Adaptive Or Optimizing Systems Including "bang-bang" Servos Patents (Class 318/561)
  • Publication number: 20140152229
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a positioner system that has an electronically commutated servomotor and a counterforce-loaded actuator coupled thereto includes actuating the servomotor such that a first motor magnetic field of a first strength is generated and determining a first position specification for the position of the actuator aligned to the first motor magnetic field. The servomotor is actuated such that a second motor magnetic field of a second strength is generated and a second position specification for the position of the actuator aligned to the second motor magnetic field is determined. Based on the first and the second position specifications, a position specification which indicates a position of the actuator under the assumption that the actuator is not loaded with a counterforce is determined. The determined position is allocated to a rotor position which corresponds to the direction of the first and second motor magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GmbH
    Inventors: Alex Grossmann, Udo Sieber, Ralf Buehrle, Zeynep Tosun
  • Patent number: 8736211
    Abstract: Provided is a motor control device which realizes automatic adjustment of control of a motor for driving a mechanical load through a simple operation. The motor control device includes: a follow-up control unit (6) for receiving detection information of a detector (3) to output a torque command signal and output a status of motor control of a motor (1) as a control status amount signal, when a command signal regarding the motor control to be output from an upper-level controller is absent; an oscillation detection unit (9) for receiving the control status amount signal and detecting oscillation of a control status amount to output an oscillation detection signal; and an automatic adjustment unit (10) for receiving the oscillation detection signal to monitor a control status of the motor (1) and adjust a control parameter of the follow-up control unit (6) only when abnormality is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tanabe, Yoshihiro Marushita, Hidetoshi Ikeda, Kei Terada, Tetsuya Tanabe, Masahiko Yoshida, Masanori Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8735774
    Abstract: A laser beam propagates along a beam axis for incidence on a work surface mounted on a support. The support operatively connects to a positioning system moving at least one of the laser beam and the target specimen relative to each other to position the laser beam at selected locations on the work surface. At least one force reaction compensation motor is located in a common force plane with, and as close as possible to, a corresponding stage motor. Any moment arm between the compensation motor and the corresponding stage motor is reduced or eliminated, allowing the compensation motor to directly couple and react to stage forces with virtually zero moment arm. Six degrees of freedom can be controlled with only four motors, since each compensation motor is directly coupled and aligned to a corresponding stage motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark T. Kosmowski
  • Publication number: 20140139170
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating an inertia and a friction coefficient for a controlled mechanical system are provided. In one or more embodiments, an inertia estimator can generate a torque command signal that varies continuously over time during a testing sequence. The velocity of a motion system in response to the time-varying torque command signal is measured and recorded during the testing sequence. The inertia estimator then estimates the inertia and/or the friction coefficient of the motion system based on the torque command data sent to the motion system and the measured velocity data. In some embodiments, the inertia estimator estimates the inertia and the friction coefficient based on integrals of the torque command data and the velocity data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: LINESTRAM TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Gang Tian
  • Publication number: 20140139169
    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: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Control Techniques Limited
    Inventor: Michael Cade
  • Publication number: 20140111132
    Abstract: There are provided an apparatus and a method for controlling a motor. The apparatus includes: a comparing unit comparing a target value and an output value and calculating error values therefrom; and a controlling unit controlling the motor by selecting one of a proportional control and a proportional integral control according to an average error value calculated by averaging the error values for each section having a predetermined interval and adjusting a gain value of the selected control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jung Eun YOUM
  • Patent number: 8706369
    Abstract: A closed loop shift control apparatus and method based on estimated torque in friction elements controls a torque transfer phase when shifting from a low gear configuration to a high gear configuration for an automatic transmission system. When pressure actuated friction elements are selectively engaged and released to establish torque flow paths in the transmission, estimates of torsional load exerted on the off-going friction element are used to predict the optimal off-going friction element release timing for achieving a consistent shift feel. The estimated torque is preferably calculated by using estimated torque signals generated as a function of speed measurements represented either the engine speed and turbine output speed or transmission output speed and wheel speed under dynamically changing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Diana Yanakiev, Yuji Fujii, Eric Tseng, Gregory Michael Pietron, Joseph F Kucharski
  • Patent number: 8698441
    Abstract: A disclosed servo control device includes a servo control unit configured to control a driving unit for driving a driven body with servo control, and a changing unit configured to change a timing of ending the servo control in response to stop position accuracy for a target stop position of the driven body when the driven body is driven to move, wherein the servo control unit detects an error between the target stop position and an actual stop position of the driven body, and corrects the timing of ending the servo control using the detected error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshimitsu Ogura
  • Patent number: 8686680
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of a system for reducing backlash include a member geared for rotation in first and second directions. In various implementations, a first motor causes rotation in the first direction with an output biased to preclude space between mating gear components in the first direction, and a second motor, which is mechanically independent of the first motor, causes rotation in the second direction with an output biased to preclude space between mating gear components in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Deegan
  • Publication number: 20140077746
    Abstract: A motor control device includes an operation determination unit that determines whether a motor is in an operating state or in a stopped state based on an operation command signal or an operation signal and an amplitude estimation unit that, based on a determination result of the operation determination unit, sequentially estimates a vibration amplitude value from a control state quantity of a feedback control unit or a current control unit separately for a case where the motor is operated and a case where the motor is stopped and outputs the vibration amplitude value. A function of outputting an amplitude of a high-frequency vibration that occurs in a mechanical device including a control system as information useful for estimating an occurrence factor of the vibration is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sekiguchi, Hidetoshi Ikeda, Kiyoshi Maekawa, Takashi Isoda, Shuya Sano
  • Patent number: 8674643
    Abstract: A servomotor includes a motor unit generating movement of a mechanical component, a position-detecting unit detecting the position of the mechanical component, and a control unit manually controlling the mechanical component. The manual control unit is inside a main enclosure, the manual control unit is actuated by an actuator located outside the main enclosure, and the main enclosure is connected to the motor unit and to the position-detecting unit, The position-detecting unit and the motor unit are located inside first and second enclosures that are distinct from the main enclosure and are removably connected to the main enclosure. The manual control unit can be actuated when the first and second enclosures are separated from the main enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bernard Controls
    Inventors: Etienne Bernard, Gilles Aubert-Maguero
  • Patent number: 8674645
    Abstract: A drive for providing high dynamics for a machine, such as a production machine, includes a short-stroke motor, and a pulse-decoupling device for decoupling pulses of the short-stroke motor from the machine using closed-loop control. The pulse-decoupling device has at least one component for use as a working-point adjustment device for adjusting a working point of the short-stroke motor. The pulse-decoupling device is thus able to assume the function of pulse decoupling and in addition, at least partially, the function of working point adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Markus Knorr
  • Patent number: 8674644
    Abstract: A motor-drive circuit includes: a filter circuit to attenuate a frequency band including a resonance frequency of an actuator in a target-current signal, the target-current signal corresponding to a digital signal indicative of a target value of a driving current; a digital-analog converter to convert an output signal of the filter circuit into an analog signal, to be outputted as a current-control signal; and a driving circuit to supply the driving current to the voice-coil motor in accordance with the current-control signal, the filter circuit including: a digital notch filter; and a digital low-pass filter, wherein either one of the digital notch filter and the digital low-pass filter configured to be inputted with the target-current signal, the other one of the digital notch filter and the digital low-pass filter configured to be inputted with an output signal of the one of the digital notch filter or the digital low-pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Takeshi Arai, Akira Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20140071545
    Abstract: A control device includes: a controller that outputs control, signals pertaining to at least two directions, respectively, based on predetermined gains in a normal operation mode, and outputs control signals based on gains set with respect to the two directions, respectively, in a learning operation mode; a controlled amount calculating unit that receives the control signals and outputs signals pertaining to drive parameters with respect to at least two motors, respectively, wherein the controlled amount calculating unit includes: a characteristic difference calculating unit that calculates characteristic differences between at least the two motors based on the control signals; and a gain compensator that corrects controlled amount pertaining to drive parameters of at least the two motors according to the calculated characteristic differences of at least the two motors, and outputs the signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jun Sumioka
  • Patent number: 8651447
    Abstract: A vibration damper assembly that may be attached and moved about a payload or optical mount surface of an optical structure such as an optical table. The vibration damper assembly may include a sensor and an actuator that may be disposed within a housing. In some embodiments, the vibration damper assembly or components thereof may be incorporated into an optical structure in the form of an optical component to be disposed or mounted on an optical mount surface of an optical structure such as an optical table. Embodiments of the vibration damper system may include a controller in communication with the damper assembly Embodiments of the controller may use adaptive tuning, auto-ranging selection of gain factors and other features in order to optimize damping performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Newport Corporation
    Inventors: Vyacheslav M. Ryaboy, Prakash S. Kasturi, Adrian S. Nastase
  • Patent number: 8629641
    Abstract: A machine tool includes a time calculation unit calculating the time for a spindle to arrive at a target rotational speed, and the time for a spindle head to arrive at a target position; a comparison unit comparing the time to arrive at the target rotational speed and the time to arrive at the target position; and a drive control unit controlling the drive of the spindle and the drive of the spindle head. The drive control unit controls the drive of the spindle head, when a determination is made that the time to arrive at the target rotational speed is longer than the time to arrive at the target position, such that the time for the spindle head to arrive at the target position is longer than the calculated time to arrive at the target position, and less than or equal to the calculated time to arrive at the target rotational speed. Accordingly, the machine tool can drive the spindle head that is a control object in a power-saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Fujishima, Hiroki Nakahira
  • Patent number: 8614556
    Abstract: In some implementations, a method includes receiving rotational speed information corresponding to a rotational speed of a spindle motor having a plurality of poles, down sampling the rotational speed information to obtain speed-related information associated with the spindle motor, and adjusting the rotational speed of the spindle motor based on the speed-related information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotada Ito, Takahiro Inoue, Foo Leng Leong
  • Patent number: 8610393
    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 dynamic one axis positional accuracy of the machine tool, dynamic cross-axis stability of the machine tool, and dynamic multi-axis positional accuracy of the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Babcock & Wilcox Technical Services Y-12, LLC
    Inventors: William E. Barkman, Edwin F. Babelay, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8604743
    Abstract: An especially failsafe method for operating an electric window lift for closing and opening a window of a convertible is provided. A threshold value that is relevant to the triggering of an anti-pinch protection system of the window lift is regularly adapted to the actuation-position-dependent behavior of a sensed operating quantity of the window lift, at least in a lower region of the actuation path of the window, both when the top of the convertible is closed and when it is open. At least for the first window closing process after a closing of the top, the threshold value is rigidly predefined in an upper region of the actuation path of the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Hallstadt
    Inventors: René Zellmer, Roland Kalb
  • Patent number: 8600527
    Abstract: A residual-velocity calculating unit calculates a residual velocity that corresponds to a velocity increment when an acceleration is reduced from a current command acceleration to zero according to an acceleration reduction curve. A differential-velocity calculating unit calculates a differential velocity vs=v0-vn, which is a difference between a target velocity v0 and a current velocity command for every command generation period. An acceleration-reduction-start-timing determining unit compares the residual velocity to the differential velocity for determining whether acceleration reduction starts. When a condition that the residual velocity is equal to or larger than the differential velocity is satisfied, the acceleration-reduction-start-timing determining unit determines the start of the acceleration reduction and starts to reduce the command acceleration according to the acceleration reduction curve generated by the command generating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Maekawa, Yuko Takehana, Satoshi Mizogami, Masahiko Hirano
  • Patent number: 8600550
    Abstract: A virtual reality encounter system includes motion sensors positioned on a human user. The motion sensors send motion signals corresponding to movements of the user as detected by the motion sensors relative to a reference point, the motion signals are transmitted over a communications network. The system also includes a humanoid robot, receiving, from the communications network, the motion signals to induce movement of the robot according to movement of the human user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Kurzweil Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond C. Kurzweil
  • Patent number: 8587247
    Abstract: A synchronous control apparatus to synchronously control a plurality of motors with respect to a control subject includes a command device and a plurality of motor control devices. The control subject includes the motors, a plurality of position detectors configured to detect a plurality of position information of the motors respectively, and at least one coupler connecting movable axes of the motors. The command device includes a first position controller which is configured to compute a work position based on the position information detected by the position detectors and which is configured to compute, based on a difference between a position command and the work position, a new position command. Each of the motor control devices includes a second position controller configured to compute commands to drive the plurality of motors based on a difference between the new position command and the position information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Yasufumi Yoshiura, Yasuhiko Kaku
  • Publication number: 20130300335
    Abstract: A method controls an operation of an actuator. A first control signal is determined to change a position of a moving element of the actuator according to a trajectory of the moving element. A second control signal is determined to compensate for a first component of an error of the operation due to uncertainty of a model of the actuator. A third control signal is determined to compensate for a second component of the error of the operation due to an external disturbance on the actuator. The operation of the actuator is controlled based on a combination of the first control signal, the second control signal, and the third control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Mouhacine Benosman, Gokhan Atinc
  • Patent number: 8571691
    Abstract: Controller scaling and parameterization are described. Techniques that can be improved by employing the scaling and parameterization include, but are not limited to, controller design, tuning and optimization. The scaling and parameterization methods described here apply to transfer function based controllers, including PID controllers. The parameterization methods also applies to state feedback and state observer based controllers, as well as linear active disturbance rejection controllers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the application. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Cleveland State University
    Inventor: Zhiqiang Gao
  • 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: 8554421
    Abstract: A vehicle having a dynamics control system, the vehicle comprising: a first set comprising multiple adjustable sub-systems that affect the performance of the vehicle's powertrain; a second set comprising multiple adjustable sub-systems that affect the vehicle's handling; a dynamics user interface including a first input device and a second input device; and a dynamics controller coupled to the user interface and configured to adjust the operation of the sub-systems of the first set in dependence on the first input device and to adjust the operation of the sub-systems of the second set in dependence on the second input device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: McLaren Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Antony Sheriff, Mark Vinnels, Richard Felton
  • Publication number: 20130257339
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a real-time servo motor controller based on a load weight capable of not only adaptively controlling the servo motor even when load inertia varies in accordance with a weight of a load (material) but also controlling the servo motor in an optimum state regardless of the load weight by reflecting in real time various mechanical variables generated while transferring the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: DOOSAN INFRACORE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki Hong Kim
  • Publication number: 20130257338
    Abstract: To provide a motor control circuit that variably controls the speed of a motor, in which an appropriate control gain corresponding to the speed of the motor that is set can be automatically set. The motor control circuit includes a period error signal output means, a speed error signal output means and a gain correction means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicants: PANASONIC CORPORATION, MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Inoue, Kenichi Kishimoto, Yuji Hamada
  • Patent number: 8525456
    Abstract: Provided is an electric pump device that can continue to supply hydraulic pressure to hydraulically actuated equipment and that is also of reduced size. An electric pump device is provided with an oil pump that supplies oil to a stepless transmission device, a brushless motor that drives the oil pump, and a control device that controls the brushless motor. The control device is provided with a power supply part that supplies drive power to the brushless motor, and an out-of-synch determination part that determines whether or not the brushless motor is out of synch. The control device is provided with a drive control part that controls the power supply part so that supply of power to the brushless motor is stopped, and then controls the power supply part so that the brushless motor is started, when the out-of-synch determination part determines that the brushless motor is out of synch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Kagawa
  • 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: 8509924
    Abstract: An integrated optimization and control technique performs process control and optimization using stochastic optimization similar to the manner in which biological immune systems work, and thus without the use of historical process models that must be created prior to placing the control and optimization routine in operation within a plant. An integrated optimization and control technique collects various indications of process control states during the on-line operation of the process, and attempts to optimize the process operation by developing a series of sets of process control inputs to be provided to the process, wherein the control inputs may be developed from the stored process control states using an objective function that defines a particular optimality criteria to be used in optimizing the operation of the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Grott, Jeffery J. Williams, Konrad Swirski, Tomasz Chomiak, Konrad Wojdan
  • Publication number: 20130188277
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a piezoelectric device drive method includes measuring gains including a first gain by applying voltages including a first voltage to a piezoelectric device at a first timing, calculating gain characteristics associated with the applied voltages from the measured gains, measuring a second gain by applying the first voltage to the piezoelectric device at a second timing, correcting the calculated gain characteristics based on the first gain and the second gain, and calculating a third gain based on the corrected gain characteristics and the second gain in a case where a second voltage other than the first voltage is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Takuji MATSUZAWA
  • Patent number: 8473165
    Abstract: A turning drive control apparatus that controls a drive of a turning mechanism of a construction machine driven to turn by an electric motor, includes: a drive command creation part that creates a drive command to drive the electric motor based on an amount of operation input through an operation part of the construction machine; a turning motion detection part that detects a turning motion of the turning mechanism; and a drive command correction part that corrects the drive command, when a turning motion in a direction opposite to a turning operation direction input to the operation part is detected by the turning motion detection part, to suppress the turning motion in the direction opposite to the turning operation direction in response to a degree of the turning motion in the direction opposite to the turning operation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignees: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo (S. H. I) Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroso Shono, Noriyuki Nishiyama, Kiminori Sano
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20130154537
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus that controls rotation of a rotor of an electric motor powered from an electric power source includes a learning portion that executes an initial drive learning process, and a controller that executes a normal drive operation to sequentially change an exciting phase of the electric motor based on a count value of a counter which is corrected by a correcting portion such that the rotor is rotated to a target position after an initial drive operation is finished. The learning portion re-executes the initial drive learning process after a predetermined condition is satisfied, when the initial drive learning process is failed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: DENSO CORPORATION
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20130076287
    Abstract: A numerical controller capable of visually and accurately analyzing a change of the tool trajectory before and after changing a processing condition, whereby a parameter of a drive axis can be properly adjusted. The numerical controller comprises a numeric controlling part which controls each drive axis based on a predetermined position command; a position data obtaining part which obtains position data of each drive axis controlled by the numerical controlling part; a tool coordinate calculating part which calculates a coordinate of a tool center point based on position feedback or obtained position data of each drive axis and information of a mechanical structure of a machine tool; a tool trajectory storing part which stores the calculated coordinate of the tool center point as a feedback trajectory; and a displaying part which displays the stored feedback trajectory on a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Yasusuke Iwashita, Hajime Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8406905
    Abstract: Controller scaling and parameterization are described. Techniques that can be improved by employing the scaling and parameterization include, but are not limited to, controller design, tuning and optimization. The scaling and parameterization methods described here apply to transfer function based controllers, including PID controllers. The parameterization methods also applies to state feedback and state observer based controllers, as well as linear active disturbance rejection controllers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the application. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Cleveland State University
    Inventor: Zhiqiang Gao
  • Patent number: 8390234
    Abstract: A method for automated startup and/or for automated operation of controllers of an electrical drive system with vibrational mechanics with the following steps: (a) determining a preliminary value of at least one parameter; (b) determining a model of the electrical drive system by determination of initially a non-parameterized model through the recording of frequency data during operation of the drive system subject to the utilization of the preliminary value of at least one parameter and the subsequent determination of parameters of the electrical drive system based on the frequency data and subject to optimization of at least one preliminary value of at least one parameter by a numerical optimization method on the basis of the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm and (c) parameterizing at least one controller of the electrical drive system by at least one of the determined parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Baumuller Nurnberg GmbH
    Inventor: Sebastian Villwock
  • Publication number: 20130038266
    Abstract: Provided is an actuator control apparatus including: an observer configured to estimate a state of a load based on a state equation including at least one modeled load parameter; a controller which outputs a signal for controlling the load; a compensation unit which compensates for the signal output from the controller; and an estimator configured to estimate a change of a load parameter, to decide a gain of the compensation unit based on the estimated change of the load parameter, and to update the modeled load parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seong-Taek LIM, Jong-Sun KO, Jin-Woo CHO
  • Patent number: 8368340
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for controlling a motor are disclosed. A method may include determining a rotational direction of a motor from a pair of quadrature signals sent to a microprocessor. The method further includes adjusting an internal count stored in the microprocessor at each edge of each of the pair of quadrature signals. The method further includes adjusting an external count stored in the microprocessor and transmitting an interrupt to a main controller after the first phase signal and the second phase signal have transitioned through each combinational logic state in one of a forward rotational direction and a reverse rotational direction. The method further includes transmitting a signal comprising the rotational direction of the motor and the external count from the microprocessor to a main controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Won-Door Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin D. Banta, D. George Field, E. Carl Goodman, Duane O. Hall
  • Publication number: 20130026963
    Abstract: A sinusoidal command is added to a torque command of a controller to acquire a velocity and a current value of an electric motor. An estimated coupling torque value is calculated by calculating an input torque value from the current value and a torque constant of the electric motor and further calculating a coupling torque value from a velocity difference, motor inertia, and the input torque. An estimated torque error is then calculated from the estimated coupling torque value and the coupling torque value, and inertia, friction, and a spring constant are estimated from the estimated torque error, the velocity, and the coupling torque value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoto SONODA, Yukio TOYOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20130009587
    Abstract: A motor control device has a motor driving unit that drives a motor, a current detecting unit that detects a motor current flowing through the motor, a control unit that compares a detected current value of the motor current detected by the current detecting unit with a target current value to obtain a deviation, to control the motor driving unit based on the deviation, and a compensation unit that sets as a current offset value a detected current value of a drift current detected by the current detecting unit in a state where the motor current is regarded as zero, to compensate the detected current value of the motor current by the current offset value. The compensation unit sets a target offset value according to the current value of the detected drift current to correct the current offset value stepwise until the current offset value reaches the target offset value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: OMRON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michisada Yabuguchi, Tetsuya Fukumoto, Takenobu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20120319637
    Abstract: Control systems are disclosed that control motion of a first movable body along a first trajectory in coordination with motion of a second movable body along a second trajectory. An exemplary system has first and second controllers. The first controller provides first driving commands to the first movable body. The second controller provides second driving commands to the second movable body. A first control loop associated with the first controller includes feedback to the first controller of position-error data regarding the first movable body. A second control loop associated with the second controller includes feedback to the second controller of position-error data regarding the second movable body. A synchronization target filter couples the first and second control loops and causes the first controller to move the first movable body in a manner that tracks the position-error data of the second movable body at one or more frequencies of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Pai-Hsueh Yang, Kazuhiro Hirano, Masao Yuasa
  • Patent number: 8310193
    Abstract: A component intended for use in very low temperature situations has an electromechanical actuator with a control for an electric motor. The control receives a temperature signal indicative of a temperature being experienced by the electromechanical actuator. The control is operable to produce a current signal sent to the electric motor which will generate heat without significant torque. A method of operating the electromechanical actuator is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Michael C. Harke
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120249041
    Abstract: A control unit performs servo control of a table, which is a load, by performing feedback control of a servomotor. An inverse characteristic model performs feedforward compensation control by obtaining a speed compensation signal that compensates for the dynamic errors of a mechanical system. When the rigidity of a screw section of a ball screw along the axial direction changes, a rigidity-change compensation unit changes the rigidity value of the screw section along the axial direction that is included in the compensation control transfer functions of the inverse characteristic model, in accordance with the change in rigidity. Thus, the servo control apparatus compensates for such changes in rigidity and performs accurate servo control of the position of the table, even when the ball screw of a feeding mechanism expands or contracts due to secular change or change in temperature, and rigidity along the axial direction changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirohisa Kuramoto
  • Publication number: 20120242271
    Abstract: A stage system includes an object table constructed to hold an object, a short stroke actuator element constructed to displace the object table over a first range of movement, and a long stroke actuator element constructed to displace the short stroke actuator element over a second range of movement which is larger than the first range of movement. The stage system further includes a pneumatic compensation device including: a sensor arranged to measure a quantity representative of a pneumatic disturbance force on the short stroke actuator element, an actuator arranged to provide a compensating force to at least partly compensate the pneumatic disturbance, and a controller. The sensor is connected to a controller input of the controller, the actuator is connected to a controller output of the controller, the controller being arranged to drive the actuator in response to a signal received from the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Jan-Gerard Cornelis VAN DER TOORN, Marcel Koenraad Marie BAGGEN, Stefan Geerte KRUIJSWIJK, Jeroen Pieter STARREVELD, Michael Johannes Vervoordeldonk, Mark Constant Johannes BAGGEN
  • 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: RE44396
    Abstract: Force feedback in large, immersive environments is provided by device which a gyro- stabilization to generate a fixed point of leverage for the requisite forces and/or torques. In one embodiment, one or more orthogonally oriented rotating gyroscopes are used to provide a stable platform to which a force-reflecting device can be mounted, thereby coupling reaction forces to a user without the need for connection to a fixed frame. In one physical realization, a rigid handle or joystick is directly connected to the three-axis stabilized platform and using an inventive control scheme to modulate motor torques so that only the desired forces are felt. In an alternative embodiment, a reaction sphere is used to produce the requisite inertial stabilization. Since the sphere is capable of providing controlled torques about three arbitrary, linearly independent axes, it can be used in place of three reaction wheels to provide three-axis stabilization for a variety of space-based and terrestrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Immersion Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald P. Roston, Charles J. Jacobus