With Controlled Power Conversion Patents (Class 318/800)
  • Patent number: 8134330
    Abstract: A control circuit for linear motors driving pumps or compressors that provides a programmable pressure versus flow behavior. The duty cycle of a pulse width modulated drive signal to a coil in the motor is controlled by a parameter determined by the shape of the back EMF signal generated by that coil when it is not driven. The measured parameter value is compared to a target value for the present drive pulse width, and the pulse width is adjusted to reduce the difference between the measured value and the target value. The target value is stored in a table of calibrated values that determines the desired pressure versus flow behavior and can also compensate for manufacturing differences between individual pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Home Comfort Zones
    Inventor: Harold Gene Alles
  • Patent number: 8129936
    Abstract: An open-loop and/or closed-loop control device for operating an asynchronous machine which is fed by a 3-phase power converter. The open-loop and/or closed-loop control structure has a stator flux controller and a pulse pattern generator for generating pulse signals based on mean values. An output of the stator flux controller is connected to an input of the pulse pattern generator, with the result that the pulse pattern generator can generate the pulse signals as a function of a manipulated variable which is generated by the stator flux controller. The stator flux controller is configured so as to generate the manipulated variable as a function of a desired value of the stator flux of the asynchronous machine and as a function of a desired value of the torque of the asynchronous machine. The stator flux controller has a dead-beat control response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Becker, Peter Krafka, Michael Rampe
  • Patent number: 8125179
    Abstract: A motor control circuit (MC) comprising input terminals (IT1, IT2) to receive a rectified input voltage (Vrm), and output terminals (OT1, OT2) to supply a motor drive signal (Vm). A switching circuit (1) is alternately in an on-state (Ton) and an off-state (Toff) for intermittently coupling the input terminals (IT1, IT2) to the output terminals (OT1, OT2). A controller (2) controls the switching circuit (1) to be (i) in the on-state (Ton) during a first period in time (T1) when an amount of magnetic saturation of the motor is smaller than a predetermined value, and (ii) alternately in the on-state (Ton) and the off-state (Toff) to obtain a pulse width control of the motor drive signal (Vm) during a second period in time (T2) when the amount of magnetic saturation of the motor is larger than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Wessel Adolf Otten, Wilhelmus Ettes
  • Patent number: 8125178
    Abstract: A drive and a method, including an electric motor, which is supplied by a rectifier, the rectifier including a time-discrete closed-loop control structure, which regulates the stator current of the electric motor by setting the voltage applied at the motor, the current of the motor being acquired in time-discrete fashion, the closed-loop control structure including a closed-loop controller whose actual value is a first current component of the current, the setpoint input of the closed-loop controller being coupled with at least one upstream setpoint limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hammel, Thomas Schuster
  • Patent number: 8115442
    Abstract: An electric motor drive system having current detecting sections for detecting the currents flowing into electric motors, speed variation calculating sections for calculating the speed variation estimating values for the electric motors in accordance with the motor currents detected by the current detecting sections and the current command values for the motors corresponding to the detected currents and a speed uniformizing voltage compensating section for delivering the values that serve to compensate the amplitudes of the voltages applied to the electric motors in such a manner that the speed variation estimating values calculated by the speed variation calculating sections become equal to a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Nagata, Toshio Katayama
  • Patent number: 8093843
    Abstract: By the vehicle controller of the present invention, when the economy mode is selected by a driver, boosting by a converter is limited and output torque of a motor is limited. Even in the economy mode, however, if the driver requests large torque, either the limit on boosting or the limit on output torque is cancelled. As a result, a vehicle controller for a vehicle including a battery, a converter boosting/lowering the battery voltage and a motor operating with the power from the converter is provided, by which unnecessary power consumption is reduced and the torque requested by the driver can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Okamura, Hideto Hanada, Masayoshi Suhama, Yuki Sugiyama, Ken Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 8094435
    Abstract: A power drive stack system comprises a series of power electronic modules, each one of the modules containing power components and module contacts electrically and mechanically aligned for building a portion of a complete AC/DC drive stack. The modules utilize a common set of circuit connection points that are matched to a common set of physical connection points. The modules can be plugged together like building blocks to form a large variety of AC/DC drive stacks that can be tailored to meet an exact system requirement. The drive stack may be used in conjunction with a controller to adjust the torque and speed of an AC/DC electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Howes, David Levett, John Froeb
  • Patent number: 8084984
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring and controlling stator winding temperature in an AC motor while idling is disclosed. The system includes a circuit having an input connectable to an AC source and an output connectable to an input terminal of a multi-phase AC motor. The circuit further includes a plurality of switching devices to control current flow and terminal voltages in the multi-phase AC motor and a controller connected to the circuit. The controller is configured to activate the plurality of switching devices to create a DC signal in an output of the motor control device corresponding to an input to the multi-phase AC motor, determine or estimate a stator winding resistance of the multi-phase AC motor based on the DC signal, and estimate a stator temperature from the stator winding resistance. Temperature can then be controlled and regulated by DC injection into the stator windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Bin Lu, Charles John Luebke, Thomas G. Habetler, Pinjia Zhang, Scott K. Becker
  • Patent number: 8076897
    Abstract: In an AC motor driving circuit, a current source rectifier is provided on the output side of an AC generator and an AC motor is connected to the output side of the current source rectifier through a voltage source inverter. Along with this, one of terminals of each of a plurality of bidirectional switches is connected to its corresponding output terminal of the voltage source inverter, the other terminals of a plurality of the bidirectional switches are lumped together to be connected to one of terminals of a storage battery, and the other terminal of the storage battery is connected to one of DC input terminals of the voltage source inverter. This eliminates need for a large capacitor at a DC link and a reactor in a chopper which were previously necessary, by which the AC motor driving circuit is downsized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Iwahori, Masakazu Gekinozu
  • Patent number: 8076884
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus for an electric vehicle has an AC motor system including a power conversion unit and a motor/generator. The power conversion unit performs conversion between DC power and AC power to drive the motor/generator. The motor control apparatus further includes a decoupling control section configured to perform decoupling control, which restricts interference between system voltage control and motor torque control, by correcting a control state amount of one of the system voltage control and the motor torque control by a control state amount of the other of the system voltage control and the motor torque control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuneyuki Egami
  • Patent number: 8054031
    Abstract: A converter device includes a converter circuit that includes a reactor connected to a primary side power supply, and a step-up feeding device that has a step-up switching element connected to the reactor and that boosts electric power of the primary side power supply by on/off switching the step-up switching element and outputting a stepped-up electric power as a secondary voltage; a converter control device that PWM-controls on/off switching of the step-up switching element so that the secondary voltage becomes equal to a secondary target voltage; and a temperature detecting device that detects a temperature of the reactor, wherein the converter control device limits PWM-controlled on/off switching of the step-up switching element for step-up operation when the temperature of the reactor increases to a first predetermined value or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin A W Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuyuki Uechi
  • Patent number: 8050063
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a converter for powering a load are provided. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for powering a load is provided. A power converter may be provided. At least one gating control signal having a switching pattern may be supplied to the power converter, wherein the switching pattern has a waveform with an effective switching frequency greater than 1 times the fundamental frequency of the switching pattern and less than 2 times the fundamental frequency of the switching pattern. At least one output power signal may be output to the load responsive at least in part to the at least one gating control signal supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Allen Ritter
  • Patent number: 8045301
    Abstract: When an upper arm of U-phase has failed because of short-circuit, lower arms of V-phase and W-phase as the opposite arms are switching-operated. When only the lower arm of V-phase is turned on, a route of motor current passing through an IGBT element from a V-phase coil is formed, and therefore, the motor current returning to the short-circuited phase decreases. Further, by the switching operation of the arm opposite to the short-circuited arm, an AC current is induced in a motor generator. Therefore, it is possible to continuously drive the motor generator while preventing increase in the current passing through the short-circuited phase, without adding a new device structure. This ensures running of the vehicle in the limp mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenjiro Shiba, Takashi Tanaka, Nobutaka Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8044631
    Abstract: Control systems, methods and power conversion systems are presented for controlling harmonic distortion, in which multi-sampling space vector modulation (SVM) is employed for controlling power converter switching devices, with a reference vector being sampled two or more times during each SVM period to update the SVM dwell times more than once during each SVM cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingya Dai, Yongqiang Lang, Bin Wu, Dewei Xu, Navid R. Zargari
  • Patent number: 8040094
    Abstract: A circuit for use with a stator winding of a rotating or linear electrical machine, the stator winding having a number of coils linked by the same number of points of common coupling, includes an electronic commutator circuit having the same number of switching stages, each connected between a respective one of the points of common coupling and first and second main dc lines. Each switching stage includes first and second reverse blocking semiconductor power devices. A voltage clamping circuit includes the same number of clamping stages, each connected between a respective one of the points of common coupling and first and second auxiliary dc lines. Each clamping stage includes first and second diodes and first and second capacitors common to the various clamping stages. A dc to dc converter selectively discharges the first and second capacitors to the first and second main dc lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Allan David Crane, David Nicholas Lee
  • Patent number: 8040101
    Abstract: A current source rectifier is provided at an output of an alternating current generator, an alternating current motor is connected to an output of the rectifier via a voltage source inverter, furthermore, two arms having switching elements connected in inverse parallel to diodes are connected to the output of the rectifier, and one terminal of a direct current power source capable of a power supply and absorption is connected to a midpoint between the arms, while the other terminal thereof is connected to a neutral point of motor coils or generator coils, thereby eliminating a need for a large volumetric reactor in a direct current chopper, achieving a downsizing of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignees: National University Corporation Nagaoka University of Technology, Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-ichi Itoh, Michio Iwahori, Masakazu Gekinozu
  • Patent number: 8030788
    Abstract: A method and system for an engine starter/generator is provided. The starter/generator system includes a three phase squirrel cage induction machine, a three phase inverter/converter electrically coupled to the three phase squirrel cage induction machine. The starter/generator system also includes a bidirectional DC-DC converter electrically coupled to the three phase inverter/converter, and a digital control board configured to sensorlessly determine a rotor angle from a plurality of phase currents to the induction machine during a start mode. During the start mode, logic in the digital control board configures the starter/generator system into a combination of an induction motor, a three phase DC-AC inverter, and a DC-DC boost converter, and during a generate mode, the logic in the digital control board configures the starter/generator system into a combination of an induction generator, a three phase AC-DC converter, and a DC-DC buck converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Longya Xu, David Dimitri Karipides, Mohamed Abbas, Hao Huang
  • Patent number: 8026679
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes: first and second rotary electric machines; a matrix converter connecting the first and second rotary electric machines to each other to provide AC to AC power conversion between both the rotary electric machines; a battery connected to an electrical path branched off between the matrix converter and the second rotary electric motor; an inverter interposed among the battery, the matrix converter and the second rotary electric machine to convert AC power to DC power and vice versa; and a controller. The controller activates the first rotary electric machine with power fed from the battery and restrains the change in torque output of the second rotary electric machine at the activation of the first rotary electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhide Seo, Ryuichiro Amano, Kei Yonemori
  • Patent number: 8022660
    Abstract: A control controls starting of an AC rotary machine by calculating a resistance drop component, corresponding to a resistance drop of the AC rotary machine, based on a detection current, and adjusts angular frequency of an AC output voltage based on subtracting the resistance drop component from a voltage command, and, simultaneously, adjusting amplitude of the AC output voltage so that amplitude of an AC phase current may change in conformity with a predetermined function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Kinpara, Masaki Kono, Kiyoshi Eguchi, Keita Hatanaka, Mitsuo Kashima, Kouichi Arisawa
  • Patent number: 8022650
    Abstract: An apparatus to control an electric motor to drive an electric-powered vehicle includes an accelerator position detector, a current controller to provide current to the electric motor through an inverter, a semiconductor device of the current controller configured to operate the inverter in response to a detected accelerator position, and a torque compensator to supply the electric motor with a modified current of the semiconductor device, wherein the torque compensator is configured to provide the modified current to the electric motor at a predetermined interval of time in response to a temperature increase in the semiconductor device when the detected accelerator position exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Itou, Hideaki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8008885
    Abstract: A power converter interfaces a variable voltage and variable frequency motor to a fixed voltage and fixed frequency network. A first inverter is connected to the motor stator. A dc link is connected between the first inverter and a second inverter. Each inverter includes switches. A filter is connected between the second inverter and the network. A first controller for the first inverter uses a dc link voltage demand signal indicative of a desired dc link voltage to control the first inverter switches to achieve a desired dc link voltage level. A second controller for the second inverter uses a power demand signal indicative of a power to be transferred to the dc link from the network through the second inverter, and a voltage demand signal indicative of a voltage to be achieved at the filter to control the second inverter switches to achieve desired power and voltage levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Rodney Jones, Christopher Newton
  • Patent number: 7999499
    Abstract: A rotating electrical machine control system includes a rotating electrical machine, a frequency conversion portion, a voltage conversion portion, a torque limitation portion, and an abnormality detection portion. The torque limitation portion limits generation of a positive torque in a region of less than a rotational speed lower limit threshold value where a rotational speed of the rotating electrical machine is less than zero, and sets a region in which the positive torque is generated to a region of the rotational speed lower limit threshold value or greater, and the torque limitation portion limits generation of a negative torque in a region of greater than a rotational speed upper limit threshold value where the rotational speed of the rotating electrical machine is greater than zero, and sets a region in which the negative torque is generated to a region of the rotational speed upper limit threshold value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Tanaka, Jin Izawa, Yoshinori Oono, Kazuo Aoki
  • Patent number: 7994750
    Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for powering a load are provided. In one embodiment, a method may include providing a power converter comprising electrical circuitry comprising at least a first leg and a second leg, supplying an input power signal to the power converter, supplying at least a first gating control signal to the first leg, supplying at least a second gating control signal to the second leg, and outputting at least one output power signal to the load responsive at least in part to the first and the second gating control signals supplied. According to this example embodiment, the first gating signal and the second gating signal may each comprise a waveform comprising a notch, and the second gating control signal may be phase shifted relative to the first gating control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Allen Ritter
  • Patent number: 7990098
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus are provided for an inverter system for use in a vehicle. The inverter system comprises a six-phase motor having a first set of three-phase windings and a second set of three-phase windings and a three-phase motor having a third set of three-phase windings, wherein the third set of three-phase windings is coupled to the first set of three-phase windings and the second set of three-phase windings. The system further comprises a first energy source coupled to a first inverter adapted to drive the six-phase motor and the three-phase motor, wherein the first set of three-phase windings is coupled to the first inverter, and a second energy source coupled to a second inverter adapted to drive the six-phase motor and the three-phase motor, wherein the second set of three-phase windings is coupled to the second inverter. A controller is coupled to the first inverter and the second inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Milun Perisic, Silva Hiti, Gregory S. Smith, James M. Nagashima, George John, Sibaprasad Chakrabarti, Brian A. Welchko
  • Patent number: 7990099
    Abstract: A power converting device for an electric train includes a power converter, an alternating-current motor, a primary control unit, and a control unit. The power converter converts direct-current power into alternating-current power. The alternating-current motor is driven by the alternating-current power output from the power converter. The primary control unit outputs a power-running notch command that determines an acceleration speed for the electric train. The control unit controls an amount of the alternating-current power based on the power-running notch command. The control unit sets the amount of the alternating-current power to zero without a delay after receiving an OFF signal of the power-running notch command during power running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kono, Keita Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 7990097
    Abstract: Power conversion systems and methods are presented for damping common mode resonance, in which inverter or rectifier switching control signals are selectively modified according to a damping resistance current value computed using a predetermined virtual damping resistance value in parallel with an output or input capacitor and a measured output or input voltage value to mitigate or reduce common mode resonance in the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhongyuan Cheng, Navid Zargari, Yuan Xiao, Manish Pande
  • Patent number: 7973505
    Abstract: When an electric vehicle outputs a torque instruction, firstly, a request torque is acquired and a judged whether the acquired request torque is positive or negative (S10) Regardless of the sign of the request torque, it is judged whether the eco-switch is ON (S12, S14) If the request torque has a positive sign and the eco-switch is OFF, a map A is selected (S20). If the eco-switch is ON, a map B which limits the maximum torque to a low value for the map A is selected (S22). If the request torque has a negative sign, a map C is selected regardless of the eco-switch ON/OFF state and the maximum torque is not limited (S24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Suhama, Hideto Hanada, Masaki Okamura, Hiroaki Kioka, Ken Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 7969039
    Abstract: A controller is capable of executing direct couple control that directly couples a first power device and a second power device without causing a DC/DC converter to convert voltage. During the direct couple control, a drive signal that causes no voltage conversion is intermittently output to at least one of a plurality of switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Mimatsu, Yasushi Kojima, Seigo Murashige, Yutaka Asano
  • Patent number: 7965057
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for operation of a three-phase rotating electrical machine which has at least two stator winding sets and each stator winding set has three phase windings connected in star, and the star circuits of the stator winding sets have a phase shift of 30 degrees electrical with respect to one another, and an associated converting unit is respectively provided for each stator winding set, in which method the respective stator winding set is fed by the associated converter unit, and a respectively associated regulation device is provided for each converter unit, and each converter unit is driven by means of a drive signal from the associated regulation device independently of regulation devices of the respective other converter units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Halina Burzanowska, Pieder Jörg, Petteri Sario
  • Patent number: 7965056
    Abstract: The invention provides a control apparatus of a power conversion system for driving an induction motor via a VVVF inverter, wherein the AC voltage generated by the inverter is increased so as to expand the high-speed side property of the induction motor, to thereby improve the performance during power running and regenerative braking. In the present system, a DC power supply source having a power storage system with a capacity capable of processing the current flowing into or out of the inverter is inserted in series to the ground side of the input of the inverter, and the output voltage thereof is controlled from zero in a continuous manner to be added to the trolley voltage, which is then applied to the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mutsuhiro Terunuma, Eiichi Toyota, Motomi Shimada, Masahiro Nagasu
  • Patent number: 7948205
    Abstract: A multi-phase AC motor driving device in which occurrence of failure is not erroneously determined is provided. In a multi-phase AC motor driving device including an inverter circuit; current detecting resistances Ru, Rv, and Rw, respectively arranged on lower arm of the respective phase of the inverter circuit, for detecting phase current of the motor; and a control portion and a PWM circuit for controlling ON/OFF operation of switching devices of the inverter circuit, the determination on the occurrence of failure based on the current values detected by the current detecting resistances is not made if the ON-duty ratios of the switching devices on the upper arms of the inverter circuit are not smaller than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Keita Gunji
  • Patent number: 7936146
    Abstract: A motor control device has: a motor current detecting portion for detecting, based on a current flowing between an inverter and a direct-current power supply, a motor current flowing through a three phase motor; a specified voltage value producing portion for producing a specified voltage value based on the motor current; a specified voltage value holding portion for holding an earlier specified voltage value outputted from the specified voltage value producing portion; and a specific period setting portion for setting a specific period based on a voltage difference between two of U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase voltages. Outside the specific period, the motor is controlled based on the specified voltage value outputted from the specified voltage value producing portion, and, within the specific period, the motor is controlled based on the specified voltage value held by the specified voltage value holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Hida, Shunya Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7923945
    Abstract: When an ECU receives a transmission signal having a high level from a transmission, the ECU exerts torque reduction control to reduce a torque control value for a motor generator. Furthermore the ECU sets an optimum (or target) value of a voltage as based on the torque control value and a motor rotation speed and controls an upconverter. Herein, when the transmission is shifting gears, the ECU controls the upconverter to allow the voltage to be constant regardless of whether the torque reduction control is exerted to reduce the torque control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Sato, Takashi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7923960
    Abstract: A method for driving a power bridge (1) which is used for controlling a multiphase electric load (3), is connectable to said electric load (3) through several arms and is drivable by switching functions determining control vectors for controlling the load, wherein said control vectors are subdivided into the free wheel control vectors and active control vectors. The inventive method is characterized in that it comprises the use of a switching function production method which produced a reduced number of switching function combinations corresponding to the free wheel control vectors for producing a sequence of the control vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Julien Hobraiche, Jean-Paul Vilain
  • Patent number: 7919941
    Abstract: A semiconductor power converter includes a power converter for converting direct current to three-phase alternating current or vice versa; a means for detecting a current in an alternating current side of the power converter; a means for providing a current reference in the alternating current side of the power converter; a current controller for calculating a voltage reference in the alternating current side of the power converter to match the current reference and a value of the detected current; and a pulse width modulation means for controlling the power converter through pulse width modulation based on the voltage reference, wherein the current reference is used in place of the value of the detected current for at least one phase current among three phase currents in the alternating current side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd., Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigehisa Aoyagi, Yoshitaka Iwaji, Kazuaki Tobari, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Donsheng Li
  • Patent number: 7915853
    Abstract: A system for driving a motor includes first and second rectifier circuits, a direct current (DC) link circuit, an inverter circuit, a voltage booster circuit, and a switch control circuit. When the motor is at a deceleration state, a micro control unit (MCU) outputs a first charging signal to turn on a switch of a first relay and turn off a switch of a second relay, a regenerative current from the motor is charged into a storage capacitor. Before the motor is in an acceleration state, the MCU outputs a second charging signal to turn on the switch of the second relay and turn off the switch of the first relay, and turn on a boosting switch, an increased voltage of the storage capacitor is charged into another storage capacitor. When a voltage at the DC link circuit reaches a predetermined value, the MCU controls the inverter circuit to accelerate the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Foxnum Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chin-Hsien Ting
  • Patent number: 7902774
    Abstract: A power electronic circuit arrangement includes functional blocks for controllable, bidirectional energy exchange between a rotating field machine with at least one phase winding and an external energy store with one positive terminal and one negative terminal. At least one functional block is designed as a functional block that is connection-compatible on the power side and includes at least one internal energy store, such that this functional block has at least one additional switching state, in which an output voltage (UX2) is more positive than the positive terminal (P) of the external energy store, and/or in which an output voltage (UX2) is more negative than the negative terminal (N) of the external energy store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: RENK Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rainer Marquardt
  • Patent number: 7902790
    Abstract: A slip frequency is estimated from a current instruction or detected currents in an induction motor. Acceleration impossibility in an induction motor drive unit is determined, when the slip frequency exceeds the maximum torque generating slip frequency for the predetermined interval or the time integrating result exceeds a predetermined value; when the q-axis magnetic flux exceeds the maximum torque generating q-axis magnetic flux or exceeds for a predetermined interval; when the estimated rotational speed is under a predetermined value; when the rotational speed variation rate is negative; and when the rotational speed instruction value or the estimated rotational speed is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value. An induction motor drive system and an elevating system including the induction motor drive unit are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Arakawa, Koichiro Nagata, Hiroyuki Tomita
  • Patent number: 7898209
    Abstract: A cleaner that can automatically respond to a change in an AC voltage and a voltage of a battery. In the motor, a motor for rotating a collecting fan is driven by a motor driver. The motor driver drives the motor using a voltage from a voltage selector. The voltage selector switches between a low-level voltage of the battery and a high-level voltage derived from the AC voltage to be supplied to the motor driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Young Kim, Myung Keun Yoo, Kwang Woon Ahn, Hyoun Jeong Shin
  • Patent number: 7880426
    Abstract: A method for driving a power bridge (1) which is used for controlling a multiphase electric load (3), connectable to said electric load (3) via several arms and drivable by switching functions which determine free wheel controlling vectors and are active for controlling the load. The inventive method consists in selecting a first switching function production method which produces a reduced number of combinations of switching functions corresponding to the free wheel control vectors or a second switching function production method which produces combinations of switching functions corresponding only to the active control vectors, wherein said method are defined according to a given reference voltage vector and in applying said selected for producing a sequence of control vectors from the produced combinations of switching functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Vilain, Julien Hobraiche
  • Patent number: 7880419
    Abstract: A system for the transmission of a direct current (DC) at a medium voltage level includes a system DC link configured to carry power from a source to a load module. The load module includes a DC-to-DC voltage step-down converter, a DC-to-AC inverter coupled downstream to the DC-to-DC voltage step-down converter, and a system AC link for carrying power from the load module to a motor system on a load side of the system AC link. The system is effective for delivering power over distances that are greater than 30 kilometers, and for delivery of power from an on-shore to offshore and sub-sea load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christof Martin Sihler, Robert Roesner, Rajib Datta
  • Publication number: 20110018487
    Abstract: A motor control device of the present invention includes: target electric current value setting units (15 and 16) that set target electric current values that should be supplied to a motor (1), basic voltage value computing units (511, 521, 51a, and 52a) that compute basic voltage values for driving the motor, a rotation angle speed computing unit (23) that computes a rotation angle speed of the motor, correction value computing units (50, 512, 515, 516, 522, 525, and 526) that compute correction values for correcting the basic voltage values based on motor electric current values and a rotation angle speed of the motor, correcting units (513 and 523) that obtain voltage command values by correcting the basic voltage values by the correction values computed by the correction value computing units, and a driving unit (13) that drives the motor by using voltage command values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Nagase, Takeshi Ueda, Yuji Kariatsumari, Hiroshi Sumasu
  • Patent number: 7876064
    Abstract: An inverter for driving a motor includes one or more power stages for producing one or more power signals for energizing the motor, each power stage including first and second III-nitride based bi-directional switching devices connected in series between a DC voltage bus and ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Mario Battello, Stephen Oliver
  • Patent number: 7876063
    Abstract: An axial gap type motor/generator is provided with a stator, a rotor and an alternating current control device. The alternating current control device executes alternating current control of a single phase or multiple phase alternating current flowing in the coils. The alternating current control device includes a superpositioning control section and a frequency component control section. The superpositioning control section produces the alternating current by superpositioning a plurality of frequency components including a first order fundamental wave component and a plurality of higher harmonic wave components that have frequencies equal to integer multiples of a frequency of the fundamental wave components and are of orders that are equal to values of the integer multiples. The frequency component control section controls a relationship among the frequency components such that two pairs of the frequency components whose orders differ by two are aligned with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Fukushige
  • Publication number: 20110010961
    Abstract: A drying device has been developed having a single electric motor configured to drive a drum and directly drive an air blower. The single electric motor is a non-line frequency electric motor. The drum is coupled to a support frame to enable rotation of the drum relative the support frame. The drum has an interior space for holding a load of articles, such as clothing. The motor includes a controller configured to increase gradually the angular velocity of the drum to provide a “soft start” for the dryer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Robert E. Wehrheim, Keith I. Hoemann, Gregory A. Peterson, L. Ranney Dohogne, Marshall J. Huggins, Gregory M. Levine
  • Patent number: 7872441
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for operating inductors in a Z-source inverter in a continuous current mode are provided. One system includes an AC motor, a Z-source inverter, and a processor. The inverter is configured to provide current and reactive power to the AC motor. The processor is configured to monitor the current and instruct the inverter to provide a greater amount of reactive power to the AC motor if the current is below/equal to a threshold amount. An apparatus includes means for determining if current produced by the inverter is below/equal to a threshold amount, and means for altering voltage commands supplied to the inverter so that an AC motor is induced to draw additional reactive power. One method includes determining if a plurality of inductors are providing a threshold current amount, and inducing a motor to draw more reactive power if the current is below/equal to the threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Gabriel Gallegos-Lopez, Lateef A. Kajouke
  • Patent number: 7868567
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to limit a current flowing in a booster converter circuit for a vehicle within a predetermined range. In the booster converter circuit for a vehicle including a battery that outputs a DC voltage; a switching unit having a switching element to be controlled to ON or OFF; an inductive element unit being connected between the battery and the switching unit and including an inductive element; a switching control unit that controls the switching element, an output voltage measuring unit that measures an output voltage of the booster converter circuit for a vehicle is provided, and the duty ratio determining device obtains a control duty ratio with respect to the switching element on the basis of a measured output voltage value so that a value of a converter current flowing through a path from the battery to the switching unit falls within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Okamura
  • Patent number: 7863854
    Abstract: A heat exchange cooler capable of eliminating continuous radiation of high-frequency noise waves and reducing the man hour for the installation work, and a power circuit driving device used for it are provided. A commercial power transformer (311), which transforms commercial AC power (307) supplied from a heat generating element storing box to a specified range of voltage, is provided. Moreover, first relay (210) and second relay (212) are used for automatically switching a plurality of taps disposed at the coil of commercial power transformer (311) which keeps a wide range of commercial AC voltage from 200V to 250V in nominal voltage within a specified range of output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kanji Izaki, Matsuo Shiraishi, Yasuyuki Okumura, Harumoto Itou, Kouichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7859206
    Abstract: A microcomputer includes a calculating section calculating a d-axis electric current command value and a q-axis electric current command value and a signal generating section. The signal generating section generates a motor control signal through feedback control in a d-q coordinate system based on the d-axis electric current command value and the q-axis electric current command value. The microcomputer also has an anomaly determining section, which detects an anomaly if a failure of electric current flow has occurred in any one of phases of a motor. If the anomaly is detected, the microcomputer produces a motor control signal instructing to use, as electric current flowing phases, two phases other than the phase with the failed electric current flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7859217
    Abstract: A motor controller system comprises solid state switches for connection between a single phase to three phase static converter and motor terminals for controlling application of three phase power to the motor. Sensors sense power from the static converter. A control is connected to the sensors and the solid state switches for controlling operation of the solid state switches to run the motor. The controller includes a three phase detection scheme for preventing operation of the solid state switches in the absence of desired three phase power from the static converter. A motor start scheme disables the three phase detection scheme for a select time after a motor run signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Mayhew