Abstract: A rectifier bridge circuit is described for rectifying the phase voltage generated by a generator, including a positive half-bridge having multiple rectifier elements and a negative half-bridge having multiple rectifier elements. The rectifier elements each have a controllable switch having a diode connected in parallel. A control circuit is provided for switching the switches on and off. The switch-on time tswitch on setpoint and/or the switch-off time tswitch off setpoint of the switch is/are computed based on a characteristic map or a mathematical function.

Abstract: A method for controlling a bridge rectifier which includes active switching elements is provided, in which, during normal operation, at least one of the active switching elements is controlled using a voltage signal, the voltage of which is changed from a first voltage value to a second voltage value within at least one switching time. The at least one switching time is extended by a predefinable time period if load shedding at the bridge rectifier is determined. Also described is a corresponding rectifier system and a computer program product.

Abstract: The method includes operating the synchronous machine in idle operation; recording a phase voltage measured value of the synchronous machine; ascertaining a phase voltage expected value by allocating stored characteristics map values for the phase voltage, for the exciting current and the recorded rotational speed of the synchronous machine; and comparing the phase voltage expected value to the phase voltage measured value. Also described is a diagnostic device for carrying out this method, as well as a corresponding computer program product.

Abstract: In a method for reducing the starting current of a multi-phase machine operated by block commutation, which includes a battery, one high side switch for each phase, a low side switch and a phase winding as well as a rotor, the high side switch assigned to one current phase or the low side switch assigned to one current phase is held in the closed state, and the low side switches or the high side switches assigned to the other current phases are alternately controlled.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes an angular position transducer for identifying a first rotation angle of a rotor; a stator winding for generating a magnetic field; a voltage measuring instrument for sensing a pole wheel voltage at the ends of the stator winding upon a rotation of the rotor; and an identification circuit for identifying a second rotation angle from the pole wheel voltage and for identifying an angle difference between the first and the second rotation angle.

Abstract: A vehicle electrical system includes: an active bridge rectifier which is connected to a generator via multiple phase terminals, and having terminals on the direct voltage side; a unit for recognizing load shedding at the active bridge rectifier and short-circuiting the phase terminals in a clocked manner, as the result of which a pulsed current is fed to the vehicle electrical system; a vehicle electrical system capacitor configured for smoothing the pulsed current; and a voltage limiting unit configured for clipping a voltage between the terminals of the bridge rectifier on the direct voltage side to a predefined maximum voltage.

Abstract: A method is described for operating a converter for a starter motor, in particular a belt-driven starter motor, of a vehicle, including the steps of detecting a temperature of the converter, and controlling a current supplied to the converter as a function of the detected temperature using a setpoint temperature as a reference variable. In addition, the invention describes a converter for a starter motor of a vehicle which is capable of carrying out the method according to the invention.

Abstract: A diagnostic device is provided for a multi-voltage electrical system of a motor vehicle which has a first subnetwork acted on by a first voltage and a second subnetwork acted on by a second voltage, the first voltage being higher than the second voltage, and the first and the second subnetwork having a shared ground connection. The diagnostic device includes a second ground connection, a measuring unit configured to measure a current flow via the second ground connection, and a diagnostic unit configured to diagnose a disturbance in the shared ground connection and/or in the second ground connection on the basis of the measured current flow via the second ground connection as a function of at least one operating state of the vehicle electrical system.

Abstract: A method is described for controlling a multiphase machine which is connected to a battery, the multiphase machine having a DC link which is provided with a DC link capacitor, phase windings, and a high side switch and a low side switch for each phase. The switches associated with the individual phases are controlled by a control unit in such a way that sinusoidal phase currents are predefined, at least one phase current is connected at any point in time in each control cycle, and a fixed, pulsed control pattern is present for each control cycle. The control widths of the actuating signals associated with the phases are constant in the pulsed control pattern. The control pulses associated with the individual phases are predefined in such a way that the DC link current which arises is minimized.

Abstract: A method for controlling a multiphase machine which is connected to a direct current voltage source. The machine has a DC link which is provided with a DC link capacitor, phase windings, and a high side switch and a low side switch for each phase. The switches associated with the individual phases are acted on by control signals from a control unit. For reducing the DC link current, the control unit provides block-shaped control signals for the switches associated with the individual phases in such a way that trapezoidal or pulsed phase currents are predefined, at least one phase current is connected at any point in time in each control cycle, and the value of the amplitude ratio of the predefined phase currents is selected in such a way that the connected phase currents correspond to the instantaneous current of the direct current voltage source.

Abstract: In a method for determining current in a polyphase machine connected to a DC voltage source, a DC link is provided with a DC-link capacitor and, per phase, a high-side switch and a low-side switch. A measurement of the voltage curve across the DC-link capacitor is undertaken. The current of the DC voltage source and/or one or a plurality of phase currents are/is determined from the measured voltage curve.

Abstract: A method for identifying electrical faults in a generator assemblage, in particular of a motor vehicle, which assemblage includes a generator having a generator regulator and a rectifier having rectifier elements, the method encompassing ascertaining, in the context of at least one excitation current value of an excitation current through an excitation winding of the generator, at least one respective parameter that corresponds to a current conduction time proportion of at least one of the rectifier elements, and determining that an electrical fault exists if the at least one parameter deviates by more than a predetermined amount from an associated expected value. Also described is an apparatus for implementing the method.

Abstract: A method is described for activating a multiphase machine that has a link circuit equipped with a link circuit capacitor, phase windings, and one high-side switch and one low-side switch per phase. The switches associated with the individual phases have control signals applied to them by a control unit. The control unit provides, in successive activation cycles, pulse-shaped control signals for the switches, the pulse widths and pulse onsets of which are respectively varied within an activation cycle in such a way that the link circuit current is reduced.

Abstract: A method for activating a rectifier having active switching elements in the event of a load dump, the active switching elements being activated during the voltage clamping in such a way that the clamp voltage in at least one switching branch complies with a signal form predefined as a function of time within at least one half-period of the current to be rectified.

Abstract: A control unit for an electric machine. The control unit has a processing unit and a power output stage connected to the processing unit. The power output stage is connected to outputs of the control unit for stator coils of a stator of the electric machine. The processing unit is designed to supply current to the power output stage for generating a stator field, in particular a rotating magnetic field. The control unit comprises an electrical energy store, in particular an intermediate circuit capacitor or accumulator, connected to the power output stage. The control unit includes an input for a control signal, for example a temperature signal. The processing unit is preferably designed to actuate the power output stage as a function of the temperature signal such that the energy store can be heated by a current application pattern generated by the power output stage.

Abstract: A method for operating a power converter having at least one power converter half-bridge, in which a controllable switching element and a freewheeling diode connected parallel thereto and in the blocking direction are provided respectively between a first direct voltage terminal and an alternating voltage terminal as well as between the alternating voltage terminal and a second direct voltage terminal. The switching elements of the at least one half-bridge are controlled in alternating fashion and in each case interrupted by controlling pauses. The duration of the controlling pauses is set on the basis of a determined voltage drop at at least one of the freewheeling diodes.

Abstract: In a method for reducing the starting current of a multi-phase machine operated by block commutation, which includes a battery, one high side switch for each phase, a low side switch and a phase winding as well as a rotor, the high side switch assigned to one current phase or the low side switch assigned to one current phase is held in the closed state, and the low side switches or the high side switches assigned to the other current phases are alternately controlled.

Abstract: In a method for reducing load dump overvoltages during operation of a synchronous rectifier for a polyphase alternating current having a number of inputs which correspond to the number of alternating current phases of the alternating current, and having at least two outputs for providing a direct current, an alternating current phase is connected to each of the inputs, and each of the inputs are electrically optionally connected via active switching elements to either the first or the second output in accordance with a control unit.

Abstract: A rectifier bridge circuit is described for rectifying the phase voltage generated by a generator, including a positive half-bridge having multiple rectifier elements and a negative half-bridge having multiple rectifier elements. The rectifier elements each have a controllable switch having a diode connected in parallel. A control circuit is provided for switching the switches on and off. The switch-on time tswitch on setpoint and/or the switch-off time tswitch off setpoint of the switch is/are computed based on a characteristic map or a mathematical function.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for monitoring an electrical power or current consuming device. In the method for monitoring a first time point at which a current value for current passing through the consuming device exceeds a first current threshold value and/or a second time point at which the current value drops below a second current threshold value is first measured. Then first time point and/or the second time point are compared with each other or with other variables, especially a starting time for a control signal for controlling the consuming device, to establish plausiblity.