Abstract: A failure monitor designed to monitor a failure in operation of a motor drive control system. The system works to drive a motor-driven member through an output shaft and an electric motor and includes an output shaft angular position sensor for determining an angular position of the output shaft and an encoder for determining an angular position of the motor for use in controlling the motor. The system works to discriminate among failures in operation of the output shaft angular position sensor and the encoder and another type of a failure using outputs of the sensors.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus, for controlling an electric motor to move a control object from a current position to a target position, estimates a condition of a load currently being applied to the motor (e.g., whether it is a positive or a negative load) based on the current position of the control object and predetermined data that relate positions of the control object to load conditions, and adjusts a target value of motor rotation speed in accordance with the estimation results.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a synchronous motor such as a switched reluctance motor, having a plurality of respectively separate stator windings, can operate the motor in either a normal mode or a low-torque mode by selectively supplying drive current to the stator windings. In the low-torque mode, alternate ones of the stator windings are driven in succession, thereby ensuring that electromagnetic forces will not be continually applied to the rotor of the motor along the same limited range of directions and so preventing unbalanced wear of the rotor shaft and bearings.

Abstract: A failure monitor designed to monitor a failure in operation of a motor drive control system. The system works to drive a motor-driven member through an output shaft and includes an angular position sensor for determining an angular position of the output shaft for use in controlling the motor. The failure monitor includes a storage device retaining an output shaft stop position that is the angular position of the output shaft, as determined upon a stop of the motor. The failure monitor detect the presence of failure of the angular position sensor based on a comparison between the angular position of the output shaft, as measured upon initiation of a motor start request, with the output shaft stop position.

Abstract: A rotation angle detecting apparatus for a synchronous rotary electric machine includes an incremental encoder. The incremental encoder generates an index pulse each time electric power is supplied to said plurality of phase-coils and an auxiliary index pulse each time the rotor rotates 360 degrees.

Abstract: A P-ECU determines whether or not energization to an actuator is shut off when a shift-range switch instruction is unissued. If energization to the actuator is shut off, the P-ECU obtains a current rotational position of the actuator according to a count value obtained by an encoder. If a difference between a target rotational position and the current rotational position exceeds a predetermined amount, positional correction control is exercised.

Abstract: A shift control system rotates an actuator to allow a wall of a detent plate and a roller of a detent spring to contact each other and then detects the position of contact so as to detect the position of the wall of the detent plate. After the wall position is determined, the actuator is driven in the direction opposite to the wall until the actuator reaches a position located before the wall position and distant therefrom by a predetermined amount, in order to cancel flexure or extension of the detent spring that is caused when the detent spring is pushed against the wall of the detent plate. Accordingly, such a situation where the shift position is moved by the recovery force of the detent spring can be avoided.

Abstract: A P-ECU controls an actuator which drives a shift control mechanism. An encoder signal acquisition unit acquires signals output from an encoder which detects a rotational angle of the actuator. A counter calculates a count value from the output signals of the encoder. An energization control unit controls energization to the actuator. A first phase-matching unit uses the Z-phase signal of the encoder to match the count value with energized phases so as to find a correspondence therebetween and a second phase-matching unit matches the count value with energized phases to find a correspondence therebetween without using the Z-phase signal of the encoder. If the first phase-matching unit detects an abnormality of the encoder, the second phase-matching unit subsequently performs phase matching.

Abstract: In a motor-driven shift position switching device, when the difference between a target position and the rotation position of a rotor has become smaller than a prescribed value in a motor feedback control, a transition is made to a deceleration control. A phase lead correction amount for correcting the phase lead of the current supply phase with respect to the rotor rotation phase is set in accordance with the rotor rotation speed. Thus, proper braking force suitable for the rotor rotation speed is exerted on the rotor and the rotor can be decelerated smoothly as it approaches the target position. Further, in the period when the current supply to the motor is kept off, the shift position switching determination ranges are set wider than in the period when the current supply to the motor is on.

Abstract: In a motor feedback control, the current supply phase is set on the basis of the encoder count of an encoder and the current supply phase is also set on the basis of the encoder count by time-synchronous processing. In the feedback control, a maximum value or a minimum value of encoder counts is stored with updating. The rotation reversing is determined by comparing the present encoder count with the maximum value or the minimum value. If reversing is detected, the reverse rotation is stopped by fixing the current supply phase. If a disconnection is detected in windings of one phase in starting a motor feedback control, one of the other two phases for which no disconnection is detected is set to the first current supply phase.

Abstract: Presence/absence of a failure in a feedback control system of a motor is monitored. When a failure is detected in the feedback control system, the motor is driven by switching to an open-loop control. During the open-loop control, the motor is rotated by sequentially switching the motor current supply phase without feeding back encoder count information. The position count is incremented or decremented every time the current supply phase is switched. When the position count has reached a target count, it is determined that the rotor has reached a target position, whereupon the open-loop control is finished.

Abstract: A rotation angle detecting apparatus for a synchronous rotary electric machine includes an incremental encoder. The incremental encoder generates an index pulse each time electric power is supplied to said plurality of phase-coils and an auxiliary index pulse each time the rotor rotates 360 degrees.

Abstract: In an automatic transmission position control by a motor, it is determined whether the present instant belongs to a starting period, that is, the present instant is immediately after resetting of a control unit or application of power to it. If it is the starting period, an actual shift position that is detected from an output of an output shaft sensor for detecting a rotation position of a motor is set as an instructed shift position. With this measure, even if the control unit is reset for a certain reason while the vehicle is running, the instructed shift position is not changed in association with the resetting. This prevents trouble that the shift position is switched contrary to the intention of the driver, whereby the reliability of a position switching control can be increased.

Abstract: In an electronic throttle control for an engine, two throttle sensors are used to detect a throttle opening. When a sensor failure is detected in either of those throttle sensors, a feedback control is executed according to the output of the other normal sensor if any. If both throttle sensors fail or it cannot be determined whether there is any normal sensor, the feedback is stopped and the feedback variables are initialized and a motor control duty is set to -30% or 0% according to the existing accelerator depression. Thereafter, if the throttle sensors are not restored even after a preset determination delay time is over, an electromagnetic clutch and a DC motor are turned off to stop the electronic throttle control. A throttle valve is controlled mechanically for a limp-home running.

Abstract: ECU performs a feedback control on a d.c. motor by a PID feedback control thereby to reduce errors between an actual throttle opening and a command throttle opening. PID control constants Kp, Ti and Td in the PID control are determined in accordance with operating conditions of a vehicle, such as engine idle speed control condition, vehicle traction control condition, vehicle cruise control condition and the like.

Abstract: A throttle control system has two throttle opening sensors. When one sensor in a PID feedback control loop becomes abnormal, as sensed by monitoring the difference between outputs of the dual sensors, the use of sensor output for throttle feedback control is switched from the abnormal one to the other, normal one. Which one of the throttle opening sensors has become abnormal is determined by monitoring the intensity of electric current flowing to a DC motor which drives the throttle valve. Further, if an abnormality in the newly-used other sensor is determined, feedback control is continued based on an estimation of throttle opening calculated by using output of the sensor before its malfunction.

Abstract: A throttle valve control apparatus serves to electrically drive a throttle valve which adjusts a rate of air flow into an engine mounted on a vehicle. The throttle valve control apparatus includes a lever connected to the throttle valve for movement in an opening direction and a closing direction together with the throttle valve. An opening degree limiting member is located in a side of the lever which corresponds to the opening direction. A spring urges the opening degree limiting member in a direction of closing the throttle valve. An accelerator interlocking and driving device serves to move the opening degree limiting member in accordance with a degree of operation of an accelerator member. A throttle actuator functions to adjust a degree of opening of the throttle valve. A vehicle speed sensor functions to detect a running speed of the vehicle. A guard actuator serves to adjust a position of the opening degree limiting member.

Abstract: A throttle control device for a vehicle engine enables adjustment of pedal feeling of an accelerator pedal in accordance with a state of operation of the engine. A throttle valve provided in an intake pipe of an engine is actuated to vary its opening by a stepping motor. The accelerator pedal is provided with an accelerator opening sensor 10 which detects an amount of step down or operation of the accelerator pedal. The engine is provided with a water temperature sensor capable of detecting a temperature of cooling water circulated through the engine. A shift lever device is provided with a shift position sensor capable of sensing a range to which the shift lever has been operated. A CPU sets an amount of play of the accelerator pedal, i.e., a width of an insensitive zone, in accordance with the temperature of the cooling water detected by the water temperature sensor and the shift position detected by the shift position sensor.

Abstract: A throttle valve control apparatus for internal combustion engine stabilizes the engine speed in idle operation by always correcting the full closing reference position in ISC using a single throttle valve. Signals of a neutral position signal, air conditioner signal, electrical load signal, accelerator position signal, engine speed, and water temperature are inputted to a CPU in an electronic control unit via an input circuit. The CPU calculates such a throttle opening as to make the actual speed of the internal combustion engine in idle operation equal to a target speed in idle operation stored beforehand, compares the throttle opening with preset upper limit value and lower limit value of the throttle opening in idle operation, and corrects the full closing reference position of the throttle opening on the basis of the result of comparison. As a result, the full closing reference position in the throttle opening of the throttle valve is always corrected.

Abstract: A throttle control apparatus serves to control a degree of opening of a throttle valve via an actuator. The throttle valve is provided in an air induction passage of an internal combustion engine. The throttle control apparatus includes a throttle opening degree sensor for detecting the degree of opening of the throttle valve. An engine operating condition detecting device is operative to detect an operating condition of the engine. A throttle opening degree estimating device is operative to estimate the degree of opening of the throttle valve on the basis of the operating condition of the engine which is detected by the engine operating condition detecting device. A memorizing means serves to memorize a corrective quantity. A corrective quantity updating device is operative to update the corrective quantity memorized by the memorizing device on the basis of a difference between an output value from the throttle opening degree sensor and an estimated value from the throttle opening degree estimating device.