Patents Examined by Walter Benson
  • Patent number: 8278857
    Abstract: A motor control device is electrically connected with a motor. The motor control device includes a controller and a driving circuit. The controller has a default value of time and generates a first driving signal and a second driving signal. The driving circuit includes a first switching element and a second switching element, the first switching element and the second switching element receive the first driving signal and the second driving signal respectively, and the first switching element and the second switching element are switched on or switched off alternately according to the first driving signal and the second driving signal respectively, so as to drive the motor to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Liang Lin, Ming-Yen Lin, Chia-Wen Kuo, Kuan-Ting Lee
  • Patent number: 8278856
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for reducing component noise in a motor in a automobile includes a first gate driver and a second gate driver, a high side FET; a low side FET; a charge pump circuit; a high frequency reduction component; and a timing signal source. The timing source signal interconnected to the charge pump, the first gate driver, and the second gate driver, the first gate driver interconnected with the charge pump, the first gate driver interconnected with the high side FET, the high side FET and the low side FET interconnected with the high frequency reduction component, the timing signal source providing timing signals to the signals to the first gate driver, the second gate driver, and the charge pump circuit such that the PWM slope is dull enough to prevent RE EMC, wherein the timing signal source provides three timing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Flextronics Automotive Inc.
    Inventor: Hyeong Han
  • Patent number: 8274253
    Abstract: A single-phase AC motor control circuit for a dryer, including a starting control unit, a first drive circuit, a bidirectional triode thyristor BCR1, a second drive circuit, and a bidirectional triode thyristor BCR2. The bidirectional triode thyristor BCR1 is serially connected to a motor starting winding, and a starting capacitor, and then to a utility power AC input. The starting control unit is connected to a control end of the bidirectional triode thyristor BCR1 via the first drive circuit. The bidirectional triode thyristor BCR2 is serially connected to an electrically heated strip, and then to the utility power AC input. The starting control unit is connected to a control end of the bidirectional triode thyristor BCR2 via the second drive circuit. The first drive circuit is interlocked with the second drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Zhongshan Broad-Ocean Motor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong Zhao
  • Patent number: 8274251
    Abstract: A system and method for driving a drawer of a refrigerator and a refrigerator employing this system is provided. This system and method allows the drawer to substantially immediately and automatically stop when the drawer encounters an obstacle. This type of automatic control of the drawer may enhance the safe operation of the drawer, prevent injuries to users, and prevent overload and subsequent malfunction of a drive motor used to move the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myung Keun Yoo, Yong Hwan Eom, Hyoun Jeong Shin
  • Patent number: 8274252
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a sub-controller including a two-degree-of-freedom repetitive compensator and a shaping filter. The two-degree-of-freedom repetitive compensator includes a forward delay placed in a forward route of a loop and a feedback delay placed in a feedback route thereof and is configured so that a total delay time provided by the forward delay and the feedback delay is equal to the cycle of a target command or a disturbance. The shaping filter is configured so that the product of the pulse transfer function of the two-degree-of-freedom repetitive compensator and the complementary sensitivity function of a general-purpose control system has a low-pass characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Wennong Zhang, Hiroshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8274247
    Abstract: A control unit for a rotary electric machine control system includes a first current command module, a second current command module and a change module. The first current command module controls the rotary electric machine based on a maximum efficiency characteristic line. The second current command module controls the rotary electric machine based on an early switching characteristic line, which is set at a retard angle side relative to the maximum efficiency characteristic line with a predetermined phase difference. When a control mode is switched over to a rectangular wave voltage phase control mode from an overmodulation current control mode in accordance with an increase in torque, the change module changes the current command from the first current command module to the second command current module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Itoh, Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8274244
    Abstract: An actuator system for assisting extension of a biological joint is provided with a motor assembly, a rotary-to-linear mechanism, and an extension stop. The rotary-to-linear mechanism includes a screw that accepts rotational output of the motor assembly, and a nut that cooperates with the screw to convert rotational movement of the screw to linear movement of the nut. The extension stop is driven by linear movement of the nut in an extension direction to cause extension of the biological joint. The motor assembly, the rotary-to-linear mechanism and the extension stop cooperate to allow unpowered flexion of the joint. The system is configured without a flexion stop, and is configured such that the nut cannot drive the joint in a flexion direction. Methods of use are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Tibion Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Horst, Richard R. Marcus
  • Patent number: 8269440
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a power control module and a detection module. The power control module controls power applied to first and second stator coils of a motor to rotate a rotor. The rotor induces voltages in the first and second stator coils when the rotor is rotating. The detection module determines a first time when a first voltage is induced in the first stator coil and determines a second time when a second voltage is induced in the second stator coil after the first voltage is induced. The detection module determines a speed of the rotor based on a difference between the first and second time. The power control module applies current through the second stator coil a predetermined period after the second time. The power control module determines the predetermined period based on the speed of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Foo Leng Leong, Edy Susanto, Ravishanker Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 8269436
    Abstract: To prevent a step-out of a permanent magnet synchronous type motor (1), a motor control device (3a) is provided to include a flux control unit (16) for deriving an excitation current command value (i?*) according to the rotation speed (?e) of the motor, and a voltage shortage determination unit (30) for determining whether or not the supply voltage to the motor is running short based on the excitation current command value (i?*). When a negative excitation current command value (i?*) is smaller than a negative determination threshold value, the motor control device determines that the supply voltage is running short and prohibits an increase of the rotation speed or decreases the rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichiro Hashimoto, Yoshio Tomigashi
  • Patent number: 8269442
    Abstract: A brushless D.C. motor includes having a rotor and a plurality of stator windings that define a stator field when driven by a bridge circuit, where a microprocessor drives the bridge circuit using a pulse-width modulation logic. The brushless D.C. motor is driven by triggering a commutation of the stator field; voltage induced by rotating the rotor in a non-energized stator winding is monitored to determine whether the voltage reaches, exceeds or is below a threshold voltage. A delay time between triggering the commutation of the stator field and the voltage reaching, exceeding or being below the threshold voltage is determined; and using the determined delay time a triggering time point for a next commutation of the stator field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Spirk, Gualtiero Bagnuoli
  • Patent number: 8269437
    Abstract: A control unit for a rotary electric machine includes a first current command module, a second current command module, a change module, and a return module. The first module performs a first current command on a maximum efficiency characteristic line on a d-q plane thereby to drive the machine at a maximum efficiency. The second module performs a second current command on a switching line set at a retard angle side relative to the maximum efficiency characteristic line. The change module changes a control mode from a rectangular wave voltage phase control mode to an overmodulation current control mode when an operation point of the machine reaches the switching line. The return module returns the current command from the second command to the first command after performance of the second command for a predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Itoh, Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8269448
    Abstract: A unit for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The unit includes a system controller communicatively coupled to an ECM. The system controller includes a processing device configured to control the unit. The unit also includes a memory device communicatively coupled to the system controller. The memory device is configured to receive and store ECM operating information provided by the processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: RBC Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Brian L. Beifus, Paul Nathanael Selking, Vijay Dayaldas Gurudasani, Michael R. Koller
  • Patent number: 8269438
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving a motor of an air conditioner are disclosed. A method for driving a motor of an air conditioner includes driving the motor in response to a predetermined speed command, sequentially detecting first and second mechanical angles in response to the speed command or a reference speed being spaced apart from the speed command by a predetermined range, calculating a maximum speed mechanical angle corresponding to a maximum speed ripple of the motor on the basis of the detected first and second mechanical angles, and compensating for load torque of the motor on the basis of the calculated the maximum speed mechanical angle. As a result, the speed ripple is decreased during the constant speed operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Youngho Hong, Yangkwang Choi, Wonseok Kim
  • Patent number: 8264179
    Abstract: Method for control of synchronous electrical motors with application for stepper and Brush-Less Direct Current motors for which there is an explicit relation between the active electrical power supplied to the motor and the mechanical power that the motor delivers to the load. The active electrical power Pel consumed by the motor is measured and according to FIG. 3 the mechanical power Pmech and the maximum available mechanical power Pmech max are determined. The ratio between Pmech and Pmech max is calculated and is compared to the set value of the same ratio. If it is greater than the set one either the operating currents are increased either the operating speed is decreased or both operations are executed. But if it is smaller—either the operating currents are decreased either the operating speed is increased or both operations are executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventors: Radek Georgiev Nachev, Blagovest Georgiev Nachev
  • Patent number: 8264191
    Abstract: A motor drive system using a current source inverter (CSI) for providing the main power and an active filter for providing the reactive power and harmonics is disclosed. The CSI can be a load-commutated inverter (LCI) build using silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs), while the active filter can be based on a voltage-controlled inverter. An LCI circuit comprising of SCRs, wherein CSI is autosequentially turned off is provided. In other words, the negative voltage for turning the SCR off is not load dependent. A control scheme for operating the motor drive system through proper control of the SCRs in the LCI circuit is also provided. As presented, the motor drive system is able to feed medium to high voltage motors using a simple circuit, such that low-frequency torque pulsations are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Indian Institute of Science
    Inventors: Vilianguppam Thathachary Ranganathan, Sowmithri Ranganathan, legal representative, Debmalya Banerjee
  • Patent number: 8264181
    Abstract: In a control of an AC motor that uses a PWM control and a rectangular-wave control, when switching is conducted from the rectangular-wave control to the PWM control, a current command generated in a current command generation unit is corrected so as to smooth the variations in a time axis direction on the basis of a target torque command value by taking the final current state in the rectangular-wave control immediately prior to switching as an initial value, thereby generating a current command after the correction. An inverter is current feedback-controlled based on the current command after the correction. As a result, the continuity from the current state immediately prior to switching of the rectangular-wave control can be ensured for the current command in the PWM control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshifumi Yamakawa, Kenji Yamada, Yutaka Kuromatsu
  • Patent number: 8264183
    Abstract: A windshield wiper control unit that controls a windshield wiper based on the position of an operation member, includes: an electric value detection unit that detects an electric value that continuously changes based on the position of the operation member; a setting unit that sets a reference electric value range that is a portion of a variation range of the electric value; a determination unit that determines whether the electric value detected by the electric value detection unit falls within the reference electric value range; and a position determination unit that determines the position of the operation member based on the reference electric value range. When the detected electric value falls outside the reference electric value range, the reference electric value range is updated in such a manner that the electric value, which falls outside the pre-update reference electric value range, falls within the post-update reference electric value range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jonathan Debrouwere
  • Patent number: 8264127
    Abstract: The present invention provides a low frequency acoustic transducer for non-destructive testing of a test structure. The transducer is arranged for conversion between electrical energy and acoustic energy associated with an acoustic wave propagating through a portion of the test structure. The transducer comprises a bending actuator for generating the acoustic wave by generating a vibration from an electrical signal or for generating an electrical signal from a vibration generated by the received acoustic wave. The bending actuator has a vibration surface and a contact area surrounded by a portion of the vibration surface. The transducer further comprises a mode setting member that has a rigid portion which is in direct mechanical contact with the bending actuator at the contact area such that, within the contact area, an amplitude of the vibration is substantially suppressed. The location and shape of the contact area determine a bending mode associated with a resonance frequency of the bending actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventors: Laurence Dickinson, Graeme Edwards, Adam Batten
  • Patent number: 8264186
    Abstract: The present invention includes a control device capable of applying a high voltage to a motor of a fuel pump for an appropriate period of time during a low voltage operation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazumichi Hanai, Kazuhiro Yoneshige
  • Patent number: 8264184
    Abstract: A low-pin count fan speed control system and a method thereof include primarily an activation unit to drive a fan to operate. When the fan starts completely, the fan slows down to a pre-determined rotation speed through an idle speed regulation unit. After achieving a pre-determined temperature through a temperature transition unit, the fan speed beings to increase from the idle speed. When the fan is operating, the rotation speed is properly increased in proportion to the temperature, using a positive temperature regulation slope unit. Therefore, through this method, the rotation speed will not be decreased by foreign objects when the fan is operating and a computer host can be provided with proper heat dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Grenergy Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Yen-Hui Wang, Chang-Ling Sha, Ko-Ming Lin, Ko-Yen Lee