Abstract: An apparatus and a method with which a more-precise indication of an rpm is possible even if a position signal continues to be absent. To that end, a counter state of a counter is evaluated and is set to zero at each position signal. If the expected position signal remains absent for an overly long time, an rpm is estimated on the basis of the counter state of the counter. In this way, an rpm change can rapidly be detected and compensated for.

Abstract: An electronically commutatable motor with a preferably three-phase excitation winding in the stator, which, in order to generate a torque for a permanent magnet rotor, can be connected to a direct current source via a motor control unit and a commutation device equipped with semiconductor switches. The motor is intended for use as a drive motor of a safety-critical auxiliary drive unit in a motor vehicle, in particular as the drive motor of an electrical power-assisted steering unit, wherein additional or existing switching means suppress or at least partially compensate for a braking moment that is generated by the motor in the event of a winding short and/or a malfunction in the semiconductor switches of the commutation device.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method with which a more-precise indication of an rpm is possible even if a position signal continues to be absent. To that end, a counter state of a counter is evaluated and is set to zero at each position signal. If the expected position signal remains absent for an overly long time, an rpm is estimated on the basis of the counter state of the counter. In this way, an rpm change can rapidly be detected and compensated for.

Abstract: Electronically commutable motor whose output stages are controllable by an electronic control unit, using PWM control signals, and are feedable from a supply voltage source. A limitation to a maximum load with overload protection is achieved, at least upon exceeding the nominal voltage of the motor, by reducing the pulse width of the PWM control signals for the output stages to a width that prevents overloading of the motor and electronic components by limiting the motor output, as a function of the magnitude of the supply voltage and the specified setpoint for the PWM control signals.

Abstract: An electronically commutatable motor with a preferably three-phase excitation winding in the stator, which, in order to generate a torque for a permanent magnet rotor can be connected to a direct current source via a motor control unit and a commutation device equipped with semiconductor switches. The motor is intended for use as a drive motor of a safety-critical auxiliary drive unit in a motor vehicle, in particular as the drive motor of an electrical power-assisted steering unit, wherein additional or existing switching means suppress or at least partially compensate for a braking moment that is generated by the motor in the event of a winding short and/or a malfunction in the semiconductor switches of the commutation device.

Abstract: An electronically commutatable motor having field windings activatable in sequence with a commutation frequency via semiconductor output stages using control signals connectable and disconnectable from a direct voltage supply, the control signals being clocked using pulse width modulation. Noise generation from connection and disconnection of the current applied to field windings is minimized by flattening of the rising and/or falling edges of the current in the field windings. The pulse width ratio increases in the rising edges of the control signals from a low initial value to an operating value assigned to the setpoint as a function of a selected setpoint for the motor speed or output, and, in the falling edges of the control signals, the pulse width ratio starts from the existing operating value and is reduced to a lower final turn-off value as a function of the existing actual value of the speed or the output of the motor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for shifting the instant of commutation for a sensorless and brushless direct-current motor (1), whose stator windings are fed by a multi-phase converter connection. The converter connection includes an output stage control (2), a commutation logic (3), a phase selector (4), and phase discriminator (5). A commutation detection (6) is supplied at one input (46) with the instantaneous value of the voltage induced in a phase, the instantaneous value being determined by the phase selector, and at a second input (47), with a reference voltage (Uref) for comparison. The reference voltage (Uref) can be changed by a commutation shift (7) in correspondence with a specific characteristic curve (71). A manipulated variable (Ust) is supplied by a manipulated-variable calculation (8) to the commutation shift (7) as a function of the setpoint speed (Nsetpoint) of the motor. The commutation shift takes place in an advantageous manner in a parabola shape.

Abstract: An electronically commutatable motor, whose excitation windings are controllable via semiconductor output stages by an electronic control unit with the aid of PWM control signals, a setpoint value being specifiable to the control unit, and the control unit emitting corresponding PWM control signals to the semiconductor output stages; a motor characteristic curve, from which an assigned nominal operating speed is derivable for the setpoint value being stored in the control unit, and the derived nominal operating speed being able to be compared to the actual speed of the motor. It a predefinable or predefined speed difference between the nominal operating speed and the actual speed is exceeded, the control unit and/or the semiconductor output stages can be switched off. The derivation of the nominal operating speed for the predefined setpoint value is facilitated by a three-dimensional characteristics field determined by four coordinate points.

Abstract: An electronically commutatable motor is disclosed, whose field windings are controllable via electronic control unit using PWM control signals via semiconductor output stages, a setpoint being selectable for the control unit and the control unit outputting corresponding PWM control signals to the semiconductor output stages.

Abstract: An electronically commutatable motor, whose excitation windings are controllable via semiconductor output stages by an electronic control unit with the aid of PWM control signals, a setpoint value being specifiable to the control unit, and the control unit emitting corresponding PWM control signals to the semiconductor output stages. The start-up of the motor is monitored in a simple manner and an overloading is prevented in that, with the input of the setpoint value and/or the switching on of the control unit and/or the semiconductor output stages, after a predefined or predefinable starting time has expired, a monitoring device monitors the speed of the motor to check whether a minimum speed has been reached, and if the minimum speed is not reached, the control unit and/or the semiconductor output stages is/are disconnectible.

Abstract: A power-supply circuit having a switching regulator (10) and at least one additional circuit (14, 14') whose two respective outputs (11, 17) are guided together to a common or joint output (18) by diodes (D3, D3'; D4). The additional circuit (14, 14') produces, from an alternating quantity (15) occurring inside the switching regulator (10), a second output voltage (U+, U'+) that is in a second output-voltage range and is more positive with respect to the first output voltage (U-) that is made available at the first output (11) of the switching regulator (10) and is in a first output-voltage range. A gas-discharge lamp, for example, is provided as the load (L) between the first and second outputs. The division of the voltage ranges to be made available for the load (L) into at least two partial ranges permits a high effectiveness of the current-supply circuit of the invention.