Abstract: Described are control apparatus and method for a motor applicable to an electric vehicle in which a motor drive circuit having a plurality of arms, each arm including same series-connected semiconductor switching devices for controllably switching a voltage applied thereacross from a DC power supply so as to apply an AC power to the motor, is associated with the motor, switching operations of the respective semiconductor switching devices so as to regulate a driving of the motor according to a torque instruction inputted thereto are controlled, a temperature having a correlation to a junction temperature of at least one semiconductor switching device is detected, the detected temperature is read, the junction temperature of the semiconductor switching device from the detected temperature is estimated, a determination is made whether the estimated junction temperature is above an allowable limit of the junction temperature, and an output of the motor drive circuit to the motor is adjusted so that the estimated

Abstract: In a wiper system using a reversible motor for reciprocating angular movement of a wiper arm, a separate relay and a separate position detecting segment are used for selectively defining a path for regenerative braking. Because the third relay and the third position detecting segment are provided separately from those used for controlling the power supply of the electric motor, and are therefore relatively free from any large time constant, it is possible to start the regenerative braking action at a prescribed angular location without involving any substantial time lag so that the wiper arm can be stopped at a prescribed angular position at each terminal point at high precision at all times.

Abstract: A control circuit (10) is provided for an electric motor brake (12) having an electromagnetic brake coil (14) energizable to actuate the brake to a released condition permitting rotation of an electric motor (16), and de-energizable to enable actuation of the brake setting the brake to a braking condition stopping rotation of the motor. The control circuit includes a switch (102) having an on state energizing the brake coil, and an off state de-energizing the brake coil.