Constant Motor Current, Load And/or Torque Control Patents (Class 318/432)
  • Patent number: 9318983
    Abstract: A 0-axis current calculator 7 configured to calculate a target value of the 0-axis current by setting the current of the open phase to be zero when one of the phases becomes open, or determines that the target value of the 0-axis current is zero when there is no open phase is provided. Based on the target values of the d-axis current and the q-axis current, the target value of the 0-axis current calculated by the 0-axis current calculator 7, and the d-axis current, the q-axis current, and the 0-axis current transformed by the d-q-0 transformer 8, the current supplied to each phase of the motor are controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshito Ohta, Keisuke Onishi, Hitoshi Oyori
  • Patent number: 9312685
    Abstract: A hybrid industrial vehicle (1) has as a main configuration: an engine (2); a cargo handling generator motor (3) used for cargo handling; a cargo handling apparatus (4) that can be driven by power received from both the engine (2) and the cargo handling generator motor (3); and a hybrid control system (8). The hybrid control system (8) suppresses an output of the cargo handling generator motor (3) according to a temperature of the cargo handling generator motor (3) during powering of the cargo handling generator motor (3), and suppresses a regeneration amount of the cargo handling generator motor (3) according to the temperature of the cargo handling generator motor (3) during regeneration of the cargo handling generator motor (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI NICHIYU FORKLIFT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kinouchi, Kensuke Futahashi, Kiyomitsu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9300239
    Abstract: A method arranged to control a motor for driving a load is disclosed. The motor and load form at least a part of a system and the motor comprises a stator arranged to produce a varying magnetic field responsive to an applied AC voltage and a rotor arranged to rotate responsive to the varying magnetic field produced by the stator, the rotor rotating at a speed synchronized to a frequency of the applied AC voltage. The method comprises receiving a target rotor speed, determining a voltage level for the applied AC voltage for producing a magnetic field having magnetic flux of sufficient magnitude to maintain the rotor in synchronization with the frequency of the applied AC voltage when rotating at the target speed of rotation. The voltage level is determined in accordance with the target rotor speed and a model of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: CONTROL TECHNIQUES LIMITED
    Inventor: Simon David Hart
  • Patent number: 9290169
    Abstract: A control unit (17) includes a regenerative coordination control unit (17D) and a vehicle speed calculation unit (17E). The regenerative coordination control unit (17D) performs a regeneration cooperative control to distribute the hydraulic braking force and the regenerative braking force. The vehicle speed calculation unit (17E) calculates a vehicle speed. The control unit (17) calculates a basic target driving force based on: an amount of accelerator operation detected by an accelerator operation amount detecting unit (32), and the vehicle speed calculated by the vehicle speed calculation unit (17E), and adds a value corresponding to the regenerative braking force distributed by the regenerative coordination control unit (17D) to the basic target driving force, thus obtaining a target driving force to be generated by motors (4 and 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Saito, Yoshiki Ito, Masaaki Tagawa, Hitoshi Ohkuma
  • Patent number: 9285400
    Abstract: In a method for determining current in a polyphase machine connected to a DC voltage source, a DC link is provided with a DC-link capacitor and, per phase, a high-side switch and a low-side switch. A measurement of the voltage curve across the DC-link capacitor is undertaken. The current of the DC voltage source and/or one or a plurality of phase currents are/is determined from the measured voltage curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Paul Mehringer, Kurt Reutlinger
  • Patent number: 9273671
    Abstract: Method for the identification in operation of the drive train main vibration frequency of a wind turbine, comprising online steps of: a) obtaining a input signal (r) of the generator speed (?); b) filtering the generator speed input signal (r) for obtaining a generator speed signal (r1) in a suitable band for representing the oscillating signal (o) comprised in the input signal (r) of the generator speed (?); c) extracting the drive train main vibration frequency (f) from said filtered signal (r1). The invention also comprise a method of damping the drive train vibrations of a wind turbine comprising steps of setting the generator torque reference (Trref) as a function of the generator speed (?) and of the drive train main vibration frequency (f) identified by the above mentioned method and wind turbine control system implementing said damping method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: GAMESA INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY, S.L.
    Inventors: Octavio Hernandez Mascarell, Jaime Suarez Aizpun, Jorn Klaas Gruber, Carlos Pizarro De La Fuente
  • Patent number: 9270213
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a drive circuit that supplies drive electric power in three phases to a motor, according to turning on or off of FETs; a microcomputer that generates control signals for turning on or off the FETs. The microcomputer detects a current-carrying failure in a U phase when all of (i) a condition that an absolute value of a U phase current value is less than a current determination value, (ii) a condition that a duty value corresponding to the U phase voltage command value is equal to or greater than a first duty determination value, or equal to or less than a second duty determination value; and (iii) a condition that the U phase voltage command value is deviated from the V phase and W phase voltage command values are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidenori Itamoto
  • Patent number: 9263975
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a drive motor and a deck motor that are connected to a battery, an ECU, and a key switch. The key switch acquires that an operation unit has been turned on, and transmits a restart permission signal to the ECU. When SOC of the battery reaches or falls below a first threshold set in advance, the ECU performs a step of disabling all the motors, and when the restart permission signal is received, the ECU performs a step of executing a decelerated travelling mode where the disabled state of the drive motor is released and an allowed speed of the drive motor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hongkun Wang, Kazunari Koga, Shigeaki Nakagawa, Fumitoshi Ishino, William J. Cass
  • Patent number: 9242576
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric machine of a ground vehicle includes periodically determining an aging parameter based upon a temperature of the electric machine and periodically determining a short-term aging effect based upon the periodically determined aging parameter. A long-term aging effect is determined based upon the short-term aging effect. A short-term temperature adjustment is determined based upon the short-term aging effect and a long-term temperature adjustment is determined based upon the long-term aging effect. A temperature-based derated motor torque is determined based upon the long-term temperature adjustment and the short-term temperature adjustment. Operation of the electric machine is controlled responsive to an operator command for torque based upon the temperature-based derated motor torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul F. Turnbull, Steven L. Hayslett, Harry J. Bauer, Daniel J. Berry, George D. Dolan
  • Patent number: 9240740
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electric motor. A desired speed is identified for the electric motor during operation of the electric motor. A voltage is identified to cause the electric motor to turn at the desired speed. The voltage is applied to the electric motor and actively controlled during operation of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Peng Zeng, Christopher Pete Benson, Douglas C. Cameron
  • Patent number: 9239027
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a drive circuit to drive an H-bridge circuit to control a current fed to a motor, a drive command signal generator to generate a drive command signal including a pulse signal having predetermined drive frequency and duty for sending a command to drive the motor, a current detection circuit operable to output a comparison output signal based on comparison between a current detection signal of a motor current and a target value signal, a latch circuit to hold a current detection result based on an ON signal of the drive command signal and the comparison output signal, a gate circuit to drive the drive circuit based on the ON signal of the drive command signal and a latch output signal from the latch circuit, and a control unit that changes the duty of the drive command signal based on the current detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI RIKA DENKI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventor: Yusuke Usui
  • Patent number: 9240777
    Abstract: A switching control device controls a drive circuit including one or more series circuits each one of which includes an upper switching element and a lower switching element. The switching control device includes an upper side temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the upper switching element (hereinafter, “an upper side temperature”), a lower side temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the lower switching element (hereinafter, “a lower side temperature”), and a signal generation circuit adding an offset value to a command voltage of a PWM signal output to the upper and lower switching elements to generate and output a PWM signal to the switching elements so that the upper and lower side temperatures approximate to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Naoto Shinohara, Yusuke Shibano
  • Patent number: 9240744
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods, systems and apparatus for adjusting current and/or torque commands used to control operation of an asynchronous machine based on rotor flux of the asynchronous machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jihoon Jang, Bon Ho Bae, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 9236820
    Abstract: A motor control system is provided. The motor control system includes a motor, a position sensor, a current sensor, and a control module. The motor has a rotor and a stator. The motor generates an output torque based on a phase current applied to the motor. The output torque generated by the motor creates a torque ripple that is within a predefined range. The position sensor monitors the motor to determine a rotor position. The current sensor monitors the motor to determine the phase current. The control module is in communication with the motor, the position sensor, and the current sensor. The control module includes a lookup table that stores values of phase current commands. The control module determines a phase current command from the lookup table based on the rotor position and the phase current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: STEERING SOLUTIONS IP HOLDING CORPORATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
    Inventors: Rajib Mikail, Mohammad S. Islam, Yilmaz Sozer, Iqbal Husain
  • Patent number: 9231514
    Abstract: A winding switching signal generator is configured to obtain information indicating a degree of field weakening from at least one of a current command calculator and a constant output controller, and to generate a winding switching signal for switching from a low speed rotation state to a high speed rotation state when the degree of the field weakening exceeds a predetermined condition in the low speed rotation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Zhenning Chen, Tomohiro Kawachi, Kenji Tomohara, Koji Higashikawa, Masashi Takenouchi
  • Patent number: 9223321
    Abstract: A method of reducing periodic disturbances in the feedback quantity of a controlled system is disclosed. The method includes receiving a feedback signal and repeatedly deriving respective magnitudes of harmonic components of the feedback signal to produce corresponding error signals. The error signals and harmonic components are used to generate harmonic control signals. The harmonic control signals are used to create a plurality of negative feedback loops acting to reduce the error signals. The present disclosure thus provides negative feedback control in the frequency domain. In one specific disclosed embodiment, the control is tied to the periodic domain resulting from the rotation of an actuator motor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: CONTROL TECHNIQUES LIMITED
    Inventor: Michael Cade
  • Patent number: 9211806
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods, systems and apparatus for generating voltage commands used to control operation of a permanent magnet machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Milun Perisic, Silva Hiti, Gabriel Gallegos-Lopez
  • Patent number: 9199623
    Abstract: A motor driven brake system including a parking brake, in particular, a motor driven parking brake system in which a parking brake is implemented using a compact motor and a plurality of disks and friction pads mutually fractionized or released by the compact motor, so that it is possible to reduce operating noise of a solenoid as compared with that of an existing solenoid and to prevent a phenomenon that although a power failure of the compact motor occurs during driving, the braking power of the motor driven brake system is not released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Dong Yoon Hyun, Jong Yoon Jeong, In Su Kim
  • Patent number: 9203340
    Abstract: A temperature calculation unit calculates a temperature T1 of one power semiconductor chip as a temperature estimating target, from a reference temperature, a temperature difference ?T1, and a temperature difference ?T2. The temperature difference ?T1 is calculated based on an electric power loss Q1 generated in all power semiconductor chips of a power semiconductor module containing one power semiconductor chip as the temperature estimating target. The temperature difference ?T2 is calculated based on the electric power loss Q1 and an electric power loss Q2 generated in all power semiconductor chips of a power semiconductor module other than the power semiconductor module containing one power semiconductor chip as the temperature estimating target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryouta Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 9189000
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring an on-load tap changer according to the known “windowing technique,” wherein for synchronization, the current (I) on the diverter switch is continuously detected, the effective value (Ieff) is calculated, which in turn is differentiated. The corresponding point in time, at which the maximum or minimum of the differentiated value occurs, is evaluated to be the moment for the diverter switch leap (tLU), and produces the synchronization impulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: MASCHINENFABRIK REINHAUSEN GMBH
    Inventors: Mario Schmeckebier, Alexander Winterer
  • Patent number: 9180878
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control device basically includes an engine, a motor/generator, a first clutch, a second clutch and an engine start control section. The first clutch is disposed between the engine and the motor/generator. The second clutch is disposed between the motor/generator and a drive wheel. The engine start control section has a second clutch slip transition control section that is configured to control a transition of the second clutch to slip engagement when an engine start control is begun based on a mode transition request resulting from an accelerator depression operation, by increasing the torque transmission capacity of the second clutch according to a prescribed slope after dropping the torque transmission capacity of the second clutch to a value smaller than a target drive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Matsui, Hiroki Shimoyama, Yutaka Takamura
  • Patent number: 9171567
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, and a spindle motor configured to rotate the disk. A speed of the spindle motor is sampled, and an error signal is generated based on a difference between the sampled speed and a target speed. A sliding mode control signal for controlling a speed of the spindle motor is generated based on a first non-zero gain when the error signal is greater than zero and less than a first positive threshold, and a second non-zero gain when the error signal is greater than the first positive threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Nicholls, Taylor Norito Kelena Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9168949
    Abstract: A steering system clatter mitigation apparatus and method. The clatter mitigation apparatus excites the steering system at a frequency within a range of an existing engine noise. The excitation of the steering system at a different frequency than the clatter sound greatly reduces the clatter sound. The sound produced by the excitation of the steering system is masked by the existing sound of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Mario D'Amato, Dimitar Petrov Filev
  • Patent number: 9166520
    Abstract: A range switching device may switch a shift range despite resetting and restarting of a controller. When the controller is reset and restarted during a switching operation of the shift range and the shift range before or after being switched is a P range, the controller controls a motor to rotate the motor until a range switching mechanism abuts against a first limit position of a movable range of the range switching mechanism and learns a rotation position of the motor as a reference position of the motor. When the shift ranges before and after being switched are the ranges other that the P range, the controller controls the motor to rotate until the range switching mechanism abuts against a second limit position of the movable range and learns the rotation position of the motor as the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Nagata, Jun Yamada, Kazuhiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9160272
    Abstract: A control device for a permanent magnet motor, including: a rotor position detector configured to detect a rotating speed of a rotor of a permanent magnet motor in a state in which the permanent magnet motor is disconnected from a load by a clutch and rotates without power supply; a magnet temperature estimator configured to estimate a magnet temperature of the permanent magnet motor based on the detected rotating speed; a current compensator configured to determine a compensation amount for compensating for a current command to the permanent magnet motor based on the estimated magnet temperature; and a drive control device configured to control a power converter for driving the permanent magnet motor based on the compensation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoya Tachibana, Takeshi Mori, Mitsuharu Hashiba, Masaya Inoue, Moriyuki Hazeyama
  • Patent number: 9154072
    Abstract: A motor torque control apparatus and method are provided for reducing jolting and noise caused by an acceleration or tip-in operation in an electric or fuel cell vehicle and for improving response to acceleration by the acceleration or tip-in operation. The motor torque control apparatus includes a limiter operative to limit a slew rate of a final torque signal applied to a motor of the vehicle based on a maximum slew rate selected from one of two previously-input slew rate variable maps. Specifically, L-mode and D-mode control units select the slew rate according to slew rate variable maps of an L mode and of D mode, respectively. A switch unit connects one of the L-mode and D-mode control units to the limiter based on a current operation state of the vehicle. The control units select the slew rate based on the torque signal output by the limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae Won Jung, Kyu-Il Lee, Sung-Gone Yoon
  • Patent number: 9136785
    Abstract: A motor control system is provided. The motor control system includes a motor having plurality of motor harmonics, and a torque ripple compensation controller in communication with the motor. The torque ripple compensation controller is configured to determine a harmonic ripple current for a corresponding one of the plurality of motor harmonics. The harmonic ripple current is based on a reference q-axis current and a reference d-axis current. The torque ripple compensation controller is configured to add the harmonic ripple current for each of the plurality of motor harmonics together to determine the ripple compensating current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Abraham Gebregergis, Mohammad S. Islam, Tomy Sebastian, Mazharul H. Chowdhury, Shakil Hossain, Ramakrishnan RajaVenkitasubramony, Niharika P. Popy
  • Patent number: 9109517
    Abstract: A method of monitoring health of a mechanical drive train is provided. The method includes obtaining voltage and current signals from at least one phase of an electrical machine coupled with the mechanical drive train. The method also includes representing the electrical machine having a non-sinusoidal flux distribution as a combination of a plurality of harmonic order sinusoidally distributed virtual electrical machines based on the obtained voltage and current signals. The method further includes determining a torque profile associated with one or more combinations of the sinusoidally distributed virtual electrical machines. Finally, the method includes detecting the presence of an anomaly in the mechanical drive train based on the torque profile or spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arijit Banerjee, Rupam Mukherjee, Arvind Kumar Tiwari, Somakumar Ramachandrapanicker, Srilatha Boyanapally, Paul Lloyd Flynn, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • Patent number: 9112437
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of detecting the disconnection state of a power cable in an inverter system. The method includes detecting a battery voltage, detecting a DC-link voltage, detecting the disconnection state of the power cable based on a difference value between the detected battery voltage and the DC-link voltage, and stopping driving of a motor if the power cable is detected as being disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: LSIS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kwang Woon Kim
  • Patent number: 9106163
    Abstract: A control device for controlling a three phase AC motor with an inverter includes: a sensor phase current acquisition device for a sensor phase current sensed value; a rotation angle acquisition device for a rotation angle sensed value; a number-of-revolutions operation device for the revolution number; a current estimation device for a current estimated value; a first voltage command value operation device for a first voltage command value; a voltage command reference value operation device for a voltage command reference value; a second voltage command value operation device for a second voltage command value; a control mode switching device for switching to a first control mode when the revolution number is more than a threshold, and switching to a second control mode when the revolution number is not more than the threshold; and a torque abnormality monitoring device for monitoring an output torque during the second control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Omata, Takeshi Itoh, Hirofumi Kako
  • Patent number: 9096135
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes an electric motor configured to provide traction and a control system. The control system may be configured to receive a signal indicative of a requested torque and determine an acceleration limit based on the requested torque. The electric vehicle may also include an inverter operatively coupled to the control system and the electric motor. The inverter may be configured to control the electric motor based at least on (a) a signal indicative of the requested torque, and (b) a signal indicative of the acceleration limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Proterra Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Simonini
  • Patent number: 9093936
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an AC motor driven by an inverter includes a two-phase calculator for calculating a two-phase control current value based on a first-phase current, a second-phase current, and a rotation angle of the motor, a one-phase calculator for calculating a one-phase control current value based on the first-phase current and the rotation angle, a determinator for determining whether a sudden change occurs based on a fluctuation in a rotation speed of the motor, a switch for selecting the one-phase control current value as a fixed value when no sudden change occurs and selecting the two-phase control current value as the fixed value when the sudden change occurs, and a voltage command value calculator for calculating a voltage command value related to a voltage applied to the inverter based on the current fixed value and a drive command value related to driving of the AC motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuji Omata, Takeshi Itoh, Hirofumi Kako
  • Patent number: 9085318
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electric power steering apparatus. The electric power steering apparatus includes: a torque sensor configured to detect a torque applied to a steering wheel; a current detector configured to measure a current flowing through a driving motor; and an electronic control unit configured to estimate a current flowing through the driving motor depending on the detected torque and compare the estimated current with the measured current to judge a malfunction of the torque sensor or the current detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae Sang Park, Jong Kwan Kim
  • Patent number: 9085317
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling a steering assist unit of a vehicle. The method includes receiving sensor data indicating a wheel position of a wheel relative to a frame of the vehicle, and determining a travel limit value for the steering assist unit based at least on the wheel position of the wheel. The method further includes outputting a control signal to control the travel of the steering assist unit based on the travel limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Terrel D. Johnson, John T. Zuzelski, Tadge J. Juechter
  • Patent number: 9059629
    Abstract: A power supply device system including: a switching power supply device converting an alternating voltage to a predetermined direct current by means of a switching operation of a switching element, and supplying the direct current to a load; a control parameter generation device generating a control parameter corresponding to at least one of the alternating voltage and the direct current; and a signal transmission unit disposed between the switching power supply device and the control parameter generation device, transmitting the control parameter to the switching power supply device, wherein the switching power supply device has a control unit detecting the direct current, storing the control parameter, and generating a driving pulse for the switching element to perform the switching operation so that the direct current becomes substantially constant, based on the direct current detected and the control parameter stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9054612
    Abstract: A motor control system is provided. The motor control system includes a motor having plurality of motor harmonics, and a torque ripple compensation controller in communication with the motor. The torque ripple compensation controller is configured to determine a harmonic ripple current for a corresponding one of the plurality of motor harmonics. The harmonic ripple current is based on a reference q-axis current and a reference d-axis current. The torque ripple compensation controller is configured to add the harmonic ripple current for each of the plurality of motor harmonics together to determine the ripple compensating current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Abraham Gebregergis, Mohammad S. Islam, Tomy Sebastian, Mazharul H. Chowdhury, Shakil Hossain, Ramakrishnan RajaVenkitasubramony, Niharika P. Popy
  • Patent number: 9051024
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a motor drive section that supplies electric power from a main battery to a motor to drive the motor. The motor drive section can include an inverter configured to convert direct current from the main battery into alternating current, and a capacitor configured to stabilize an operation of the inverter. A resistor is configured to discharge electric charge of the capacitor, and discharge operation unit can be configured to manually control the resistor to discharge the electric charge of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Miyagawa, Kunihiko Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9045156
    Abstract: A control device (3) controlling an electric motor (2) is disposed on an axial line of a rotor shaft (30) of the electric motor (2). The control device (3) includes semiconductor switching devices (15) forming a three-phase bridge circuit that controls a current of the electric motor (2) and capacitors (13) that suppresses a ripple component of a current flowing to the electric motor (2). The semiconductor switching devices (15) and the capacitors (13) are provided in pairs for respective arms of the three-phase bridge circuit and disposed concentrically. Hence, impedance across the three-phase circuit controlling a current flowing to the electric motor is reduced. Consequently, not only can ripples be absorbed efficiently but also power efficiency of a driving device can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Omae, Tsutomu Tominaga, Shinichi Ito
  • Patent number: 9043090
    Abstract: An automatic steering apparatus that can suppress steering wheel vibration and that can also smooth angular control. In the automatic steering apparatus, a motor that steers steered wheels is controlled by a control unit. Information from an angle sensor that generates a signal that corresponds to a steering angle of the steered wheels is sent to the control unit. The control unit corrects a target steering angle of the steered wheels such that angular acceleration of the target steering angle is less than or equal to a limiting value. The control unit controls the motor such that the steering angle of the steered wheels tracks the corrected target steering angle based on the information from the angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Endo, Masahiko Kurishige, Kenji Ogawa, Takayuki Kifuku, Hiroyuki Kozuki
  • Patent number: 9041331
    Abstract: A motor controlling apparatus includes a first target torque value calculator, a frequency detector, a second target torque value calculator, a torque command value calculator, a torque limiter, and a controller. The first target torque value calculator calculates a first target torque value, which is a target value of an output torque of a motor. The frequency detector detects a motor rotational frequency. The second target torque value calculator calculates a second target torque value based on the rotational frequency. The torque command value calculator mathematically combines (e.g., adds) the first and target torque values to calculate a torque command value. The torque limiter sets the signs of the first target torque value and the torque command value to be equal to limit the torque command value according to the first target torque value. The controller controls the motor based on the limited torque command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Fujiwara, Ken Ito
  • Patent number: 9041335
    Abstract: A driver circuit for driving an electrical load includes an input terminal pole connecting the driver circuit to an AC voltage source, an output terminal pole connecting the driver circuit to the load, a rectifier circuit connected to the input terminal pole for converting an AC voltage into a pulsating DC voltage, and a control element connected to the rectifier circuit and to the output terminal pole. The control element has a switch and a controller, the controller switching the switch on and off by means of a pulse train signal, wherein an electrical output value of the driver circuit is adjustable by switching the switch. The controller is configured to vary at least one time-based value of the pulse train signal within one period of the pulsating DC voltage such that a driver current is adjusted at the output terminal pole having a defined waveform within the period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: C. & E. FEIN GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Beichter, Mark Heilig, Ulf Rinckleb, Heinrich Steinhart
  • Publication number: 20150137721
    Abstract: A power tool comprises a motor, an output torque calculation unit configured to calculate an output torque of the motor based on a current flowing through the motor, a friction torque calculation unit configured to calculate a friction torque of the motor based on a rotation speed of the motor, a load torque estimation unit configured to estimate a load torque acting on the motor, an inertia torque calculation unit configured to calculate an inertia torque based on the output torque, the friction torque and the load torque, and a motor deceleration unit configured to stop or decelerate the motor when the inertia torque is greater than an inertia torque reference value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Hirokatsu YAMAMOTO, Takaaki OSADA
  • Patent number: 9030146
    Abstract: A digital filter is configured to convert, into a digital value, the duty ratio of a control signal subjected to pulse width modulation according to a target toque to be set for a fan motor to be driven. A sampling circuit is configured to perform sampling of the output value of the digital filter at a sampling timing that is asynchronous with respect to the cycle of the control signal, so as to generate a torque instruction value. A driving circuit is configured to drive the fan motor according to the torque instruction value thus generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiya Suzuki, Shinsuke Sano
  • Patent number: 9030142
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for an electrical machine having a plurality of stator windings, with each stator winding including at least a first winding phase and a second winding phase. The circuit arrangement includes at least a prespecified first and a prespecified second selection of in each case a plurality of half-bridges. A common connection of the two switching elements of the respective half-bridge of the first selection can be electrically coupled in each case to a connection of the first winding phase of the respectively associated stator winding. A common connection of the two switching elements of the respective half-bridge of the second selection can be electrically coupled in each case to a connection of the second winding phase of the respective associated stator winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Csaba Györi
  • Patent number: 9024556
    Abstract: In an electrical machine which has time-varying or position-varying disturbances in its output, signals representing the position and values of machine-related parameters are used to solve a model of the machine to calculate the phase currents which are required to minimize the disturbances. The model is able to provide solutions in the presence of limitations of some of the operating conditions of the machine, for example the supply voltage or the error in the signal representing the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec SR Drives, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Ian Peter Henderson, Joseph Gerald Marcinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 9025336
    Abstract: A linked semiconductor module unit links a plurality of semiconductor modules by a first bus bar and a second bus bar, which are embedded in resin parts. The linked semiconductor module unit is disposed in a place other than on a printed circuit board. The semiconductor module linking structure is implemented readily by molding the bus bars together with semiconductor chips and lands to form the resin parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Minato, Hideki Kabune, Atsushi Furumoto
  • Patent number: 9024559
    Abstract: A converter module for a variable speed drive having a semiconductor device for precharge is described. The precharge circuit includes switching modules, one switching module with a first semiconductor switch connected in parallel or series with a second semiconductor switch. The second semiconductor switch is switched on and off during the precharge operation in order to limit the inrush current into the DC Link. After the precharge operation, the second semiconductor switch is turned on all the time and acts like a diode. The second semiconductor device may have a lower maximum current rating than the main semi-conductor devices. The lower current rated semiconductor device experience the same short circuit current as the higher current rated semiconductor device. The lower current rated semiconductor device can be supplied with a larger gate to emitter voltage than the higher current rated semiconductor device to equalize current between semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Shreesha Adiga-Manoor, Michael S. Todd, Ivan Jadric
  • Patent number: 9018883
    Abstract: A motor drive circuit operates in a first mode in which the output current flowing to a first output terminal from a second output terminal is increasing or in a second mode in which the output current flowing to the first output terminal from the second output terminal is decayed. In the first mode, a first voltage signal is output from the first signal terminal and the ground voltage output from the second signal terminal and, in the second mode, a ground voltage is output from the first signal terminal and a second voltage signal is output from the second signal terminal. The motor drive circuit compares the signals output from the first and second signal terminals and output comparison results to a control unit for controlling the output current through the motor coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Taishi Shibataka, Akira Fujita
  • Patent number: 9018876
    Abstract: When a current sensor fails, instead of a normal-time motor control section, an abnormal-time motor control section drives and controls a motor. The abnormal-time motor control section detects a timing at which motor current I becomes zero in a state in which all the switching devices are turned off (S11 to S13). Every time the motor current I becomes zero, the abnormal-time motor control section sets an ON time T0 corresponding to steering torque |tr| (S14 to S15), and turns on the switching devices corresponding to the direction of the steering torque for the ON time T0 (S17 to S20). With this operation, an average current Iavg corresponding to the steering torque |tr| flows through the motor 20, whereby deterioration of the followability of steering assist is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 9018870
    Abstract: A control device for a rotating electrical machine, which is able to reduce a tracking delay of an actual output torque and actual currents with respect to a fluctuating torque command and fluctuating current commands and to reduce steady state deviations, is obtained. The control device includes a torque current computing unit; an actual current computing unit; a current feedback control unit; and a voltage control unit that controls voltages on the basis of the two-phase voltage commands. The torque command includes a fluctuation cancellation torque command for cancelling transmission torque fluctuations transmitted from the internal combustion engine, and the current feedback control unit includes a harmonic controller that calculates the two-phase voltage commands by using a characteristic of a transfer function corresponding to a periodic function of a frequency of the transmission torque fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kobayashi, Arinori Shimada, Takeshi Aoki, Subrata Saha, Ken Iwatsuki