Responsive To Motor Condition Patents (Class 318/798)
  • Patent number: 11962203
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for monitoring the operation of a drive component. In order to minimize additional hardware complexity, the monitoring method is cared out by a coil that is integrated in a mobile terminal by acquiring an electromagnetic variable of the drive component outside a housing of the drive component by the integrated coil, determining at least one first frequency based on the acquired electromagnetic variable, and determining a first status variable of the drive component from the at least one first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Benjamin Sewiolo
  • Patent number: 11910990
    Abstract: A cleaning system including a motor configured to provide rotational energy to an impeller, a current sensor configured to sense current provided to the moto, and a controller having an electronic processor. The controller is configured to receive, from the current sensor, a current signal indicative of the current provided to the motor, filter the current signal to produce a filtered current signal, and control the motor based on the filtered current signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventor: Kevin Terry
  • Patent number: 11837981
    Abstract: A method for operating a brushless and sensorless multi-phase electric motor. At least two phase voltages and at least two phase currents of the electric motor are determined. A voltage vector is determined from the phase voltages and/or a current vector is determined from the phase currents. A position substitute signal is determined as a measure of a rotor position on the basis of an angle of the current vector and/or of the voltage vector. A rotation value is calculated on the basis of the position substitute signals, and the electric motor is controlled by open-loop and/or closed-loop technology on a basis of the rotation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuerzburg
    Inventor: Johannes Schwarzkopf
  • Patent number: 11784606
    Abstract: A method for fail-safe rotational speed monitoring of a sensorless three-phase drive, in which the three-phase drive is controlled in three phases with the phases U, V, W by drive electronics comprising an inverter, with the voltage signals at the three phases U, V, W being present as pulse width modulated signals, in which an output frequency of the inverter applied to the drive is determined and an actual rotational speed of the drive is determined therefrom, in which the actual rotational speed is compared with a predeterminable desired rotational speed and in which, if the actual rotational speed exceeds the desired rotational speed, the drive is switched off, the pulse width of the pulse width modulated signals being used to determine the output frequency of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: KEB AUTOMATION KG
    Inventor: Stephan Musiolik
  • Patent number: 11493540
    Abstract: A method for analyzing power quality events in an electrical system includes processing electrical measurement data from or derived from energy-related signals captured by at least one metering device in the electrical system to generate at least one dynamic tolerance curve. Each dynamic tolerance curve of the at least one dynamic tolerance curve characterizes a response characteristic of the electrical system at a respective metering point in the electrical system. The method also includes analyzing the at least one dynamic tolerance curve to identify special cases which require further evaluation(s)/clarification to be discernable and/or actionable. The at least one dynamic tolerance curve may be regenerated or updated, and/or new or additional dynamic tolerance curves may be generated, to provide the further clarification. One or more actions affecting at least one component in the electrical system may be performed in response to an analysis of the curve(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Menzel, Jon A. Bickel
  • Patent number: 11456685
    Abstract: The present motor control device includes an inverter, a converter, and a control device. The control device has a rotation speed calculation unit that calculates a rotation speed of a motor; an optimum voltage calculation unit that calculates an optimum input voltage; a minimum voltage calculation unit that calculates a minimum input voltage required to operate the motor at a motor operating point; and a target value setting unit that sets either one of the optimum input voltage and the minimum input voltage as a target input voltage. In a case in which the set target torque exceeds a predetermined value, the target value setting unit sets the minimum input voltage lower than the optimum input voltage as the target input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Shogo Tokita, Kazunari Kurokawa, Masahiro Shimada, Yuta Nakamura, Takami Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11296630
    Abstract: To provide a controller for rotary electric machine apparatus which can calculate the voltage command value of the converter which reduces power loss with good accuracy, in the case where the normal modulation control and the overmodulation control are switched and performed. A controller for rotary electric machine apparatus sets a system voltage that power loss becomes the minimum as the converter voltage command value, based on a power loss characteristics of the normal modulation control which is a power loss characteristics of at least the inverter with respect to the system voltage in performing the normal modulation control, and a power loss characteristics of the overmodulation control which is a power loss characteristics of at least the inverter with respect to the system voltage in performing the overmodulation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Iezawa, Shingo Kato, Noriyuki Wada, Hideaki Kawamoto, Kotaro Nakano
  • Patent number: 11290046
    Abstract: An electrical drive system including an inverter and an electrical machine supplied by the inverter. A method for controlling the electrical drive system includes: receiving a machine current signal and a machine voltage signal of a machine current supplied to the electrical machine; determining a switching signal based on the machine current signal and controlling the inverter with the switching signal; estimating a first speed estimate from the machine current signal; estimating a second speed estimate from the machine voltage signal; and comparing the first speed estimate and the second speed estimate with each other, and, when the first speed estimate and the second speed estimate deviate from each other more than a threshold, activating a fault reaction of the electrical drive system, which sets the electrical drive system to a predefined state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Janne Kallio, Petri Havanto
  • Patent number: 11218103
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) according to the present disclosure can estimate a full load rotor resistance value as a function of motor positive-sequence resistance. The IED may estimate the full load rotor resistance value by measuring zero-crossings of voltage after a motor disconnect. The IED may also acquire motor current and voltage measurements and calculate motor slip using the acquired motor current and voltage measurements and the estimated full load rotor resistance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcos A. Donolo, Jay Hartshorn, Subhash C. Patel, Vinod K. Yedidi, Jianchun Qin
  • Patent number: 11190121
    Abstract: The present invention provides control of a synchronous machine with non-sinusoidal current-voltage profiles. The synchronous machine is controlled in a field-oriented coordinate system. In this case, the transformation between field-oriented coordinate system and stator-oriented coordinate system is effected by specific, adapted transformations which take account of the non-sinusoidal signal profiles during the driving of the synchronous machine, such that the latter correspond to current-voltage profiles progressing in a constant fashion in the field-oriented coordinate system. What is achieved thereby is that the non-sinusoidal current-voltage profiles need not be taken into account in any way in the design of the control system in the field-oriented coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Braun, Holger Rapp, Stefan Kurz
  • Patent number: 11067612
    Abstract: A monitoring device (10) includes a feature amount storage unit (11) that stores a device feature amount which is a feature amount of each of a plurality of electrical devices installed in a predetermined unit in operation; a measured data acquisition unit (12) that acquires measured data of the predetermined unit which is at least one of a total current consumption, a total power consumption, and a voltage measured in the predetermined unit; a feature amount extraction unit (13) that acquires a measurement feature amount which is the feature amount included in the measured data of the predetermined unit; a correction unit (15) that corrects a first feature amount which is the device feature amount or the measurement feature amount based on unit feature information indicating a feature of the predetermined unit; and a presumption unit (16) that presumes the electrical device being in operation using the corrected first feature amount, and a second feature amount which is the device feature amount or the measu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eisuke Saneyoshi, Takahiro Toizumi, Kosuke Homma, Ryo Hashimoto, Katsuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11025159
    Abstract: An automotive power converter includes positive and negative DC rails, a pair of phase legs each having first and second switches connected in series, an output electrically connected between the first and second switches of each of the phase legs, and control circuitry configured to prevent turn on of the first switches responsive to current through either of the second switches exceeding a predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Baoming Ge, Lihua Chen
  • Patent number: 10862417
    Abstract: A rotary electric device control device controls driving of a rotary electric device including a plurality of winding sets. The rotary electric device control device includes: a plurality of drive circuits; and a plurality of control units. The control units include signal output units for outputting control signals to the drive circuits corresponding to the control units, respectively, and communicate with each other. The control units include: one master control unit; and at least one slave control unit. An electric power steering device includes: a rotary electric device control device; the rotary electric device that outputs an assist torque for assisting a steering operation of a steering wheel by a driver; and a power transmission unit that transmits a driving force of the rotary electric device to a drive target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuji Kuramitsu, Koichi Nakamura, Atsuko Oka, Masaya Taki, Hideki Kabune, Yuki Watanabe, Toshimitsu Sakai, Yosuke Ogi
  • Patent number: 10784805
    Abstract: A system and method for robust control of a sensorless interior permanent magnet synchronous motor. The system and method includes rotor characteristic detection to detect or estimate rotor position, rotor speed, and rotor magnetic polarity based on rotor magnetic anisotropy or saliency. Detecting rotor magnetic polarity allows determination of orientation of the rotor and, for a rotor in motion, direction of travel. A high frequency injection enables rotor position detection and an alternating carrier method enables detection of rotor magnetic polarity. The system and method can also include closed loop startup control from a standstill condition following detection of rotor characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Wolong Electric Group Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Radu Bojoi, Zheng Zhang, Ze Jiang
  • Patent number: 10773922
    Abstract: A drive and motor system and method for a six phase machine with negligible common-mode voltage is provided. The six-phase machine includes six phase windings divided into at least two windings groups configured to generate a zero common-mode pulse width modulation. The drive and motor system and method can also include at least one direct current source and a six phase inverter switching between positive and negative power of the at least one direct current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Dong Jiang, Shashank Krishnamurthy, Daryl J. Marvin
  • Patent number: 10778773
    Abstract: A system for monitoring electrical properties with lower power data acquisition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: LO3 Energy Inc.
    Inventor: Zac Wheeler
  • Patent number: 10727772
    Abstract: For predicting a load pattern, a method determines a torque error from a torque reference modified by a low pass filter function of the torque reference. The torque reference is one of measured from an induction machine energized by a flux current and a torque current and calculated in an induction machine controller. The method determines a torque increase pulse in response to a torque relative variation calculated from the torque error exceeding an increase threshold. In response to detecting the torque increase pulse, the method determines a change delay time from the torque relative variation and the torque increase pulse. The method further determines a change period from at least two torque increase pulses. The method increases the flux current before a change time that is predicted as a function of the change delay time and the change period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lei Jin, Robert J. Miklosovic, Zhendong Zhang, Timothy M. Rowan, Haihui Lu
  • Patent number: 10644632
    Abstract: Provided are a motor control device and a method for controlling a motor control device. Harmonics of an input current may be reduced by adjusting an output of an inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Donggeun Lee, Kyeongtae Kim, Jeongeon Oh
  • Patent number: 10523133
    Abstract: Provided is a motor control device for a vehicle including: an inverter, in which a plurality of power semiconductor devices are installed, and which is configured to drive a motor through switching control; and a DC/DC converter configured to step up an output voltage of a DC power supply in accordance with a voltage command value to apply the stepped-up voltage to the inverter, in which the inverter employs a wide bandgap semiconductor, for example, a SiC device, as the power semiconductor devices, and the DC/DC converter has a circuit configuration in which a stepwise output voltage is generated at the time of DC/DC power conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Yuyama, Takuto Yano
  • Patent number: 10442481
    Abstract: Conventional internal combustion engine technology has been around for decades and historically has been the primary power source for virtually all industrial equipment. It relies on carbon-based fuels, is loud, polluting, and the machines it powers are expensive to operate and maintain. A self-contained, rechargeable battery system is provided that possesses superior power than comparable diesel and gas engines. The rechargeable battery power system generates zero emissions, is virtually maintenance free, is quiet, and recharges overnight via a standard electrical outlet. The rechargeable battery power system can be installed in new and used construction equipment (light towers, excavators, generators) and may be used wherever a source of power is required, for example, in vans and boats, and in supplemental power systems including smart grid applications. It can be safely used indoors, in neighborhoods and other locations sensitive to the side effects of internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: OSC, Manufacturing & Equipment Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Noah Solomon Podolefsky
  • Patent number: 10437227
    Abstract: A motor drive system includes a power supply unit configured to supply DC power to a DC link, a servo amplifier for drive configured to convert the DC power in the DC link to AC power and supplies the AC power to the servomotor for drive as a driving power, a power storage device configured to store DC power from the DC link or supplies DC power to the DC link, an abnormality detection unit configured to detect the abnormality of the power storage device, and a control unit configured to, when the abnormality detection unit detects the abnormality of the power storage device, control the operation of the servo amplifier for drive such that the output of the servomotor for drive is limited to a value smaller than the output before the abnormality detection by the abnormality detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shougo Shinoda, Satoshi Ikai
  • Patent number: 10424913
    Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the invention, in an overload relay for a three-phase motor, an adjusted threshold for detected current phase unbalance is dynamically determined at which the relay will be tripped. The adjusted threshold is a function of a ratio of an average of currents in the three-phases to the rated full load current of the motor, i.e., motor load. As the motor load decreases, the adjusted current phase unbalance threshold is increased, causing the resulting trip time to increase, thereby increasing motor run time and reducing downtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC USA, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Jefferies, Benjamin W. Edwards, Matthew L. White, Alan E. Freeman, Richard K. Weiler
  • Patent number: 10415659
    Abstract: A driving-force transmitting apparatus includes first and second friction clutches, a piston that presses the first and second friction clutches, a hydraulic pump that feeds hydraulic oil to a cylinder chamber in the piston, an electric motor that drives the hydraulic pump, and a control apparatus that controls the electric motor to adjust the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump. The control apparatus has a feedback control apparatus that controls the electric motor using a correction value based on a deviation between a target value and an actual value of the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump, a hydraulic-oil temperature estimating apparatus that estimates a temperature of hydraulic oil, and a gain adjusting apparatus that changes a correction amount for feedback control in accordance with the estimated temperature of the hydraulic oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nozu, Akira Kodama, Masaki Mita, Shotaro Niimi
  • Patent number: 10396698
    Abstract: First pulse width modulation control is a control of generating a first pulse width modulation signal for a plurality of switching elements by comparison of modulated waves of voltage commands in phases based on a torque command for a motor with a carrier voltage, and performing switching of the plurality of switching elements. Second pulse width modulation control is a control of generating a second pulse width modulation signal for the plurality of switching elements based on a modulation factor of a voltage and a voltage phase based on the torque command and the number of pulses per unit period of an electrical angle of the motor, and performing switching of the plurality of switching elements. An electronic control unit is configured to switch the plurality of switching elements between the first pulse width modulation control and the second pulse width modulation control at irregular time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Yamamoto, Kenji Yamada
  • Patent number: 10381888
    Abstract: A motor driving method is applied to a motor with a rotor comprising a magnetic reluctance structure. The motor driving method comprises enabling the motor by an asynchronous driving method, controlling the motor by the asynchronous driving method according to a speed regulation command, detecting a rotor speed of the motor and determining whether the rotor speed is larger than a speed threshold, and when the rotor speed is larger than the speed threshold, controlling the motor by a synchronous driving method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Ming-Mao Hsu, Yu-Yuan Chen, Tsu-Min Liu
  • Patent number: 10340831
    Abstract: A vibration suppression method and device of a wind power generator is provided. The method includes: calculating a specified value of a flux-weakening control parameter of the generator according to a preset value of an electromagnetic active power of the generator and a frequency of the generator; and controlling the generator according to the specified value of the flux-weakening control parameter of the generator. The method and device reduce the magnetic load of the generator by the flux-weakening control, thereby suppress vibration and noise of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Beijing Goldwind Science & Creation Windpower Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Liu, Xiaohe Zhang, Xiang Zhao
  • Patent number: 10312838
    Abstract: A drive system has an electric motor, wherein the electric motor includes a first three-phase stator winding system and a second three-phase stator winding system. The first and the second stator winding system are arranged on the stator in a manner rotated through an electrical phase angle in relation to one another. The drive system includes a frequency converter, wherein the frequency converter has a first bridge circuit arrangement which is designed to generate voltages for the first winding system and a second bridge circuit arrangement which is designed to generate voltages for the second winding system. The first bridge circuit arrangement and the second bridge circuit arrangement are connected in series. A control device is designed to actuate the first bridge circuit arrangement and the second bridge circuit arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Lenze Drives GmbH
    Inventors: Heiko Stichweh, Felix Klute, Torben Jonsky, Thorsten Hohnsbein, Volker Grabs, Holger Borcherding
  • Patent number: 10275374
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for controlling interrupts in an inverter. If a control unit checks that an interrupt is issued in main software while an inverter is operating, the control unit analyzes the type of the interrupt. The interrupt is converted into an interrupt ID sorted by functionality. If the interrupt ID is a previously registered interrupt ID, an interrupt function corresponding to the registered interrupt ID is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bong-Ki Lee
  • Patent number: 10254374
    Abstract: A method for estimating torque control error at an electric machine considers the effects of current sensor error characteristics. Systems and methods can be practiced to determine the maximum sensor error that can be tolerated without causing unacceptable torque error. An example method uses sensor characteristics and machine characteristics to determine current sensing error, current control error, and torque control error. Determining the lowest sensor accuracy required for a desired torque control accuracy can facilitate the use of lower cost sensors in current-feedback controlled electric drive systems without compromising performance. Other applications can include vehicle diagnostics and torque error compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Chang-jiang Wang, Michael Degner
  • Patent number: 10243496
    Abstract: A method controls the operation of an electric motor. Wherein electrical voltages applied to electrical phases of the electric motor are produced and output in a controlled manner in a modulation on the basis of a rotor position of the electric motor, on the basis of a set point/actual comparison, which is performed in a control loop with a speed controller, for a speed of the electric motor and on the basis of a set point/actual comparison. A set point value at the input of the current regulator is formed by multiplying a present duty factor for the modulation by a first manipulated variable applied to the output of the speed controller. The first manipulated variable of the speed controller becomes an equivalent phase current root mean square value for the electric motor in the underlying current regulator by the multiplication by the present duty factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Hinze, Andreas Schulze, Matthias Peuckert
  • Patent number: 10243366
    Abstract: An annex supply system for an electrical power plant includes an energy extraction network configured to receive AC current from a main production unit, a main auxiliary network coupled to the extraction network, and a secondary supply unit. The secondary unit includes a storage element coupled to a means for reversible conversion from direct to alternating current that is controllable to selectively (i) charge the storage element from the main auxiliary network, and (ii) discharge energy from the storage element to the main auxiliary network. The secondary unit is configured to (i) provide a first power profile at least sufficient to provide services to a transmission network, and/or (ii) provide to the main auxiliary network a second power profile required to operate auxiliary equipment in case of inoperability of a normal power supply source of the main auxiliary network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: GE ENERGY PRODUCTS FRANCE SNC
    Inventor: Hervé Biellmann
  • Patent number: 10236676
    Abstract: The invention is a pulse-controlled inverter with one or more semiconductor switches and freewheeling diodes arranged in parallel to each semiconductor switch. The semiconductor switches are triggered only when the current does not flow through a freewheeling diode that is arranged in parallel to the semiconductor switch. This allows the number of triggering processes for the semiconductor switch to be reduced. The reduced number of triggering processes for the semiconductor switches results in lower power losses and an increased service life of the entire system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gunther Goetting, Kay Hindorf, Mark Damson, Thomas Wiecha, Daniel Raichle, Jochen Kuehner
  • Patent number: 10153716
    Abstract: A microcontroller controls a BLDC motor with Hall sensors. In a calibration mode, the microcontroller operates the motor at substantially constant load and speed. A first current value across the motor is detected. A reference phase angle value is adjusted and a second current value is detected. If the second current value is less than the first current value, then the reference phase angle value is adjusted and a next current value is detected. The adjusting and detecting is repeated until the next current value is greater than the previous current value indicating that the adjustment increased current across the motor. The adjusted reference phase angle value before increased motor current is stored. In a normal operating mode, using the adjusted reference phase angle value results in desired motor operation where minimal current is consumed for a given load and speed despite asymmetries in motor windings and Hall sensor placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: IXYS, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Arnold Hardt, Thomas Andrew Ormiston
  • Patent number: 10075088
    Abstract: A load commutated converter interconnects an AC power grid with an AC load and comprises a grid-side converter, a DC link and a load-side converter. A method for controlling the load commutated converter comprises: determining a gridside firing angle for the grid-side converter; determining a load-side firing angle for the load-side converter; determining a grid voltage of the AC power grid; modifying the grid-side firing angle and/or the load-side firing angle based on the grid voltage, such that when an undervoltage condition in the AC power grid occurs, the operation of the load commutated converter is adapted to a change in the grid voltage; and applying the grid-side firing angle to the grid-side converter and the load-side firing angle to the load-side converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Thomas Besselmann, Stefan Almer, Jan Wiik, Sture Van de Moortel
  • Patent number: 10003294
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a rotary electric machine includes: first and second inverters corresponding to first and second winding groups; first and second voltage detectors; and first and second control units. Each of the first and second inverters includes plurality of switching elements. The first and second voltage detectors each detects input voltage of corresponding inverter. The first control unit limits a first current command value of the first winding group, when both of the first and second inverter input voltages are in normal, and a first differential value is larger than a determination threshold, and the second control unit limits a second current command value of the second winding group, when both of the first and second inverter input voltages are normal, and a second differential value is larger than the determination threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshimichi Hara
  • Patent number: 9998054
    Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) variable speed drive (VSD) controller is described. A VSD control system includes a pump assembly including an induction motor operatively coupled to a pump, a power cable and a transformer electrically coupled between the induction motor and a VSD controller that controls a speed of the induction motor, the VSD controller including a converter section that sends a direct current (DC), a DC link including a DC smoothing capacitor that smooths the DC, an inverter that converts the smoothed DC to a pulse width modulated (PWM) output voltage, the inverter including at least one silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor module, and a PWM filter that filters the PWM output voltage to produce near sinusoidal voltages, the PWM filter including inductors, and the PWM filter sending voltage to the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Summit ESP, LLC
    Inventors: Tom G. Yohanan, Ryan Bridwell Ashbaugh, John Vanderstaay Kenner
  • Patent number: 9982680
    Abstract: Inputting an input resistance to an operational amplifier. Detecting whether a number of fans are in operation based on the input resistance to the operational amplifier by driving a number of resistors connected in series in a fan circuit associated with the number of fans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Pedro Miguel Teixido Rovira, Santiago Sanz Ananos, Fernando Bayona Alcolea
  • Patent number: 9979333
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an inverter, and more specifically to an inverter that can be restarted stably by determining whether to restart it when power is supplied after a failure has occurred in the inverter due to a fault in the main supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung-Cheol Choi, Anno Yoo
  • Patent number: 9919903
    Abstract: A multi-speed electric motor may include a plurality of windings arranged into winding phase groups. A speed controller may switch two or more windings between a series and a parallel configuration in each winding phase group. The speed controller may also switch the winding phase groups between a delta and a Wye configuration. By selecting a specific configuration, one or more of the holding torque, torque ratio, no-load maximum speed, and volts/Hz ratio of the AC motor may be optimized for a given application. In some embodiments, the AC motor may be used as part of a piece of drilling rig equipment such as a drawworks, winch, mud pump, top drive, or rotary table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: NABORS DRILLING TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
    Inventors: Charles Patrick, Kevin R. Williams
  • Patent number: 9876461
    Abstract: A control and protection apparatus for an electric motor, comprising an inverter (3), a first converter (1), a temperature detection apparatus (7), and a second converter (2). The first converter (1) is used for generating, on the basis of an input signal, a first control signal to control working of the inverter (3). The temperature detection apparatus (7) is used for detecting the temperature of the electric motor (4) and for acquiring a temperature signal. The second converter (2) is used for generating a second control signal on the basis of the temperature signal detected and for providing the second control signal to the inverter (3). The inverter (3) is used for controlling wording of the electric motor (4) on the basis of the first control signal and of the second control signal. The control and protection apparatus for the electric motor is low in costs and high in safety and reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Lee, Robert A. Fenton, Xiaoling Li, Leo Sun, Jiankun Xin
  • Patent number: 9871443
    Abstract: A power control circuit is provided, which includes a pin and a current source. The current source is electrically coupled to the pin and provides a reference current to the pin to generate a set voltage. The set voltage increases along with time after the current source provides the reference current to the pin. The power control circuit activates an over current protection scheme according to the set voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Heng-Lung Lin
  • Patent number: 9857406
    Abstract: Disclosed are a three-phase wiring detection device and a coincidence phase detection method. The three-phase wiring detection device and the coincidence phase detection method compare a power factor relationship between a three-phase voltage and a three-phase current, and determines whether a coincidence phase is coincident between the three-phase voltage and the three-phase current, thereby checking whether the coincidence phase is accurately coincident. Therefore, whether the coincidence phase is coincident between the three-phase voltage and the three-phase current can be checked, and a function of a reverse phase detector and a function of a coincidence phase checker can be implemented. Also, the three-phase voltage and the three-phase current can be accurately detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Jun Yun
  • Patent number: 9837950
    Abstract: A vehicle control device according to one embodiment includes an inverter converting a DC power to a three-phase AC power and supplying the three-phase AC power to a motor driving a vehicle. A detector detects a current value between the inverter and the motor. A controller PWM-controls the inverter based on a current value detected by the detector, a speed command signal, and a rotor frequency of the motor. The controller determines occurrence of a malfunction when a PWM modulation rate is equal to or higher than a predetermined value and the rotor frequency is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Otani, Masanao Itoh
  • Patent number: 9813007
    Abstract: A control system for an electric motor, the control system comprising a first control device arranged to control an operation of a first component of the electric motor; a second control device arranged to control an operation of a second component of the electric motor, wherein the first control device is arranged to transmit to the second control device a first signal for indicating the transmission of data over a first communication link to the second control device, wherein the second control device is arranged to use the timing of the first signal to synchronize the operation of the second component with the operation of the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: PROTEAN ELECTRIC LIMITED
    Inventors: Richard Burke, Anthony Morrell, Timothy Martin
  • Patent number: 9692314
    Abstract: A detection circuit for an AC-to-AC power converter includes a voltage divider circuit that has three AC input terminal coupled respectively to three input ends of a power converter which are to receive respectively three AC input power signals with different phases, and that receives a predetermined first reference voltage. Upon receiving one AC input power signal, the voltage divider circuit outputs a divided voltage, which during an active period of the one AC input power signal, is greater than a predetermined second reference voltage, to a comparator, which also receives the predetermined second reference voltage, such that the comparator outputs a detection signal that is in an active state when the one AC input power signal is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: Lite-On Electronics (Guangzhou) Limited, Lite-on Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yen-Shin Lai, Pane-You Liu
  • Patent number: 9685899
    Abstract: An inverter which supplies a load-adaptive boost voltage and drives an induction motor includes a reference voltage determining unit configured to determine a reference voltage according to a reference frequency on the basis of a predetermined a relationship between a voltage and a frequency, an inverter unit configured to drive the induction motor according to the reference voltage, and an automatic torque boost voltage calculation unit configured to determine an automatic torque boost voltage value according to a magnitude of an output current from the inverter to the induction motor, wherein the reference voltage determining unit adds a preset manual boost voltage value and an automatic torque boost voltage value to the reference voltage and outputs the resultant voltage value as a final reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyojin Kim
  • Patent number: 9660560
    Abstract: A drive system for a brushless DC motor having a rotor includes at least one permanent magnet and a stator including at least one phase winding. The system has a drive circuit including a switch associated with the winding for varying the current passing through the winding; a rotor position sensor arranged to sense the position of the rotor; and a controller arranged to provide drive signals to control the switch. The drive system is further arranged to receive a temperature signal that has a value dependent upon the temperature of the at least one magnet of the rotor. The controller is arranged to vary the phase of the current passing through the winding relative to the rotor position dependent upon the temperature of the rotor magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: TRW LIMITED
    Inventor: Graham Alastair Richard Kemp
  • Patent number: 9641121
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a power-supply shunt resistance that is provided between an inverter and the negative-voltage side of a DC power supply, and respective-phase lower-arm shunt resistances that are provided between the power-supply shunt resistance and respective-phase lower-arm switching elements. Respective-phase lower-arm voltages, that are respective voltages between the negative-voltage side of the DC power supply and connection points between the respective-phase lower-arm switching elements and the respective-phase lower-arm shunt resistances, are detected to calculate respective-phase currents that flow through a load device in accordance with detection values of the respective-phase lower-arm voltages, and to control a carrier frequency of a carrier signal, which serves as a reference frequency of each drive signal, according to a change in a specific control parameter A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Shimomugi, Keisuke Uemura, Koichi Arisawa, Yosuke Shinomoto, Shigeo Umehara, Shinichiro Ura, Makoto Tanikawa
  • Patent number: 9628002
    Abstract: The system contains a controller unit comprising a memory device, a processing unit, and at least one analog-to-digital converter. A power stage has a plurality of switches, wherein the power stage receives a control signal from the control circuit and a power signal from a power source. The power stage drives two windings of the set of three stator windings to rotate a rotor and maintains one stator winding of the three stator windings undriven. The memory device stores a plurality of values for the driven current and a plurality of demodulated undriven winding voltages. The processing unit compares the plurality of values and periodically calculates a rotor sextant while the rotor rotates. The processing unit compares at least two demodulated undriven winding voltage values corresponding to at least two current values within the rotor sextant to calculate the rotor sextant parity and verify the calculation of the rotor sextant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: CIRRUS LOGIC, INC.
    Inventors: Branislav Pjetar, Marc J. Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9566916
    Abstract: A method for operating a hybrid electric vehicle having a variable voltage converter (VVC) includes commanding a first voltage across a VVC in response to a signal requesting a VVC test, continuously monitoring a first VVC voltage difference over a first calibratable time period, and generating a diagnostic signal if the first voltage difference exceeds a first calibratable threshold for the duration of a first calibratable time period. The method further includes, in response to the first voltage difference dropping below the first calibratable threshold, commanding a second voltage across the VVC, continuously monitoring a second VVC voltage difference over a second calibratable time period, generating a diagnostic signal if the second voltage difference exceeds a second calibratable threshold for the duration of a second calibratable time period, and signaling a test pass in response to the second voltage difference dropping below the second calibratable threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Balakrishna Rao, Rimma Isayeva