Responsive To Rotor Shaft Position Or Speed Patents (Class 318/721)
  • Patent number: 6927551
    Abstract: A 3-phase AC current flowing to a 3-phase synchronous motor is converted through coordinate conversion to a d-axis current id and a q-axis current iq in a dq-axis coordinate system which rotates in synchronization with the motor rotation and a phase ? of a rectangular wave voltage is calculated based upon the current deviation between a q-axis current command value iq* and the q-axis current iq. A 3-phase rectangular wave voltage is generated from a DC source based upon the calculated phase ? and is applied to the 3-phase synchronous motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kantaro Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 6924617
    Abstract: A control system for an electric motor having a stator and rotor including an inverter for providing power to the electric motor, a controller for controlling the inverter, a low speed control block to estimate the rotor angular position using stator current components operating in the controller, a high speed control block to estimate the rotor angular position using stator current components and stator flux position operating in the controller, a transition switch in the controller to vary operation between the low speed control block and the high speed control block, and where the inverter is controlled by six step operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Schulz, Nitinkumar R. Patel, James M. Nagashima, Seung Ki Sul, Bon-Ho Bae
  • Patent number: 6922028
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control device of a permanent magnet electric motor which makes it possible to synchronously control the permanent magnet electric motor even when the magnetic pole logarithm of the permanent magnet electric motor is not an integral multiple of the number of repeats of a rotation phase signal during one rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Akizuki
  • Patent number: 6914408
    Abstract: A synchronous motor controlling apparatus which can be applied to the carrier synchronized position estimating method as well and have protection-related functions such as detection of inverted magnetic pole position of a motor in a simple method, and an electric motor using the synchronous motor control apparatus. A controller controls a voltage applied to an AC motor with a PWM signal. A magnetic pole position detector of the controller detects a current of the AC motor to estimate a pole position of the AC motor. A fault detector detects a fault in the estimated magnetic position of the AC motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takefumi Sawada, Satoru Kaneko, Ryoso Masaki, Mitsuyuki Hombu, Hiroshi Katayama
  • Patent number: 6906491
    Abstract: A motor controller is provided including a synchronous motor, a feed back detector for detecting the position and velocity of the rotor of the synchronous motor, a detector for detecting a magnetic pole position of the rotor of the synchronous motor, an inverter for controlling an electric power to be supplied to the synchronous motor, an estimator for estimating the magnetic pole position of the rotor of the synchronous motor, and a detector for detecting the abnormality of the feed back detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignees: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Reliance Electric Limited
    Inventors: Takayoshi Matsuo, Satoshi Tanabe, Masazumi Yoshino
  • Patent number: 6900604
    Abstract: A drive control system, with PLL control, drives a rotatable multi-phase sensor-less motor by switching a current of a field coil of each phase depending on the rotating phase of the motor. When the moto is driven, a desired phase is selected as a datection phase, and a voltage induced on the coil of the detection phase is detected when power is fed for a predetermined time to the field coils other than the detection phase. A magnetic pole position is detected from the amplitude condition of the detected induced voltage. Based on this detection, the power-feeding phase of the motor drive is determined. Power feeding and pole position detection are performed alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd., Hitachi Tohbu Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kokami, Kunihiro Kawauchi, Toshiyuki Tsunoda, Reiichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 6885161
    Abstract: Electronic device for controlling a synchronous motor with permanent-magnet rotor, comprising an alternating voltage current source at mains frequency connected in series with said synchronous motor (1), at least one static switch (2) connected in series with said synchronous motor (1), and an electronic circuit (3) that acts on said static switch (2). Said electronic circuit (3) determines the timing for the firing of the static switch (2) taking as reference the zero-crossing of the mains voltage (Vr) and applying a firing time (Td) starting from said reference, said firing time (Td) being obtained as a function of the position of the rotor (1A) of the motor (1) in the previous half-cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Fagor, S. Coop.
    Inventors: Eduardo Beltrán de Nanclares, José M. Mitxelena Alzuri
  • Patent number: 6870344
    Abstract: An inverter part having a switching unit for applying a three-phase AC voltage to a motor, a lock detection unit for detecting a lock state of the motor and also generating a lock detection signal by the detection, and a current control unit for passing a d-shaft armature current id through the motor so that an absolute value of a current of a phase with the largest current flowing through the motor decreases based on the lock detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeo Jinbo
  • Patent number: 6861813
    Abstract: Limits are imposed on a fundamental voltage command value calculated at a fundamental current control circuit that controls a fundamental component of a 3-phase AC motor current in a dq-axis coordinate system rotating in synchronization with the rotation of the 3-phase AC motor by using predetermined limit values and limits are imposed on a higher harmonic voltage command value calculated in an orthogonal coordinate system (a higher harmonic coordinate system) rotating at a frequency set to an integral multiple of the frequency of the fundamental component in the 3-phase AC motor current by using a predetermined limit values. The voltage command values resulting from the limit processing are added together and a voltage corresponding to the sum is applied to the AC motor for drive control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kantaro Yoshimoto, Yasuhiko Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6861819
    Abstract: An electronic device for starting a permanent-magnet synchronous motor, comprising logic control means, at least one switch arranged in series between a power supply source and a permanent-magnet synchronous motor, sensor means suitable to determine the polarity and position of the rotor of the motor, the logic control means being suitable to send a driving signal to the switch means as a function of a signal that arrives from the sensor means and a voltage signal of the power supply source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Askoll Holding S.r.l.
    Inventor: Elio Marioni
  • Patent number: 6859002
    Abstract: A device for controlling an electronically switched motor which includes a coder (2) having a main multipole track (2a) and a so-called “revolution pip” multipole track (2b); a fixed sensor (3) delivering two digital position signals (A, B) and one revolution pip signal (C); a circuit for switching the currents in the phase windings of the motor which comprises 2*P*N switches; a control circuit for the switching circuit which is able to supply the switching signals for the switches which correspond to the state of the logic determined by the revolution pip signal (C) or by the position signals (A, B). The control device can be combined with a bearing and/or a motor equipped with such a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: S.N.R. Roulements
    Inventors: Pascal Desbiolles, Jean-Michael Beauprez
  • Patent number: 6856109
    Abstract: A method and system for modifying an estimated rotor angle for improved efficiency in a PMSM drive system. A module monitors a run command, a torque command, and an estimated speed; and in response thereto, generates an output correction angle for modifying the estimated rotor angle. The output correction angle may be added to the estimated rotor angle. The output correction angle may be generated only for predetermined conditions of said run command, torque command, and speed. In particular, the output correction angle may be generated (1) when the run command is asserted, (2) when the torque command is above a predetermined level, and (3) when variations in the speed are within predetermined limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Eddy Ying Yin Ho
  • Patent number: 6856114
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the sensorless electric measurement of the position of a rotor of a permanently excited synchronous machine that is fed by a converter, by means of measuring signals which are sent to an evaluation device that calculates the electric position of the rotor from the angular dependence of the current space vector at an impressed stator flux pattern, wherein the distribution of absolute values of the differential current space vector varies in approximation in sinusoidal manner with twice the value of the electric rotor position angle sought.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Achim Netz, Sighard Schräbler, Holger Lüdtke, Peter Stauder, Marcus Schulz
  • Patent number: 6856110
    Abstract: A DC motor drive circuit includes a switching circuit that drives the coils of a small permanent magnetic DC motor. The drive circuit is preferably implemented in an integrated circuit device, such as a silicon CMOS device. Integrated into the same integrated circuit device is a magnetic sensor arranged to detect the position of the permanent magnet as it passes a defined point, or points, in its revolution, and control circuitry to derive the timing waveforms for driving the coils. The integrated power devices for driving the coils are also arranged to limit the rise and fall times of the applied voltages and currents so as to reduce or eliminate the generation of unwanted RFI. Additional circuitry is also integrated into the same integrated circuit device to derive the necessary power to operate the magnetic sensor, the control circuitry and the switching circuitry from the connections between the switching circuitry and the coils so as to remove the need for a separate power supply connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: MELEXIS NV
    Inventors: Rudi De Winter, Brad Marshall, Vincent Hiligsmann, Francois-Pierre Laulanet
  • Patent number: 6853163
    Abstract: A switched reluctance drive is controlled without using a physical rotor position detector. The control method estimates the standing flux-linkage associated with the phase and uses this estimate to improve its estimate of rotor position. The method works robustly regardless of whether the current is continuous or discontinuous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Switched Reluctance Drives Ltd.
    Inventor: Howard James Slater
  • Patent number: 6850027
    Abstract: The stepping motor driver comprises an inverter for feeding stepped currents to windings of a stepping motor, a position detector for obtaining a detected angle of a rotor of the stepping motor and a current controller for controlling the inverter. In a d-q rotational coordinate system in which the d-axis is in the direction of the magnetic flux of the rotor and the q-axis is in the direction perpendicular to the d-axis, an excitation angle for a winding is determined from a d-axis component and a q-axis component of a command current to the winding, a lead angle control signal is computed from the excitation angle, and a phase of an applied voltage to the stepping motor is controlled using the lead angle control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Japan Servo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Kuwano, Akio Takemori, Yasuo Matsuda, Yoshihiro Okumatsu, Atsuo Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6850054
    Abstract: A device and a method for non-contacting sensing of the rotational state of a rotor (10). The rotor has a surface divided into an electrically conductive part (1e) and a nonconductive part (1f). Three electric coils (2a, 2b, 2c) are each included in a respective parallel resonant circuit and are applied close to and with their longitudinal axes oriented towards the rotational path of the electrically conductive part of the rotor. The resonant oscillations are damped depending on the rotational position of the rotor. The rotational state is evaluated with an electronic circuit. In a liquid-flow meter, the coils may be applied in the dry part of the meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Elster Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Tord Kjellin, Staffan Ralberg
  • Patent number: 6844697
    Abstract: In order to propose an inexpensive and highly precise motor controller, it is structured so as to detect the position of the rotor on the basis of the difference between the real current differential vector and the reference current differential vector, thereby control the motor without using a rotation position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoso Masaki, Satoru Kaneko, Yoshimi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 6844699
    Abstract: A current detection device used for a plurality of rotating electric machines is provided. The rotating electric machines are supplied with a composite current containing a plurality of frequency components from an single inverter and the frequency is set in response to the rotational angular velocity of one rotating electric machine. The current detection device is provided with a current sensor which detects only current components at a single frequency in the composite current. The current sensor detects the currents in a set of supply lines, the supply lines of which being collected and passing through the current sensor so that the current components of the frequency different from the single frequency cancel out to zero in the set of supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Arimitsu, Shouichi Maeda
  • Patent number: 6838843
    Abstract: A motor controller implements alternately a feedback control for d axis current and a feedback control for q axis current using an estimate value of a rotor angle in different control cycles. Then, the motor controller calculates a sine reference value which corresponds to a sine value of an angle which is twice a phase difference between an actual value and an estimate value of a rotor angle and a cosine reference value which corresponds to a cosine value of the angle which is twice the phase difference based on variations of the d axis actual current and q axis actual current and levels of d axis voltage and q axis voltage in a control cycle in which feedback controls are implemented for d axis current and q axis current and detects a rotor angle using the sine reference value and the cosine reference value so calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Imai, Yutaka Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6822416
    Abstract: A device for monitoring a measuring system of an electric drive is described, including a measuring system (12) for detecting at least one measured quantity of an electric drive (10), at least one controller (78) which receives at least the measured quantity detected by the measuring system (12) and generates at least one manipulated variable for controlling the drive (10), where at least one signal acquisition (34, 73, 79, 89, 91, 93) is provided for detecting errors in the measuring system (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Olaf Kunz, Alfred Punzet, Gerhard Froehlich, Siegfried Melzer
  • Patent number: 6806666
    Abstract: Disclosed is a single-phase motor including a stator, a rotor adapted to rotate when electric power is applied to the stator, a ring-shaped magnet coupled to the rotor to rotate along with the rotor; a parking magnet for stopping the rotor within an effective torque generating region by a magnetic force effected between the ring-shaped magnet and the parking magnet upon braking the rotor, and a sensor unit for sensing a variation in the intensity of a magnetic field generated around the ring-shaped magnet during the rotation of the rotor, thereby sensing the position and speed of the rotor. In accordance with this configuration, the additional device used for an initial driving operation and subsequent operations of the motor can be relatively simple and inexpensive. As a result, there is an advantage in that the motor has an enhanced utility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Young Kim, Yo Han Lee, Jun Yong Lim, Yong Won Choi
  • Patent number: 6803735
    Abstract: A method of starting a brushless DC motor 12 at any initial speed (A) establishes a initial stator-field speed and setting a counter of synchronization, (B) measures a speed of a rotor of the motor, (C) compares the speed of the rotor with the stator-field speed to determine if the rotor is synchronized with the stator-field. If the rotor is not synchronized with the stator-field, the method includes (a) re-setting the counter of synchronization, (b) increasing an acceleration portion of motor current (Iacc) to enhance torque, (c) setting the stator-field speed higher than the rotor speed, (d) calculating a period of an open-loop timer, (e) calculating a value for a load portion of the motor current (Ild), where total motor current I=Iacc+Ild, (f) performing commutation based on the open-loop timer and returning to step (B) until the rotor is synchronized with the stator-field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens VDO Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Ke Liu, John Makaran
  • Patent number: 6801011
    Abstract: The invention has an object to provide a magnetic pole position estimating method and a control apparatus for a synchronous motor which reliably detect the position of a magnetic pole of the synchronous motor to carry out stable control also when a high load is applied or a load is suddenly changed. A coordinate transformer (8) transforms a detected current value is into an impedance observation axis positioned in a place shifted from an estimated magnetic pole position &thgr;{circumflex over ( )} by 45 degrees. A high-frequency impedance estimator (10) estimates high-frequency impedances Zdm and Zqm on two points which are advanced and delayed by an electrical angle of 45 degrees from a &ggr;-axis. A first magnetic pole position estimator (13) estimates a first magnetic pole position estimated value &thgr;{circumflex over ( )} to eliminate a deviation between the high-frequency impedances Zdm and Zqm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Kozo Ide
  • Patent number: 6801012
    Abstract: A system and methodology for control of a switched reluctance electric machine comprising: a switched reluctance electric machine including a sensor generating and transmitting a sensor signal indicative of an operating characteristic; a controller operatively coupled to the switched reluctance motor and the sensor; and the controller executing a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignees: Delphi Technologies, Inc., The University of Akron
    Inventors: Mohammad S. Islam, Sayeed A. Mir, Tomy Sebastian, Iqbal Husain
  • Publication number: 20040189242
    Abstract: Reconfiguration of stator winding sections of each phase of a multiphase motor is controlled for successive ranges of speed during which the motor can be expected to operate to obtain optimum operating efficiency throughout the entire operating range. All winding sections for a stator element are energized throughout the motor operating speed range but connected, through appropriate switches, in different circuit configurations for respective portions of the speed range. The switches are activated by a controller in response to a sensed motor speed signal. The reconfiguration of stator winding sections may be incorporated within a motor control system that is adaptive to control various motor parameters in response to sensed conditions as well as user input commands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Wavecrest Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Pyntikov, Boris A. Maslov, Alexander A. Gladkov
  • Patent number: 6798156
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a circuit using the method thereof for minimising the phase errors during the driving of an electric motor, and a circuit using the method thereof, having a stator winding, a permanent magnet rotor assembly, and devices able to sense a rotor position, which comprises the following steps: a) generating of a rotor position signal (10, 14, 39), by means of said devices able to sense said rotor position; b) detecting at least two information from at least two edges (11, 12; 15, 16) of said rotor position signal (10, 14, 39) inside a measure period; c) generating a driving signal (9, 13, 38), in function of said at least two information (11, 12; 15, 16) inside the measure period, so as to follow the rotor velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Michele Boscolo
  • Patent number: 6777898
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus permit: monitoring a level of a DC source that is used to provide an operating DC voltage to a control circuit and to provide DC bus voltage to a driver circuit for a polyphase motor, the control circuit being of a type that senses signals in windings of the polyphase motor to determine a rotor position thereof and to maintain synchronization therewith; converting kinetic energy of the polyphase motor into a secondary DC source when the level of the DC source has fallen and reached a threshold; and regulating a voltage level of the secondary DC source such that it is operable to provide the operating DC voltage to the control circuit, and such that the control circuit is capable of maintaining synchronization with the polyphase motor while the DC source remains substantially at or below the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Inventor: William A. Peterson
  • Patent number: 6777897
    Abstract: When a switch between sine wave voltage drive and rectangular wave voltage drive is effected based upon the motor rotation speed and a motor torque command value, an AC voltage forming an intermediate wave is generated by combining the sine wave and the rectangular wave and is applied to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Murai
  • Patent number: 6774592
    Abstract: Method and system for controlling a permanent magnet machine are provided. The method provides a sensor assembly for sensing rotor sector position relative to a plurality of angular sectors. The method allows starting the machine in a brushless direct current mode of operation using a calculated initial rotor position based on angular sector position information from the sensor assembly. Upon reaching a predefined mode-crossover criterion, the method allows switching to a sinusoidal mode of operation using rotor angle position based on extrapolating angular sector position information from the sensor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Walters, John Derek Williams
  • Patent number: 6774593
    Abstract: A sensor system for controlling a motor in a motor drive control system having a drive control circuit (4) that controls the driving of a motor (2) in accordance with an operation command, includes a main angle detecting unit (10) having a resolver (1) that detects the rotation angle of the motor (2) and a sub angle detecting unit (11) that estimates the rotation angle of the motor (2) on the basis of the counter electromotive power of the motor (2). The main angle detecting unit (10) detects the rotation angle of the motor (2) in a normal state, and the sub angle detecting unit (11) detects the rotation angle of the motor (2) when the main angle detecting unit (10) is in failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Tamagawa Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kushihara
  • Publication number: 20040150364
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the sensorless electric measurement of the position of a rotor of a permanently excited synchronous machine that is fed by a converter, by means of measuring signals which are sent to an evaluation device that calculates the electric position of the rotor from the angular dependence of the current space vector at an impressed stator flux pattern, wherein the distribution of absolute values of the differential current space vector varies in approximation in sinusoidal manner with twice the value of the electric rotor position angle sought.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Achim Netz, Sighard Schrabler, Holger Ludtke, Peter Stauder, Marcus Schulz
  • Patent number: 6771033
    Abstract: A drive control system, with PLL control, drives a rotatable multi-phase sensor-less motor by switching a current of a field coil of each phase depending on the rotating phase of the motor. When the motor is driven, a desired phase is selected as a detection phase, and a voltage induced on the coil of the detection phase is detected when power is fed for a predetermined time to the field coils other than the detection phase. A magnetic pole position is detected from the amplitude condition of the detected induced voltage. Based on this detection, the power-feeding phase of the motor drive is determined. Power feeding and pole position detection are performed alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Hitachi ULSI Systems Co., Ltd., Hitachi Tohbu Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kokami, Kunihiro Kawauchi, Toshiyuki Tsunoda, Reiichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 6756753
    Abstract: A permanent magnet rotating machine control system and method includes an estimator that calculates an estimate of the machine's rotor speed. The estimator receives energization feed back from the machine in a first rotating reference frame and outputs the rotor speed estimate in a second rotating reference frame. A controller receives a rotor speed demand and the rotor speed estimate, and outputs control signals for controlling energization of the machine in response to the rotor speed demand and rotor speed estimate signals. The first rotating reference frame rotates at the commanded rotor speed, and the second rotating reference frame rotates at the estimated actual rotor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Joseph G. Marcinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 6741048
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronically commutated motor (1) comprising P phases and N pairs of poles, in which a circular multipole encoder (12) is associated with the rotating ring (6a) of an anti-friction bearing (6), said encoder (12) comprising a main multipole track (12a) and a multipole commutation track (12b) comprising 2*P*N singularities (12b1-12b6) equidistributed angularly and a control device comprising a fixed sensor (15) capable of delivering square digital signals A, B in quadrature and a digital signal C in the form of 2*P*N pulses per revolution of the encoder (12), a circuit for commutating (20) the currents in the phase windings of the motor (1) and a control circuit (21) for the commutation circuit (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: S.N.R. Roulements
    Inventors: Pascal Desbiolles, Christophe Nicot, Achim Friz
  • Patent number: 6734666
    Abstract: This method consists in supplying at least a first alternating signal, at a determined frequency, to one end of a stator coil and recuperating a measurement signal at a second end of said coil, said measurement signal being provided to electronic processing means, which are arranged to extract data relating to a periodic variation of the effective inductance of the stator coil. This variation is a function of the angular position of the rotor. By alternately carrying out such a measurement on the stator coils, three periodic curves can be extracted (SPCA, SPCB, SPCC) defining a zigzag curve (70) allowing the angular position of the rotor to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Bien-Air S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Pierre Voillat
  • Publication number: 20040085041
    Abstract: An electric actuator including at least a first P-phase automatically-switched brushless synchronous motor, P being an integer ranging between 1 and 6, and N pairs of poles at the rotor, N being an integer not less than 1. The actuator also includes a position sensor outputting signal to control an electronic circuit controlling the motor. The rotor of the motor drives a gear ratio reducing mechanism. The position sensor is coupled to the reduction unit output shaft to measure the absolute angular position of the reduction unit output shaft. The electronic circuit includes a circuit sequentially controlling the current of each of the phases producing automatic switching of powering sequences of the phases on the basis of the absolute position of the reduction unit output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventor: Daniel Prudham
  • Patent number: 6727675
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus comprises a fundamental current control device that controls a fundamental current in a 3-phase AC motor in an orthogonal coordinate system constituted of a d-axis and a q-axis rotating in synchronization with the rotation of the 3-phase AC motor, a higher harmonic current control device that controls a higher harmonic current in the motor in an orthogonal coordinate system constituted of a dh-axis and a qh-axis rotating at a frequency that is an integral multiple of the frequency of the fundamental component of the current flowing to the motor, an estimating device that estimates the level of the harmonic speed electromotive force in the motor in the dhqh-axis coordinate system and a compensating device that compensates the harmonic speed electromotive force estimated by the estimating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kantaro Yoshimoto, Yasuhiko Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6724163
    Abstract: A DC motor drive circuit, includes a switching circuit that drives the coils of a small permanent magnetic DC motor. The drive circuit is preferably implemented in an integrated circuit device, such as a silicon CMOS device. Integrated into the same integrated circuit device is a magnetic sensor arranged to detect the position of the permanent magnet as it passes a defined point, or points, in its revolution, and control circuitry to derive the timing waveforms for driving the coils. The integrated power devices for driving the coils are also arranged to limit the rise and fall times of the applied voltages and currents so as to reduce or eliminate the generation of unwanted RFI. Additional circuitry is also integrated into the same integrated circuit device to derive the necessary power to operate the magnetic sensor, the control circuitry and the switching circuitry from the connections between the switching circuitry and the coils so as to remove the need for a separate power supply connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Melexis NV
    Inventors: Rudi De Winter, Brad Marshall, Vincent Hiligsmann, Francois-Pierre Laulanet
  • Patent number: 6713977
    Abstract: An electronically commutatable motor, whose excitation windings are controllable via semiconductor output stages by an electronic control unit with the aid of PWM control signals, a setpoint value being specifiable to the control unit, and the control unit emitting corresponding PWM control signals to the semiconductor output stages; a motor characteristic curve, from which an assigned nominal operating speed is derivable for the setpoint value being stored in the control unit, and the derived nominal operating speed being able to be compared to the actual speed of the motor. It a predefinable or predefined speed difference between the nominal operating speed and the actual speed is exceeded, the control unit and/or the semiconductor output stages can be switched off. The derivation of the nominal operating speed for the predefined setpoint value is facilitated by a three-dimensional characteristics field determined by four coordinate points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Sutter, Wolfgang Schwenk, Claude Berling
  • Patent number: 6703807
    Abstract: A method for controlling starting of a synchronous motor having an excellent starting ability and capable of coming into a commutation mode in a short time is provided. An AC current having a predetermined frequency is supplied to a field coil 81 of a synchronous motor 8 by an inverter 91, thereby starting the synchronous motor 8. By detecting a terminal voltage of the field coil 81 of the synchronous motor 8 at the starting time, and decreasing a voltage waveform component based on the AC current supplied by the inverter 91 from the detected voltage, the waveform is corrected so that the voltage waveform component based on the counter electromotive force can be confirmed (110). And after integrating the corrected waveform (111) and converting the same into a square wave (112), a phase difference between the same (104) and an output of a 120° energization waveform generating circuit 102 is detected to be fed back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignees: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd., Nihon Inverter Corporation
    Inventors: Takatoshi Sakata, Yasuo Yokoi
  • Patent number: 6696812
    Abstract: A control apparatus controls a voltage applied to an AC motor from a power converter with a PWM signal, and has two different magnetic pole position-estimating units which estimate a rotor magnetic pole position of the AC motor, and has a switching unit which selects any one of these two kinds of magnetic pole position-estimating units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kaneko, Ryoso Masaki, Yasuo Morooka, Mitsuyuki Hombu, Hiroshi Katayama
  • Publication number: 20040008004
    Abstract: A method of maximizing the power or torque output of a synchronous motor with reluctance effect is disclosed. Bases on torque and voltage set points, in the regulation of the synchronous motor, an optimal torque- and field producing current is generated. The method can further generate an optimal voltage which can maximize the power output of a synchronous motor since changes of inductances generated by the current itself can be accounted for.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Papiernik, Klaus Georg, Stefan Kuenzel
  • Patent number: 6674261
    Abstract: A sensorless detector 25 uses a rotor angle finally detected by a sensor interpolation detector 24 as an estimated value (&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}) of the rotor angle of a motor 3 in a first control cycle upon changing from a rotor angle detecting process carried out by the sensor interpolation detector 24. In subsequent control cycles, the sensorless detector 25 uses estimated values (&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}, &ohgr;{circumflex over ( )}) of the rotor angle and a rotor angular velocity in a preceding control cycle as calculation parameters, updates the calculation parameters with an observer which sequentially updates the calculation parameters depending on a phase difference (&thgr;−&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}) calculated in the preceding control cycle in order to eliminate the phase difference, for thereby calculating the estimated value (&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}) of the rotor angle of the motor 3 in the present control cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Takahashi, Nobuyuki Imai
  • Patent number: 6664755
    Abstract: In an intelligent electric motor, the rotating speed and performance of a conventional electric motor is changed based on a means controlled by a computer, and the means is installed in the housing of the intelligent electric motor. For example, in the intelligent AC motor, the three-phase power is connected to the three-phase stator winding by three groups of control gates. All of the gates are switched on or off by a signal from the control means. When each of the three groups of control gates is switched on sequentially, the three-phase power is connected to the three-phase stator winding of the three-phase intelligent electric motor at the speed &dgr; in turn, so that the speed of the rotating magnetic field of the intelligent electric motor n0 is increased by a sped &dgr;. Therefore, the actual speed of the motor, n′0, is equal to n0±&dgr;, so the speed and performance of the motor is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventor: Qun Huang
  • Patent number: 6661192
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a polyphase brushless direct current (DC) motor (42) are described. One system includes a meter (14) coupled to a motor terminal (A, B, C) and adapted to produce a range of digital output values (44) representative of a motor terminal signal from which a back EMF signal is derivable. The system (10) also may include a controller (16) that is coupled to the meter (14, 42) and is operable to monitor the range of meter output values and to compute a motor commutation time based upon a monitored local minimum meter output value and a monitored local maximum meter output value. A pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit (26) may be provided, and the meter (14, 42) may be synchronized with the PWM circuit (26). Zero crossings in the back EMF signals are identified based upon direct measurements of the signals at the motor terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Michael P. Copeland
  • Patent number: 6657413
    Abstract: Providing control apparatus with a maximum torque/current ratio control means by which the relationship between the maximum torque and current amplitudes and the relationship between the maximum torque and current phases are converted to numeric expressions including one or more than one linear function with the torque taken as the parameter, then the current amplitude command and current phase command data that yields a maximum torque is computed, and computed data is sent as an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junnosuke Nakatsugawa, Yukio Kawabata, Tsunehiro Endo, Masashi Kitamura, Junya Kaneda
  • Patent number: 6650081
    Abstract: Axial error calculation unit is provided for estimating an axial error &Dgr;&thgr; between a d-q axis and a dc-qc axis by using Ld, Lq, Ke, Id*, Iq*, Idc and Iqc in a range of all rotational speeds except zero of a rotational speed command of a synchronous motor, Ld denoting an inductance on a magnetic pole axis d of the synchronous motor, Lq an inductance on a q axis orthogonal to the magnetic pole axis d, Ke a generated power constant of the motor, Id* a current command of the d axis, Iq* a current command on a q axis, Idc a detected current value on an assumed dc axis on control, and Iqc a detected current value on an assumed qc axis orthogonal to the assumed dc axis. Irrespective of presence of saliency, position sensorless control can be achieved in a wide range a low to high speed zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Tsunehiro Endo, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Yuhachi Takakura
  • Patent number: 6628099
    Abstract: Axial error calculation unit is provided for estimating an axial error &Dgr;&thgr; between a d-q axis and a dc-qc axis by using Ld, Lq, Ke, Id*, Iq*, Idc and Iqc in a range of all rotational speeds except zero of a rotational speed command of a synchronous motor, Ld denoting an inductance on a magnetic pole axis d of the synchronous motor, Lq an inductance on a q axis orthogonal to the magnetic pole axis d, Ke a generated power constant of the motor, Id* a current command of the d axis, Iq* a current command on a q axis, Idc a detected current value on an assumed dc axis on control, and Iqc a detected current value on an assumed qc axis orthogonal to the assumed dc axis. Irrespective of presence of saliency, position sensorless control can be achieved in a wide range a low to high speed zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Tsunehiro Endo, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Yuhachi Takakura
  • Patent number: 6621242
    Abstract: A motor speed control having synchronous PWM signals has a synchronous phase detecting unit and a PWM control unit. The synchronous phase detecting unit detects the phase variation of a Hall signal, which represents the phase change of the motor, and outputs a digital value to the PWM control unit. The PWM control unit compares the digital value with a speed control command so as to obtain a PWM signal, wherein the PWM signal is synchronized with the Hall signal. Since the PWM signal is synchronized with the Hall signal, the motor is operated smoothly even in the low speed rotation, and audible noises are effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Silicon Touch Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Biing-Huang Huang, Wen-Chi Lin, Shiang-Hwua Yu, Hsu-Yuan Chin