Abstract: The invention concerns a method for controlling a switching assembly comprising a plurality of transistors connected in parallel, having a linear operating mode, a closed-switch operating mode and an off operating mode including a first operating phase during which a current flows from a source terminal to a drain terminal and a second operating phase during which no current flows. The method includes the following successive steps; (a) controlling the switching assembly in closed-switch mode during part of the first phase; (b) controlling the switching assembly in linear mode; (c) controlling the assembly in off mode during part of the second phase.

Abstract: In order to improve reliability, cost performance, and cooling property, a control device integrated dynamo-electric machine mounted to a dynamo-electric machine includes an inverter bridge configured with a plurality of semiconductor switching elements, and a plurality of heat sinks provided for respective arms of the inverter bridge and having the semiconductor switching elements of the corresponding arms mounted thereon for cooling the mounted semiconductor switching elements, wherein the semiconductor switching element includes a plurality of semiconductor switching devices arranged in parallel, and the plurality of semiconductor switching devices arranged in parallel are mounted on the common heat sinks.

Abstract: An electrical system for a vehicle includes a power source providing electrical power to a first and a second electrical motor. Each motor has two or more windings, and each winding has a first end and a second end. A boost link such as a battery or capacitor is configured to store electrical energy for subsequent retrieval and use by either electrical motor. A first inverter circuit includes a first grouping of switches, wherein each of the first group of switches couples one of the first ends of the windings to the power source. A second inverter circuit includes a second group of switches, each coupling one of the second ends of the windings to the boost link. A controller is coupled to activate each of the first and second groups of switches to thereby allow the electrical energy to be placed on and retrieved from the boost link.

Abstract: A motor-drive circuit comprising: a current-passage-control circuit to perform ON/OFF control of a drive transistor connected to a motor coil to pass current through the motor coil; an overcurrent-state-detection circuit to detect whether current passing through the drive transistor is in an overcurrent state where the current exceeds a predetermined threshold value; a charging and discharging circuit to start charging a capacitor in response to detecting the overcurrent state by the overcurrent-state-detection circuit and subsequently discharge the capacitor in response to not detecting the overcurrent state; and an overcurrent-protection-control circuit to stop the ON/OFF control to turn off the drive transistor, for an elapsed charging period for a charging voltage of the capacitor at a predetermined voltage to exceed a threshold voltage, and determine whether to perform such an overcurrent-protection-control as to turn off the drive transistor by detection of the overcurrent state, after the charging peri

Abstract: The power switches of an inverter are mechanically integrated with an electric motor of a vehicle and are mounted on the end plate of the motor and employ short connections between the motor a-c terminals and the inverter a-c output terminals. Bond wireless modules are employed. The electronic controls for the inverter are mounted on a main control board which is positioned remotely from the inverter and is not subject to the heat and EMI produced by the inverter.

Abstract: A control circuit for controlling a motor. The control circuit includes a control module, a current transformation module and a comparison module. The control module generates a control current and a comparison voltage according to a first current, a first voltage and an input voltage. The current transformation module, coupled to the control module, generates a first output voltage from a first output terminal and a second output voltage from a second output terminal. The comparison module, coupled to the control module and the current transformation module, compares a threshold voltage, the first output voltage, the second output voltage, and the comparison voltage and generates a plurality of control signals to control the motor.

Abstract: A positioning unit including a rotational position detector detecting a rotational position of a motor; a control phase angle generator generating a control phase angle corresponding to the detected rotational position; a rotational speed detector detecting a rotational speed; a position controller calculating a target rotational speed based on a difference between a target stop position and the rotational position and specifying a command d-axis voltage at zero when the difference is greater than a predetermined reference value, and at a predetermined exciting voltage when the difference is equal to or less than the reference value; a speed controller generating a command q-axis voltage based on the difference between the target rotational speed and the rotational speed; a coordinate transformer performing rotational coordinate transformation of the command d-axis voltage and the command q-axis voltage to form a three-phase command voltage; and a conductive signal generator generating three-phase conductive

Abstract: A brushless synchronous motor includes a controller producing a plurality of current vectors having different directions, applied to the synchronous motor. The synchronous motor control system includes a sensor for sensing the rotational angle of a synchronous motor, and a computer for generating data describing a plurality of current vectors corresponding to the rotational angle sensed by the sensor. The computer interfaces with a plurality of digital to analogue conversion circuits generating a plurality of control signals. The control signals are applied to amplification circuitry thereby generating a plurality of current vectors to supply the stator coils of the motor. The motor includes two sections of stator coil arrangements; one is arranged interior to the permanent magnets of the rotor, and one is arrange exterior to the rotor.

Abstract: An electronically commutated motor (ECM 20) has terminals (56, 62) for connection to a DC power source (63). It has a permanent-magnet rotor (22), also a first and a second series circuit (40, 50) in each of which a stator winding strand (30, 32) is connected in series with a controllable semiconductor switch (34, 44), which two series circuits are connected in parallel to form a parallel circuit (52). In addition to the strand-connected switches (34, 44) typically found in an ECM, in a supply lead to said parallel circuit (52), a third controllable semiconductor switch (60) controls energy supply from the DC power source (63). In order to increase motor efficiency and minimize the size of any motor capacitor required, special switching steps are performed so that electromagnetic energy, remaining in the winding(s) after shutoff of power application, is converted into motor torque, instead of being dissipated as heat.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor controller of an air conditioner, including a converter for converting a commercial AC power into a DC power, an inverter including a plurality of switching elements, the inverter receiving the DC power, converting the DC power into an AC power through a switching operation and driving a three-phase motor, a gate driver for controlling the switching operation of the switching elements, and a plurality of voltage drop units connected between the converter and the gate driver, the voltage drop units dropping the DC power and supplying driving voltages for an operation of the switching elements. Accordingly, circuit elements within a controller can be protected.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an inverter system for a vehicle-mounted air conditioner that prevents noise from entering a control circuit and allows high speed communication. A motor control microcomputer 24 is isolated from a gate circuit 22, and communication therebetween is performed via a photocoupler 80. This suppresses the influence of noise resulting from changes caused by changes in voltage and current that occur in a high voltage system for driving a motor 30. Also, the motor control microcomputer 24 and a communication driver 27 can be directly bus-connected without a photocoupler, thereby allowing high speed communication therebetween.

Abstract: The electronic commutator circuits provide forced commutation enhancements that can be embedded within a known electronic commutator to overcome its low speed torque limitation. The forced commutation enhancements to the basic switched stage use a pair of thyristors. Capacitors may be pre-charged and synchronized to supplement coil voltages when discharged, thereby reducing commutation overlap duration and maximizing the turn-off time available to allow the thyristors to attain forward blocking capability. A capacitive discharge can be achieved by initiating the capacitive discharge by the same thyristor that will carry the current following the commutation, or by initiating the capacitive discharge by an auxiliary thyristor.

Abstract: In a method for measuring motor speed and position by detecting the back-EMF generated during pole-pair interactions, fluctuations of a three-phase motor power supply that may affect back-EMF detection are reduced. One phase of the power supply is tristated for a certain interval preceding and during back-EMF detection. For a shorter interval during back-EMF detection, the voltage drop across the motor is reduced from the full power supply voltage. This preferably is accomplished either by pulling a first of the other two power supply phases low, while pulling a second of the other two power supply phases up to a regulated voltage below the power supply voltage, or by pulling the second of the other two phases up to the power supply voltage and pulling the first of the other two phases down to a regulated voltage above ground.

Abstract: A motor drive unit capable of detecting the position of a stationary rotor of any type of sensorless motor, determining a proper startup logic for the rotor, and starting up the motor in a stable condition. To do this, multiple stator coils of the sensorless motor are supplied with rotor-position detecting drive voltages that are adapted to vary the middle point voltage of the multiple stator coils but do not rotate the motor. The middle point voltage of the stator coils is compared with a detection reference voltage. When the result of the comparison matches one of predetermined detection logic patterns, a proper startup logic is generated in accordance with the position of the rotor specified by the matching detection logic pattern to start up the motor. Otherwise, the detection reference voltage is changed in level, and a new rotor-position detecting signal is generated to repeat the procedure for detecting the rotor position.

Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The method includes providing a pulse width modulated signal to an ECM controller and adjusting a duty cycle of the pulse width modulated signal to cause the ECM controller to regulate at least one of a maximum current drawn by the ECM and an average voltage applied to the ECM.

Abstract: Method and system of controlling lighting fixtures. The lighting fixtures being associated with controllable devices having features for emitting light. The control thereof may be based on a show schedule or other features used to designate desired operation of the lighting fixtures.

Abstract: As a boosting-type motor driving device using no reactor, a motor driving device capable of controlling boosting operation and motor driving at the same time is provided, and an automobile using the motor driving device is also provided. The motor driving device is used for driving a motor with a double-winding structure having a first set of three-phase windings and a second set of three-phase winding which are wound over a stator, and includes first and second inverters, which are connected respectively to the first set of three-phase windings and the second set of three-phase windings, thereby controlling the first and second inverters to control a driving force of the motor with the double-winding structure. The first and second inverters have positive and negative terminals which are connected respectively in common to a high-voltage battery.

Abstract: A driver for a brushless motor (10) is described comprising a static position sensing device (22), a back EMF detector for detecting a back EMF voltage (40), comprising a filter (42). The driver further comprises an output stage (30) with at least three modules (30U, 30V, 30W) for supplying a current to a respective phase coil (11U, 11V, 11W) of the motor (10), and a commutating device (21) for selectively enabling respective modules (30U, 30V, 30W) of the output stage (30) depending on the position ($) of the motor. The selectively enabling is alternated with a commutation frequency (VE). The commutating device (21) is controlled by the static position-sensing device (22) at startup of the motor and by the back EMF detector (40) after the first detected back EMF pulse.

Abstract: A brushless direct current (BLDC) motor having a simulated tapped-winding input. The BLDC motor includes a stator/rotor assembly having a stator and a rotor. The BLDC motor has a common input and a plurality of power inputs. Each power input corresponds to an operating parameter. The BLDC motor receives an AC voltage across the common input and one of the power inputs and operates the stator/rotor assembly according to an operating parameter corresponding to the power input receiving power.

Abstract: The invention relates to a two-phase permanent magnet motor which is controlled by a frequency converter. The frequency converter is advantageously provided with a three-phase inverter having six switches that are controlled in such a manner as to minimize switching losses.

Abstract: Simple AC circuitry driving a brush-less motor having a rotor consisting of alternate polarity permanent magnets poles, with the rotor journaled in a stator with a like number of wound poles having only two free ends for energizing. The motor is using only two AC electronic switches for starting and accelerating, and an AC switch to run the motor at synchronous speed. It has higher efficiency than previously known circuits, uses less parts and is less costly.