Positional Servo Systems (e.g., Servomechanisms) Patents (Class 318/560)
  • Patent number: 8575877
    Abstract: A solar-powered automated system for the operation of drapery, roller blinds, and similar window coverings. The solar panel (102), or photovoltaic source provides the sole power to drive common types of window drapery and blinds in a compact system having a solar panel (photovoltaic source), actuator (104) and head rail (120). The solar panel (102) is to be mounted onto the frame of a window or elsewhere to collect sufficient light. A connecting cable links the solar panel (102) to the actuator (104) to draw electrical power from the solar panel. The actuator is attached to the head-rail (120) to provide the required driving force. The actuator (104) includes the control circuit boards, a single rechargeable battery (110), an electric motor (106) and output mechanism. An RF remote control receiver (116) is built inside the actuator (104). A low voltage control port (114) allows the actuator (104) to be accessible by a control interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: BTX Holdings, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Alex Liu
  • Patent number: 8564239
    Abstract: A medium detection device includes: a sensor lever configured to rotate corresponding to a travel of a recording medium; a sensor configured to detect the rotation of the sensor lever; a stopper having a guide surface inclined with respect to the movement direction of the sensor lever and configured to stop movement of the sensor lever upon the rotation of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Haruyama
  • Patent number: 8558498
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a drive device comprises a first generating unit which moves in straightly movable manner or rotatable manner and generates precharge pressure, a sliding guide unit which has a sliding guide surface that comes into contact with a sliding surface of the first generating unit and to which the precharge pressure is given, a vibration unit which gives vibration to the first generating unit, and a second generating unit. When the vibration is given to the first generating unit, the second generating unit generates driving force for driving the first generating unit in a predetermined direction so that the driving force is more than frictional force between the sliding surface and the sliding guide surface. When the vibration is not given to the first generating unit, the second generating unit generates the driving force so that the driving force is less than the frictional force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takahashi, Hideki Nukada
  • Patent number: 8558501
    Abstract: The command signal processing unit outputs, when a first PWM frequency command signal is received, a high-PWM frequency command signal such that an asynchronous PWM control is performed at a PWM frequency of a predetermined constant frequency. The command signal processing unit outputs, when a second PWM frequency command signal is received, a low-PWM frequency command signal such that an asynchronous or synchronous PWM control is performed at a frequency lower than the above-described frequency. The PWM frequency control unit controls the PWM frequency such that an asynchronous PWM control is performed if a motor has a rotational speed less than a predetermined rotational speed and that a synchronous PWM control is performed if the motor has a rotational speed greater than or equal to the predetermined rotational speed, when a low-PWM frequency command signal is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuji Tsunematsu, Kazushige Nakajima, Hiroyuki Kitazwa, Tomoyuki Yokogawa
  • Publication number: 20130257337
    Abstract: An electric motor and a control unit are juxtaposed in a speed reduction gear box. A terminal block is provided at an outer circumference of a flange proximate to a control unit of the electric motor. Terminal block surfaces of the terminal block are provided so that a plane direction faces a direction vertical to a shaft line of the electric motor. A motor side connecting terminal is held on the terminal block surface. The unit side connecting terminals provided at a position proximate to the electric motor of the control unit are arranged so as to overlap with the motor side connecting terminal on the terminal block surface to couple by a coupling portion (fixing screw).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ochiai, Mikihiko Tsunoda, Naoki Sawada
  • Patent number: 8547047
    Abstract: In a method and device for monitoring a movement-controlled machine, such as a manipulator, having an electronically commutated drive motor for which a commutation angle is provided based on its detected real position and a control variable, in particular a predetermined desired position, a limit value is determined for a rate of change in particular a time derivative of the real position of the drive motor, and the commutation angle is predetermined such that the rate of change of the commutation angle does not exceed a limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Kuka Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Bonin, Josef Hofmann
  • Patent number: 8541970
    Abstract: Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Nowlin, Paul W. Mohr, Bruce M. Schena, David Q. Larkin, Gary S. Guthart
  • Patent number: 8525465
    Abstract: A feedback switching device and a method allow a drive control loop for a servo motor to actively switch the feedback mode in accordance with the rotating speed of the servo motor. When the servo motor is under a high speed operation, a sensorless position estimation feedback technology is used as the feedback mode; on the other hand, when the servo motor is under a low speed operation, the switching mode is automatically switched to a position sensing feedback technology. Therefore, the development needs for multi-function, high performance and low cost in the field of the servo motor control are met, and the conventional problem is solved that, when being applied to a servo driving system having a wide speed range, the single use of the position sensing feedback technology or the sensorless position estimation feedback technology fails to satisfy the application for a wide speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuo-Lin Chiu, Chia-Min Ting, Hsin-Hung Chou
  • Patent number: 8525461
    Abstract: There are provided a command speed calculation means (101) for outputting a command speed (?r) from a base speed (?b) and a ratio gain (?), reference speed generation means (108) calculating a reference speed (?a) so as to follow the command speed (?r) based on the command speed (?r), control deviation calculation means (103) for outputting a control deviation (e) from a speed deviation (?e) and a speed deviation correction value (?ec), speed control means (104) for outputting a compensation torque (?m) for decreasing the control deviation (e), speed deviation correction means (105) for calculating the speed deviation correction value (?ec) from at least the compensation torque (?m), command torque calculation means (107) for outputting a command torque (?r) from at least the compensation torque (?m) and ratio calculation means (102) for calculating the ratio gain (?) from the speed deviation (?e).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Marushita, Hidetoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8525460
    Abstract: An SEA architecture for controlling the torque applied by an SEA that has particular application for controlling the position of a robot link. The SEA architecture includes a motor coupled to one end of an elastic spring and a load coupled to an opposite end of the elastic spring, where the motor drives the load through the spring. The orientation of the shaft of the motor and the load are measured by position sensors. Position signals from the position sensors are sent to an embedded processor that determines the orientation of the load relative to the motor shaft to determine the torque on the spring. The embedded processor receives reference torque signals from a remote controller, and the embedded processor operates a high-speed servo loop about the desired joint torque. The remote controller determines the desired joint torque based on higher order objectives by their impedance or positioning objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC, The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Matthew J. Reiland, Brian Hargrave, Robert Platt, Muhammad E. Abdallah, Frank Noble Permenter
  • Patent number: 8519728
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for modifying a stage position and measuring at least one parameter of a motor connected with a stage during a commanded stage position are described. In one embodiment of one aspect of the invention, the motor is configured to move the stage in a first direction in response to the at least one parameter and determine whether the at least one parameter is within a threshold range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: Sun Yalei, Uday Nayak
  • Patent number: 8519659
    Abstract: Provided is a low-cost control device for an electric servo press, which is excellent in operability and operation efficiency, capable of abruptly stopping a servomotor in a safe and reliable manner within a short time period in response to an abrupt stop command while avoiding hard actuation of a mechanical brake, even in the case of runaway of the servomotor or the like. An electric servo press performs switching to rotation stop control for a servomotor according to an abrupt stop motion based on an abrupt stop command signal to perform brake actuation to cause a mechanical brake to actually start braking and to forcibly interrupt rotational drive power to the servomotor at a scheduled stop time at which the servomotor is stopped according to the abrupt stop motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Aida Engineering, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Someya
  • Patent number: 8519660
    Abstract: An electrical device removal tool for electrical equipment, such as circuit breakers, is disclosed herein. The tool can be lightweight, portable, and rugged for providing electrically operated controlled insertion and removal of the electrical equipment by an operator from a remote location using a coupling device engaged with the electrical equipment housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventors: Ashley Sue Ledbetter, Finley Lee Ledbetter
  • Patent number: 8515583
    Abstract: A machine motion control system for testing electronic devices includes two test machines, a control card and a main controller. The test machines secure the electronic devices, whereby each test machine includes a plurality of moving parts for securing the electronic devices and a plurality of driving modules. The driving modules drive and control the corresponding moving parts of the test machine. The control card controls the driving modules. The main controller provides and transmits a movement instruction to the control card, the control card monitors and controls the driving modules according to the movement instruction, and the driving modules accordingly adjusts and drives the test machines and the moving parts on the test machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd., FIH (Hong Kong) Limited
    Inventor: Guang-chen Li
  • Patent number: 8510069
    Abstract: A feedback system for controlling a servo motor comprising at least one rotary angle sensor and at least one rotary speed sensor, wherein the rotary angle sensor supplies a measured rotary angle value to a computer, wherein the rotary speed sensor supplies a measured rotary speed value to the computer, the actual rotary speed values are the measured rotary angle values interpolated according to the integrated measured rotary speed values, and wherein at high rotary speeds, the actual rotary speed values are the calibrated measured rotary angle values, differentiated with respect to time, and at low rotary speeds, the actual rotary speed values are the measured rotary speed values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Sick Stegmann GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Armbruster, Josef Siraky
  • Patent number: 8508160
    Abstract: Provided is a technique to suppress hunting in a range of a minimum resolution of a pulse encoder when a servo motor has reached a target position and stopped, thereby maintaining a stable stop state. A servo motor position control device uses a cascade configuration having a position control loop as a main loop and a velocity and current control loop as a minor loop. A proportion control is performed for a position control while a proportion integration control is performed for a velocity control and a current control. When the servo motor position has reached the target position and stopped (S201), a current instruction value for the current control is maintained at a value upon stop (S202) and the current control is switched to the proportion control (S204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Shoda, Yuki Nomura
  • Patent number: 8508161
    Abstract: A drive apparatus includes a magnet rotor having a plurality of magnetic poles that are magnetized, a stator having a magnetic pole portion that opposes each pole of the magnet rotor, a coil configured to excite the magnetic pole portion, a position detector configured to detect a position of the magnet rotor, a first driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with a preset time interval, a second driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with an output of the position detector, and a controller configured to select the first driver when the output of the position detector is less than a first threshold, and to select the second driver when the output of the position detector is equal to or larger than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kousuke Kiyamura, Hiromu Yasuda, Chikara Aoshima
  • Patent number: 8508171
    Abstract: A position control apparatus calculates a position detection value by adding an output of a first-order delay circuit 17 that receives a difference between a driven member position detection value Pl and a motor position detection value Pm to the motor position detection value Pm, and uses the obtained position detection value as a position feedback value. An aging corrector 30 suppresses low frequency vibrations by controlling a time constant Tp of the first-order delay circuit 17 in such a way as to increase the time constant when a vibratory state of the driven member is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: OKUMA Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Miyaji
  • Patent number: 8496221
    Abstract: A table system for vacuum application has a base plate and a moving table guided by aerostatic bearing units. The bearing units (10) are connected to supply lines and suction lines for supplying and extracting the gas required for the operation of the bearing units and are provided in each instance with a sealing system having at least one stage and comprising suction channel and sealing gap for sealing relative to the vacuum. The table system is characterized in that the aerostatic bearing units (10) are constructed at least partially as swivel joints, and a push rod (4) which is actuated by a drive (5) for guiding the moving table laterally is connected to the rotating part (21) of each swivel joint, and in that the push rods (4) are hollow and constitute a component part of the suction lines for extracting the operating gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Vistec Electron Beam GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Schubert, Christian Jackel, Ulf-Carsten Kirschstein, Michael Boehm, René Bauer, Gerd Harnisch, Thomas Peschel, Stefan Risse, Christoph Schenk
  • Publication number: 20130175968
    Abstract: A multistage control method of a flow rate control valve which is opened or closed when a DC motor rotates. The method includes dividing angular speed limit areas of the DC motor depending on stages based on limit values so that angular speed values of the DC motor are to be scheduled depending on the stages and controlling the DC motor to rotate at a determined angular speed value depending on a corresponding angular speed instruction to the DC motor within one angular speed limit area. When the angular speed value of the DC motor is outside a limit value of the corresponding angular speed limit area, the DC motor rotates at a determined angular speed value until reaching outside a limit value of the corresponding limit area depending on a corresponding angular speed instruction to the DC motor within an angular speed limit area of the next stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: KOREA AEROSPACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Joong Youp Lee
  • Patent number: 8471509
    Abstract: An embodiment of a circuit for maintaining voltage at a voltage bus after a power loss in a hard disk drive system. HDD systems may suddenly lose power and specific tasks, such as parking the read/write head and storing state data may be accomplished using a power generated from back EMF of a motor that is still turning. During the power loss sequence, a drive controller may drive a power chipset to regulate the voltage at a voltage bus so as to conserve power as much as possible. In this manner, the drive circuit may regulate the voltage via a drive algorithm to be just above a threshold voltage (typically 4.4 V) while the HDD system is storing state data, but apply other algorithm for other situations, such as parking the read/write head. Various drive algorithms may be tailored to provide a specific sequence of voltage bus regulation techniques suited to specific applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederic Bonvin
  • Patent number: 8468108
    Abstract: A method of generating a model of propulsive efficiency for an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is based on a multilayer perception neural network model using data from aquatic species, such as undulatory fin propulsion in the knifefish (Xenomystus nigri), and a sensitivity analysis is used to lower the number of required inputs. The model of propulsive efficiency allows an AUV to achieve high values of propulsive efficiency over a range of forward velocity, giving a lowered energy drain on the battery. In an embodiment, externally monitored information, such as that on flow velocity, is conveyed to an apparatus residing in the vehicle's control unit, which in turn signals the locomotive unit to adopt kinematics, such as fin frequency and amplitude, associated with optimal propulsion efficiency. Power savings could protract vehicle operational life and/or provide more power to other functions, such as communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Zytek Communications Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Blake
  • Patent number: 8452442
    Abstract: A controller for a positioning device is constructed and arranged to receive a position signal indicative of a position of the positioning device, compare the position signal to a set-point signal indicative of a desired position of the positioning device to obtain an error signal, selectively modify the error signal based on the amplitude and the frequency content of the error signal to obtain a modified error signal, generate a control signal for controlling the positioning device on the basis of the modified error signal. The controller may be applied to control a positioning device in a lithographic apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marcel François Heertjes, Wilhelmus Franciscus Johannes Simons, Dennis Andreas Petrus Hubertina Houben, Jeffrey Hendrikus Peter Maria Goossens
  • Patent number: 8436565
    Abstract: In position tandem control in which one movable member is driven by two motors, an output of the integral element of the velocity control unit in the control system for one motor is copied to the integral element of the velocity control unit in the control system for the other motor. A preload is added to a torque command output from each of the velocity control units in the motor control systems for two motors so that torques in mutually opposite directions are generated to suppress backlash between gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: FANUC Ltd
    Inventors: Kazuomi Maeda, Yukio Toyozawa, Yasusuke Iwashita
  • Patent number: 8432119
    Abstract: Disclosed are various systems and methods for assessing and improving the capability of a machine tool. The disclosure applies to machine tools having at least one slide configured to move along a motion axis. Various patterns of dynamic excitation commands are employed to drive the one or more slides, typically involving repetitive short distance displacements. A quantification of a measurable merit of machine tool response to the one or more patterns of dynamic excitation commands is typically derived for the machine tool. Examples of measurable merits of machine tool performance include workpiece surface finish, and the ability to generate chips of the desired length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Y-12, LLC
    Inventors: William E. Barkman, Edwin F. Babelay, Jr., Kevin Scott Smith, Thomas S. Assaid, Justin T. McFarland, David A. Tursky, Bethany Woody, David Adams
  • Patent number: 8427094
    Abstract: A method for controlling positioning of an actuator having a wave gear device uses an exact linearization technique to compensate effects relative to positioning control of a load shaft caused by the non-linear spring characteristics of the wave gear device. A plant model is constructed from the actuator, and linearized using the exact linearization technique; measurements are taken of non-linear elastic deformation of the wave gear device relative to load torque; the non-linear spring model ?g(?tw) is defined using a cubic polynomial with the constant defined as zero to allow the measurement results to be recreated; and the current input into the model and motor position of the model when a load acceleration command is a command value are entered into a processor arranged as a semi-closed loop control system for controlling positioning of the load shaft, as a feed-forward current command and a feed-forward motor position command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignees: Harmonic Drive Systems, Inc., National University Corporation Nagoya Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Okitsu, Yuki Kato, Kozo Sasaki, Makoto Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8415912
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of machine motion control system for testing electronic devices includes a machine and a control module electrically connected to the machine. The machine secures the electronic devices and includes a sensing unit and a servo unit, the sensing unit obtains different test parameters of the electronic devices to generate corresponding sensed signal. The control module includes a signal conversion unit electrically connected to the sensing unit and a main control circuit, the main control circuit is electrically connected to the signal conversion unit and the servo unit. The signal conversion unit converts the sensed signal into corresponding command signal, and the main control circuit drives and controls the servo unit to adjust the motion state and test strength on the electronic device according to the command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Bin Wang, Hua-Yong Xu, Guo-Jun Yu, Teng-Tsung Huang
  • Patent number: 8415913
    Abstract: A control circuit generates a driving signal indicating an actuator torque. A first operation unit generates position, speed, and acceleration signals, based upon a detection signal indicating the actuator mover state. A second operation unit generates a first difference signal indicating the difference between a target signal and the position signal. A third operation unit generates a second difference signal indicating the difference between signals based on the first difference signal and the speed signal. A fourth operation unit generates a position control signal such that the second difference signal becomes zero. A fifth operation unit generates a third difference signal indicating the difference between signals based on a driving signal and the acceleration signal. A sixth operation unit generates a driving signal by summing a signal based on the position control signal and a disturbance estimation signal based on the third difference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8405340
    Abstract: Disclosed are a robot arm having high back-drivability to interact with a human being, which is safely stopped, and a method of controlling the robot arm. When the operation of the robot arm having high back-drivability to interact with a human being is converted into a safety mode due to the occurrence of an emergency, in which the operation of the robot arm is stopped, only a torque having a degree to compensate for gravity applied to the robot arm, i.e., only a torque to maintain the kinematical position of the current state of the robot arm without falling of the robot arm due to gravity, is outputted to control the robot arm as if the robot arm is in a weightless state, thus being capable of safely stopping the robot arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung Won Moon, Kyung Shik Roh, Jong Do Choi, Hyun Kyu Kim
  • Patent number: 8395341
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for compensating repeatable timing variations associated with a spindle motor are described. Specifically, a repetitive error correction factor may be determined using a computational model which predicts timing variations. The correction factor can then be used to cancel the effect of the actual timing variations upon the spindle motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Edward Ying, Pantas Sutardja
  • Patent number: 8390233
    Abstract: An adjustment structure used in conjunction with an imprinting structure is provided. The adjustment structure includes a sample mount for mounting a sample. An actuator mechanism is coupled to the sample mount, the actuator mechanism producing actuated forces on a X-Y plane to produce movements on a sample mount. A plurality of bladed flexures are positioned on the sample mount. The bladed flexures controls the movements of the sample mount produced by the actuator mechanism so as to allow adjustments in angular alignment about the pitch-roll (?X-?Y) rotation axes or the X-Y plane relative to the sample mount so the imprinting structure can perform its operations on the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Vijay Shilpiekandula, Kamal Youcef-Toumi
  • Patent number: 8384331
    Abstract: This invention aims to achieve safety without interchanging an entire existing servo system to a servo system having the safety function. In a servo system including a servo motor, and a servo amplifier for controlling the drive of the servo motor based on the output of an encoder attached to the servo motor, a safety control device for monitoring presence of abnormality based on the output of the encoder, and shielding the supply of drive power to the servo motor if abnormality is present is arranged, and the monitoring content is set as setting information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Teruyuki Nakayama, Minoru Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8384329
    Abstract: A wiper is continuously reciprocally swung between an upper return position and a lower return position by controlling an electric motor when an operational command for executing a continuous operational mode is entered by a user through a wiper switch. The wiper is reciprocally swung after stopping of the wiper for a predetermined time period at a predetermined position, which is located on an outer side of the lower return position that is opposite from the upper return position in a swing direction of the wiper and at which an influence of a wind pressure applied to the wiper is smaller in comparison to the lower return position, by controlling the electric motor when an operational command for executing an intermittent operational mode is entered through the entering means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Natsume
  • Patent number: 8384330
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of managing a steering control for a steerable portion of an aircraft undercarriage, the method comprising implementing servo-control to servo-control an electromechanical steering actuator on an angular position setpoint, wherein, according to the invention, the servo-control implements a control relationship H? type, the position and speed information being delivered by means of a fieldbus of deterministic type to a computer that implements the servo-control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignees: Messier-Bugatti-Dowty, Universite de Haute-Alsace
    Inventors: Paul-Louis Levy, Michel Basset, Gaétan Pouly, Jean-Philippe Lauffenburger
  • Patent number: 8378616
    Abstract: Apparatus, having multiple motor modules, has an MCU module. Each motor module has an electronically controlled motor. The MCU module has an MCU and an interface for connecting to a bus from a CPU. In use the MCU module receives control signals from the CPU and in turn instructs a selected one of the motors to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson Electric S.A.
    Inventors: Chiping Sun, Yanhong Xue
  • Patent number: 8378615
    Abstract: There are provided: a plurality of notch filters which are arranged inside a control system for feedback-controlling a moving operation of a moving section of a motor and attenuate signal components having near frequencies with a notch frequency at a center in an input signal; a plurality of oscillation extracting filters which are set with different frequency bands as being corresponded to the respective notch filters and extract oscillating components in the set frequency bands from a speed detection signal; and a plurality of notch controlling sections which are arranged with respect to the respective oscillation extracting filters and control the notch frequencies of the corresponding notch filters so as to decrease amplitudes of the oscillating components extracted by the oscillation extracting filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Tazawa, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Masaru Nishizono
  • Patent number: 8362730
    Abstract: In a synchronous machine starting device, an AC voltage detection unit detects AC voltage supplied to an armature of a synchronous machine through an electric power line from a power conversion unit. The AC voltage detection unit has a first output end and a second output end isolated from the electric power line, transforms AC voltage supplied through the electric power line at a first ratio to output the transformed voltage from the first output end, and transforms AC voltage supplied through the electric power line at a second ratio and then limits the transformed voltage to a prescribed positive voltage value or lower and a prescribed negative voltage value or higher for output from the second output end. Then, a detected voltage selection unit selects one of the voltage received from the first output end and the voltage received from the second output end, and outputs the selected one to a rotor position detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Shinzo Tamai, Yosuke Fujii, Akinobu Ando, Yasuhiko Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 8344678
    Abstract: A servomotor control system includes: an integrated control unit for integrally controlling servomotors; and servomotor units coupled with the integrated control unit and the servomotors. Each servomotor unit includes: a motor driver; a rotation detector of the servomotor; an original point detector for detecting an original point of the servomotor; a communication element for obtaining control information including rotation position instruction information from the integrated control unit; a rotation position calculator for calculating a current rotation position of the servomotor based on a rotation detection signal; a motor drive instruction element for outputting driving instruction information to the motor driver according to the control information and the current rotation position; and a current rotation position correction element for resetting the current rotation position to a predetermined original point when the original point detector detects the original point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuaki Koshobu
  • Patent number: 8340788
    Abstract: A method for tuning operation of servo motors includes selecting a plurality of discrete positions in a guillotine blade cycle for which to determine tuning coefficients, determining tuning coefficients at the discrete positions, interpolating tuning coefficients for positions between the discrete positions, and applying the determined and the interpolated tuning coefficients to the servo motor. The servo motors may be used in connection with a guillotine cutter for separating individual sheets from a continuous web. The guillotine cutter blade may be driven by a servo motor to cyclically lower and raise to transversely cut the web transported below the cutter blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, Arthur H. DePoi, Gerald F. Leitz
  • Patent number: 8334668
    Abstract: A machine motion control system includes a number of moving parts for securing test electronic devices, a machine and an axis control card mounted on the machine. The machine includes a number of servo modules and a number of sensing units. The servo modules drive and control the corresponding moving parts on the machine. Each sensing unit is electrically connected to a corresponding moving part; the sensing units are operable to sense and transmit location information of the moving parts and the machine. The axis control card is electrically connected to the moving parts, the machine, and the sensing units. The axis control card receives location information of each moving part and processes the location information to generate a corresponding command signal, and transmits the generated command signal to the servo modules to control and adjust the moving parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jia-Bin Wang, Hua-Yong Xu, Guo-Jun Yu, Teng-Tsung Huang
  • Patent number: 8334669
    Abstract: In the multi-axis driver control method for transmitting a command from an external device to the drive-axis basis controller of the multi-axis driver to set operation and/or parameters of the drive-axis basis controller, the external device is connected to the multi-axis driver on a one-to-one basis, and the external interface is connected to the drive-axis basis controller via a multi-dropped connecting portion. The drive-axis basis controller determines whether the command is self-addressed or not and, if the command is self-addressed, the drive-axis basis controller executes the command and transmits response data corresponding to the command and a transmission permission flag to the multi-dropped connecting portion. The multi-dropped connecting portion opens a transmission port in response to the transmission permission flag and transmits the response data to the external device, and after transmission is finished, the multi-dropped connecting portion closes the transmission port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: THK Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Nagato
  • Publication number: 20120306426
    Abstract: A motor control device includes: a feedforward computing section for computing a motion reference value and a feedforward driving force based on a motion command; a deviation compensation computing section for outputting a deviation compensation driving force by a control computation for reducing a control deviation; a driving-force command synthesizing section for outputting a driving-force command based on the feedforward driving force and the deviation compensation driving force; a reaction-force compensation computing section for computing a motion correction value based on a predetermined reaction-force reference value and the deviation compensation driving force; and a control-deviation computing section for computing the control deviation based on a deviation between the motion reference value and a motor motion detection value, and the motion correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Ikeda, Yoshihiro Marushita, Koichiro Ueda, Yuji Igarashi, Kiyoshi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8317276
    Abstract: A furniture drive is provided for driving a movable piece of furniture. The drive includes an electric motor, an actuator that can be moved back and forth between two end positions to apply a force on the piece of furniture to be driven, and a gearbox connected between the electric motor and actuator. The gearbox has at least one gear stage configured as an eccentric gearbox and includes two gear wheels that mesh with each other. One of the two gear wheels is firmly connected or coupled to the actuator, and the other gear wheel is coupled to the electric motor such that the eccentric gearbox has two limit positions which correspond to the end positions of the actuator. Upon a rotation of the gear wheels, starting from the limit positions, the gear ratio decreases over a deformed rotational angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Julius Blum GmbH
    Inventors: Edgar Huber, Gerald Friesenecker
  • Patent number: 8310195
    Abstract: Methods and systems for, in one embodiment, accelerating a stage through a clearance height in a first direction and decelerating the stage in the first direction while accelerating in a second direction are shown. The stage is moved in a third direction and a determination is made whether the stage movement in the second direction is below a threshold value before continuing to move the stage further in the third direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and is parallel and opposite to the third direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: Sun Yalei, Uday Nayak, Richard J. Casler, Jr., Thomas Rohrs
  • Patent number: 8294405
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for guiding the movement of a moving machine element on a numerically controlled machine, whereby maximum possible track speed, maximum possible track acceleration, and maximum possible track jerk are defined by means of given restrictions on track axes. The local minima for the maximum possible track speed are determined, whereby for each local minimum a corresponding left-sided and right-sided track speed segment is determined, whereby, for track values for the displacement track to the left and right of a given minimum, the resulting track speed is determined by using the maximum possible track jerk and the maximum possible track acceleration until the track speed exceeds the maximum possible track speed to the left and right of the minimum, a track jerk curve for the movement guidance is hence determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Walter Hoffmann, Wolfgang Papiernik, Tomas Sauer
  • Patent number: 8258729
    Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for removing speed adjustment errors attributed by pole asymmetry are described. In some implementations, the spindle motor speed can be down sampled. Down sampling the spindle motor speed can include determining the spindle motor speed every two (or multiple of two) electrical cycles. Determining the spindle motor speed every two electrical cycles can lead to an accurate determination of the actual spindle motor speed, as the timing and position differences between two adjacent poles can be equalized (e.g., timing and position errors associated with the second pole can be used to cancel out the timing and position characteristics errors with the first pole).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotada Ito, Takahiro Inoue, Foo Leng Leong
  • Patent number: 8253367
    Abstract: An abnormality determination unit that determines whether or not an output measurement unit is abnormal is provided, and whether or not the output measurement unit is abnormal is determined. When the output measurement unit is abnormal, an elastic actuator is controlled based on a desired internal state decision unit and an internal state error compensation unit. Accordingly, it becomes possible to control the elastic actuator to continuously operate to a predetermined position without instantaneously stopping even when the output measurement unit is abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mayumi Komatsu, Yasunao Okazaki
  • Patent number: 8242728
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to modernizing a technical system, in particular a producing system with the aim of obtaining economic and technical advantages. The technical system comprises at least one drive mechanism provided with at least one drive motor powered by a power element, a torque controller controlling the power element and a speed controller prescribing the nominal value of the torque (Msoll) for the torque controller. When the determination of the nominal value of the torque (Msoll) for the torque controller by the speed controller is deactivated, a standard drive element is available. The drive element comprises at least one speed controller, a torque controller and a power element. The nominal value of the torque (Msoll) of the torque controller of the drive motor is determined by a speed controller of the standard drive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Haaks, Gerd Michaelis, Christian-Marius Wegner
  • Patent number: 8237391
    Abstract: In accordance to an aspect of the disclosed embodiments, a substrate transport apparatus is provided. The substrate transport apparatus includes a frame defining a chamber, at least one stator module embedded at least partly into a peripheral wall of the chamber, the at least one stator module defining an axis of rotation. The substrate transport apparatus further includes at least one rotor substantially concentrically disposed relative to the at least one stator module about the axis of rotation, the at least one rotor being configured to interface with the at least one stator module and being suspended by a respective one of the at least one stator module substantially without contact within the chamber. The substrate transport apparatus further includes at least one substrate transport arm connected to the at least one rotor and having at least one end effector configured to hold at least one substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander G. Krupyshev, Christopher Hofmeister
  • Patent number: 8237388
    Abstract: A manipulator has a working unit including an end effector and a posture axis for changing the orientation of the manipulator, a compound mechanism provided on the working unit, and a controller for actuating a gripper axis, a yaw axis, and a roll axis by respectively controlling movement positions of three motors. The controller includes a torque generation detector for detecting a timing at which torque is generated on the gripper axis. When the controller detects the timing at which a torque ?g? is generated on the gripper axis under operation of a given motor, the movement positions of the plural motors are shifted and set, corresponding to the directions at which interference torques are generated with respect to the yaw axis and the roll axis, and to predetermined positions of the same directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignees: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Makoto Jinno, Takamitsu Sunaoshi, Shigeru Omori