includes a first battery pack and a second battery pack connected in series and a first switch connected to the first battery pack along a first current path. An electronic controller coupled to and controlling the first witch is configured to detect a trigger actuation and close the first switch based on detecting the trigger actuation to draw a wake-up current on the first current path from the first battery pack. The electronic controller is also configured to control a motor to draw a load current along a second current path after the first battery pack is woken up. The battery leakage circuit also includes a switch connected in series with the capacitor and a trigger switch controlling the switch such that the switch prevents a flow of leakage current through the capacitor when the trigger is not actuated.

Abstract: An antenna positioner, and methods of positioning using the antenna positioner, that may track a satellite are described. An antenna positioner may include a base and a mount rotatably coupled to the base to turn the mount about an azimuth axis. The mount may support an antenna element so that the antenna element can rotate about the elevation axis with respect to the mount. A center drive shaft for the elevation drive may pass through the hollow portion of the mount along the azimuth axis to drive a bevel gear set, a first gear of the set being coupled to the drive shaft and a second gear of the set being coupled to the antenna element, to rotate the antenna element about the elevation axis. Drive compensation is provided to counteract elevation rotation resulting from cross-coupling of the azimuth and elevation axes by the bevel gear set during azimuth rotation.

Abstract: For controlling a robot in a safe way, a highest voltage required for a desired robot movement is calculated. A voltage level in a DC-bus is set on the basis of the highest voltage, and current is supplied to a motor at a robot axis from the DC-bus. By limiting the voltage level in the DC-bus to correspond to an actual need for a desired robot movement at each instant unnecessary fast robot movements are prevented even in the event that an inverter controlling motor currents would by mistake attempt to drive the motor faster than desired by the operator.

Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicular reflective optical sensor that has improved control reliability. Said vehicular reflective optical sensor is provided with a control unit (6) that: emits detection light (3) at prescribed intervals from a light-emitting unit (2) on an exterior panel of a vehicle towards a detection region (1) set outside said vehicle; tests for a threshold-exceeded state in which the amount of light in a light reflection (4) received from the detection region (1) by a light-receiving unit (5) exceeds a prescribed detection threshold; and, if it is detected that a detection target has entered the detection region (1), outputs a detection-confirmation signal. The control unit (6) uses, as the aforementioned detection threshold, the sum of a predetermined fixed value and an adjustment value comprising a summary statistic for the amounts of light in an appropriate number of light reflections (4) preceding the light reflection (4) on which the comparison is being performed.

Abstract: In a diagnostic device, a determiner determines whether a rotational speed of an AC motor is within a low rotational-speed range in which its rotational speed is approximately zero. An input-voltage estimate calculator calculates, as an input-voltage estimate, an estimate of an input voltage to an inverter when it is determined that the rotational speed of the AC motor is within the low rotational-speed range. A malfunction determiner performs a diagnostic task. The diagnostic task calculates an absolute value of a difference between an input-voltage measurement value measured by an input voltage sensor and the input-voltage estimate. The diagnostic task determines whether the absolute value of the difference is higher than a predetermined voltage threshold. The diagnostic task determines that there is a malfunction in the input voltage sensor upon determining that the absolute value of the difference is higher than the predetermined voltage threshold.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting a short circuit between the phases of a polyphase synchronous machine (1) comprising a stator (2) and a rotor (3), said machine being fitted with at least one angular position sensor (1a) of the rotor (3), the rotor (3) comprising means for generating a magnetic induction provided to move said rotor around the stator (2), the angular position sensor (1a) comprising at least two magnetic induction measurement sensors (6), the induction measurement sensors (6) extending to an axial end (3a) of the rotor (3), facing and immediately adjacent to the axial edges (4a) of the means for generating a magnetic induction, characterized in that said method consists of: i1) using the values measured and supplied by the induction measurement sensors, i2) calculating the gradient of the curve of the measured values as a function of time, i3) comparing the calculated gradient with a threshold value, Vs, and i4) if the calculated gradient is greater than or equal to the threshold

Abstract: A motor driving apparatus included in a home appliance may include an inverter to convert a direct current (DC) power into an alternating current (AC) power through a switching operation and to output the converted AC power to a motor, an output current detector to detect an output current flowing through the motor, a controller to control the inverter, wherein, during a first interval after the motor stops, the controller controls a phase current of a predetermined frequency to flow through the motor to estimate a position of a rotor of the motor, and estimates the position of the rotor of the motor based on the detected output current while the phase current of the predetermined frequency flows through the motor. Thereby, the sensorless motor driving apparatus can easily estimate the position of the motor rotor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electric drive system with an n-phase electric machine, n>1, having at least two multiphase winding strands; a first inverter, the output connections of which are connected to the phase connections of a first of the multiphase winding strands of the electric machine; a second inverter, which is connected in parallel to the first inverter and the output connections of which are connected to the phase connections of a second of the multiphase winding strands of the electric machine; and a DC voltage source, which has a plurality of battery modules connected in series and a first output connection of which is connected to a first input connection of the first inverter and second output connection of which is connected to a first input connection of the second inverter.

Abstract: Provided is an electric-motor control device, including: a command value calculation unit configured to calculate a command value directed to an electric motor based on a command value and a given moment-of-inertia value; a difference detection unit configured to detect a difference between the moment-of-inertia value and an estimated moment-of-inertia value; a moment-of-inertia value change unit configured to change at least anyone of the moment-of-inertia value and a correction coefficient for the moment-of-inertia value based on the difference; and a change restriction unit configured to restrict a change in the moment-of-inertia value or the correction coefficient when at least any one of the moment-of-inertia value and the correction coefficient is changed to decrease by the moment-of-inertia value change unit.

Abstract: A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.

Abstract: A control and protection apparatus for an electric motor, comprising an inverter (3), a first converter (1), a temperature detection apparatus (7), and a second converter (2). The first converter (1) is used for generating, on the basis of an input signal, a first control signal to control working of the inverter (3). The temperature detection apparatus (7) is used for detecting the temperature of the electric motor (4) and for acquiring a temperature signal. The second converter (2) is used for generating a second control signal on the basis of the temperature signal detected and for providing the second control signal to the inverter (3). The inverter (3) is used for controlling wording of the electric motor (4) on the basis of the first control signal and of the second control signal. The control and protection apparatus for the electric motor is low in costs and high in safety and reliability.

Abstract: Implementations of a system for sensing rotor position of a PMSM may include: a controller which may be coupled with the PMSM. The controller may be configured to apply a plurality of voltage vectors to the PMSM to generate a plurality of sensing signals from a stator of the PMSM in response. A comparator may be coupled to the PMSM configured to receive and to compare each one of the plurality of sensing signals with a threshold voltage. A rise time measurement circuit may calculate a plurality of rise times using the plurality of sensing signals in response to receiving a signal from the comparator. The rotor-angle estimation circuit may be configured to identify from the plurality of rise times a shortest rise time and a voltage vector corresponding with the shortest rise time and thereby identify the position of the rotor of the PMSM.

Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes a load drive portion that drives a load based on a power supply voltage; a wire that connects the load and the load drive portion; a current detection portion that detects a load current showing a value of a current flowing through the load; a voltage detection portion; and a controller that controls the load drive portion to control a drive of the load, the controller determining an addition-and-subtraction value, controlling the load drive portion to cut off the load current, and stopping driving the load to protect a protection target from an overcurrent. The controller subtracts the integration value based on an elapsed time after cutoff of the load current. The controller controls the load drive portion to again start to drive the load, and also calculates a post-correction integration value lower than a pre-correction integration value by correcting the pre-correction integration value.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to weighing a physical item while it is moving in a servo-driven conveyor system for e-commerce, logistics, manufacturing and other applications. The introduction of an unknown mass to an electro-mechanical feedback or filter network controlling a conveyance system will modify the steady state behavior of that system in such a way that measuring the phase or frequency shift of an input signal or oscillation will enable us to infer the magnitude of that mass.

Abstract: A transmission assembly has an integrated torque machine including a torque machine stator and a torque machine rotor. The torque machine rotor includes at least one set of rotor magnets. An integrated rotational position sensor is configured to monitor rotational position of the torque machine rotor in relation to the torque machine stator. The integrated rotational position sensor includes a sensor rotor element and a sensor stator element. The sensor rotor element includes at least one set of sensor rotor magnets. The sensor rotor element is positioned such that the at least one set of sensor rotor magnets are aligned with respect to a rotor pole of the at least one set of rotor magnets of the torque machine rotor. The sensor stator element is positioned such that the sensor stator element is aligned with a magnetic axis of the torque machine stator.

Abstract: [Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus that has a 3-shunt control function to perform a 3-shunt PWM-control for raising a reliability of the apparatus and for improving a stability, and a 1-shunt control function to perform a 1-shunt PWM-control so as to continue an assist control when the 3-shunt control function is damaged. [Means for solving the problem] The electric power steering apparatus according to the present invention, having: a 3-shunt control function to perform a 3-shunt PWM-control with a first 3-phase detected current values based on down-stream 3-shunt; a 1-shunt control function to perform a 1-shunt PWM-control with a second 3-phase detected current values based on down-stream 1-shunt; and a switching function to switch from the 3-shunt control function to the 1-shunt function when a failure of current detection circuit system in relation to the first 3-phase detected current values is detected.

Abstract: An electric vehicle accomplishes speed changes through the use of electronically controlled, multiple electric motor configurations that are coupled to an output drive shaft instead of a speed change transmission. A parallel-coupled motor configuration includes at least two motors that are each coupled to the output drive shaft through respective gear arrangements, each gear arrangement having a respective gear ratio. In a serially-coupled motor configuration, the stator of the second motor is coupled to the rotor of the first motor, where the rotor of the second motor is coupled to the output drive shaft. The required torque to reach or maintain a desired vehicle speed can be obtained by selective energization of either one or both of the motors (in both multi-motor configurations). Two motors are also coupled to a differential gear so that the rotational speed contributed by both motors are additive at the output shaft.