Abstract: A malfunction detection method detects a malfunction in an electronic control device. The electronic control device includes a normal power supply terminal connected to a normal power supply mounted on a vehicle, a starting power supply terminal connected to a starting power supply, a controller activated by supply of a normal voltage, and a wake-up circuit having a wake-up switch to open and close a power supply path from the normal power supply terminal to the controller. The wake-up circuit turns on the wake-up switch when a starting voltage input to the starting power supply terminal is equal to or greater than an ON threshold. The malfunction detection method includes determining by the controller that the wake-up switch has an ON sticking malfunction when the normal voltage is equal to or greater than a threshold and the starting voltage is less than the ON threshold.

Abstract: A field-weakening controller determines a d-axis current command correction value in a field-weakening control according to a voltage of a DC power supply and a voltage amplitude of a voltage command. A d-axis current final value calculator outputs a d-axis current command final value calculated using a d-axis current command value and a d-axis current command correction value. A field-weakening controller has a voltage amplitude command limiter that limits a voltage amplitude command determined based on the power supply voltage. A voltage amplitude command limiter limits the voltage amplitude command to a voltage amplitude command limit value when the motor state quantity, which is correlated with a time rate of change when a sine wave center voltage of the voltage command crosses from negative to positive, is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit start value.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus has a first actuator provided as a multi-phase rotating electric machine and disposed on a steering column side of an intermediate shaft and a second actuator disposed on a rack gear side thereof. A first ECU controls a drive of the first actuator and detects an abnormality of the first actuator. The first ECU changes an output of the first actuator based on a notification from a communication bus. The first ECU performs an initial diagnosis of the first actuator at a vehicle startup time for detecting abnormality, by supplying an electric power to the first actuator for not providing a torque to a steering wheel.

Abstract: An electric power steering device including a column actuator disposed on a column side of the intermediate shaft and outputting a column assist torque; a rack actuator disposed on a rack side of the intermediate shaft and outputting a rack assist torque; a column torque sensor coaxially disposed with the steering shaft and detecting a column torsion torque; a rack torque sensor coaxially disposed with the intermediate shaft and detecting a rack torsion torque; and a calculator calculating instruction values of the column assist torque and the rack assist torque based on the torsion torques.

Abstract: A calculator or an electronic control unit (ECU) calculates an instruction value of a column assist torque and a rack assist torque output from a column actuator, or a column motor, and a rack actuator, or a rack motor, based at least on a torsion torque. The calculator includes a base assist controller, a stabilization controller, and an adder. The base assist controller individually or commonly calculates a base assist torque based on the torsion torque. The stabilization controller individually or commonly calculates a stabilization torque for stabilizing a steering system. The adder performs addition of the base assist torque and the stabilization torque.

Abstract: A calculator or an electronic control unit (ECU) calculates an instruction value of a column assist torque and a rack assist torque output from a column actuator, or a column motor, and a rack actuator, or a rack motor, based at least on a torsion torque. The calculator includes a base assist controller, a stabilization controller, and an adder. The base assist controller individually or commonly calculates a base assist torque based on the torsion torque. The stabilization controller individually or commonly calculates a stabilization torque for stabilizing a steering system. The adder performs addition of the base assist torque and the stabilization torque.

Abstract: An electric power steering device including a column actuator disposed on a column side of the intermediate shaft and outputting a column assist torque; a rack actuator disposed on a rack side of the intermediate shaft and outputting a rack assist torque; a column torque sensor coaxially disposed with the steering shaft and detecting a column torsion torque; a rack torque sensor coaxially disposed with the intermediate shaft and detecting a rack torsion torque; and a calculator calculating instruction values of the column assist torque and the rack assist torque based on the torsion torques.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus has a first actuator provided as a multi-phase rotating electric machine and disposed on a steering column side of an intermediate shaft and a second actuator disposed on a rack gear side thereof. A first ECU controls a drive of the first actuator and detects an abnormality of the first actuator. The first ECU changes an output of the first actuator based on a notification from a communication bus. The first ECU performs an initial diagnosis of the first actuator at a vehicle startup time for detecting abnormality, by supplying an electric power to the first actuator for not providing a torque to a steering wheel.

Abstract: A control apparatus (10) for controlling a three-phase rotary machine (80) having two three-phase winding sets (801, 802) includes: two power converters (601, 602) outputting AC currents, having a same amplitude and a phase difference of (30±60×n) [deg], to the two winding sets; a harmonic component generator (20) superimposing a harmonic component on a phase current first harmonic component of a current command value; and two controllers (331, 332) calculating voltage command values for the two power converters according to the current command value. A combination of amplitudes of the phase current fifth and seventh harmonic components to reduce a peak of the phase current first harmonic component is defined as a fundamental amplitude.

Abstract: A capacitor current estimating unit estimates a capacitor current based on phase currents. A capacitor temperature estimating unit estimates a capacitor temperature based on the capacitor current. A motor controller can accurately estimate not only a temperature of a switching element but also the capacitor temperature based on the phase currents. As a result, the capacitor does not need to have excessive heat characteristics. Further, a current limiting unit limits a current flowing from a battery to an inverter based on the capacitor temperature. Therefore, an amount of temperature change is not over-estimated due to overheating of the capacitor. As a result, excessive current limitation can be avoided and the performance of the motor can be demonstrated.

Abstract: In a rotary electrical machine control apparatus, a selection section selects a relay current limiting value or a coil current limiting value depending on whether a plurality of systems are operated or one or more but not all of the plurality of systems are operated. The system is a combination of a winding set, an inverter, and a power supply relay, which correspond to each other. The relay current limiting value is a current limiting value calculated based on the temperature of the power supply relay. The coil current limiting value is a current limiting value calculated based on the temperature of a choke coil.

Abstract: A rotary electrical machine control apparatus is provided which controls drive of a rotary electrical machine having a plurality of winding sets. The apparatus includes inverters that are provided so as to respectively correspond to the winding sets, a temperature detection element that detects a base element that is used as a base for estimation of inverter temperatures, which are temperatures of the inverters, and a control section that has a temperature estimation section that estimates the inverter temperatures based on the base temperature and a temperature change amount generated due to current application to the inverters. On-resistance of the switching elements of the first inverter is smaller than on-resistance of the switching elements of the second inverter. The temperature detection element is disposed in an area, a distance between the area and the first inverter being shorter than a distance between the area and the second inverter.

Abstract: A control apparatus (10) for controlling a three-phase rotary machine (80) having two three-phase winding sets (801, 802) includes: two power converters (601, 602) outputting AC currents, having a same amplitude and a phase difference of (30±60×n) [deg], to the two winding sets; a harmonic component generator (20) superimposing a harmonic component on a phase current first harmonic component of a current command value; and two controllers (331, 332) calculating voltage command values for the two power converters according to the current command value. A combination of amplitudes of the phase current fifth and seventh harmonic components to reduce a peak of the phase current first harmonic component is defined as a fundamental amplitude.

Abstract: A capacitor current estimating unit estimates a capacitor current based on phase currents. A capacitor temperature estimating unit estimates a capacitor temperature based on the capacitor current. A motor controller can accurately estimate not only a temperature of a switching element but also the capacitor temperature based on the phase currents. As a result, the capacitor does not need to have excessive heat characteristics. Further, a current limiting unit limits a current flowing from a battery to an inverter based on the capacitor temperature. Therefore, an amount of temperature change is not over-estimated due to overheating of the capacitor. As a result, excessive current limitation can be avoided and the performance of the motor can be demonstrated.

Abstract: In a rotary electrical machine control apparatus, a selection section selects a relay current limiting value or a coil current limiting value depending on whether a plurality of systems are operated or one or more but not all of the plurality of systems are operated. The system is a combination of a winding set, an inverter, and a power supply relay, which correspond to each other. The relay current limiting value is a current limiting value calculated based on the temperature of the power supply relay. The coil current limiting value is a current limiting value calculated based on the temperature of a choke coil.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of a rotating electric machine including a plurality of winding sets. The apparatus includes a plurality of inverters for the respective winding sets and a control unit. The control unit includes a physical quantity comparator configured to compare physical quantities that are responsive to power supplied to the respective winding sets, a temperature estimator configured to estimate system temperatures that are temperatures of respective systems, each of which systems is a combination of a respective one of the plurality of winding sets and its associated components, and a parameter modifier configured to modify a parameter used to estimate a temperature of each system in response to a result of comparison between the physical quantities.

Abstract: A rotary electrical machine control apparatus is provided which controls drive of a rotary electrical machine having a plurality of winding sets. The apparatus includes inverters that are provided so as to respectively correspond to the winding sets, a temperature detection element that detects a base element that is used as a base for estimation of inverter temperatures, which are temperatures of the inverters, and a control section that has a temperature estimation section that estimates the inverter temperatures based on the base temperature and a temperature change amount generated due to current application to the inverters. On-resistance of the switching elements of the first inverter is smaller than on-resistance of the switching elements of the second inverter. The temperature detection element is disposed in an area, a distance between the area and the first inverter being shorter than a distance between the area and the second inverter.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of a rotating electric machine including a plurality of winding sets. The apparatus includes a plurality of inverters for the respective winding sets and a control unit. The control unit includes a physical quantity comparator configured to compare physical quantities that are responsive to power supplied to the respective winding sets, a temperature estimator configured to estimate system temperatures that are temperatures of respective systems, each of which systems is a combination of a respective one of the plurality of winding sets and its associated components, and a parameter modifier configured to modify a parameter used to estimate a temperature of each system in response to a result of comparison between the physical quantities.

Abstract: A brushless motor for an electric power steering device that assists a steering operation includes: a stator having a plurality of winding sets for a plurality of systems respectively; and a rotator having a ferrite magnet. In the motor, a maximum current flowing without any demagnetization at high temperature is large. Hence, the torque of the motor is easily ensured at high temperature. In particular, when a failure occurs in one system, it is easy to ensure the torque of the normal system even at high temperature.

Abstract: A power converter a controller that includes an instruction calculator calculating a first voltage instruction value that is applied to a first winding group, for example. An application voltage to the first winding group is controlled, for example, in a first period so that a first neutral point voltage shifts below a center-of-output value of an outputtable range is outputted, and a second neutral point voltage shifts above the center-of-output value of the outputtable range. The instruction calculator calculates the first instruction value for enabling a switching between the periods, after a lapse of a switch period that is variably calculated based on a preset physical quantity. In such manner, a ripple of a torque or an electric current accompanying the switching between the periods is reduced.