With Table Lookup, Stored Map, Or Memory Table (e.g., Speed Table, Stored Current Profile, Etc.) Patents (Class 318/400.12)
  • Patent number: 11424700
    Abstract: A Hall sensor circuit includes a first Hall element and a second Hall element, first and second Analog-to-Digital Converter (“ADC”) channel inputs passively coupled to first and second output nodes of the first Hall element, third and fourth ADC channel inputs passively coupled to the first and second output nodes of the second Hall element, a first ADC output for providing a first digital output signal, and a second ADC output for providing a second digital output signal. The Hall element outputs can be directly coupled to the ADC or coupled through a passive resistor-capacitor filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventor: Wei Wu
  • Patent number: 11394341
    Abstract: An over-temperature protection system and method for a DC capacitor of an inverter are provided. In the over-temperature protection system, a capacitor generates a DC voltage on both terminals thereof. An inverter converts the DC voltage generated on the both terminals of the capacitor into an AC voltage and supplies the AC voltage to a motor. A controller induces a ripple current of the capacitor based on a driving point determined by a torque and a speed of rotation of the motor and determines whether the capacitor is in an over-temperature state based on a totalized value of the ripple current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Ho Tae Chun
  • Patent number: 11164704
    Abstract: A motor assembly for a switch drive of an electric switch. The motor assembly has a brushless three-phase motor and an electronic control device for controlling the three-phase motor. The control device has a rectifier unit for rectifying a supply voltage of the motor assembly if the supply voltage is an AC voltage, and for reverse polarity protection if the supply voltage is a DC voltage. The control device also has a voltage measuring unit for detecting a rectifier output voltage of the rectifier unit, a switch unit for generating a pulse width-modulated drive AC voltage for the three-phase motor from the rectifier output voltage, and a control unit for actuating the switch unit according to the rectifier output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Thomas Hilker
  • Patent number: 11079263
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a double analysis of signals emitted by a rotational angle sensor. For this purpose, the signal emitted by the rotational angle sensor is processed in a first signal path with respect to a maximum angle quality of the angle signal to be calculated. A second signal path for processing the signal emitted by the rotational angle sensor is optimized to indicate a maximum diagnosability of errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Zirkel, Michael Ungermann, Benjamin Lechner, Daniel Raichle, Edwin Eberlein, Tim Bruckhaus
  • Patent number: 10992242
    Abstract: A motor driving control device includes an induced voltage detecting unit configured to detect an induced voltage of a motor, a controller for generating a PWM signal, and an inverter circuit for outputting a driving signal to the motor based on the PWM signal. The controller is configured to detect a position detection signal, to measure a zero-cross point of the induced voltage of the motor based on a detected timing of an edge of the position detection signal, to stop output of the driving signal only for a predetermined period containing the zero-cross point of the induced voltage, to measure a pulse width of a regenerated voltage in the period, to calculate a zero-cross point of coil current based on the measurement result, and to adjust the energization timing based on the calculation result. The predetermined period is a period of one cycle of the PWM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 10804824
    Abstract: A circuit, comprising a plurality of phase windings in an electric motor, an inverter configured to excite the phase windings by a sequence of voltage pulses including a plurality of successive voltage pulses that a current can be set in each of the phase windings, wherein the voltage pulses are selected in such a manner that a positive and a negative current are produced in all the phase windings during the voltage pulses, a current sensor for measuring a peak value for the current being set during a duration of each voltage pulse in each phase winding, and an evaluation circuit connected to the current sensor, wherein the evaluation circuit is configured to determine the voltage pulse in the voltage pulse sequence during a duration of which peak current value having a greatest magnitude was measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Thoelke, Christian Karbacher
  • Patent number: 10741284
    Abstract: A medical support control system comprises a medical support having memory and a control system in connection with the memory and for connection with a component for use at the medical support. The medical support control system further includes a detection system configured to detect when the component is connected to the control system, such as the control system microprocessor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Vincent Brosnan, Aaron Douglas Furman, Janani Gopalkrishnan, Mark Richard Bryant
  • Patent number: 10622813
    Abstract: Methods and systems for load alignment assistance are provided. An alignment current may be provided with a partial power converter through an n-phase supply line to a synchronous alternating current (AC) motor during a startup of a synchronous AC grid. The synchronous AC motor may receive polyphase AC power through the n-phase supply line from the synchronous AC grid during the startup. The partial power converter may be powered by a power source isolated from the synchronous AC grid. The alignment current may be controlled such that the alignment current causes a rotor of the synchronous AC motor to align with a rotor of a generator that powers the synchronous AC grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Mark Jon Blackwelder, Paul M. Rancuret
  • Patent number: 10581349
    Abstract: A magnetic pole position detecting device for a synchronous motor includes: a storage unit for storing a reference magnetic pole position of the synchronous motor as a predetermined reference; a magnetic pole position detector for detecting the magnetic pole position of the synchronous motor when a predetermined condition is satisfied; and a determination unit for comparing the reference magnetic pole position stored in the storage unit with the magnetic pole position detected by the magnetic pole position detector to determine that detection of the magnetic pole position is abnormal when the difference between the two falls out of a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenta Yamamoto, Naoto Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10569763
    Abstract: A hybrid electric power-split vehicle, equipped with a continuously variable transmission coupling an electric motor/generator (EM) with a combustion engine (CE), includes systems and methods that reduce possible resonant noise and vibration during CE startup, by improved EM control, to generate compensating EM torque to counter act such possible resonant noise and vibration. The systems and methods include predetermined baseline CE operating condition (OC) cranking torque profiles stored as OC grids (SOCGs). A start profile is generated from selected cranking torque SOCGs, and also from selected historical start OCGs (HOCGs) of prior engine and/or CE starts, which include prior start noise and vibration metrics along with prior start OCs and related parameters. The start profile is calibrated using a blend factor that is generated from comparisons of SOCGs, and utilized to generate a feed-forward torque signal that adjusts EM torque to reduce the startup noise and vibration resonances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yu Liu, Floyd Cadwell, Kenneth Frederick, Xiaoyong Wang
  • Patent number: 10545515
    Abstract: Example implementations relate to virtualizing fan speed. For example, a system for virtualizing fan speed may include a server enclosure manager connected to a controller area network (CAN) bus, the server enclosure manager to regulate a speed of a fan in a server blade enclosure; and a CAN bus microcontroller connected to the CAN bus. The CAN bus microcontroller may receive a direct current (DC) voltage from an analog low-pass filter, determine a fan speed of the fan corresponding to the received DC voltage, and report the determined fan speed to the enclosure manager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Huong M. Truong, Alex Olson, Kurt A. Manweiler
  • Patent number: 10489993
    Abstract: Disclosed are emulator architectures for steer-by-wire (SBW) vehicle systems, methods for making and for using such systems, and programmable control logic for operating emulator test systems. A method is disclosed for operating an emulator test system for motor vehicle SBW systems. The method includes a Central Processing Unit Workstation Controller (CWC) initiating a selected test procedure for the SBW system, and transmitting, to a Motor Controller (MC) of the test system, a target input curve corresponding to the initiated test procedure. The MC responsively commands a Driver Simulator Motor (DSM) to operate at a power input corresponding to the target input curve. An emulator, which is mechanically coupled to the DSM, transmits emulator state data resulting from operating the DSM to a Real-time Operating System (RTOS). The RTOS determines a vehicle response based on the emulator state data using a vehicle dynamics math model corresponding to the SBW system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alexander John Dan, Jonathan Hirscher, Scott P. Sherman
  • Patent number: 10425023
    Abstract: A motor control device performs rotation control of a motor by supplying a first driving waveform and a second driving waveform respectively to a pair of switching elements which make up part of upper and lower arms in an inverter circuit. The motor control device determines the amount of modulation of the second driving waveform from a combination of the calculated interpolation angle and the rotational speed of the motor. The motor control device generates the first driving waveform having a rectangular shape, and further generates the second driving waveform by performing pulse modulation by the determined amount of modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeo Yajima, Makoto Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10381961
    Abstract: A motor control circuit includes: first high and low side switches connected to one end of a drive coil of a brush-less motor, and second high and low side switches connected to the other end of the drive coil. In a first energization state, a positive drive current is supplied to the drive coil. In a second energization state, a negative drive current is supplied to the drive coil. In a first reflux state, a positive circulation current is applied to the drive coil after the first energization state. In a second reflux state, a negative circulation current is applied to the drive coil after the second energization state. A first non-energization state is between the first reflux state and the second energization state after the first reflux state, and a second non-energization state is between the second reflux state and the first energization state after the second reflux state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MABUCHI MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Niida, Yasuyuki Takamori
  • Patent number: 10270319
    Abstract: A method is provided for storing data from an external device in a dynamoelectric machine assembly (i.e., an electric motor or generator). The dynamoelectric machine assembly includes a memory device and a processor for controlling operation of the dynamoelectric machine assembly in response to commands from an external device. The method includes receiving a command from the external device to store data in the memory device of the dynamoelectric machine assembly, and storing the data in the memory device in response to the command. Dynamoelectric machine assemblies, external devices and systems suitable for use in the provided method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Nidec Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Prakash B. Shahi, Mark E. Carrier, Christopher D. Schock
  • Patent number: 10243498
    Abstract: Ripple power having a first variation range is input into a DC link (DC power supply lines). Buffer power is provided and received between the DC link and a power buffer circuit, so that the DC link outputs DC power having a second variation range smaller than the first variation range. An inverter receives the DC power as an input, and outputs AC power to a motor. A power control unit controls the power buffer circuit and the inverter on the basis of a compensation rate that sets the second variation range. A compensation rate setting unit performs a setting in which the compensation rate when a rotational speed of the motor belongs to any of a plurality of first predetermined ranges is higher than the compensation rate when the rotational speed belongs to a second predetermined range other than the plurality of first predetermined ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Ishizeki
  • Patent number: 10044303
    Abstract: A circuit includes a processor that analyzes a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal feedback from a brushless DC motor to determine a transition between a mutual inductance zero crossing condition and a Back Electro Motive Force (BEMF) zero crossing condition of the brushless DC motor. A mutual inductance controller is executed by the processor to commutate the brushless DC motor at startup of the motor when the mutual inductance zero crossing condition is detected by the processor. A BEMF controller is executed by the processor to commutate the brushless DC motor after startup of the motor when the BEMF zero crossing condition is detected by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Yisong Lu, Ruochen Zhang, Wei Zuo
  • Patent number: 9954441
    Abstract: A slim and cost effective power module solution derived from the multiple-phase buck converter technology that addresses the problems of inductor thickness and excessive magnetic material use. Such power module solution utilizes a multi-phase constant current topology and a corresponding electronic controller to provide a constant current source for various OLED lighting applications. The multi-phase constant current topology comprises two or more inductor-flyback diode feedback loops. Each inductor-flyback diode feedback loop is triggered ON and OFF out-of-phase by a current controller, which senses and estimates the average current supplied to the load, and causes the adjustments to the average current supplied to the load by controlling the ON duration of the inductor-flyback diode feedback loops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SOLOMON SYSTECH LIMITED
    Inventors: Wing Chi Stephen Chan, Siu Hong Lui, Sing Ng, Hon Sheung Liu, Xiacong Liu, Johnkid Lo, Rong Gao
  • Patent number: 9910422
    Abstract: An error identification method of a machine tool includes an initial position measurement step of indexing a main spindle head rotation axis to an initial angle to measure an initial position of a measured jig, a table reference angle calculation step of calculating a reference angle of the table, a reference position measurement step of indexing the table rotation axis to the reference angle and indexing the main spindle head rotation axis to the initial angle, a relative position measurement step of respectively indexing the table rotation axis and the main spindle head rotation axis to a plurality of predetermined angles, an arc approximation step of approximating the plurality of measured position values into an arc, and an error calculation step of calculating an error of a center position of the rotation axis, a tilt error of the rotation axis, or a tilt error of the translational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Matsushita
  • Patent number: 9880546
    Abstract: A register of an industrial equipment production system acquires setting information adjusted in an industrial equipment and registers the setting information in a server. A receiver receives a production instruction for the industrial equipment. An identifier identifies, in a case where the production instruction is received, the setting information on the industrial equipment to be produced in accordance with the production instruction based on the setting information registered in the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Tadashi Okubo, Ryutaro Kuwamura, Ayaka Hashimoto, Kazuhiro Imanaga, Yusuke Oka, Yusuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9874461
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a rotary electric machine, a voltage applier applies a high-frequency voltage to one of the field winding and the armature winding. One of a field winding and an armature winding is defined as an input winding, and the other thereof is defined as an output winding. A current detector detects a high-frequency current flowing through the output winding based on the applied high-frequency voltage. The high-frequency current includes therein information associated with the rotational position of a target magnetic pole of the rotor as a predetermined one of the magnetic poles. An estimator estimates the rotational position of the target magnetic pole of the rotor according to the high-frequency current detected by the current detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Ishida, Kiyoshi Fujii
  • Patent number: 9815637
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for orienting components of a rotary machine, such as a container treatment machine, where the rotary machine comprises a stator and a rotor and also at least one component which is arranged on the stator, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one reference element which is arranged on the stator and a sensor which is arranged on the rotor so as to rotate with it, wherein the sensor is suitable for measuring the distance from the reference element and from the component, and the stator, the rotor and the component can be oriented in relation to one another based on the values measured by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Michael Neubauer, August Peutl
  • Patent number: 9705434
    Abstract: In a method for ascertaining a commutation angle in a permanently excited synchronous motor, the commutation angle indicates the position of a rotor within a magnetic period of the synchronous motor and is used for the field-oriented energization of the synchronous motor. The method includes the steps of specifying a random commutation angle as starting point of the method, impressing a current vector into the motor using the initially randomly specified commutation angle, ascertaining a positional deviation of the rotor, varying the commutation angle used for the energization with the aid of a controller structure in order to counteract the ascertained positional deviation, so that the commutation angle that comes about after a stabilizing period corresponds to the actual commutation angle of the rotor, an initial speed of the rotor being taken into account when ascertaining the positional deviation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: ETEL S.A.
    Inventor: Ralph Coleman
  • Patent number: 9647606
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring movement of an object has a quadrature incremental encoder for providing first and second phases of encoder pulses corresponding to incremental displacements of the object. A first counter counts edges of the encoder pulses according to the sense of the displacement. Clock pulse counts are also made. Acquiring movement data at periodic speed processing moments includes the decoder adjusting encoder pulse data from the first counter using a clock pulse count that is a function of a lapse of time between when the most recent edge of the encoder pulses and the speed processing moment. The clock pulse counts are reset by edges of the first and second phases of the encoder pulses when the decoder acquires the movement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Shunan Li, Xuwei Zhou, Wanfu Ye
  • Patent number: 9593689
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a fan control circuit, which includes a filter circuit for converting a pulse-width modulation (PWM) voltage signal into a DC voltage signal; an amplifier circuit having an input end for receiving the DC voltage signal and a static voltage signal and generating an amplified voltage signal at an output end thereof; a current expansion circuit configured to perform current expansion on the amplified voltage signal and thereby generate a driving voltage signal for a fan; and a feedback circuit connected between another input end of the amplifier circuit and an output end of the current expansion circuit so that magnitude of the driving voltage signal is in direct proportion to the duty cycle of the PWM voltage signal and is greater than or equal to a lowest driving voltage value of the fan when the duty cycle of the PWM voltage signal approaches zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ALPHA NETWORKS INC.
    Inventor: Cheng-Xian Lv
  • Patent number: 9594091
    Abstract: A method of determining a rotor displacement angle of a synchronous generator having a rotor and electrically connected to a power supply network uses at least one rotary speed measuring device. During a revolution of the rotor, in particular during each revolution of the rotor, the measuring device communicates at least one rotary speed signal to an evaluation unit. A frequency measuring device communicates a frequency signal to the evaluation unit for each period duration of a voltage signal of the power supply network. A time duration between communication of the rotary speed signal and communication of the frequency signal is determined by the evaluation unit, and the rotor displacement angle is inferred in dependence on the determined time duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: GE JENBACHER GMBH & CO OG
    Inventor: Helmut Niedrist
  • Patent number: 9520768
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an operation of an inverter are provided. In the inverter control apparatus, an operation signal input unit detects a current of each phase output from an inverter. An error detecting unit detects whether there is a fault of the inverter on the basis of the current detected by the operation signal input unit. A controller controls driving of the inverter according to a type of the fault detected by the error detecting unit. A storage unit stores a kind of fault of the inverter and a corresponding fault type on the basis of the current detected in the operation signal detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kwang Woon Kim
  • Patent number: 9459608
    Abstract: A system includes a first control system configured to operate at a first clock speed, a second control system configured to provide an output to the first control system and configured to operate at a second clock speed different from the first clock speed, and a synchronization module operatively connecting the first control module to the second control module and configured to synchronize the first control system and the second control system such that the output of the second control system is timed to synchronize with the first clock speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. Wichowski, Kevin G. Hawes, Patrick J. Sears, Sean K. Murray
  • Patent number: 9372236
    Abstract: A failure determination method for a motor system includes setting a current value required to initially drive a motor to a first current command value, increasing a rotational speed of a rotating magnetic field of the motor up to a preset reference speed, comparing an intensity of a back electromotive force, generated when a rotor of the motor is rotated at the preset reference speed, to a magnitude of a voltage applied to apply current in accordance with the set first current command value, and determining a cause of a failure of the motor based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dong Hun Lee, Soon Woo Kwon, Joon Yong Lee, Chang Seok Ryu
  • Patent number: 8988023
    Abstract: A portable service controller for controlling an electro-mechanical actuator, the portable service controller includes a battery configured to power the portable service controller and a user interface configured to receive input from a user and to responsively generate an input signal. The portable service controller also includes a phase sequencer configured to convert the input signal into a series of timed output signals and a driver circuit configured to convert the series of timed output signals into inverter gating signals. The portable service controller further includes a three-phase brushless motor inverter configured to convert inverter gating signals into control signals for a brushless motor of the electro-mechanical actuator. The portable service controller contains a motor brake on/off circuitry for engaging and disengaging the electro-mechanical actuator motor brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Harald Klode, Albert K. Pant
  • Patent number: 8981703
    Abstract: A system for operating an electric machine includes: a rotor position sensor to provide a rotor position indication as a function of a rotor position angular range which indicates the position of a rotor of the electric machine; a control unit designed to associate in each case a commutation angular range, which indicates a certain control state for the stator coils, with one or more of the rotor position indications, so that a change in the commutation angular range is triggered by a change in the rotor position indication, and to change an association scheme of the associations between the rotor position indications and the respective commutation ranges as a function of a predefined rotational direction indication which indicates the desired rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Volker Bosch
  • Patent number: 8917043
    Abstract: A motor control circuit and associated techniques can adjust a phase of a motor drive to keep a rotational reference position of an electric motor at the same relative phase as a zero current in a motor winding at different motor speeds and as the motor accelerates and decelerates. In some embodiments, a particular circuit and technique can be used to detect the zero current in the motor winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Reynolds, Chengyi Jin
  • Patent number: 8917044
    Abstract: A motor control circuit and associated techniques detect a zero crossing of a current in a motor winding by detecting a reverse current in a half bridge circuit used to drive the motor winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Reynolds, Chengyi Jin
  • Patent number: 8907610
    Abstract: A motor control device has a motor driving unit that drives a motor, a current detecting unit that detects a motor current flowing through the motor, a control unit that compares a detected current value of the motor current detected by the current detecting unit with a target current value to obtain a deviation, to control the motor driving unit based on the deviation, and a compensation unit that sets as a current offset value a detected current value of a drift current detected by the current detecting unit in a state where the motor current is regarded as zero, to compensate the detected current value of the motor current by the current offset value. The compensation unit sets a target offset value according to the current value of the detected drift current to correct the current offset value stepwise until the current offset value reaches the target offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michisada Yabuguchi, Tetsuya Fukumoto, Takenobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8907606
    Abstract: A method for determining a rotor position of a two-phase synchronous machine including two strands. The method is useful for electronically commuting the synchronous machine. The method includes alternately actuating each of the strands in a first actuating time window with an actuating value of positive polarity and in a second actuating time window with an actuating value of negative polarity, where the first and the second actuating time window alternately follow each other. The method further includes applying an actuating value of 0 during a measuring time window which is provided within at least one of the actuating time windows of a strand. The method further includes applying a measuring pulse to the corresponding strand within the measuring time window in order to measure the inductance of the corresponding strand as an indication of the rotor position. In general, the strand inductance is dependent on the rotor position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Wilharm
  • Patent number: 8896244
    Abstract: A motor control system is provided, including a motor and a control module. The motor operates at a rotational velocity, and creates a regenerative current. The motor has a target field weakening current that is configured for limiting the regenerative current to a threshold value. The control module is in communication with the motor. The control module receives a motor torque command. The control module includes control logic for identifying the target field weakening current based upon the motor torque command and the rotational velocity of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventor: Julie A. Kleinau
  • Patent number: 8810187
    Abstract: A stepper motor system and apparatus use a position-feedback device, which may have a resolution capability as low as 200 counts per motor shaft revolution, for misstep detection and motor step recovery. In use of the system, position deviation is computed periodically and cyclically, by subtracting the feedback position from the corresponding commanded position, to determine the load angle, implicitly, and the operating status of the motor. If the load angle is within an established allowable range of values, normal stepper operation along the programmed trajectory is maintained, without adjustment. A load angle that exceeds the limits of that range however indicates that a misstep has occurred, and the system controller initiates immediate action to recover lost motor steps, to reestablish synchronism, and to then continue toward the final target position, with minimal loss of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Oriental Motor Boston Technology Group Incorporated
    Inventor: Hung D. Vu
  • Patent number: 8810173
    Abstract: Continuous monitoring and fault diagnosis of rotating machinery during variable speed operation is performed using only a position feedback signal. The position sensor generates a periodic waveform having multiple pulses per revolution of the machine. A circuit is included to detect, for example, a zero crossing or edge of the periodic waveform. At each detected zero crossing or edge, the time and position of the event is stored in memory. Other data, such as the current in the motor, may also be sampled and stored in memory. Because the sampled data is triggered by repeated feature of the position feedback signal, the sampled data is in a stationary reference frame in the position domain. Frequency analysis is performed on the sampled data, and the frequency components present in either the sampled signal are analyzed to identify the presence of a fault in the rotating machinery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Linglai Li, Wei Qian, Thomas D. Lundell
  • Patent number: 8796980
    Abstract: A fault detection system for an over-speed protection system of a rotating machine includes a first speed sensor, second speed sensor, and third speed sensor sensing a speed of a shaft of the rotating machine. The system includes a first input configured to receive a first pulse train from the first speed sensor, a second input configured to receive a second pulse train from the second speed sensor, a third input configured to receive a third pulse train from the third speed sensor, and a processor configured to generate a shutdown signal for the rotating machine based on the first pulse train, the second pulse train, and the third pulse train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Glynn Wise, Fred Henry Boettner, John Robert Booth
  • Patent number: 8796965
    Abstract: A DC brushless motor includes a rotary actuation shaft having multiple poles. Each of the poles has multiple commutation steps. The DC brushless motor also includes a motor controller capable of controlling rotation of the rotary actuation shaft. The motor controller stores a commutation step map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Precision Engine Controls Corporation
    Inventor: Joel Mawhinney
  • Patent number: 8786221
    Abstract: A method for controlling a permanent magnet synchronous motor includes detecting an absolute angular position and using the angular position to calculate a rotational speed of the motor; detecting a voltage of a battery as a power source; calculating a compensated speed from a rotational speed of the permanent magnet synchronous motor based on a torque command, the rotational speed of the permanent magnet synchronous motor, and the battery voltage; generating a d-axis current command and a q-axis current command corresponding to the torque command and the compensated speed; calculating a d-axis voltage command and a q-axis voltage command based on the d-axis current command and the q-axis current command; converting the d-axis voltage command and the q-axis voltage command into three-phase voltage commands based on the detected absolute angular position; and controlling the operation of the permanent magnet synchronous motor based on the three-phase voltage commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Bum Sik Kim, Young Kook Lee, Jin Hwan Jung
  • Patent number: 8786243
    Abstract: In a numerically controlled machine tool which has a linear feed axis and a rotational feed axis and in which a main spindle and a table are movable relative to each other, a position error and an attitude error produced by an operation of a linear feed axis and a rotational feed axis are measured at a plurality of measurement points set within a movable range of the linear feed axis and the rotational feed axis, and the position error and the attitude error thus measured are stored as an error map in correspondence to a position of the linear feed axis and a rotation angle of the rotational feed axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Mori, Tadashi Kasahara, Tadahiro Nishiguchi
  • Patent number: 8773054
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of estimating a motor rotation angle that does not affect precision of a detected angle of a crank angle sensor, which is an alternative sensor, when abnormality occurs in a resolver and a peripheral circuit, and performing a motor control without failure of an inverter or peripheral device. A vehicle system includes a motor, a resolver detecting a rotor rotation angle of the motor, a motor control circuit controlling the motor based on information on rotor rotation angle and torque command value, an engine connected to the motor through a crankshaft, and a crankshaft sensor detecting revolutions of the crankshaft, in which the motor control circuit estimates rotor rotation angle based on a variation rate of the number of revolutions of the crankshaft when abnormality of the resolver is detected, and performs a weak field control based on estimated rotor rotation angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosei Goto, Yukihiko Oishi
  • Patent number: 8766562
    Abstract: An adjustment device for adjusting a relative rotational angle position of two shafts (particularly a cam shaft and a crank shaft of an internal combustion engine) that has an adjusting gear which is designed as triple shaft gear and has a drive part connected to a first shaft (crank shaft), a driven part connected to a second shaft (cam shaft), and an adjustment shaft connected to a servomotor shaft of an electric servomotor in a rotationally fixed manner. In order to implement a wide temperature range for the operation of the adjustment device, a temperature sensor is arranged in the servomotor. In a method for operating an adjustment device or an actuator, the current of the servomotor or the actuator is controlled depending on the temperature that was determined earlier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Schaefer, Martin Steigerwald
  • Patent number: 8766586
    Abstract: A magnetic pole position detecting device includes a calculating unit for correcting a magnetic pole position detected by a magnetic pole position detecting unit. In this magnetic pole position detecting device, an additional phase is added to the magnetic pole position detected by the magnetic pole position detecting unit, in order to move a rotor. In relation to a movement amount before and after this movement, a movement amount detected by the magnetic pole position detecting unit is compared with a movement amount detected by an encoder. When a difference between them is larger than a predetermined threshold, a process of detecting the magnetic pole position is determined as false detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Sonoda, Masato Aochi
  • Patent number: 8749927
    Abstract: A unit for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The unit includes a system controller communicatively coupled to an ECM. The system controller includes a processing device configured to control the unit. The unit also includes a memory device communicatively coupled to the system controller. The memory device is configured to receive and store ECM operating information provided by the processing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian L. Beifus, Paul Nathanael Selking, Vijay Dayaldas Gurudasani, Michael R. Koller
  • Patent number: 8744794
    Abstract: One embodiment of the method includes setting up a testing architecture where the testing architecture includes a test IPM machine having an output shaft coupled to an output shaft of a secondary speed control machine. The method further includes controlling the secondary speed control machine to drive the output shaft of the test IPM machine at a first desired speed, determining a pair of desired direct and quadrature axis currents for each of a plurality of peak current magnitudes, and recording characterization data associated with each pair of desired direct and quadrature axis currents. The controlling, determining and recording steps for each of a second through nth desired speeds may be repeated. Control lookup tables for operation of an IPM machine may be generated from the characterization data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Long Wu, Robert Shaw
  • Patent number: 8742706
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronically commutated electric motor. The electric motor comprises a stator, and a rotor, in particular a permanent-magnetic rotor. The electric motor further comprises a control unit connected to the stator. The control unit is designed to actuate the stator such that the stator can generate a magnetic rotating field for rotationally moving the rotor. According to the invention, the control unit of the electric motor is provided with a power output stage having semiconductor switches. Subject to the low-resistance, or short-circuited, semiconductor switch of the power output stage, in particular as a result of defect, the control unit is designed to actuate the stator for generating the rotating field such that during a complete rotor revolution, the rotor can provide a mechanical output, or in the operational mode, a braking torque of the electric motor caused by the defect is reduced, or completely neutralized, by the low-resistance, or short-circuited, semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Henke, Oliver Wackerl, Ulrich Vollmer, Dirk Lamprecht
  • Patent number: 8723461
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for operating interior permanent magnet synchronous motor in a system including a detector measuring a position and a speed of a rotor of an IPMSM, the apparatus including an output unit generating and outputting a current command driving a MTPA (Maximum Torque Per Ampere) based on the command torque, a correction unit correcting the current command outputted by the output unit, a feedback unit transmitting over-modulated voltage information to the correction unit, a control unit controlling the current command to output a voltage, a first limit unit limiting an output of the control unit using a maximum voltage synthesizable by an inverter unit, and the inverter unit applying a 3-phase voltage command for tracking a command torque to the IPMSM using an output of the first limit unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: LSIS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Anno Yoo
  • Patent number: 8710783
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a host ECU and a motor control device. The host ECU controls a wheel driving unit. A power supply to the ECU is halted when an IG switch is turned OFF. The motor control device receives a PWM command signal from the host ECU and controls a motor of a cooling blower. The host ECU modulates a duty ratio of pulses of the PWM command signal by a target rotating speed of the motor, modulates a period of the pulses of the PWM command signal by a continuous operation time of the motor, and transmits the result to the motor control device. The motor control device reconstructs both the target rotating speed and the continuous operation time, and controls rotating speed of the motor from the received PWM command signal. Moreover, the motor control device halts rotation of the motor when a signal-unreceiving time period of the PWM command signal becomes larger than the continuous operation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Sato