Brushless Motor Closed-loop Control Patents (Class 318/400.01)
  • Publication number: 20130234631
    Abstract: A method of determining the position of a rotor of a permanent-magnet motor. The method uses two different schemes to determine the position of the rotor. A first scheme is used when the rotor rotates within a first speed range, by sequentially exciting and freewheeling a winding of the motor, measuring a parameter that depends on the rate of change of current in the winding, and comparing the parameter against a threshold. A second scheme is used when the rotor rotates within a second speed range, by generating a voltage signal that is proportional to the voltage across the winding, generating a further voltage signal that depends on the rate of change of current in the winding, and comparing the two signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: DYSON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventor: Christopher John BATEMAN
  • Patent number: 8531144
    Abstract: A synchronous-machine starting device includes an induction voltage operating unit calculating an induction voltage induced to an armature of a synchronous machine based on an estimated phase representing a position of a rotor, an estimated rotational speed of a rotor, an AC voltage signal, and an AC current signal, and outputting an induction voltage signal representing the calculated induction voltage, a selection unit selecting and outputting one of the induction voltage signal received from the induction voltage operating unit and the AC voltage signal received from the AC voltage detection unit, and a feedback operating unit outputting a speed signal representing the calculated estimated rotational speed based on calculated phase error to the induction voltage operating unit, and outputting a position signal representing the calculated estimated phase to the electric power conversion control unit and the induction voltage operating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Shinzo Tamai, Yosuke Fujii, Akinobu Ando, Yasuhiko Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 8519652
    Abstract: A controller outputting a voltage instruction for drive control to a electric rotating machine includes a drive voltage instruction calculation section calculating drive voltage instructions for driving the electric rotating machine, a position estimation voltage generator generating position estimation voltage instructions for position estimation about the electric rotating machine, a noise reduction voltage generator generating noise reduction voltage instructions for reducing noise occurring from the electric rotating machine along with input of the position estimation voltage instructions to the electric rotating machine, and adders outputting, to a voltage application means, a voltage instruction obtained by adding the position estimation voltage instructions and the noise reduction voltage instructions to the drive voltage instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Ito, Yoshihiko Kimpara, Toshiyuki Kaitani
  • Patent number: 8519649
    Abstract: A control device of a synchronous machine is disclosed. The control device includes an inverter configured to provide an output current to a synchronous machine. A controller configured to control the output current and to estimate a voltage command, at least in part, by using pulse width modulation to choose a non-zero vector at a time when the inverter is not driving the synchronous machine with the output current. The estimating the voltage command is performed without using a zero vector. A phase angle and angular velocity estimating section configured to estimate a phase angle and an angular velocity of a rotor of the synchronous machine based, at least in part, on an inductance value, an induction voltage value, the voltage command, and the output current. The controller is further configured to control the output current based, at least in part, on the phase angle and the angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Taniguchi, Kazuya Yasui, Kazuaki Yuuki, Yosuke Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8519650
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control method implemented in a variable speed drive for determining the inductances (Ld, Lq) of a permanent magnet synchronous machine comprising three phases (a, b, c), each oriented along a direction, a stator, and a rotor. For each phase, one after the other, said method includes steps of: applying, along the direction of the phase (a, b, c), a voltage vector (V1, V3, V5) in the positive direction and a voltage vector (V2, V4, V6) in the negative direction for a predetermined duration; measuring the current obtained in the phase after applying the voltage vectors in both directions; determining an angle (?r) for the position of the rotor in relation to the stator based on the measured current; and determining the flow (Ld) and torque (Lq) inductances of the machine based on the predetermined angle (?r).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Toshiba Inverter Europe SAS
    Inventors: Duro Basic, Stefan Capitaneanu, Francois Malrait
  • Patent number: 8519648
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for rotor and stator temperature compensation for field weakening current. The method comprises generating a phase voltage feed back signal Vph based in part on pre-defined optimal current commands (ID* and IQ*) received by the IPM, generating a phase voltage command (Vphcmd) based in part on a temperature of a magnetic rotor and stator of the IPM, and generating a phase voltage error (Verror) by subtracting the phase voltage feed back signal (Vph) from the phase voltage command (Vphcmd). The method further comprises generating a d-axis command current correction value (?Id) and a q-axis command current correction value (?Iq) from the phase voltage error (Verror); and adjusting the pre-defined optimal current commands (ID* and IQ*) by the d-axis and the q-axis command current correction values (?Id and ?Iq).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gabriel Gallegos-Lopez, Min Dai, Brian A. Welchko
  • Patent number: 8519656
    Abstract: A synchronous machine starting device in which AC power is supplied to an armature of a synchronous machine, the supplied AC voltage is detected to determine a rotor position of the synchronous machine, and the supplied power is controlled based on the detected rotor position. To detect rotor position, a first position signal indicating a timing at which a level of AC voltage supplied to the armature of the synchronous machine reaches a prescribed value is output. An error of an estimated phase is calculated based on the estimated phase indicating the rotor position and the detected AC voltage, and the estimated phase is calculated based on the calculated error to produce a second position signal indicating the calculated estimated phase. A selected of first and second position signals is output to indicate the rotor position of the synchronous machine for control of AC power supplied to the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Shinzo Tamai, Yosuke Fujii, Akinobu Ando, Yasuhiko Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20130218436
    Abstract: An electric motor for rotating a wheel of a vehicle, the electric motor having a rotor, a stator and coil windings, a first sensor arranged to output a first signal indicative of a position of the rotor relative to the stator, a second sensor arranged to output a second signal indicative of a position of the rotor relative to the stator; wherein the first sensor and second sensor are offset with respect to each other such that upon rotation of the rotor relative to the stator the first output signal and second output signal allow the direction of the rotor to be determined; wherein the first output signal and second output signal are used for controlling current in the coil windings and at least one of the first output signal and second output signal are provided to a vehicle braking system to allow the vehicle braking system to determine a wheel lock condition or an onset of a wheel lock condition, wherein the onset of a wheel lock condition is determined based on predetermined criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: PROTEAN ELECTRIC
    Inventor: Rupert Paul Kirby
  • Patent number: 8508161
    Abstract: A drive apparatus includes a magnet rotor having a plurality of magnetic poles that are magnetized, a stator having a magnetic pole portion that opposes each pole of the magnet rotor, a coil configured to excite the magnetic pole portion, a position detector configured to detect a position of the magnet rotor, a first driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with a preset time interval, a second driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with an output of the position detector, and a controller configured to select the first driver when the output of the position detector is less than a first threshold, and to select the second driver when the output of the position detector is equal to or larger than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kousuke Kiyamura, Hiromu Yasuda, Chikara Aoshima
  • Patent number: 8508160
    Abstract: Provided is a technique to suppress hunting in a range of a minimum resolution of a pulse encoder when a servo motor has reached a target position and stopped, thereby maintaining a stable stop state. A servo motor position control device uses a cascade configuration having a position control loop as a main loop and a velocity and current control loop as a minor loop. A proportion control is performed for a position control while a proportion integration control is performed for a velocity control and a current control. When the servo motor position has reached the target position and stopped (S201), a current instruction value for the current control is maintained at a value upon stop (S202) and the current control is switched to the proportion control (S204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Shoda, Yuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 8497655
    Abstract: The present invention provides a simple, robust, and universal position observer for use with sensorless synchronous machines. The observer may be implemented using an equivalent EMF model of a synchronous machine or, alternately, using a sliding mode controller based on the equivalent EMF model of the synchronous machine. The observer may be used on any type of synchronous machine, including salient or non-salient pole machines such as a permanent magnet, interior permanent magnet, wound rotor, or reluctance synchronous machine. The observer provides low sensitivity to parameter variations and disturbances or transient conditions in the machine. In addition, no knowledge of speed is required as an input to the observer and an estimated position may be calculated using a subset of the machine parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingbo Liu, Semyon Royak, Mark M. Harbaugh, Thomas A. Nondahl, Peter B. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8497642
    Abstract: A motor device comprising a motor, and a drive control circuit for driving and controlling the motor, in which the drive control circuit includes a control unit for generating a control signal for controlling the rotation of the motor, a drive unit for driving the motor on the basis of the control signal, and a communication unit for making serial communications via a serial communication bus for transmitting serial data. This communication unit has an address generating function for generating and setting addresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Yasohara, Tomohiro Inoue, Kenji Sugiura, Toru Tazawa, Kenichi Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20130187578
    Abstract: A control device includes a PWM control unit that executes PWM control over an alternating-current motor mounted on a vehicle. The PWM control unit includes an alarm sound generation processing unit that executes an alarm sound generating process of generating an alarm sound from the motor for informing a pedestrian, or the like, of the approach of the vehicle by intentionally varying phase current flowing through the motor by periodically adding a variation value (?V) to a d-axis voltage command value (Vd) at a predetermined interval. At the time of executing the alarm sound generating process, the alarm sound generation processing unit adjusts the variation value (?V) such that the d-axis voltage command value (Vda) resulting from the alarm sound generating process (the sum of Vd and ?V) falls within a range in which it is possible to suppress occurrence of an overcurrent in the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventors: Mitsuru ISEDA, Satoru KATOH, Kenji YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8487566
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic commutator circuit for use with a stator winding of an electrical machine. The stator winding of the electrical machine includes a number of coils linked by the same number of points of common coupling. The electronic commutator circuit comprising the same number of switching stages, each switching stage being connected between a respective one of the points of common coupling and first and second dc terminals. Each switching stage further includes a first reverse blocking semiconductor power device (such as a Reverse Blocking Gate Turn Off Thyristor (RB-GTO 1) capable of being turned on and off by gate control having its anode connected to the first dc terminal, and a second reverse blocking semiconductor power device (RB-GTO 2) capable of being turned on and off by gate control having its cathode connected to the second dc terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Converteam UK Ltd.
    Inventor: Allan David Crane
  • Patent number: 8487567
    Abstract: A two-phase BLDC motor comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator has a stator core and a two-phase winding wound on the stator core. The stator core comprises a plurality of teeth with slots formed between adjacent teeth. The rotor rotor has a plurality of magnetic poles formed by at least one permanent magnet. The windings are received in corresponding slots in such a way that each winding spans multiple teeth and the direction of current flowing through the windings in any one slot at any one time is the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson Electric S.A.
    Inventors: Yue Li, Li Sheng Liu
  • Patent number: 8487564
    Abstract: A brushless motor controller is disclosed. The brushless motor controller includes a control unit and a drive timing generation unit. The control unit detects a load state of the motor. The drive timing generation unit generates a normal energizing timing determined by the rotational position of the rotor. Also, the drive timing generation unit generates an advancing angle energizing timing determined by the rotational position of the rotor and advanced by a predetermined amount from the normal energizing timing, generates a delay amount that changes in correspondence with the detected load state of the motor and the rotational speed of the rotor, and generates a final advancing angle energizing timing delayed by the delay amount from the advancing angle energizing timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Asmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kitagawa, Takehide Omura
  • Patent number: 8487561
    Abstract: A self-adapting soft-starter device includes an electric current limiter limiting electric current supplied to the motor to a preset maximum current limit, a ramp-up time determiner determining the actual ramp-up time of the electric motor, a storing device storing a preset minimum ramp-up time, a comparator comparing the determined actual ramp-up time with the preset reference ramp-up time, a replacing device replacing the preset maximum current limit with an auto-adapted current limit based upon the outcome of the comparison between the determined actual ramp-up time and the preset reference ramp-up time. The soft-starter automatically optimizes the maximum current limit driven by the motor to match its load requirements which is useful to cater for load variations with time during the lifetime of the product in the application by avoiding the need for human intervention to change the soft-starter settings. Wear and tear is also reduced, extending motor lifetime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Carlo Gavazzi Services AG
    Inventors: Claudio Balcon, Jason Demicoli, Thomas Ellul, Johann Galea, Roger Galea, Mauro Perot, Francesco Vedana
  • Patent number: 8487565
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electrical machine that includes commutating a phase winding of the electrical machine at a time T_COM(1) after a first edge and at a time T_COM(2) after a second edge of a rotor-position signal. T_COM(2) is defined by the equation: T_COM(2)=T_COM(1)+T_AVE?T_PD, where T_AVE is an average period between edges of the rotor-position signal, and T_PD is the period between the first and second edges. Additionally, a controller and control system that implement the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: Hanping Dai
  • Patent number: 8482231
    Abstract: A pulse width modulation (PWM) module is configured to adjust the input PWM control signal and the motor can be implemented in different rotation speed to enhance the flexibility of the implementation of the motor when the PWM control signals are the same. In addition, the PWM modulation block in the present invention includes a PWM direction control circuit, a PWM vector transfer circuit and a PWM signal generation circuit. Apparently, the PWM modulation block of the present invention is connected to a PWM control signal inputted by an external system and an external adjustment apparatus; by setting up the adjustment apparatus, the vector and the modulation direction of the PWM control signal can be adjusted, and the duty cycle of the PWM control signal can also be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Amtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teng-Hui Lee, Kuo-Yung Yu
  • Patent number: 8476854
    Abstract: A power supply device for a variable rotation speed drive includes a free-running converter connected to a land-based power grid, and an inverter connected to the variable rotation speed drive. A direct-current cable electrically connects the DC side of the converter with the DC side of the inverter. The inverter includes a plurality of phase modules having an upper and a lower valve branches with least two series-connected, two-pole subsystems with distributed energy storage devices. The inverter is located on the seabed in immediate vicinity of the variable rotation speed drive. Signal electronics of the inverter is located on land. In this way, the distance between the power supply on land and the drive on the ocean floor can reach several hundred kilometers, with ocean depths of several kilometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernd Blöcher, Marc Hiller, Rainer Sommer
  • Patent number: 8476851
    Abstract: A motor magnetic pole position correction method includes preventing a movement of a movable element of a direct drive motor by mechanical brake (step S9), generating a command that designates a position spaced or separated from the present position (step S10), detecting a torque command value of the direct drive motor (step S12), determining a magnetic pole position correction value based on a comparison between the detected torque command value and a predetermined threshold value (steps S14 and S16), storing the determined magnetic pole position correction value in a memory (step S18), and performing motor control using an electrical angle offset value obtained based on the magnetic pole position correction value stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: OKUMA Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Kawai
  • Patent number: 8476855
    Abstract: An electric drive (1) comprises: a permanent magnet brushless motor (2), a motor (2) power supply bridge (3), a circuit for controlling the power supply bridge (3) according to rotor position and phase currents (IS); the drive (1) comprises a circuit (6) for detecting the zero crossings of the induced counter electromotive force (ES) in the stator windings to determine the position of the rotor and a circuit (25) for indirectly detecting the amplitudes of the phase currents (IS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: SPAL Automotive S.r.l.
    Inventor: Pietro De Filippis
  • Patent number: 8471511
    Abstract: A voltage application unit causes switching elements to apply voltage to flow an electric current into corresponding windings to generate a revolving magnetic field. A period derivation unit derives an energization period of the windings. A signal generation unit generates a PWM signal for causing the voltage application unit to activate and deactivate the switching elements, such that a duty ratio decreases gradually in a predetermined time period subsequent to the derived energization period. A period specifying unit specifies a detection period of an electric current, which is supplied from the switching elements presently switched and deactivated, by a predetermined time period between an edge, which is caused when the PWM signal changes in level to deactivate the switching elements, and a time point in advance of the edge in the energization period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayuki Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 8466647
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sensorless-type brushless DC motor, including: a magnet provided in a rotor; and a stator formed by winding a coil on a core stacked with sheets while facing the magnet, wherein the position of the rotor is detected by detecting back electromotive force induced to the coil, the back electromotive force includes a harmonic component 5 times higher than a fundamental wave, and an amplitude ratio of the 5-times harmonic wave to the fundamental wave is set to be 1% or more. Further, the sensorless-type brushless DC motor can prevent a failure in detecting an initial position of the rotor by controlling a waveform of the back electromotive force and minimize an increase of a starting time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung-Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Sang Kyu Lee, Dae Lyun Kang
  • Patent number: 8466642
    Abstract: The control apparatus for an electric rotating machine includes a prediction section to predict a controlled variable of the electric rotating machine applied with an output voltage of a power conversion circuit for each of prescribed operation states of the power conversion circuit, and a manipulation section to manipulate the power conversion circuit to operate in one of the respective operation states determined as an actual operation state based on the controlled variable predicted by the prediction section. The control apparatus further includes an average voltage direction calculating section to calculate a direction of an average output voltage vector of the power conversion circuit. The manipulation section includes a priority setting section to set priority for each of the operation states based on the direction of the average output voltage vector calculated by the average voltage direction calculating section in determining the actual operation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Imura
  • Patent number: 8461783
    Abstract: An electric drive unit for a water-bearing domestic appliance having a converter to provide a supply voltage from a multiphase voltage system; a control device to control the converter in order to operate a first electric motor connected to the multiphase voltage system; a load-current-carrying DC link arranged upstream of the converter; and an electrical device connected to at least part of the multiphase voltage system or the load-current-carrying DC link via a connection device, wherein the electrical device has a second electric to operate a hydraulic pump and/or a blower and/or a valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Pietro Navarra, Michael Rosenbauer, Hans-Dieter Rossteuscher
  • Patent number: 8456114
    Abstract: A drive system for a motor has a switching network for supplying three phases of power to a motor, and a control for the switching network. The control is programmed to provide a commutation with a positive offset, ahead of a current position, when driving in opposition to a load, and to use one of a zero or negative offset when the control drives the motor complementary to the load force. A method and system are also disclosed and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Joel Mawhinney
  • Patent number: 8456118
    Abstract: A cycle counter generates a cycle signal which indicates, in the form of a digital value, the cycle of Hall signals H+ and H? that indicate the position of a rotor of a motor to be driven. An up/down counter repeatedly alternates between counting “up” and counting “down” upon detecting phase transitions that occur in the Hall signals, and generates a digital driving waveform signal having a sloping region the slope of which is set according to the cycle signal. A D/A converter receives the driving waveform signal, and converts the driving waveform signal thus received into an analog voltage. A driving unit supplies a driving voltage to the motor according to the analog voltage thus received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8456117
    Abstract: A driving system for a tri-polar electric motor comprises three phase windings. Winding drivers drive each winding with a driving waveform having a non-zero driving phase and intervals wherein the input is equal to zero at the start, middle and end of each driving phase. Using a driving waveform of this type enables monitoring of the back EMF in the winding during each interval when the input is equal to zero. This enables regular monitoring of the zero crossing point of each winding and hence of the position of the rotor. This enables the motor to operate efficiently without generating a torque ripple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Melexis Technologies NV
    Inventor: Christian Paintz
  • Patent number: 8456112
    Abstract: Disclosed is a linear electric motor having a fixed primary comprising a stator divided into a number of sections, including a translating secondary having an operative length longer than any two adjacent sections of the stator in the form of a reaction plate, and a connecting means for connecting only those sections of the stator that are at least partially covered by the reaction plate. The position of the reaction plate relative to the stator is determined by monitoring current in the active representative sections. Power is supplied to each stator section individually, with power supplied in a modulated manner to end active stator sections only partially covered by the reaction plate. A measurement of the current to the active representative section is used to control output voltage to all energized stator sections and is used to determine the change in position of the reaction plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Texchange Limited
    Inventors: Rupert John Cruise, Christopher Roger Lines
  • Patent number: 8450963
    Abstract: A brushless, synchronous machine is provided. A brushless, synchronous motor includes a rotor, a stator extending around at least a portion of the rotor and separated from the rotor by an air gap, a first stator winding, a second stator winding, a third stator winding, a drive circuit, a first rotor winding, a second rotor winding, and a diode bridge. The first stator winding, the second stator winding, and the third stator winding are mounted to the stator to generate square waves. The drive circuit is configured to provide a current to the first stator winding, the second stator winding, and the third stator winding, wherein the current includes an alternating current (AC) component and a direct current (DC) component. The first rotor winding is mounted to the rotor to form a plurality of third harmonic coils. The second rotor winding is mounted to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventor: Thomas A. Lipo
  • Patent number: 8450956
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling operation of inverter system configured to drive a motor by using an inverter, and to normally operate the motor in a resonance-generated frequency band if the resonance occurs, and a method thereof are disclosed, wherein the method includes detecting a current outputted by an inverter system to a motor, if an operation frequency of the motor is in a resonance frequency band, converting the detected current to a d axis current and a q axis current, calculating a difference between the converted d axis current and pre-sampled d axis current (magnetic flux portion), multiplying the calculated difference by a preset comparative control gain to calculate a comparative control voltage, and adding the calculated comparative control voltage to a torque portion voltage responsive to an operation frequency of the motor to generate a driving voltage of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: LS Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyo Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 8446117
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems and apparatus for controlling operation of a multi-phase machine in a vector controlled motor drive system when the multi-phase machine operates in an overmodulation region. The disclosed embodiments provide a mechanism for adjusting a duty cycle of PWM waveforms so that the correct phase voltage command signals are applied at the angle transitions. This can reduce variations/errors in the phase voltage command signals applied to the multi-phase machine so that phase current may be properly regulated thus reducing current/torque oscillation, which can in turn improve machine efficiency and performance, as well as utilization of the DC voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gabriel Gallegos-Lopez, Michael H. Kinoshita, Ray M. Ransom, Milun Perisic
  • Patent number: 8436573
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a first inverter circuit and a second inverter circuit, a capacitor, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer switches a control operation, according to the steering state of a steering wheel, between a first state where a first duty center value is shifted to be lower than an output center value and a second duty center value is shifted to be higher than the output center value, and a second state where the first duty center value is shifted to be higher than the output center value and the second duty center value is shifted to be lower than the output center value. This can reduce a difference in heat loss between FETs while reducing the ripple current of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Uryu, Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8436568
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus includes a control circuit, which determines that a wire connecting a battery to a first power supply relay and a second power supply relay is broken, and not failure of the power supply relays, if power is not supplied to a motor from the power supply relays when the power supply relays are controlled to turn on. The location of failure can thus be specified accurately. It is only necessary in this case to replace the wire. The motor drive apparatus need not be disassembled or investigated in detail. Man-power for specifying the failure location can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mukai, Hideki Kabune
  • Patent number: 8436564
    Abstract: A control method for a sensor-less, brushless, three-phase DC motor. A pulse-width modulation (PWM) duty cycle may be calculated. A voltage induced by rotation of a rotor may be sampled at a first expected zero crossing value to produce a first sampled voltage value. An average of a plurality of sampled voltage values, including voltage values sampled at a plurality of prior expected zero crossing values and the first sampled voltage value, may be calculated. The first sampled voltage value may be subtracted from the calculated average to produce a delta zero crossing error (ZCE). The current value of an integral term corresponding to a rotational period may be updated according to the sign of the ZCE. The integral term may be updated periodically and multiple times during each rotational period. The ZCE may be subtracted from the integral term, and the resulting value may be used to generate one or more time values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Standard Microsystems Corporation
    Inventors: Lynn R. Kern, Vadim Konradi
  • Patent number: 8432113
    Abstract: A brushless fan motor control circuit assembly consists of a high-frequency filter circuit, a rectifier circuit, a power factor enhancing circuit, a current-limit and voltage regulation circuit and a brushless fan motor driving circuit. By means of the high-frequency filter circuit to suppress high frequency noises, the power factor enhancing circuit to enhance the power factor and to save power consumption, the current-limit and voltage regulation circuit to limit the current and to achieve overload protection, the brushless fan motor control circuit assembly controls the operation of a motor of an electric accurately and safely, avoiding fan vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Inventor: Hsien-Meng Lee
  • Patent number: 8432111
    Abstract: A method of the Pulse Amplitude Modulation for the Sensorless Brushless motor, which includes a start-up circuit, a phase detect circuit, a phase commutation circuit, a driving circuit, BEMF detection circuit, and frequency detector, utilizes the control signal of the phase commutation circuit to control the driving circuit so as to drive the outer motor coil and detect the control signal for the driving motor driving circuit by a detection circuit. The motor system can be controlled to reduce the discharge speed to avoid the motor driving circuit shutdown and further speed up the start-up time for the next charging period of the motor driving circuit to achieve the effect of low speed rotation and power saving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Amtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teng-Hui Lee, Chan-Chih Liu
  • Patent number: 8432114
    Abstract: An electric system that includes a single-phase permanent-magnet electric machine and a control system for driving the electric machine under load at speeds in excess of 60 krpm. Additionally, a product that includes the electric system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: Andrew Charlton Clothier
  • Patent number: 8427090
    Abstract: To develop a motor which can directly drive a brushless motor using a conventional circuit for an inverter without smoothing circuit and a circuit for a matrix converter that are for a brushed motor that operates on single-phase 100 V. Magnetic cores are attached to a motor shaft to increase inertial force. A magnetic-drive-pulsation motor which modulates torque is realized using force of attraction and repulsion generated by outer magnets and magnetic cores. The magnetic-drive-pulsation motor can be driven using the inverter and the matrix converter on single-phase 100 V power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Otsuka, Yuji Kudoh, Daisuke Ueda, Hitoshi Taya
  • Patent number: 8421389
    Abstract: The invention relates to converters (inverters, pulse or frequency converters) and to driving “magnetically active” operating means. According to one embodiment, a circuit arrangement for feeding the operating means in at least one first winding phase (S1), comprises a first branch (Z1) of a frequency converter (WR1) adapted for and operable at a switching frequency of not higher than 5 kHz for outputting a main alternating current generated at said switching frequency and having a substantially lower operating frequency (f1) to a winding (L1). A second branch (z1) of another frequency converter (WR2) is adapted for and operable at a second switching frequency of more than 5 kHz for outputting a supplementary alternating current generated at said switching frequency to the same winding (L1). In the at least one winding (L1), the two alternating currents (iA(t); iB(t)) of the two branches (Z1, z1) are superimposed to form a sum current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Lenze Drives GmbH
    Inventor: Carsten Fraeger
  • Patent number: 8421388
    Abstract: A failure identification part identifies a switching element pair having off-failure, in which a FET of the switching element pair in a first inverter part is disabled to turn on. A failure-time control part controls other switching element pairs and of the first inverter part based on failure-time phase current command values calculated as a function of a rotation position and a q-axis current command value. The failure-time control part controls a second inverter part normally. A motor is persistently driven with the minimum reduction in motor torque, even when the FET fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Patent number: 8410733
    Abstract: A hybrid synchronous motor drive circuit and method operates in one or two or more modes based on the speed of the synchronous machine. In a first mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively low frequency by a current controlled voltage source inverter (VSI). In a second mode, the synchronous machine is driven at a relatively high frequency by a load commutated inverter (LCI) in tandem with the VSI. In the second mode, the LCI acts as the main power source for controlling the machine and determining machine torque and speed. The VSI acts as a harmonic compensator by compensating the dominant harmonic currents fed to the machine from the LCI such that the synchronous machine will see sinusoidal currents and thereby sinusoidal voltages at its terminals. The VSI also functions to provide sufficient reactive power at fundamental frequency so that the thyristors in the inverter are load commutated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Indian Institute of Science
    Inventors: Vilanguppam Thathachary Ranganathan, Amit Kumar Jain
  • Patent number: 8405329
    Abstract: A motor drive controller includes a position detector that detects and outputs positional signals representing rotational positions of the magnetic rotor at first resolution, a position change detector that detects and outputs position change signals representing rotational positions of the magnetic rotor at second resolution higher than the first resolution, a phase synchronizing circuit that generates and outputs low resolution absolute phase information based on the positional and position change signals. The phase synchronizing circuit generates and outputs high-resolution absolute phase information based on the position change signals. A drive voltage signal outputting device outputs a drive voltage signal causing the current to flow through the coils in accordance with the absolute phase information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumihiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8405337
    Abstract: A door position control including an electric door actuator having a motor and a motor controller in communication with a system controller. A motor actuation operation is selected from a plurality of predetermined motor actuation operations to provide control signals to the motor controller for controlling actuation of the motor for control of door movement. Control of door movement is effected with reference to parameters specific to an installation location including an angular sweep of the door between open and closed positions and with reference to an available bus voltage for supplying power to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Globe Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven A. Gebhart, Syed A. Hossain
  • Patent number: 8405334
    Abstract: A motor driving circuit is applied to a motor unit, a pushrod unit, and a load unit. The motor unit is driven by the motor driving circuit. The pushrod unit is driven by the motor unit to lengthen or shorten. The load unit is pushed by the pushrod unit. A relay unit of the motor driving circuit is provided to brake the motor unit, thus raising the self-locking force of the motor unit when the pushrod unit lengthens to the maximum length or shortens to the minimum length, or the power supply is cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Timotion Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuan-Shu Tseng
  • Patent number: 8400087
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement for determining the rotation speed of a motor fed by an inverter, the arrangement comprising means for determining the rotation speed of the motor in at least two alternative manners, whereby the means for determining the rotation speed of the motor comprise one of the at least two alternative manners of performance: means for measuring the frequency of the voltage fed to the motor by the inverter; and means for estimating the rotation speed of the motor on the basis of the measured frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Oy
    Inventors: Reijo Virtanen, Osmo Pasuri
  • Patent number: 8400086
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for use with a PMSM detect the fall time or the rise time and the fall time of a motor current in the PMSM under different voltage vectors when the PMSM is in start-up to determine an initial rotor position for the PMSM at standstill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Kuang-Yao Cheng
  • Patent number: 8400095
    Abstract: A speed-control circuit for a BLDC motor is provided. The speed-control circuit includes a pulse generator, a current source circuit, a filter circuit, an error amplification circuit and a PWM circuit. The pulse generator detects a speed signal of the BLDC motor to generate a pulse signal. The filter circuit is coupled to the current source circuit to generate an average signal. The error amplification circuit receives the average signal and a speed-reference signal for generating a speed-control signal. The PWM circuit generates a switching signal to drive the BLDC motor in response to the speed-control signal. A pulse width of the switching signal is determined by the speed-control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: System General Corporation
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Ta-Hsu Huang, Chung-Hui Yeh, Pei-Sheng Tsu, Yi-Min Hsu, Shih-Jen Yang
  • Patent number: 8395344
    Abstract: A control device includes a drive controller that controls the driving of an electromagnetic coil, and a regeneration controller that controls the regeneration of power from the electromagnetic coil. The drive controller includes an excitation interval setting unit that sets excitation and non-excitation intervals such that voltage is applied to the electromagnetic coil during the excitation interval but is not applied during the non-excitation interval. The excitation and non-excitation intervals are symmetrical with centers that respectively correspond to the ?/2 and ? phase points of the induced voltage waveform. The regeneration controller includes a regeneration interval setting unit that sets regeneration and non-regeneration intervals such that power is regenerated from the electromagnetic coil during the regeneration interval but is not regenerated during the non-regeneration interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kesatoshi Takeuchi