Patents by Inventor Francois Malrait
Francois Malrait 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).
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Patent number: 11811343Abstract: Examples include a method for controlling a synchronous motor using a variable speed drive. The motor includes a permanent magnet rotor generating a magnetic flux. The method includes applying a predefined electrical command signal to the motor and estimating a motor speed in response to the applying of the predefined electrical command signal. The method also includes reaching a desired estimated motor speed and, in response to reaching the desired estimated motor speed, estimating a parameter related to the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet rotor. The method further includes recording the estimated parameter.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Al Kassem Jebai, Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Patent number: 11784603Abstract: A method for adapting a deceleration of a motor powered by a variable speed drive, the variable speed drive comprising a plurality of at least N low-voltage power cells linked in series, N being greater than or equal to 1, the method comprising the following operations during a period of deceleration of the motor: determination of at least one average motor voltage over a given period as a function of motor voltage values measured at the terminals of the motor over the given period; as a function of the determined average motor voltage, determination of an average rectified voltage value, wherein a rectified voltage corresponds to a voltage obtained at the output of a rectifier of each power cell; and adaptation of the deceleration of the electrical device as a function of the average rectified voltage value.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François Malrait, Alain Dutrey
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Patent number: 11722084Abstract: Examples include a method of control implemented in a variable speed drive for controlling an electric motor during backspin, wherein the method includes: determining, by the variable speed drive, a mechanical power value occurring at a backspin speed and an estimated load torque; determining, by the variable speed drive, a specific electrical losses profile occurring at a motor flux level, wherein the specific electrical losses profile coincides with the mechanical power value; determining, by the variable speed drive, a flux reference and a speed reference to be applied to the motor to coincide with the specific electrical losses profile; and controlling, by the variable speed drive, the backspin speed of the motor to maintain the coincidence with the specific electrical losses profile.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2021Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Alain Dutrey, Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Patent number: 11509252Abstract: A method for controlling a variable speed drive supplying power to an electric motor, the variable speed drive comprising a plurality of at least Ni low-voltage power cells connected in series, comprising: upon reception of a speed command, determining a number Mi of cells sufficient to supply power to the motor at a target voltage V that is determined based on the speed command; and activating the Mi power cells from among the Ni power cells, and deactivating the Ni-Mi other power cells in order to supply power to the motor in accordance with the speed command.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2019Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Emmanuel Frappe, François Malrait, Thomas Devos
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Patent number: 11404982Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical motor taking in account slip frequency. The method including determining amplitude, phase and frequency of the stator voltage from voltage measurements, determining estimates for current components from current measurement and stator voltage phase, determining estimate for torque from voltage amplitude, frequency, current amplitude and motor data, determining estimate for speed from torque, frequency and motor data, and determining over-estimation of speed from speed estimate, torque estimate and slip frequency. The over-estimation may be used to improve functional safety of the motor.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François Malrait, Thomas Devos
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Publication number: 20220200489Abstract: Examples include a method for controlling a motor soft-starter for starting an electric motor on a three-phases electric network in order to compensate a misbalance between the windings of the electric motor due to a misbalance between the phases of the electric network.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Patent number: 11356046Abstract: An electronic determination device is configured for determining at least one characteristic parameter of an electric machine with P phases, P?3, connected to an electric starter and including at least P-1 switching arms, each switching arm being connected to a respective phase of the electric machine. The determination device comprises a control module configured to control respective switching arm(s) to close and the other switching arm(s) to open, so as to generate a current injection on two phases of the electric machine; an acquisition module configured to acquire measurements of respective current(s) and voltage(s) for said two phases, further to the generation of the current injection; and a calculation module configured to calculate at least one characteristic parameter of the electric machine according to the respective current(s) and voltage(s) measurements.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Patent number: 11349427Abstract: A method for controlling a variable speed drive comprising Ni low-voltage power cells connected in series for each phase among multiple phases, i being a phase index. The method comprises repeating P iterations comprising: activating at least one cell of one or more phases and deactivating the other power cells of the variable speed drive, wherein the at least one activated cell is selected on the basis of predefined activation controls depending on an iteration index; and receiving at least one output voltage of the variable speed drive across the terminals of the electrical device for at least one phase. The method further comprises, at the end of the P iterations, determining, from the measured output voltages, values of rectified voltage at the output of respective rectification stages of the power cells, and storing the rectified voltages obtained, which are respectively associated with the power cells.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Publication number: 20220077801Abstract: Examples include a method for controlling a synchronous motor using a variable speed drive. The motor includes a permanent magnet rotor generating a magnetic flux. The method includes applying a predefined electrical command signal to the motor and estimating a motor speed in response to the applying of the predefined electrical command signal. The method also includes reaching a desired estimated motor speed and, in response to reaching the desired estimated motor speed, estimating a parameter related to the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet rotor. The method further includes recording the estimated parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Al Kassem Jebai, Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Patent number: 11251733Abstract: A method for controlling a variable speed drive arranged for powering an electric motor, the variable speed drive comprising a power part and a control part. The method comprises a preliminary phase of storing a set of predetermined levels of flux of the electric motor. Then, during a current phase, the method comprises selecting a level of flux from among the set of predetermined levels of flux and controlling the power part of the variable speed drive based on the selected level of flux as reference value.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François Malrait, Thomas Devos
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Publication number: 20220045639Abstract: Examples include a method of control implemented in a variable speed drive for controlling an electric motor during backspin, wherein the method comprises includes: determining, by the variable speed drive, a mechanical power value occurring at a backspin speed and an estimated load torque; determining, by the variable speed drive, a specific electrical losses profile occurring at a motor flux level, wherein the specific electrical losses profile coincides with the mechanical power value; determining, by the variable speed drive, a flux reference and a speed reference to be applied to the motor to coincide with the specific electrical losses profile ; and controlling, by the variable speed drive, the backspin speed of the motor to maintain the coincidence with the specific electrical losses profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Alain Dutrey, Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Patent number: 11095236Abstract: A method for configuring a variable speed drive in charge of power supply of an electric motor. The method comprises the application of a sequence of motor voltages to the electric motor by the variable speed drive and the obtaining, in parallel, of measurements of motor current. The method then determines a feature of the electric motor on the basis of the measurements of motor current and determines a type of electric motor at least as a function of the feature. The variable speed drive is then set up on the basis of the determined type of electric motor.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2020Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François Malrait, Thomas Devos, Al Kassem Jebai
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Publication number: 20210167711Abstract: An electronic determination device is configured for determining at least one characteristic parameter of an electric machine with P phases, P?3, connected to an electric starter and including at least P-1 switching arms, each switching arm being connected to a respective phase of the electric machine. The determination device comprises a control module configured to control respective switching arm(s) to close and the other switching arm(s) to open, so as to generate a current injection on two phases of the electric machine; an acquisition module configured to acquire measurements of respective current(s) and voltage(s) for said two phases, further to the generation of the current injection; and a calculation module configured to calculate at least one characteristic parameter of the electric machine according to the respective current(s) and voltage(s) measurements.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2020Publication date: June 3, 2021Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Thomas Devos, François Malrait
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Publication number: 20210135612Abstract: A method for controlling an electrical motor taking in account slip frequency. The method including determining amplitude, phase and frequency of the stator voltage from voltage measurements, determining estimates for current components from current measurement and stator voltage phase, determining estimate for torque from voltage amplitude, frequency, current amplitude and motor data, determining estimate for speed from torque, frequency and motor data, and determining over-estimation of speed from speed estimate, torque estimate and slip frequency. The over-estimation may be used to improve functional safety of the motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François MALRAIT, Thomas DEVOS
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Publication number: 20210067076Abstract: A method for controlling a variable speed drive arranged for powering an electric motor, the variable speed drive comprising a power part and a control part. The method comprises a preliminary phase of storing a set of predetermined levels of flux of the electric motor. Then, during a current phase, the method comprises selecting a level of flux from among the set of predetermined levels of flux and controlling the power part of the variable speed drive based on the selected level of flux as reference value.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François MALRAIT, Thomas DEVOS
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Patent number: 10892693Abstract: A method for controlling an electric motor, implemented in a variable speed drive, the variable speed drive being connected to the electric motor through a transformer, the method including; executing an identification sequence of the transformer for determining gain data corresponding to an inverse function of a transfer function of the transformer; generating a transfer module based on said determined gain data; determining a start-up sequence of the electric motor to be implemented by the variable speed drive by executing the transfer module on a reference current path.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2018Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Thomas Devos, Al Kassem Jebai, Francois Malrait
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Publication number: 20200295679Abstract: A method for configuring a variable speed drive in charge of power supply of an electric motor. The method comprises the application of a sequence of motor voltages to the electric motor by the variable speed drive and the obtaining, in parallel, of measurements of motor current. The method then determines a feature of the electric motor on the basis of the measurements of motor current and determines a type of electric motor at least as a function of the feature. The variable speed drive is then set up on the basis of the determined type of electric motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2020Publication date: September 17, 2020Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François MALRAIT, Thomas DEVOS, Al Kassem JEBAI
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Publication number: 20200204102Abstract: A method for adapting a deceleration of a motor powered by a variable speed drive, the variable speed drive comprising a plurality of at least N low-voltage power cells linked in series, N being greater than or equal to 1, the method comprising the following operations during a period of deceleration of the motor: determination of at least one average motor voltage over a given period as a function of motor voltage values measured at the terminals of the motor over the given period; as a function of the determined average motor voltage, determination of an average rectified voltage value, wherein a rectified voltage corresponds to a voltage obtained at the output of a rectifier of each power cell; and adaptation of the deceleration of the electrical device as a function of the average rectified voltage value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: June 25, 2020Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: François MALRAIT, Alain DUTREY
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Publication number: 20200195188Abstract: A method for controlling a variable speed drive supplying power to an electric motor, the variable speed drive comprising a plurality of at least Ni low-voltage power cells connected in series, comprising: upon reception of a speed command, determining a number Mi of cells sufficient to supply power to the motor at a target voltage V that is determined based on the speed command; and activating the Mi power cells from among the Ni power cells, and deactivating the Ni-Mi other power cells in order to supply power to the motor in accordance with the speed command.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Emmanuel FRAPPE, François MALRAIT, Thomas DEVOS
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Publication number: 20200195185Abstract: A method for controlling a variable speed drive comprising Ni low-voltage power cells connected in series for each phase among multiple phases, i being a phase index. The method comprises repeating P iterations comprising: activating at least one cell of one or more phases and deactivating the other power cells of the variable speed drive, wherein the at least one activated cell is selected on the basis of predefined activation controls depending on an iteration index; and receiving at least one output voltage of the variable speed drive across the terminals of the electrical device for at least one phase. The method moreover comprises, at the end of the P iterations, determining, from the measured output voltages of the variable speed drive, values of rectified voltage at the output of respective rectification stages of the power cells of the variable speed drive, and storing the rectified voltages obtained, which are respectively associated with the power cells of the variable speed drive.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SASInventors: Thomas DEVOS, François MALRAIT