Patents Examined by Zemenay Truneh
  • Patent number: 9154070
    Abstract: A controller for a three-phase AC motor includes a current sensor and a current estimation section. The current sensor detects current flowing through one phase of the motor. The one phase is defined as a sensor phase. The current estimation section calculates a current phase relative to an axis of the sensor phase based on ?-axis current and ?-axis current in a stationary coordinate system defined by a ?-axis parallel to the sensor phase axis and a ?-phase perpendicular to the sensor phase axis. The current estimation section estimates current flowing through another phase of the motor based on the current phase and the detected current. The current estimation section calculates the ?-axis current based on the detected current. The current estimation section calculates the ?-axis current based on the detected current and a command value for the current flowing through the other phase of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Omata, Takeshi Itoh, Hirofumi Kako
  • Patent number: 9136790
    Abstract: An inverter control apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The inverter control apparatus and a control method thereof stably operate a three-phase motor using a capacitor having a small capacitance for a DC link. The inverter control apparatus includes a current sensor to sense an output current of the inverter, a voltage sensor to sense a DC-link voltage of the inverter, and a controller to generate an average of a periodically varying rotor based q-axis current boundary value based on the output current and the DC-link voltage to generate a current reference on the basis of the average of the rotor based q-axis current boundary value, and to drive a three-phase motor based on the current reference. Stabilized variable speed control of a motor by using a small-capacitance capacitor for a DC link of an inverter is performed and reliability of an inverter circuit improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SNU R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Young Jae Park, Han Sol Seo, Bodrov Alexey, Seung Ki Sul, Hyun-Sam Jung, Seung-Jun Chee
  • Patent number: 9136783
    Abstract: When an ECU disconnects a second power storage device BAT2 from a drive device 90 while a hybrid vehicle is traveling, ECU disconnects one of a contact point B1 and a contact point G2 of a system main relay SMR2 and causes the vehicle to continue traveling using electric power supplied from a first power storage device BAT1 to drive device. After the vehicle finishes traveling, ECU performs a discharging operation for discharging a charge remaining in a first capacitor C1 and a second capacitor C2 with the one contact point of system main relay SMR2 being disconnected. If the charge is not discharged appropriately, ECU determines that welding occurs in at least one of system main relay SMR1 and system main relay SMR2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noritake Mitsutani
  • Patent number: 9130481
    Abstract: In a power converting apparatus having a plurality of phases on an AC side and configured to perform conversion between DC power and AC power, a current detector detects currents flowing through a DC source line through which a plurality of phase currents commonly flow. A control unit sets a current detection period and a succeeding current control period in each successive control cycle. Using first gate signals based on reference gate signals for PWM control, the control unit calculates values of the individual phase currents from the first gate signals and the detected currents during the current detection period. Then, during the current control period, the control unit performs PWM control using phase voltage commands generated by correcting phase voltage target values so as to cancel out voltage errors that occur during the current detection period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kosuke Nakano, Tetsuya Kojima
  • Patent number: 9118266
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor assembly, a method of operation thereof and a transport vehicle provided with the motor assembly. The motor assembly is provided with an energy source switching controller that is in synchronization with motor operation and provides an improved utilization of energy storage sources in an electric, hybrid electric, or fuel cell based motor vehicle drive train application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Atieva, Inc.
    Inventor: Chia-Ming Chuang
  • Patent number: 9099945
    Abstract: In a system supplying power from an AC power supply to a three-phase motor via a converter and an inverter, a leakage current reducing apparatus is connected to a connection line between the AC power supply and the converter. A common mode transformer detects, as common mode voltage, common mode current flowing from the AC power supply to the connection line. The common mode voltage is inputted to a voltage amplifier via a filter apparatus. Output voltage obtained by voltage amplification passes through a capacitor and then is applied as an AC component to a neutral point of capacitors connected in a Y-connection fashion, so as to have the same phase as that of the common mode voltage. Thus, current having the same phase as that of the common mode current is supplied via the capacitors to the converter through the connection line, thereby reducing the common mode current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Sakai, Satoshi Azuma
  • Patent number: 9086685
    Abstract: A control circuit selects a drive pulse group corresponding to the detected voltage of a power cell from among plural drive pulse groups each including plural types of main drive pulses, and selects a drive pulse according to the detected condition of rotation of a stepping motor from among main drive pulses included in the selected drive pulse group or a correction drive pulse having larger energy than the main drive pulses. When the control circuit selects a main drive pulse initially by selecting the drive pulse group, the control circuit selects the main drive pulse having the largest energy in the selected drive pulse group. A drive pulse group selection circuit drives the stepping motor by the main drive pulse in the drive pulse group selected by the control circuit or the correction drive pulse via a main drive pulse output circuit and a correction drive pulse output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamamoto, Akira Takakura, Kenji Ogasawara, Saburo Manaka, Kazumi Sakumoto, Keishi Honmura
  • Patent number: 9083270
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric-bicycle driving apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hong Youp Son, Kawn Seek Kim
  • Patent number: 9077278
    Abstract: A motor control circuit calculates, based on a sensed current of a sensor phase sensed by a current sensor, an estimated current of the other phase and calculates a d-axis and a q-axis estimated currents based on the sensed current of the sensor phase and the estimated current of the other phase. The motor control circuit further calculates a d-axis and a q-axis command voltages based on the estimated currents thereby to control power supply to the AC motor. When the sensed current of the sensor phase is 0 [A], the command voltages are fixed and the estimated current is interpolated. Thus, variations of the command voltages caused by an error in the estimated current are reduced and a rapid change in the estimated current is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Omata, Takeshi Itoh, Hirofumi Kako
  • Patent number: 9075401
    Abstract: A method of correcting a sensor that detects a detection object and generates a detection signal includes: determining a homing-signal generation time difference between points of time when the detection signal is generated according to a direction in which the detection object enters the sensor and correcting a homing-signal generation time by using the determined homing-signal generation time difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG TECHWIN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jin-Seong Lee
  • Patent number: 9071175
    Abstract: An electric bicycle driving apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a speed change mode operator to output a first speed change mode signal or second speed change mode signal, a controller to receive the first speed change mode signal or second speed change mode signal and output a first control signal corresponding to the first speed change mode signal or a second control signal corresponding to the second speed change mode signal, a motor driver to, when the first speed change mode signal is output, receive the first control signal and output a first motor driving signal to drive a motor in a first speed change mode, and, when the second speed change mode signal is output, receive the second control signal and output a second motor driving signal to drive the motor in a second speed change mode, and a relay to selectively receive a relay switching enable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hong Youp Son
  • Patent number: 9065378
    Abstract: A motor control circuit calculates an ?-axis current i? and a ?-axis current i? in a fixed coordinate system based on a W-phase (sensor phase) of an AC motor. The control circuit calculates the ?-axis current i? from a current iw.sns sensed in the W-phase, and the ?-axis current i? from a differentiated value ?i? determined from the variation quantity of the ?-axis current based on that the ?-axis current i? and the ?-axis current i? are in a relation of a sine wave and a cosine wave. Subsequently, the control circuit calculates a current phase x?=tan?1(i?/i?) relative to the W-phase. Subsequently, the control circuit calculates an estimation factor according to the current phase x? and determines an estimated current iu.est in the U-phase of the AC motor by multiplying the sensed current iw.sns by the calculated estimation factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Omata, Takeshi Itoh, Hirofumi Kako
  • Patent number: 9059648
    Abstract: There are provided a driving circuit, a driving module, a motor driving apparatus capable of adjusting a driving current driving a power semiconductor device, the driving circuit including a driving unit including a plurality of drivers and selecting a corresponding driver among the plurality of drivers according to a selection signal to determine a current level of a driving signal for driving a semiconductor device, a timing controlling unit detecting a phase shift time of the driving signal transferred to the semiconductor device and comparing the detected time with a preset reference time to control the phase shift time of the driving signal, and a driving controlling unit providing the selection signal for selecting a driver to be driven among the plurality of drivers of the driving unit according a control signal from the outside and a timing control signal of the timing controlling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Jae Heo, Sung Man Pang
  • Patent number: 9054613
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus drives a motor generator using electric power provided from a DC power supply. The motor generator rotates a rotor provided with a permanent magnet using a current magnetic field generated by passing a drive current through a coil of a stator. The motor drive apparatus includes an inverter configured to convert DC electric power provided from the DC power supply into AC electric power for driving the motor generator. An ECU of the motor drive apparatus controls the inverter such that an offset current is superimposed on at least one phase of the coil of the stator and a temperature of the permanent magnet provided at the rotor is raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideto Hanada
  • Patent number: 9041329
    Abstract: A vehicle having a traction battery and at least one electric machine for propelling the vehicle is provided. A high voltage DC bus electrically connects the traction battery to the electric machine. A controller monitors and commands power flow through the DC bus, the electric machine, and the battery. In response to a key-off event, the controller immediately discharges the DC bus by providing a current to the electric machines. This discharge continues until the voltage on the DC bus reaches a threshold. As the speed of the electric machine decreases towards a speed threshold, the voltage in the DC bus is maintained. Once the electric machine speed reduces past the threshold, the DC bus discharges the remaining voltage in the DC bus at a rate slower than the first immediate discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yuan Zhang, Michael W. Degner
  • Patent number: 9036311
    Abstract: A motor drive circuit comprising: a drive circuit configured to supply a drive current to a drive coil of a motor; a control circuit configured to control an operation of the drive circuit; a locking protection circuit configured to control an operation of the control circuit so that the drive circuit stops supplying the drive current to the drive coil, if a rotation signal, indicating rotation of the motor, is not generated during a predetermined time period although the drive circuit is supplying the drive current to the drive coil; and a prohibition circuit configured to prohibit the locking protection circuit from controlling the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Imai
  • Patent number: 9024567
    Abstract: The driving apparatus includes: driving unit driving driven unit; controller controlling the driving unit; portion to be detected in which first areas and second areas are arranged alternately; and detector that detects the first and second areas. The portion includes, on one side of base position in a moving direction, first areas having small width and second areas having different widths larger than the first areas on the one side, and includes, on the other side, second areas having small width and first areas having different widths larger than the second areas on the other side. When moving the driven unit to specific position, the driven unit is driven in direction determined according to an area detected by the detector when starting the operation, and reverses the direction if the driven unit is moved by a predetermined amount or larger in the area after the detection area is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Kagei
  • Patent number: 9018873
    Abstract: A PWM-signal-output circuit includes a detecting unit to detect time periods during which a speed signal with logic level changing alternately and having a period corresponding to a motor-rotation speed is at one and the other logic levels; a generating unit configured to, when the logic level of the speed signal changes, generate a signal to increase and thereafter decrease a current flowing through a motor coil within a first time period detected by the detecting unit, in a second time period occurring after the first time period; and a second generating unit configured to, when the first time period has elapsed after a change in the logic level of the speed signal but before a subsequent change in the logic level thereof in the second time period, generate the signal from when the first time period has elapsed until when the logic level thereof changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9013126
    Abstract: In order to store excess kinetic energy, an energy storage device and an operating method are described, in which the kinetic energy can be partially converted into electrical energy by a first electric machine using at least two electric machines arranged on a shaft and can be partially converted into additional kinetic energy, such as rotational energy, by a second electric machine. The method for energy storage of excess kinetic energy provides for converting kinetic energy partially into electric energy and partially into additional kinetic energy, such as rotational energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Bachmaier, Dominik Bergmann, Matthias Gerlich, Guillaume Pais, Christian Tump
  • Patent number: 9007003
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling an inverter for driving a swing motor, and particularly, maximally generates braking torque of the swing motor upon generation of failure of the inverter by switching on/off a lower-phase switch or an upper-phase switch of the inverter in order to prevent an upper swing body from freely rotating which is generated when a semiconductor switch of the inverter is switched off upon the generation of over-current and over-voltage of the inverter that drives the swing motor, thereby being capable of protecting the inverter, rapidly stopping the upper swing body, and preventing the risk of accidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang Hyun Kim