Abstract: A shift range control apparatus controls driving of a motor in a shift range switching system provided with the motor and a shift range switching mechanism. A drive controller controls the driving of the motor to fit an engaging member in a recess according to a shift range in response to that the shift range is switched. A polarity determination device determines a polarity of a stator, which faces a rotor. The drive controller causes the engaging member to move to the recess according to the shift range, and then performs cancel energization control to energize a coil with a cancellation current which is a current reducing the magnetic flux density of the stator according to the polarity of the stator.

Abstract: A shift range control apparatus controls driving of a motor in a shift range switching system provided with the motor and a shift range switching mechanism. A drive controller controls the driving of the motor to fit an engaging member in a recess according to a shift range in response to that the shift range is switched. A polarity determination device determines a polarity of a stator, which faces a rotor. The drive controller causes the engaging member to move to the recess according to the shift range, and then performs cancel energization control to energize a coil with a cancellation current which is a current reducing the magnetic flux density of the stator according to the polarity of the stator.

Abstract: A controller has an encoder that outputs four-phase pulse signals according to a rotation of a rotor of a motor by a rule. During a rotational drive of the motor, when (i) an abnormal pulse state is observed in which the pulse signal is output in a non-compliant manner with the rule and (ii) a lapse time from a last normal output timing, which is a last timing of an output of the pulse signal by the rule, is longer than a threshold determination time, it is conclusively determined that the encoder has abnormality. Thus, the encoder is provided with an improved noise-proof character, and is prevented from being falsely determined as abnormal due to the abnormal pulse state, even when an output of the pulse signal from the encoder is temporarily ridden by a noise.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a counter, a margin calculation portion, and a cycle set portion. The counter counts a total number of switching the current supply phase of the coils when the rotor is rotationally driven. A rotation angle of the rotor is detected on a basis of the number of switching. The margin calculation portion calculates a torque margin that is a difference between an output torque of the motor and a load torque acting on the motor. The cycle set portion sets a current supply switching cycle to shorten as the torque margin is greater. The current supply switching cycle is a cycle switching the current supply phase of the coils.

Abstract: A controller has an encoder that outputs four-phase pulse signals according to a rotation of a rotor of a motor by a rule. During a rotational drive of the motor, when (i) an abnormal pulse state is observed in which the pulse signal is output in a non-compliant manner with the rule and (ii) a lapse time from a last normal output timing, which is a last timing of an output of the pulse signal by the rule, is longer than a threshold determination time, it is conclusively determined that the encoder has abnormality. Thus, the encoder is provided with an improved noise-proof character, and is prevented from being falsely determined as abnormal due to the abnormal pulse state, even when an output of the pulse signal from the encoder is temporarily ridden by a noise.

Abstract: A microcomputer rotationally drives a motor by executing an encoder-synchronized control to sequentially switch over a current supply phase of the motor in synchronization with an output signal of the encoder. The microcomputer checks whether the motor stagnates to rotate after a start of the encoder-synchronized control. The microcomputer rotationally drives the motor by switching over from the encoder-synchronized control to a time-synchronized control to sequentially switch over the current supply phase of the motor in synchronization with a predetermined time, when the motor is determined as failing to rotate. The microcomputer thus rotationally drives the motor quickly by the time-synchronized control even when the motor fails to rotate because of delay in a switchover time of the current supply phase after the switchover of the encoder-synchronized control.

Abstract: An adhering matter determination portion includes an irradiation portion, a light receiving portion and a determination portion. The irradiation portion radiates a light to a plurality of different areas of a transparent plate. The light receiving portion converts reflected waves reflected at the different areas into electrical signals. The determination portion compares at least one of detection signals outputted from the light receiving portion with a determination threshold. When the detection signal is lower than the determination threshold, the determination portion determines that there is an adhering matter on the transparent plate. The determination portion compares the detection signals. When a difference of the detection signals is higher than a condensation determination value, the determination portion determines that the adhering matter is raindrops.

Abstract: A motor controller includes a motor, an encoder, and a control circuit. The motor drives a target object to be controlled. The encoder outputs a pulse signal synchronously with rotation of the motor. The control circuit rotates the motor based on a count value of the pulse signal. The control circuit switches to a sleep mode when making sure that a rotation position of the motor is stable after finishing rotating the motor or when a predetermined time necessary for the rotation position of the motor to be stable elapses after finishing rotating the motor. When a change in the pulse signal during a period of time where the control circuit is in the sleep mode is not smaller than a predetermined amount, the control circuit performs a learning process to learn a reference position of the motor when returning to a wakeup mode from the sleep mode.

Abstract: A motor control system controls a rotation drive of a motor by serially switching a power supply phase of the motor based on a count value of an output signal from an encoder and prevents a temporary noise from causing an abnormal rotation of such a motor. A microcomputer determines that one of an A phase signal or a B phase signal is a noise when the two signals are input at substantially at the same timing and one of the two signals has a shorter time interval from a previous input signal. Thus, a temporary noise is prevented from corrupting normal operation between the encoder count, the rotation position of the motor, and the power supply phase.

Abstract: An electrode unit includes a first electrode and a second electrode, which define a space to flow fuel therethough. A detection circuit is connected to the first electrode to charge and discharge the electrode unit and to detect a capacitance of fuel, which flows through the space. A switch device is equipped to a wiring, which connects the second electrode with the ground, and configured to simulate disconnection between the second electrode and the ground. A malfunction detection unit is configured to detect disconnection of the wiring when a difference between a capacitance, which is detected with the detection circuit when the switch device is turned ON, and a capacitance, which is detected with the detection circuit when the switch device is turned OFF, is smaller than a first threshold.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a counter, a margin calculation portion, and a cycle set portion. The counter counts a total number of switching the current supply phase of the coils when the rotor is rotationally driven. A rotation angle of the rotor is detected on a basis of the number of switching. The margin calculation portion calculates a torque margin that is a difference between an output torque of the motor and a load torque acting on the motor. The cycle set portion sets a current supply switching cycle to shorten as the torque margin is greater. The current supply switching cycle is a cycle switching the current supply phase of the coils.

Abstract: An adhering matter determination portion includes an irradiation portion, a light receiving portion and a determination portion. The irradiation portion radiates a light to a plurality of different areas of a transparent plate. The light receiving portion converts reflected waves reflected at the different areas into electrical signals. The determination portion compares at least one of detection signals outputted from the light receiving portion with a determination threshold. When the detection signal is lower than the determination threshold, the determination portion determines that there is an adhering matter on the transparent plate. The determination portion compares the detection signals. When a difference of the detection signals is higher than a condensation determination value, the determination portion determines that the adhering matter is raindrops.

Abstract: A motor control system controls a rotation drive of a motor by serially switching a power supply phase of the motor based on a count value of an output signal from an encoder and prevents a temporary noise from causing an abnormal rotation of such a motor. A microcomputer determines that one of an A phase signal or a B phase signal is a noise when the two signals are input at substantially at the same timing and one of the two signals has a shorter time interval from a previous input signal. Thus, a temporary noise is prevented from corrupting normal operation between the encoder count, the rotation position of the motor, and the power supply phase.

Abstract: A motor controller includes a motor, an encoder, and a control circuit. The motor drives a target object to be controlled. The encoder outputs a pulse signal synchronously with rotation of the motor. The control circuit rotates the motor based on a count value of the pulse signal. The control circuit switches to a sleep mode when making sure that a rotation position of the motor is stable after finishing rotating the motor or when a predetermined time necessary for the rotation position of the motor to be stable elapses after finishing rotating the motor. When a change in the pulse signal during a period of time where the control circuit is in the sleep mode is not smaller than a predetermined amount, the control circuit performs a learning process to learn a reference position of the motor when returning to a wakeup mode from the sleep mode.

Abstract: An electrode unit includes a first electrode and a second electrode, which define a space to flow fuel therethough. A detection circuit is connected to the first electrode to charge and discharge the electrode unit and to detect a capacitance of fuel, which flows through the space. A switch device is equipped to a wiring, which connects the second electrode with the ground, and configured to simulate disconnection between the second electrode and the ground. A malfunction detection unit is configured to detect disconnection of the wiring when a difference between a capacitance, which is detected with the detection circuit when the switch device is turned ON, and a capacitance, which is detected with the detection circuit when the switch device is turned OFF, is smaller than a first threshold.

Abstract: First, second, and third electrodes are exposed to a fuel passage. The third electrode defines a first gap with the first electrode and defines a second gap with the second electrode. A property detection unit detects a property of fuel according to a summation of a first capacitance of the first gap and a second capacitance of the second gap. A correct-erroneous determination unit determines whether the property detected with the property detection unit is correct or erroneous according to a ratio of the summation and the first capacitance.

Abstract: A microcomputer of an alcohol concentration sensor reads a first measurement value corresponding to a first frequency and reads a second measurement value corresponding to a second frequency. The microcomputer calculates a difference between the first and second measurement values. The microcomputer performs stuck failure abnormality determination when a state where the difference between the measurement values is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value continues. The microcomputer outputs a PWM signal of a specific frequency, which is different from a frequency in a case of a normality, to an engine ECU. Thus, a failure of the alcohol concentration sensor can be surely determined.

Abstract: A fuel property sensor includes an electrode portion, a first thermistor, a second thermistor, and a circuit portion. The electrode portion detects an electrostatic capacity varied according to an ethanol concentration in fuel as a fuel characteristic. The first thermistor is disposed in a flowing area inside the electrode portion, where the fuel flows through. The second thermistor is disposed in a non-flowing area where no fuel flows through. The circuit portion which computes the ethanol concentration based on the electrostatic capacity, a first detection value detected by the first thermistor, and a second detection value detected by the second thermistor. Thus, a fuel temperature can be properly detected, and a detection accuracy of the fuel characteristic can be improved.

Abstract: First, second, and third electrodes are exposed to a fuel passage. The third electrode defines a first gap with the first electrode and defines a second gap with the second electrode. A property detection unit detects a property of fuel according to a summation of a first capacitance of the first gap and a second capacitance of the second gap. A correct-erroneous determination unit determines whether the property detected with the property detection unit is correct or erroneous according to a ratio of the summation and the first capacitance.

Abstract: A capacitance sensing section senses a capacitance between first and second electrodes. A temperature sensing section senses fuel temperature. A microcomputer functions as a concentration sensing section and senses a concentration of ethanol contained in fuel based on the capacitance sensed by the capacitance sensing section and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing section. The microcomputer functions as an abnormality detecting section and performs abnormality determination to determine that an abnormality has occurred in the capacitance sensing section when the capacitance sensed by the capacitance sensing section does not change and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing section changes. Since a dielectric constant has such a temperature characteristic that the dielectric constant changes with the temperature, the abnormality detecting section can detect occurrence of the abnormality in the capacitance sensing section.