Abstract: A casting mold supporting structure is provided herein which includes a support roller for supporting a part of a casting mold that is used in centrifugal casting. The casting mold has a supported surface (that is, a side surface of an end portion of the casting mold which end portion has a circular truncated cone shape) at which the casting mold is supported by the support roller. The supported surface is inclined with respect to a rotation axis of the casting mold.

Abstract: A casting mold supporting structure is provided herein which includes a support roller for supporting a part of a casting mold that is used in centrifugal casting. The casting mold has a supported surface (that is, a side surface of an end portion of the casting mold which end portion has a circular truncated cone shape) at which the casting mold is supported by the support roller. The supported surface is inclined with respect to a rotation axis of the casting mold.

Abstract: The semiconductor device according to the present invention generates pulse width modulation signals for controlling inverter circuits that drive a motor. The semiconductor device includes: a first register which holds values for determining a period in which each pulse width modulation signal becomes active; a correction buffer which holds a correction value; a first counter; a second counter which counts a value obtained by temporally advancing or delaying a count value of the first counter; a selector which selects the count value of the first counter or the count value of the second counter; and a pulse width modulation control unit which generates each pulse width modulation signal, logical values of which are switched in a timing when the selected count value matches the value held by the first register.

Abstract: An A/D conversion apparatus performs motor current detection in an A/D conversion period corresponding to two phases out of three phases of a sinusoidal drive motor, using reduced register resources while minimizing the number of A/D converters. The A/D conversion apparatus includes: a selection unit selecting one of a plurality of input channels; an A/D converter converting an analog signal from the selected input channel to a digital signal; a start register holding a start channel number of sequential conversion; an end register holding an end channel number of the sequential conversion; a prohibition information holding unit holding prohibition information indicating an input channel to be excluded from the sequential conversion; and a control unit causing the selection unit to select, in channel number order, input channels corresponding to channel numbers from the start channel number to the end channel number except the input channel indicated by the prohibition information.

Abstract: An A/D conversion apparatus performs motor current detection in an A/D conversion period corresponding to two phases out of three phases of a sinusoidal drive motor, using reduced register resources while minimizing the number of A/D converters. The A/D conversion apparatus includes: a selection unit selecting one of a plurality of input channels; an A/D converter converting an analog signal from the selected input channel to a digital signal; a start register holding a start channel number of sequential conversion; an end register holding an end channel number of the sequential conversion; a prohibition information holding unit holding prohibition information indicating an input channel to be excluded from the sequential conversion; and a control unit causing the selection unit to select, in channel number order, input channels corresponding to channel numbers from the start channel number to the end channel number except the input channel indicated by the prohibition information.

Abstract: The semiconductor device according to the present invention generates pulse width modulation signals for controlling inverter circuits that drive a motor. The semiconductor device includes: a first register which holds values for determining a period in which each pulse width modulation signal becomes active; a correction buffer which holds a correction value; a first counter; a second counter which counts a value obtained by temporally advancing or delaying a count value of the first counter; a selector which selects the count value of the first counter or the count value of the second counter; and a pulse width modulation control unit which generates each pulse width modulation signal, logical values of which are switched in a timing when the selected count value matches the value held by the first register.

Abstract: An inverter control microcomputer 10 comprises AD converters 21–23, a selector control circuit 31, and a selector 32. The selector 32 selects three analog signals from among inputted seven analog signals in accordance with control from the selector control circuit 31. A control signal generation section, which comprises a CPU 11 and an inverter control signal generation circuit 17, generates a motor control signal Cntl based on three digital values obtained by the respective AD converters 21–23. By performing AD conversion concurrently for arbitrary three analog signals, it is possible to eliminate a phase shift between the detected analog signals and perform motor control with high precision. Thus, it is possible to detect an analog signal necessary for control of a motor, etc., at an appropriate timing without increasing the number of AD converters.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device for generating complementary PWM signals for, for example, controlling an inverter, a dead time is flexibly added by using a simple architecture. A dead time addition unit adds time elapsing until a value of a timer reaches a set value of a register as a first dead time at a rise of a first PWM signal. On the other hand, time elapsing until the value of the timer reaches a set value of another register is added as a second dead time at a rise of a second PWM signal.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device for generating complementary PWM signals for, for example, controlling an inverter, a dead time is flexibly added by using a simple architecture. A dead time addition unit adds time elapsing until a value of a timer reaches a set value of a register as a first dead time at a rise of a first PWM signal. On the other hand, time elapsing until the value of the timer reaches a set value of another register is added as a second dead time at a rise of a second PWM signal.

Abstract: An inverter control microcomputer 10 comprises AD converters 21-23, a selector control circuit 31, and a selector 32. The selector 32 selects three analog signals from among inputted seven analog signals in accordance with control from the selector control circuit 31. A control signal generation section, which comprises a CPU 11 and an inverter control signal generation circuit 17, generates a motor control signal Cntl based on three digital values obtained by the respective AD converters 21-23. By performing AD conversion concurrently for arbitrary three analog signals, it is possible to eliminate a phase shift between the detected analog signals and perform motor control with high precision. Thus, it is possible to detect an analog signal necessary for control of a motor, etc., at an appropriate timing without increasing the number of AD converters.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device for generating complementary PWM signals for, for example, controlling an inverter, a dead time is flexibly added by using a simple architecture. A dead time addition unit adds time elapsing until a value of a timer reaches a set value of a register as a first dead time at a rise of a first PWM signal. On the other hand, time elapsing until the value of the timer reaches a set value of another register is added as a second dead time at a rise of a second PWM signal.

Abstract: A microcomputer for performing an inverter control includes three AD converters provided therein. The first and second AD converters are used for a motor control, and each receive a motor position detection signal. The third AD converter is used for a power supply control, and receives an analog signal representing the state of the power supply. Therefore, a motor control and a power supply control are performed by using separate AD converters, whereby it is possible to optimally perform each control without an AD conversion having to wait for another AD conversion to be completed.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device for inverter controlling that includes an AD converter and controls a pulse width of a multi-phase PWM signal on the basis of a digital value obtained by the AD converter, a timer starts counting time in response to a signal supplied from a counter used for generating a PWM signal when the counter has counted a given count value. A timer period of the timer is calculated on the basis of a duty set value stored in a duty set resistor included in a PWM signal generation circuit, and the timer period is stored in a timer period set resistor. The timer generates an AD conversion start factor signal when the timer has counted the timer period stored in the timer period set resistor, and the AD conversion start factor signal is output to the corresponding AD converter so as to start AD conversion. Accordingly, the AD conversion can be definitely started at a time of a predetermined specific ON/OFF combination of the PWM signal.

Abstract: A microcomputer for performing an inverter control includes three AD converters provided therein. The first and second AD converters are used for a motor control, and each receive a motor position detection signal. The third AD converter is used for a power supply control, and receives an analog signal representing the state of the power supply. Therefore, a motor control and a power supply control are performed by using separate AD converters, whereby it is possible to optimally perform each control without an AD conversion having to wait for another AD conversion to be completed.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device for inverter controlling that includes an AD converter and controls a pulse width of a multi-phase PWM signal on the basis of a digital value obtained by the AD converter, a timer starts counting time in response to a signal supplied from a counter used for generating a PWM signal when the counter has counted a given count value. A timer period of the timer is calculated on the basis of a duty set value stored in a duty set resistor included in a PWM signal generation circuit, and the timer period is stored in a timer period set resistor. The timer generates an AD conversion start factor signal when the timer has counted the timer period stored in the timer period set resistor, and the AD conversion start factor signal is output to the corresponding AD converter so as to start AD conversion. Accordingly, the AD conversion can be definitely started at a time of a predetermined specific ON/OFF combination of the PWM signal.

Abstract: A microcomputer for performing an inverter control includes three AD converters provided therein. The first and second AD converters are used for a motor control, and each receive a motor position detection signal. The third AD converter is used for a power supply control, and receives an analog signal representing the state of the power supply. Therefore, a motor control and a power supply control are performed by using separate AD converters, whereby it is possible to optimally perform each control without an AD conversion having to wait for another AD conversion to be completed.

Abstract: A microcomputer for performing an inverter control includes three AD converters provided therein. The first and second AD converters are used for a motor control, and each receive a motor position detection signal. The third AD converter is used for a power supply control, and receives an analog signal representing the state of the power supply. Therefore, a motor control and a power supply control are performed by using separate AD converters, whereby it is possible to optimally perform each control without an AD conversion having to wait for another AD conversion to be completed.