Patents by Inventor Fumio KUMAZAWA
Fumio KUMAZAWA 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: 11616459Abstract: A method of driving a three-phase motor includes, while a first phase is energized, driving a second phase using a first drive function which is sinusoidal. The first phase is switched to a non-energized state and a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage of the first phase is detected. For at least a portion of a time when the first phase is non-energized the driving of the second phase depends on the output of a second drive function different from the first drive function. The second drive function may be non-sinusoidal and may be a cosine function. The second drive function may drive the second phase when the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio less than 1. When the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio greater than or equal to 1 the second phase may be driven to a modulation ratio of 1.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2022Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Kazumasa Takai, Fumio Kumazawa, Masaki Yamashita
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Publication number: 20220286067Abstract: A method of driving a three-phase motor includes, while a first phase is energized, driving a second phase using a first drive function which is sinusoidal. The first phase is switched to a non-energized state and a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage of the first phase is detected. For at least a portion of a time when the first phase is non-energized the driving of the second phase depends on the output of a second drive function different from the first drive function. The second drive function may be non-sinusoidal and may be a cosine function. The second drive function may drive the second phase when the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio less than 1. When the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio greater than or equal to 1 the second phase may be driven to a modulation ratio of 1.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2022Publication date: September 8, 2022Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Kazumasa TAKAI, Fumio KUMAZAWA, Masaki YAMASHITA
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Patent number: 11362605Abstract: A method of driving a three-phase motor includes, while a first phase is energized, driving a second phase using a first drive function which is sinusoidal. The first phase is switched to a non-energized state and a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage of the first phase is detected. For at least a portion of a time when the first phase is non-energized the driving of the second phase depends on the output of a second drive function different from the first drive function. The second drive function may be non-sinusoidal and may be a cosine function. The second drive function may drive the second phase when the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio less than 1. When the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio greater than or equal to 1 the second phase may be driven to a modulation ratio of 1.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Kazumasa Takai, Fumio Kumazawa, Masaki Yamashita
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Publication number: 20210234484Abstract: A method of driving a three-phase motor includes, while a first phase is energized, driving a second phase using a first drive function which is sinusoidal. The first phase is switched to a non-energized state and a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage of the first phase is detected. For at least a portion of a time when the first phase is non-energized the driving of the second phase depends on the output of a second drive function different from the first drive function. The second drive function may be non-sinusoidal and may be a cosine function. The second drive function may drive the second phase when the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio less than 1. When the output of the second drive function is a modulation ratio greater than or equal to 1 the second phase may be driven to a modulation ratio of 1.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2020Publication date: July 29, 2021Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Kazumasa TAKAI, Fumio KUMAZAWA, Masaki YAMASHITA
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Patent number: 10948891Abstract: A motor driver system. Implementations may include: a motor driver configured to couple with a motor where the motor driver comprises a multipurpose pin. A controller may be included coupled with the motor driver through at least the multipurpose pin. The motor driver during an enable mode, may be configured to receive serial data from the controller and to send serial data to the controller using the multipurpose pin during a normal operation mode of the motor driver. The motor driver may be configured to output a frequency generator (FG) signal to the controller using the multipurpose pin during the normal operation mode of the motor driver.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2019Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Fumio Kumazawa
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Patent number: 10693397Abstract: A method for determining the state of a brushless motor having first, second and third phases, in some embodiments, comprises: decoupling said motor from a power source; determining whether said motor is rotating or non-rotating; if the motor is rotating, determining a first phase voltage state relative to a common voltage and a second phase voltage state relative to the common voltage, said first phase and second phase voltage states determined when a third phase voltage is within a predetermined range of said common voltage; and if the first phase voltage state and the second phase voltage state are the same, repeating said determination as to whether the motor is rotating or non-rotating.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Fumio Kumazawa
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Patent number: 10615722Abstract: A system, in some embodiments, includes: a motor; and control logic, coupled to the motor, to determine a duty keep status and a duty cycle threshold based on a received voltage, wherein the duty keep status indicates whether the system is to operate in a duty keep mode or a stop mode, wherein the duty cycle threshold indicates a minimum duty cycle for the motor if the system operates in said duty keep mode and indicates an input duty cycle threshold below which the control logic shuts off the motor if the system operates in the stop mode.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2019Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi Ogawa, Fumio Kumazawa
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Publication number: 20200064801Abstract: A motor driver system. Implementations may include: a motor driver configured to couple with a motor where the motor driver comprises a multipurpose pin. A controller may be included coupled with the motor driver through at least the multipurpose pin. The motor driver during an enable mode, may be configured to receive serial data from the controller and to send serial data to the controller using the multipurpose pin during a normal operation mode of the motor driver. The motor driver may be configured to output a frequency generator (FG) signal to the controller using the multipurpose pin during the normal operation mode of the motor driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Fumio KUMAZAWA
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Patent number: 10503134Abstract: A motor driver system. Implementations may include: a motor driver configured to couple with a motor where the motor driver comprises a multipurpose pin. A controller may be included coupled with the motor driver through at least the multipurpose pin. The motor driver during an enable mode, may be configured to receive serial data from the controller and to send serial data to the controller using the multipurpose pin during a normal operation mode of the motor driver. The motor driver may be configured to output a frequency generator (FG) signal to the controller using the multipurpose pin during the normal operation mode of the motor driver.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Fumio Kumazawa
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Patent number: 10432118Abstract: A motor control system, in some embodiments, comprises: a voltage divider circuit having an output node, a voltage on said output node representing a desired motor rotation direction; control logic configured to receive an indication of said voltage; and a motor controller coupled to the control logic, wherein, if said indication of the voltage on the output node falls outside of a predetermined range, the control logic is configured to issue a motor stop signal to the motor controller indicating that at least one resistor of the voltage divider circuit is defective or is missing from the voltage divider circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2018Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi Ogawa, Fumio Kumazawa, Satoshi Yokoo, Juichi Uno
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Patent number: 10404194Abstract: In an embodiment, a motor driver comprises a multipurpose pin operable to couple the motor driver to a controller and judgment logic coupled to the multipurpose pin. The motor driver is operable to receive an input signal via the multipurpose pin and may be operable in a normal operation mode or a setting operation mode. The judgment logic may be operable to detect whether a prescribed pattern is present in the input signal, wherein the prescribed pattern indicates one of the normal operation mode or the setting operation mode, control at least a portion of the motor driver to operate in the setting operation mode when the prescribed pattern is detected in the input signal, and control at least the portion of the motor driver to operate in the normal operation mode when the prescribed pattern is not detected in the input signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi Harashima, Fumio Kumazawa
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Publication number: 20190173400Abstract: A system, in some embodiments, includes: a motor; and control logic, coupled to the motor, to determine a duty keep status and a duty cycle threshold based on a received voltage, wherein the duty keep status indicates whether the system is to operate in a duty keep mode or a stop mode, wherein the duty cycle threshold indicates a minimum duty cycle for the motor if the system operates in said duty keep mode and indicates an input duty cycle threshold below which the control logic shuts off the motor if the system operates in the stop mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2019Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi OGAWA, Fumio KUMAZAWA
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Patent number: 10243490Abstract: A system, in some embodiments, comprises: a motor; and control logic, coupled to the motor, to determine a duty keep status and a duty cycle threshold based on a received voltage, wherein the duty keep status indicates whether the system is to operate in a duty keep mode or a stop mode, wherein the duty cycle threshold indicates a minimum duty cycle for the motor if the system operates in said duty keep mode and indicates an input duty cycle threshold below which the control logic shuts off the motor if the system operates in the stop mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi Ogawa, Fumio Kumazawa
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Publication number: 20190081580Abstract: A method for determining the state of a brushless motor having first, second and third phases, in some embodiments, comprises: decoupling said motor from a power source; determining whether said motor is rotating or non-rotating; if the motor is rotating, determining a first phase voltage state relative to a common voltage and a second phase voltage state relative to the common voltage, said first phase and second phase voltage states determined when a third phase voltage is within a predetermined range of said common voltage; and if the first phase voltage state and the second phase voltage state are the same, repeating said determination as to whether the motor is rotating or non-rotating.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Fumio KUMAZAWA
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Publication number: 20190074783Abstract: A motor control system, in some embodiments, comprises: a voltage divider circuit having an output node, a voltage on said output node representing a desired motor rotation direction; control logic configured to receive an indication of said voltage; and a motor controller coupled to the control logic, wherein, if said indication of the voltage on the output node falls outside of a predetermined range, the control logic is configured to issue a motor stop signal to the motor controller indicating that at least one resistor of the voltage divider circuit is defective or is missing from the voltage divider circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi OGAWA, Fumio KUMAZAWA, Satoshi YOKOO, Juichi UNO
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Publication number: 20180364667Abstract: A motor driver system. Implementations may include: a motor driver configured to couple with a motor where the motor driver comprises a multipurpose pin. A controller may be included coupled with the motor driver through at least the multipurpose pin. The motor driver during an enable mode, may be configured to receive serial data from the controller and to send serial data to the controller using the multipurpose pin during a normal operation mode of the motor driver. The motor driver may be configured to output a frequency generator (FG) signal to the controller using the multipurpose pin during the normal operation mode of the motor driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2018Publication date: December 20, 2018Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Fumio KUMAZAWA
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Publication number: 20180367068Abstract: In an embodiment, a motor driver comprises a multipurpose pin operable to couple the motor driver to a controller and judgment logic coupled to the multipurpose pin. The motor driver is operable to receive an input signal via the multipurpose pin and may be operable in a normal operation mode or a setting operation mode. The judgment logic may be operable to detect whether a prescribed pattern is present in the input signal, wherein the prescribed pattern indicates one of the normal operation mode or the setting operation mode, control at least a portion of the motor driver to operate in the setting operation mode when the prescribed pattern is detected in the input signal, and control at least the portion of the motor driver to operate in the normal operation mode when the prescribed pattern is not detected in the input signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2018Publication date: December 20, 2018Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi HARASHIMA, Fumio KUMAZAWA
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Patent number: 10158308Abstract: A motor control system, in some embodiments, comprises: a voltage divider circuit having an output node, a voltage on said output node representing a desired motor rotation direction; control logic configured to receive an indication of said voltage; and a motor controller coupled to the control logic, wherein, if said indication of the voltage on the output node falls outside of a predetermined range, the control logic is configured to issue a motor stop signal to the motor controller indicating that at least one resistor of the voltage divider circuit is defective or is missing from the voltage divider circuit.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2016Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Takashi Ogawa, Fumio Kumazawa, Satoshi Yokoo, Juichi Uno
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Patent number: 10158306Abstract: A method for determining the state of a brushless motor having first, second and third phases, in some embodiments, comprises: decoupling said motor from a power source; determining whether said motor is rotating or non-rotating; if the motor is rotating, determining a first phase voltage state relative to a common voltage and a second phase voltage state relative to the common voltage, said first phase and second phase voltage states determined when a third phase voltage is within a predetermined range of said common voltage; and if the first phase voltage state and the second phase voltage state are the same, repeating said determination as to whether the motor is rotating or non-rotating.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2017Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventor: Fumio Kumazawa
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Patent number: 10116244Abstract: According to at least some embodiments, a method for driving a motor includes, upon a restart of the motor, determining whether the rotor is rotating based on a signal generated from outputs of at most one Hall sensor. The method further includes, if it is determined that the rotor is rotating, determining a plurality of output duty values for driving a plurality of windings of the motor. The method further includes generating a drive signal for driving the motor based on the determined plurality of output duty values.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2017Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLCInventors: Fumio Kumazawa, Takashi Ogawa