Abstract: A motor parameter estimation method includes obtaining an operation signal of a motor, wherein the operation signal includes an encoder signal, a phase current and a driving voltage, obtaining a number of poles according to the encoder signal and the phase current, performing a simulation procedure according to the driving voltage, the number of poles and an initial random parameter set, wherein the simulation procedure is calculating a simulation response current, calculating an error value between the simulation response current and the phase current, determining whether the error value falls into a threshold range, if the error value falls outside of the threshold range, performing the simulation procedure according to the driving voltage, the number of poles and an update random parameter set, and if the error value falls into of the threshold range, outputting the number of poles and the initial random parameter set.

Abstract: A motor controller comprises a switch circuit, a driving circuit, and a pulse width modulation circuit. The switch circuit is coupled to a three-phase motor for driving the three-phase motor. The driving circuit generates a plurality of control signals to control the switch circuit. The pulse width modulation circuit receives a first pulse width modulation signal for generating a second pulse width modulation signal to the driving circuit, where the first pulse width modulation signal has a first duty cycle, and the second pulse width modulation signal has a second duty cycle. When the motor controller starts a floating phase to detect a back electromotive force of the floating phase, the motor controller enables the second duty cycle to be greater than or equal to a minimum value.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reducing noise of a switched reluctance motor, includes: supplying a PWM signal as a driving signal to a driving circuit of a switched reluctance motor; and varying a carrier frequency of the PWM signal as an operation period of the switched reluctance motor varies; if the switched reluctance motor changes phase, determining that the operation period of the switched reluctance motor varies.

Abstract: A power tool is provided including a brushless motor having a stator defining a plurality of phases, a rotor rotatable relative to the stator, and power terminals electrically connected to the phases of the motor. A power unit is provided including power switches. A control unit is interfaced with the power unit to output a drive signal to one or more of the motor switches to drive the phases of the motor over a series of sectors of the rotor rotation. The control unit is configured detect incorrect rotation of the rotor by applying a first series of voltage pulses to a present sector and a second series of voltage pulses to a previous sector, measuring motor currents associated with the first and second series of voltage pulses, and comparing corresponding motor current measurements to detect a transition from the present sector to the previous sector.

Abstract: An electronically commutated direct current motor made up of a cylindrically shaped non-ferrous stator winding; a cylindrically shaped, magnetically conductive back iron arranged radially outside of the stator winding; and a cylindrically shaped permanent magnet rotor arranged concentrically within the stator winding, wherein the magnetically conductive back iron has different magnetic conductivities over its circumference.

Abstract: A system comprises a stator magnetically coupled to a rotor and a plurality of conductor assemblies distributed evenly along a perimeter of the device, wherein each conductor assembly is evenly distributed into at least two branches of conductors, and wherein each branch comprising a plurality of conductors, all the branches form a plurality of windings, wherein a winding comprises a positive segment and a negative segment, and wherein each segment has a plurality of branches, and wherein one segment is in more than two conductor assemblies and the plurality of windings is symmetrically divided into a plurality of groups, wherein each group of windings forms a balanced multi-phase system and is connected to a connection bar, and wherein at least two connection bars are isolated from each other.

Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system comprises a motor adapted to apply an assistance torque to a portion of a steering shaft in response to a motor drive signal from a drive circuit, in which the motor comprises a synchronous wound field motor of the kind comprising a stator and a rotor, in which the rotor includes at least one pole and at least one coil winding associated with the pole and the stator comprises a number of phase windings, and in which the drive circuit which is configured to provide current in the coils of the stator and rotor during operation of the motor.

Abstract: A ceiling fan comprising: a fan motor and blade assembly, a mounting tube for suspending the fan motor and blade assembly from a ceiling, and a power supply mounted within the mounting tube configured to power the fan motor. Also a ceiling fan comprising a moulded stator frame, a raised turret integrally moulded within the frame configured to enclose and mount a motor controller, and an external user changeable auxiliary module. Also ceiling fan comprising: a totally enclosed safety extra low voltage fan motor assembly configured to be suspended from an upper side, and a scaling arrangement within the assembly providing a substantial degree of ingress protection against dust and water incident from at least an under side. Also a method comprising providing a ceiling fan comprising moulded stator frame, and mounting an external user changeable auxiliary module to a raised turret integrally moulded within the frame.

Abstract: A fan includes a motor, a plurality of fan blades coupled to the motor and rotatable by the motor, a light source positioned to be independent from rotation of the plurality of fan blades, and a processor controlling the first light source to turn on/off with a frequency determined at least based on a relation with respect to a rotational speed of the plurality of fan blades. Thereby, a visually static view or a slowly rotating view of the fan blades is displayed while the fan blades are operating.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the operating status of a spring charging motor of a LV or MV switching apparatus. The method includes acquiring a detection signal (ID) indicative of the behavior of a driving current (IMOT); processing the detection signal (ID) to calculate a steady-state detection signal (IDSS) indicative of the behavior of the driving current (IMOT) during a steady-state time interval (TSS); processing the steady-state detection signal (IDSS) to calculate data (DS) indicative of HF and LF spectral components of the driving current (IMOT); processing the data (DS) to calculate first and second harmonic distortion values (THDLF, THDHF); processing the first and second harmonic distortion values to calculate first and second output data (O1, O2), which are indicative of the variations of the first and second harmonic distortion values with respect to corresponding first and second reference values, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an installation for pumping hydrocarbons, including a pump submerged in a well and a motor for driving the pump, said motor being linked to a variable frequency drive powered during normal operation by an external network, the drive including a rectifier supplying a DC bus, an inverter supplied by the DC bus and linked to the motor, and a controller, said installation wherein it further includes an electricity storage element linked by a reversible DC-DC converter to the DC bus, the installation being arranged to ensure the variable frequency drive is supplied by the storage element in case of an interruption to the supply via the external network.

Abstract: Apparatus, including a multiplexer, having a first output and multiple first inputs receiving analog input signals and an analog feedback signal and cycling through and selecting the signals for transfer in sequential signal groupings to the first output. The apparatus also includes an amplification circuit, having a second output and a second input connected to the multiplexer first output, that amplifies signals corresponding to the analog input signals with a selected gain so as to generate respective amplified analog signals at the second output. Circuitry selects a characteristic of the respective amplified analog signals from an initial signal grouping, feeds the characteristic back for input to the multiplexer as the analog feedback signal, selects a subsequent characteristic of the respective amplified analog signals from a subsequent signal grouping, and adjusts the amplification circuit gain so that the analog feedback signal and the subsequent characteristic have the same amplitude.

Abstract: A control device for rotary machine includes: a voltage instruction generation section for generating a voltage instruction; a voltage application section for applying voltage to a rotary machine based on the voltage instruction; a current detection section for detecting rotary machine current of the rotary machine; and an inductance calculation section for calculating an inductance of the rotary machine from the voltage instruction and the rotary machine current. The voltage instruction generation section generates voltage instructions of constant DC voltages. The voltage application section applies voltages to the rotary machine based on the voltage instructions. The inductance calculation section calculates the inductance from a voltage instruction for measurement arbitrarily selected from the voltage instructions, and the rotary machine currents detected by the current detection section before and after application of the voltage instruction for measurement.

Abstract: Power converters and methods are presented for driving an AC load connected through an intervening filter circuit, in which at least one filter current or voltage signal or value is determined according to feedback signals or values representing an output parameter at an AC output of the power converter, and AC electrical output power is generated at the AC output based at least partially on the at least one filter current or voltage signal or value.

Abstract: A motor driving device includes a logic unit configured to control an electrical conduction of a motor, a reference clock signal generating unit configured to generate a reference clock signal based on a rotational speed indication signal, a rotational speed signal generating unit configured to generate a rotational speed signal based on a rotational speed of the motor, and a rotational speed feedback control unit configured to receive the reference clock signal and the rotational speed signal and control the logic unit so that the rotational speed of the motor reaches a target value. The rotational speed feedback control unit changes a feedback gain in response to the rotational speed signal.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electric drive, having an inverter, an electric motor and control means configured in a first operating state of the electric drive to control the electric drive to run in a constant operating point, determine and store a value of an output voltage of the inverter or a value of a flux reference of the inverter, and a value of a switching frequency of the inverter with which a determined input power of the electric drive is lowest. The controller is configured in a second operating state of the electric drive to control the electric drive to use the stored values to run in the operating point.

Abstract: A control device includes a motor driving unit that supplies electric power to a motor according to a magnetic-pole-phase signal output from the motor; and a rotational-position detecting unit that converts the magnetic-pole-phase signal into a rotational-position detection signal and outputs the rotational-position detection signal. The rotational-position detection signal indicates a rotation amount and a rotation direction of an output shaft of the motor and has a higher resolution than the magnetic-pole-phase signal.

Abstract: A commutated electric drive has an electric motor having a sensor assembly which has a permanent magnet on a shaft of the electric motor and an analog Hall sensor situated stationary relative to the stator of the electric motor opposite to the permanent magnet. A controller for controlling the windings of the electric motor has a memory for storing a calibration Hall signal of the magnetic field of the permanent magnet, measured using the Hall sensor, over one revolution of the shaft. The controller has a device for comparing the calibration Hall signal with an instantaneous Hall signal of the instantaneous magnetic field of the permanent magnet, measured using the Hall sensor. Temperature effects and aging effects may be recognized and taken into account when determining the rotor position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor controller employing bootstrap-capacitor supplies and in particular to the situation where the bootstrap supplies have to be charged, while the motor controller is connected to a spinning and energized motor. The present invention introduces a method of recharging based on choosing a recharging sequence from a set of recharging sequences, where the choice depends on the state of the connected motor and in particular on the back-EMF voltages of the motor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a brushless DC motor (BLDC motor) having a rotor, a stator and an angle sensor and a logic circuit for generating the phase voltages of the windings depending on the phase angle of the rotor. The logic circuit access a lookup table, in which to implement commutation with block-shaped, trapezoidal, sinusoidal, sinoid-based signal waveforms. The drive values are stored for the electrical phase angle of the rotor for generating phase voltages (VU, VV, VW) for the windings. A control unit generates configuration data for the logic circuit determine the commutation form, and depending on the form, the drive values are supplied to a PWM generator for generating control signals (VU, VV, VW) depending on the electrical phase angle of the rotor angle, which PWM control signals can be used to control the phase currents in the windings.

Abstract: A controller 40 performs a control operation in a cycle based on a carrier frequency fc of a carrier, specifically, at timings corresponding to the peaks and troughs of the carrier signal. Moreover, in the case where the carrier frequency fc is switched, a disturbance estimation part forming the controller 40 updates control constants that are used for disturbance estimation and are dependent on the control operation cycle, in a control operation performed one cycle after a control operation immediately after the switching of the carrier frequency fc.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a motor control apparatus and a method thereof. The operation efficiency of a compressor may be maintained by using a sensorless algorithm, sampling a current applied to a motor more than twice within a period of the triangular carrier wave for performing pulse width modulation to calculate a reference voltage, driving the motor according to the calculated reference voltage to improve control resolution, and performing a high-speed operation while reducing a volume of the compressor, without adding a separate hardware when controlling the operation of the motor provided in the compressor at a high speed.

Abstract: A method for monitoring input power to an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The method includes determining, with a processing device, an average input current to the motor, the average input current based on a voltage drop across a shunt resistor in series with the motor, measuring an average input voltage applied to the motor utilizing the processing device, multiplying the average input current by the average voltage to determine an approximate input power, and communicating the average input power to an external interface.

Abstract: In some preferred embodiments, a motor control circuit 1 for controlling driving of a plurality of motors 3 and 4 includes a serial communication circuit configured to perform serial communication with an outside, a received data storage 15 configured to store data from the serial communication circuit, a motor mode setting holding circuit 16 configured to store motor mode settings which decide operations of the motors, and a detection circuit 24 configured to detect changes in driving pulse of the motor. Depending on the detected result of the detection circuit 24, the data stored in the received data storage 15 is transferred to the motor mode setting holding circuit 16.

Abstract: A sinusoidal signal is superimposed on a current command value of a q-axis (torque shaft) supplied from a host, and according to the resulting current command value, the output voltage of a power converter is controlled. For the calculation of the superimposed signal added to the current command value of the q-axis, with the use of the ripple component information of induced voltage coefficients of the d-axis and q-axis of the rotating coordinate system of a permanent magnet motor, the current command values of the d-axis and q-axis, an average value of induced voltage coefficients of the d-axis, and inductance values of the d-axis and q-axis, the sinusoidal superimposed signal is calculated and added to the above-described current command value of the q-axis.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a power conversion unit which supplies drive power to a motor, a current detection unit which detects the value of a current flowing from the power conversion unit to the motor, a delta-sigma modulation AD converter which converts the current value into digital data by using a modulation clock as a system clock, and which starts to count the number of clock pulses of the modulation clock upon reception of a reference signal and, when the number of clock pulses counted reaches a predetermined count value, outputs the digital data obtained during a prescribed time interval which contains the reception time of the reference signal, and a command generating unit which generates, using the digital data supplied from the delta-sigma modulation AD converter, a drive command for commanding the power conversion unit to output commanded drive power.

Abstract: A patient interface module (PIM) for an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging system and a method for using it are provided. The PIM may include a motor having position sensors; a motor controller circuit providing a signal to the motor; and a clock and timing circuit to provide a trigger signal to a pulse transmitter circuit and a reference clock signal to an analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit, the trigger signal and the reference clock signal synchronized to a local oscillator; wherein the motor is configured to provide a relative phase value between a motor shaft and the local oscillator to a data processing circuit.

Abstract: Motor control circuits and associated methods to control an electric motor provide a plurality of drive signal channels at the same phase, resulting in reduced jitter in the rotational speed of the electric motor.

Abstract: There are a motor driving apparatus and an operating method thereof, the motor driving apparatus including: a speed sensor generating a sensor output signal of a motor; a reference signal generating unit generating a reference signal by using the sensor output signal; a pulse counting unit counting the reference signal during a pulse width period of the sensor output signal to provide a count value; and a glitch controlling unit determining whether a glitch is present or not using the count value to remove a glitch when present.

Abstract: Motor control circuits and associated methods to control an electric motor provide an ability to synchronize a rotational speed of the electric motor with an external clock signal, resulting in reduced jitter in the rotational speed of the electric motor.

Abstract: Torsional loads can impart painful and potentially injurious shear stresses upon residual limb soft tissues in lower limb amputees. To protect the soft tissues, a controllable transverse rotation adapter (TRA) has been developed that permits rotation of the prosthetic socket relative to the prosthetic foot, relieving some of the rotational loads experienced by the residual limb, and controlling either the stiffness resisting the transverse rotational torque, or the torque. This TRA uses series elastic actuator (SEA) technology and includes a prime mover, a speed reduction device, and a torsion spring mounted in series. By measuring a displacement of the spring (e.g., using a strain gauge), motor current, and the motor shaft position, the load torque and position can be used to calculate actual stiffness or applied torque. The motor position is then adjusted relative to the load, to control the effective stiffness or torque.

Abstract: A motor drive is provided that includes a control circuit or board and a one or more functional circuits or option boards coupled to the control board, and a profile that includes a configuration for the option board. A method of operating a motor drive that includes loading a profile for a option board coupled to a control board of the controller, wherein the profile comprises a configuration for the option board. A tangible machine-readable medium implementing the method is also provided.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a power conversion unit which supplies drive power to a motor, a current detection unit which detects the value of a current flowing from the power conversion unit to the motor, a delta-sigma modulation AD converter which converts the current value into digital data by using a modulation clock as a system clock, and which starts to count the number of clock pulses of the modulation clock upon reception of a reference signal and, when the number of clock pulses counted reaches a predetermined count value, outputs the digital data obtained during a prescribed time interval which contains the reception time of the reference signal, and a command generating unit which generates, using the digital data supplied from the delta-sigma modulation AD converter, a drive command for commanding the power conversion unit to output commanded drive power.

Abstract: In a method for the determination of a current initial rotational position of a rotor and in an arrangement for carrying out same, an incremental position encoder outputs an output signal. The output signal is produced by superposition of a chronologically random and systematically fluctuating signal interference on a basic signal, and composed of at least two component signals which change periodically in accordance with the rotational position of the rotor and are in a fixed angular relationship to one another. To determine the position, the output signal is used exclusively. The current initial rotational position of the rotor relative to a reference initial rotational position is determined by comparing the time profile of the portion of the systematically fluctuating signal interference of a current measured value sequence of the signal and the measured values of a signal sequence acquired starting from the reference initial rotational position.

Abstract: A motor driving system including command value output means configured to output an analog value according to a rotation speed command; a first power line having first switching means; a drive circuit, to which power is supplied via the first switching means and the first power line, driving a motor supplying rotation based on the analog value; and switching control means configured to make the first switching means nonconductive when the analog value is smaller than a first predetermined value, and independent of the command value output means.

Abstract: A motor drive device includes a drive controller for generating drive signal “trq”, a limiter for limiting a value of drive signal “trq” within a range, a limit value generator for generating limit value “lmt”, and a drive output section for generating an energizing signal in response to an output signal from the limiter. The limit value generator generates a comparison signal by adding offset value “ofs” to drive signal “trq” and updates limit value “lmt” based on a size relation between a value (trq+ofs) of the comparison signal and limit value “lmt”.

Abstract: A differential amplifier detects a coil current Is at the time of steady rotation of a synchronous motor. An application voltage S0 at this time is detected from an output of an ATT circuit and so on. With the use of the coil current Is which is detected, the application voltage S0 at that time, and a predetermined scaling factor As, an induced current Ib is obtained based on Ib=As·S0?Is. The application voltage to the motor is controlled based on the induced current Ib which is obtained.

Abstract: A method for checking position values using a monitoring unit to which position values of a position measuring device are supplied at time intervals of a query interval, includes: calculating a movement value from at least two position values and the time interval of their arrival; calculating an expected value for a position value to be checked that follows the at least two position values, by adding the most recent of the at least two position values and a change in position that results from the movement value and the time until the position value to be checked arrives; determining a position expectation interval from the expected value and a maximum position interval; comparing the position value to be checked to the position expectation interval; and outputting a signal that indicates the result of the comparison.

Abstract: A motor drive is provided that includes a control circuit or board and a one or more functional circuits or option boards coupled to the control board, and a profile that includes a configuration for the option board. A method of operating a motor drive that includes loading a profile for a option board coupled to a control board of the controller, wherein the profile comprises a configuration for the option board. A tangible machine-readable medium implementing the method is also provided.

Abstract: The Brushless Multiphase Self-Commutation Controller or BMSCC is an adjustable speed drive for reliable, contact-less and stable self-commutation control of electric apparatus, including electric motors and generators. BMSCC transforms multiphase electrical excitation from one frequency to variable frequency that is automatically synchronized to the movement of the electric apparatus without traditional estimation methods of commutation and frequency synthesis using derivatives of electronic, electro-mechanical, and field-oriented-control. Instead, BMSCC comprises an analog electromagnetic computer with synchronous modulation techniques to first establish magnetic energy and then dynamically share packets of magnetic energy between phase windings of a multiphase, position dependent flux, high frequency transformer by direct AC-to-AC conversion without an intermediate DC conversion stage.

Abstract: A position sensorless drive method capable of driving a permanent magnet motor by an ideal sine-wave current and enabling the driving from an extremely low-speed range in the vicinity of zero-speed is provided. A neutral-point potential of the permanent magnet motor is detected in synchronization with a PWM waveform of an inverter. The position of a rotor of the permanent magnet motor is estimated from the variation of the neutral-point potential. Since the neutral-point potential is varied in accordance with the magnetic circuit characteristics of an individual permanent magnet motor, the position can be detected regardless of the presence of saliency of the permanent magnet motor.

Abstract: A commutated electric drive has an electric motor having a sensor assembly which has a permanent magnet on a shaft of the electric motor and an analog Hall sensor situated stationary relative to the stator of the electric motor opposite to the permanent magnet. A controller for controlling the windings of the electric motor has a memory for storing a calibration Hall signal of the magnetic field of the permanent magnet, measured using the Hall sensor, over one revolution of the shaft. The controller has a device for comparing the calibration Hall signal with an instantaneous Hall signal of the instantaneous magnetic field of the permanent magnet, measured using the Hall sensor. Temperature effects and aging effects may be recognized and taken into account when determining the rotor position.

Abstract: A motor control device is configured in such a manner that a current detection circuit and an exciting circuit for a motor resolver share one grounding wire. A microcomputer that serves as a current detector sets a phase of an exciting current in such a manner that values of an excitation noise superimposed on an output voltage of the current detection circuit at respective timings (L1, H1, L2, H2, . . . ), at which the output voltage is acquired in one current detection process, are equal to each other. An electric power steering system is provided with the motor control device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a controller circuit, comprising a plurality of sense inputs, an instrumentation amplifier block having inputs coupled to the plurality of sense inputs, a filter block coupled to the instrumentation amplifier block, a sum function coupled to the filter block, and a crossing detector block coupled to the filter block and the sum function. A method of controlling motor signals is further described.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a motor drive is provided that includes a control board and an option board coupled to the control board via a serial interface, wherein the option board includes a configurable data transfer rate. A method of operating a motor drive that includes configuring a transfer rate of an option board coupled to a control board via a serial interface. A tangible machine-readable medium implementing the method is also provided.

Abstract: A BLDC (brushless direct current) motor system of the present invention includes a control circuit, a sequencer, a driving circuit, and a BLDC motor. The control circuit determines the maximum torque and the maximum speed of the BLDC motor. The control circuit includes an over-current detection circuit to generate a reset signal in response to a switching current of the BLDC motor. The reset signal is generated when the switching current of the BLDC motor exceeds a threshold. A pulse width of the PWM signal is correlated to the level of a speed-control signal and the level of the torque-control signal. The pulse width of the PWM signal is also controlled by the reset signal generated by the over-current detection circuit.

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. The delta zero crossing error may be multiplied by a first constant representing electromechanical properties of the motor to produce a representation of an angular velocity. One or more time values may be generated based on the representation of the angular velocity. Operation of the motor may be controlled based on the one or more time values and the PWM duty cycle.

Abstract: A BLDC (brushless direct current) motor system of the present invention includes a control circuit, a sequencer, a driving circuit, and a BLDC motor. The control circuit comprises a speed-feedback loop and a torque-feedback loop to control the maximum speed and the maximum torque of the BLDC motor in parallel configuration. The speed-feedback loop generates a speed-control signal. The torque-feedback loop generates a torque-control signal. A PWM circuit receives the speed-control signal and the torque-control signal to generate a PWM signal. A pulse width of the PWM signal is correlated to the level of the speed-control signal and/or the level of the torque-control signal.

Abstract: A phase difference detection device able to detect a phase with a high precision is provided.

Abstract: A motor controlling method and apparatus thereof are provided. The control method includes the steps of receiving a switching phase signal of coil while the motor is rotating, for generating a separate signal, comparing the phase signal and the separate signal to generate a first control signal, generating a current feedback signal equivalent to the first control signal, and comparing the current feedback signal and the separate signal for generating a second control signal so as to control the operation of the motor.