Patents by Inventor David Leggate

David Leggate has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10527661
    Abstract: For calculating load resistance, a pulse generation module drives a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter in response to a control voltage. The PWM inverter includes a U phase pole, a V phase pole, and a W phase pole. Each U, V, and W phase pole includes an upper pole device and a lower pole device. The PWM inverter turns off the U phase pole, turns on the W upper pole device, turns off the W lower pole device, and applies the control voltage to the V upper pole device and the V lower pole device. A forward drop correction module corrects the control voltage based on a feedforward compensation voltage determined from a forward voltage drop. A load resistance module calculates a load resistance for a load based on an average control voltage, an average bus voltage, and an average load feedback current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Leggate, Russel J. Kerkman, Brian J. Seibel
  • Publication number: 20190242934
    Abstract: For calculating load resistance, a pulse generation module drives a pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter in response to a control voltage. The PWM inverter includes a U phase pole, a V phase pole, and a W phase pole. Each U, V, and W phase pole includes an upper pole device and a lower pole device. The PWM inverter turns off the U phase pole, turns on the W upper pole device, turns off the W lower pole device, and applies the control voltage to the V upper pole device and the V lower pole device. A forward drop correction module corrects the control voltage based on a feedforward compensation voltage determined from a forward voltage drop. A load resistance module calculates a load resistance for a load based on an average control voltage, an average bus voltage, and an average load feedback current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Inventors: David Leggate, Russel J. Kerkman, Brian J. Seibel
  • Patent number: 10250161
    Abstract: Power conversion systems, methods and control apparatus to operate a power converter, including a processor computes an angle of an AC output current signal, compute a first voltage error that represents an inverter switch dead time voltage error in a synchronous reference frame according to the angle, computes a compensated voltage command according to the first voltage error and according to a voltage control reference, and controls an inverter according to the compensated voltage command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Leggate, Russel J. Kerkman
  • Patent number: 9584043
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for sampling low side inverter phase currents, in which current sampling is selectively delayed in a given PWM cycle by a non-zero sampling delay time value from a nominal sample time if the middle pulse width value is less than a non-zero first threshold to facilitate adequate signal settling for accurate current measurement, and if a middle total continuous on-time near the end of the given PWM cycle is less than a non-zero second threshold, the middle total continuous on-time is selectively extended by adding a non-zero adjustment offset time value to a middle pulse width value for a next PWM cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhendong Zhang, Takayoshi Matsuo, David Leggate, Timothy M. Rowan, Russel J. Kerkman, Bing Li
  • Publication number: 20160254760
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for sampling low side inverter phase currents, in which current sampling is selectively delayed in a given PWM cycle by a non-zero sampling delay time value from a nominal sample time if the middle pulse width value is less than a non-zero first threshold to facilitate adequate signal settling for accurate current measurement, and if a middle total continuous on-time near the end of the given PWM cycle is less than a non-zero second threshold, the middle total continuous on-time is selectively extended by adding a non-zero adjustment offset time value to a middle pulse width value for a next PWM cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2015
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Zhendong Zhang, Takayoshi Matsuo, David Leggate, Timothy M. Rowan, Russel J. Kerkman, Bing Li
  • Patent number: 9036382
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for detecting phase loss and/or excessive ripple in a power converter, in which bandpass filters are used to obtain harmonic voltage amplitudes associated with the power converter DC bus, and phase loss is detected if a ratio of the second harmonic to the sixth harmonic and/or a ratio of the fourth harmonic to the sixth harmonic exceed predetermined threshold values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bing Li, David Leggate, Timothy Rowan
  • Publication number: 20140254217
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for detecting phase loss and/or excessive ripple in a power converter, in which bandpass filters are used to obtain harmonic voltage amplitudes associated with the power converter DC bus, and phase loss is detected if a ratio of the second harmonic to the sixth harmonic and/or a ratio of the fourth harmonic to the sixth harmonic exceed predetermined threshold values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bing Li, David Leggate, Timothy Rowan
  • Patent number: 8503207
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for reducing common mode voltages in AC motor loads driven by inverter PWM control using switching sequences with only active vectors where a first vector of each switching sequence differs by one phase switching state from a last vector of a switching sequence of an adjacent sector, along with enhanced deadtime compensation and reflected wave reduction techniques in providing pulse width modulated switching signals to a switching inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, Russel J. Kerkman, David Leggate
  • Patent number: 8488345
    Abstract: Power conversion systems and methods are provided for operating a multi-phase inverter to drive a load while mitigating reflected waves, in which one or more PWM modulating signals are selectively adjusted if at least one of the phase signals or values is transitioning into or out of an over-modulation range outside a pulse width modulation carrier waveform range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, David Leggate
  • Publication number: 20120140532
    Abstract: Power conversion systems and methods are provided for operating a multi-phase inverter to drive a load while mitigating reflected waves, in which one or more PWM modulating signals are selectively adjusted if at least one of the phase signals or values is transitioning into or out of an over-modulation range outside a pulse width modulation carrier waveform range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, David Leggate
  • Publication number: 20120075892
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for reducing common mode voltages in AC motor loads driven by inverter PWM control using switching sequences with only active vectors where a first vector of each switching sequence differs by one phase switching state from a last vector of a switching sequence of an adjacent sector, along with enhanced deadtime compensation and reflected wave reduction techniques in providing pulse width modulated switching signals to a switching inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, Russel J. Kerkman, David Leggate
  • Patent number: 8107267
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and fully regenerative power conversion systems are presented for mitigating common mode voltages in AC loads by employing inverter and/or active rectifier PWM control using switching sequences with only active vectors where a first vector of each switching sequence differs by one phase switching state from a last vector of a switching sequence of an adjacent sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan Tallam, Russel Kerkman, David Leggate
  • Patent number: 7881081
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for controlling common mode currents in power converters, in which feedback signals used in pulse width modulated inverter switching control are selectively adjusted to ensure minimum differences between the resulting common mode compensated feedback signals according to a common mode dwell time in each pulse width modulation period, with the common mode dwell time being adjusted according to modulation index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, David Leggate, David W. Kirschnik, Richard A. Lukaszewski
  • Publication number: 20100172162
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and fully regenerative power conversion systems are presented for mitigating common mode voltages in AC loads by employing inverter and/or active rectifier PWM control using switching sequences with only active vectors where a first vector of each switching sequence differs by one phase switching state from a last vector of a switching sequence of an adjacent sector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan Tallam, Russel Kerkman, David Leggate
  • Publication number: 20100172161
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for controlling common mode voltages in AC motor loads driven by inverter PWM control using switching sequences with only active vectors where a first vector of each switching sequence differs by one phase switching state from a last vector of a switching sequence of an adjacent sector, along with enhanced deadtime compensation and reflected wave reduction techniques in providing pulse width modulated switching signals to a switching inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan Tallam, Russel Kerkman, David Leggate
  • Patent number: 7738267
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for controlling common mode voltages in AC motor loads driven by inverter PWM control using switching sequences with only active vectors where a first vector of each switching sequence differs by one phase switching state from a last vector of a switching sequence of an adjacent sector, along with enhanced deadtime compensation and reflected wave reduction techniques in providing pulse width modulated switching signals to a switching inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan Tallam, Russel Kerkman, David Leggate
  • Patent number: 7626836
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an inverter, the apparatus including an adjustable frequency controller receiving a reference frequency value and generating a command frequency value as a function thereof, an adjustable voltage controller receiving a reference voltage value and generating a command voltage value as a function thereof and independent of the command frequency and a modulator receiving the command frequency value and the command voltage value and generating pulse width modulated (PWM) inverter control signals as a function thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Leggate, Gary Leonard Skibinski, Gary R. Woltersdorf
  • Patent number: 7342380
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an inverter of a motor control unit includes a controller having a user interface configured to allow user selection of a waveform increment value or a waveform amplitude threshold. The controller also includes an integrator configured to receive the waveform increment value and generate a signal at least based on the waveform increment value. A logic circuit is configured to monitor the signal and reset the integrator when the signal reaches the waveform amplitude threshold to generate a waveform having a frequency-independent amplitude. A comparator compares the waveform to a modulating signal to trigger gating pulses delivered to an inverter to drive an associated motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russel J. Kerkman, David Leggate, Richard H. Radosevich
  • Publication number: 20080054841
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an inverter of a motor control unit includes a controller having a user interface configured to allow user selection of a waveform increment value or a waveform amplitude threshold. The controller also includes an integrator configured to receive the waveform increment value and generate a signal at least based on the waveform increment value. A logic circuit is configured to monitor the signal and reset the integrator when the signal reaches the waveform amplitude threshold to generate a waveform having a frequency-independent amplitude. A comparator compares the waveform to a modulating signal to trigger gating pulses delivered to an inverter to drive an associated motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Russel J. Kerkman, David Leggate, Richard H. Radosevich
  • Publication number: 20070091653
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an inverter, an exemplary apparatus comprising an adjustable frequency controller receiving a reference frequency value and generating a command frequency value as a function thereof, an adjustable voltage controller receiving a reference voltage value and generating a command voltage value as a function thereof and independent of the command frequency and a modulator receiving the command frequency value and the command voltage value and generating pulse width modulated (PWM) inverter control signals as a function thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: David Leggate, Gary Leonard Skibinski, Gary R. Woltersdorf