Including Inverter Patents (Class 318/801)
  • 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: 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: 7911161
    Abstract: An automotive power inverter is provided. The power inverter includes a chassis, a microelectronic die coupled to the chassis and having an integrated circuit formed thereon, and an insulating region between the chassis and the microelectronic die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Terence G. Ward, Gregory Scott Smith, George John, Tilak Gopalarathnam, David F. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7911162
    Abstract: A motor drive device (100) includes a boost converter (12) boosting a power supply voltage and outputting a boosted voltage; an inverter (14) receiving the boosted voltage from the boost converter (12) and driving a motor (M1); and a controller (30) giving a target value of the boosted voltage to the boost converter (12) and setting one of a rectangular-wave control and a non-rectangular-wave control as a control method of the inverter (14). The controller (30) is capable of selecting from a first operation mode for giving a first boosted target value and designating the non-rectangular-wave control as the control method and a second operation mode for giving a second boosted target value lower than the first boosted target value and designating the rectangular-wave control as the control method, in response to a same predetermined input signal indicating a torque request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideto Hanada
  • Patent number: 7906933
    Abstract: An induction motor drive includes a plurality of inverters, a changeover switch which changes over outputs of the plurality of inverters to be supplied to one induction motor and a changeover controller which controls the changeover switch on the basis of a failure detection signal of one inverter to change over from the one inverter to another inverter to start the other inverter so that the induction motor is driven. The changeover controller includes a frequency/phase detector which always detects a frequency and a phase of a terminal voltage of the induction motor and a starting frequency/phase setting device which controls a frequency and a phase at starting of the other inverter in accordance with detected values of the frequency/phase detector when the failure signal is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tan, Hirohisa Satomi, Shigetoshi Okamatsu, Koichi Miyazaki
  • 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: 7898197
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a motor current detector for detecting motor current flowing in a three-phase motor based on current flowing between an inverter driving the motor and a DC power supply, a specified voltage vector generating portion for generating a specified voltage vector indicating a voltage vector to which an applied voltage to the motor should follow based on a magnetic flux linkage of an armature winding of the motor, a specified voltage vector correcting portion for correcting the generated specified voltage vector, and a magnetic flux estimating portion for estimating the magnetic flux linkage based on the motor current and the specified voltage vector after the correction. The motor control device controls the motor via the inverter in accordance with the specified voltage vector after the correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Tomigashi
  • Patent number: 7888905
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a power inverter in an electric drive system of an automobile are provided. A signal controlling the power inverter is modified utilizing a first voltage distortion compensation method if a modulation index of the signal is less than a first modulation index value. The signal is modified utilizing a second voltage distortion compensation method if the modulation index is at least equal to the first modulation index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brian A. Welchko, Steven E. Schultz, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 7885089
    Abstract: A power conversion system comprises: a source of multiphase high frequency alternating current (AC) electrical input power; a high frequency controlled magnetics transformer for each phase of the multiphase high frequency AC input power, with each transformer having a primary winding coupled to its respective phase of the multiphase high frequency AC input power, at least one secondary winding that produces high frequency AC output power and at least one control winding responsive to a direct current (DC) control signal that changes the high frequency output power in proportion to the amplitude of the DC control signal; a power converter that receives the multiphase high frequency AC output power from each high frequency transformer secondary and converts it to system output power without the high frequency AC content; and a system controller responsive to the system output power that produces a DC control signal for each control winding that changes in amplitude in response to changes in a measured parameter
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory I. Rozman, Jacek F. Gieras, Andreas C. Koenig
  • 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: 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: 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
  • Publication number: 20110006709
    Abstract: An alternating current motor control system constituted of: a control unit; a cycloconverter functionality; a phase control functionality; and a semiconductor switching unit comprising a plurality of electronically controlled semiconductor switches each associated with a particular winding of a target alternating current motor and each independently responsive to the control unit. In one embodiment the semiconductor switching unit is arranged to connect the windings of the target alternating current motor to a three phase power input in one of a star and a delta configuration responsive to the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Innosave Ltd.
    Inventor: Arthur NAIMAN
  • Patent number: 7868569
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus comprises a charge/discharge control circuit for controlling charge to or discharge from a capacitor connected in parallel in a link section between a converter and an inverter, and a current control means for controlling discharge current from the charge/discharge control circuit. The current control means controls discharge current from the charge/discharge control circuit based on input current to the inverter or output current from the converter so that output current from the converter is equal to a prescribed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Yasusuke Iwashita, Mamoru Yaeshima, Yuuichi Yamada, Masatomo Shirouzu, Koujirou Sakai
  • Patent number: 7859210
    Abstract: In order to prevent a short circuit of top and bottom arms of a motor driving IC when noise is added to six control signals for controlling six switching elements, there is provided a semiconductor device for driving a motor, being sealed with resin as one package and comprising: six switching elements for driving a three-phase motor; three output terminals for outputting voltages to the three-phase motor; at least one driving circuit for driving the six switching elements; three control signal input terminals; and a function) of generating six control signals for control of the six switching elements based on three control signals inputted through the three control signal input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Information & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sakurai, Hiroyuki Hasegawa, Tomoyuki Utsumi, Shoichi Ohozeki, Daisuke Maeda, Mitsuhiro Mishima
  • Patent number: 7855527
    Abstract: The inverter device contains the following structure: an inverter circuit which has upper-arm switching elements that are connected on a positive side of a DC power source and lower-arm switching elements that are connected on a negative side of the DC power source; a current sensor that detects current flowing between the DC power source and the inverter circuit; and a control circuit that controls the inverter circuit by a PWM driving so that the inverter circuit outputs AC current to the motor. The control circuit provides a carrier cycle with a first correction and provides the successive cycle with a second correction, by which the current sensor can detect phase current of the motor. A ripple current caused by the first correction and a ripple current caused by the second correction are opposite in polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naomi Goto, Yasufumi Kurahashi
  • Patent number: 7852025
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic commutator circuit for use with a stator winding of an electrical machine. The stator winding of the electrical machine includes a number of coils linked by the same number of points of common coupling. The electronic commutator circuit comprising the same number of switching stages, each switching stage being connected between a respective one of the points of common coupling and first and second dc terminals. Each switching stage further includes a first reverse blocking semiconductor power device (such as a Reverse Blocking Gate Turn Off Thyristor (RB-GTO 1) capable of being turned on and off by gate control having its anode connected to the first dc terminal, and a second reverse blocking semiconductor power device (RB-GTO 2) capable of being turned on and off by gate control having its cathode connected to the second dc terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Converteam UK LTD
    Inventor: Allan David Crane
  • Patent number: 7852026
    Abstract: A protection circuit is configured to change control modes in a drive control process of a drive circuit for a motor when overvoltage is applied to a power source line while the motor is driven. With overvoltage applied, the control process is changed to a control mode to perform forced commutation control. When a predetermined time period passes after the voltage of the power source line returns to a predetermined level, the control process is changed to a sensorless control mode using a position detection circuit. This configuration can provide a motor drive apparatus capable of performing an overvoltage protection operation appropriately even when the sensorless control mode is adopted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yokai, Atsushi Kanamori
  • Patent number: 7852040
    Abstract: A motor driver system and its control methods are discussed. Even when a command magnetic flux decreases as a motor operates in a field weakening region, a current angle can be maintained always below a limit value, thereby obtaining the stability of the motor control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kyung Hoon Lee, June Hee Won, Gil Su Lee, Jun Ho Ahn, Jae Yoon Oh
  • Patent number: 7847499
    Abstract: An electric load apparatus (100) includes a DC power source (B), a voltage sensor (10, 20), system relays (SR1, SR2), a capacitor (11, 13), a DC/DC converter (12), an inverter (14), a current sensor (24), a rotation sensor (25), a control apparatus (30), and an AC motor (M1). The control apparatus (30) restricts an increase amount of consumed power in the AC motor (M1) in a range in which the driving operation of the electric load apparatus (100) can be maintained, when the increase amount of the consumed power in the AC motor (M1) exceeds an allowable power that can be supplied from the capacitor (13) to the inverter (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Sumikazu Shamoto, Eiji Sato, Ryoji Oki, Masayuki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7843671
    Abstract: A drive system for an electrical machine is provided. The system includes a control unit and a monitoring unit, which is independent of the control unit. The control unit includes a device that converts one or more incoming operating parameters of the electrical machine to an output value. The monitoring unit includes a device that converts the operating parameters to a comparison value, with the conversion being carried out more quickly in the control unit than in the monitoring unit. A comparator compares the output value or an intermediate value of the output value with the comparison value of the output value or of the intermediate value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Lothar Rehm, Thomas Von Raumer
  • Patent number: 7843674
    Abstract: A motor-drive circuit comprising: a current-passage-control circuit to perform ON/OFF control of a drive transistor connected to a motor coil to pass current through the motor coil; an overcurrent-state-detection circuit to detect whether current passing through the drive transistor is in an overcurrent state where the current exceeds a predetermined threshold value; a charging and discharging circuit to start charging a capacitor in response to detecting the overcurrent state by the overcurrent-state-detection circuit and subsequently discharge the capacitor in response to not detecting the overcurrent state; and an overcurrent-protection-control circuit to stop the ON/OFF control to turn off the drive transistor, for an elapsed charging period for a charging voltage of the capacitor at a predetermined voltage to exceed a threshold voltage, and determine whether to perform such an overcurrent-protection-control as to turn off the drive transistor by detection of the overcurrent state, after the charging peri
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 7843162
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling an AC motor via an inverter. The method includes determining a delay-compensated offset based on a synchronous frame current, producing a current error based on a synchronous frame current and a commanded current, producing a voltage error based on an anti-windup offset and the current error, producing a commanded voltage based on the delay-compensated offset and the voltage error, and providing the inverter with the commanded voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Bonho Bae, Nitinkumar R. Patel, Steven E. Schulz, James M. Nagashima, Jung Sik Yim, Seung Ki Sul
  • Patent number: 7843161
    Abstract: This invention provides an inverter device that can detect a step-out state of an AC motor by a simple process without depending on a rotation speed of the AC motor and also surely hold an abnormal state in the step-out state of the AC motor. The inverter device 1 includes a torque current control unit 6 for controlling a torque current direction voltage so that a given torque current command value coincides with a torque current detection value, and a V/f conversion unit 7 for calculating an induced voltage command of the AC motor 2 based on a given output frequency command. The inverter device further includes a step-out detection unit 10 for detecting a step-out state of the AC motor 2 based on the torque current direction voltage and the induced voltage command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hideaki Iura, Masanobu Inazumi
  • Patent number: 7843156
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for dynamic voltage control of electric motors. An inverter provides an output voltage to an electric motor based on a gate voltage. The method includes determining a speed of the electric motor and modifying the gate voltage based on the speed of the electric motor. The apparatus includes a gate drive circuit and a controller coupled to the gate drive circuit. The gate drive circuit provides a gate voltage to a switch network, and the switch network produces the output voltage in response to the gate voltage. The controller modifies the gate voltage based on a speed of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian A Welchko, Keith A Rodman
  • Patent number: 7839108
    Abstract: A temperature estimation controller and methods are provided for controlling a torque command to prevent overheating of one or more of a plurality of phases of a permanent magnet motor. The temperature estimation controller includes a low speed temperature estimation module, a transition module and a temperature dependent torque command derater block. The low speed temperature estimation module determines a stator temperature of each of a plurality of phases of the permanent magnet motor in response to first thermal impedances measured for each of the plurality of phases with respect to a thermal neutral. The transition module is coupled to the low speed temperature estimation module and outputs the stator temperature of each of a plurality of phases of the permanent magnet motor as determined by the low speed temperature estimation module when a detected speed of the permanent magnet motor is less than a first predetermined speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Nitinkumar R. Patel, Yo Chan Son, Silva Hiti, Steven E. Schulz
  • Patent number: 7834579
    Abstract: A method and circuit enabling off-the-shelf controllers designed for use with a two-level AC drive inverter bridge (1920) to drive inverter bridges with three-or-more levels. Signals from an ordinary induction motor controller or a two-level induction motor controller (2200) are used to drive the twelve-or-more switches of a three-or-more level inverter bridge (1920), as are used in medium-and-high voltage applications. The proper sequence and timing of switching for the three-or-more-level inverter bridge is based in-part upon either the output of the six pulse-width modulators, or the output of the flux and torque control device, or the voltage control device (2210), of the two-level controller (2200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Geraldo Nojima
  • Patent number: 7834574
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a phase current sampling apparatus (300, 600, FIGS. 3, 6), an electric motor drive system (100, FIG. 1), and a motor vehicle (1200, FIG. 12) include switching circuitry adapted to receive first and second phase current waveforms. The switching circuitry provides the first phase current waveform during at least two offset sampling instants, and provides the second phase current waveform during a reference sampling instant. An analog-to-digital converter is adapted to sample the first phase current waveform at the offset sampling instants, and to sample the second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant. An embodiment of a method for regulating phase current waveforms includes an analog-to-digital converter generating samples of a first phase current waveform at sampling instants that occur before and after a reference sampling instant, and generating a sample of a second phase current waveform at the reference sampling instant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen T. West, Brian A. Welchko, Steven E. Schulz, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 7834578
    Abstract: When an ECU determines that the motor count of a motor generator exceeds a predetermined limit value, control is effected to set the torque of motor generator to zero. Further, when the ECU determines that motor count exceeds the predetermined limit value, voltage control of inverter input voltage is reduced by a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryoji Sato
  • Patent number: 7825620
    Abstract: A controller and a constant measuring apparatus have a means for supplying a synthesized current, resulting from superimposing an AC current to a DC current, from an inverter and for changing the DC current component of the synthesized current continuously or discontinuously. Accordingly, the controller and constant measuring apparatus can measure inductances, which are electric constants of the AC motor, with high accuracy and can use the measured inductances for control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junnosuke Nakatsugawa, Yoshitaka Iwaji, Kazuaki Tobari
  • Patent number: 7825621
    Abstract: Provided is a motor controller and method of controlling a motor with an improved maximum junction temperature rating. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a motor is controlled by varying a common mode voltage duty ratio for a plurality of solid state switching devices in a power inverter, generating drive signals for the solid state switching devices based at least in part upon the common mode voltage duty ratio, and changing states of the solid state switching devices based upon the drive signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiang Wei, Russel J. Kerkman
  • Patent number: 7821223
    Abstract: In a system in which current is detected in an inexpensive manner or in a system in which a position detector is omitted, the present invention provides a high-efficiency vector controller for a permanent magnet motor that can minimize current at the same torque even when there is setting error (R?R*) in resistance. Even when a current value commanded for the d-axis is set to zero, a virtual inductance value calculated from a detected q-axis current value is used for output voltage value calculation and phase error estimation calculation; so even if there is setting error (R?R*) in resistance, current can be minimized at the same torque and thereby the present invention can provide a high-efficiency vector controller for a permanent magnet motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tobari, Tsunehiro Endo, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Daisuke Maeda, Shigehisa Aoyagi
  • Patent number: 7808202
    Abstract: In a driving system for an inverter that uses a diode rectifying circuit to convert a single-phase or three-phase AC voltage to a desired DC voltage and drives a permanent magnet motor, a DC-voltage pulsating frequency is estimated from a pulsating frequency setting calculated from the power supply frequency of an AC voltage and the detected current values of the inverter, and the resulting estimated pulsating frequency value and detected current values are used to correct the output voltage of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tobari, Yoshitaka Iwaji, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Hajime Uematsu, Masakazu Hase
  • Patent number: 7804271
    Abstract: A multiphase current supplying circuit includes a converter, an intervening circuit, an inverter, a control circuit and a lightning arrester. A power supply system is connected to the converter with the lightning arrester interposed therebetween, and the ac voltage is rectified. The intervening circuit includes a capacitor and a bypass connected in parallel thereto. In the bypass, a diode, a resistor and a capacitor are connected in series, and the direction from an anode to a cathode of the diode corresponds to the direction from a high potential side to a low potential side of the smoothing capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamai, Morimitsu Sekimoto
  • Patent number: 7800338
    Abstract: A voltage type inverter apparatus comprising a voltage correcting portion. The voltage correcting portion corrects a given voltage instruction based on a value generated by passing a direct current bus voltage detected value through a first degree delay filter. In decelerating a speed of the alternating current motor, the speed is decelerated in an overexcited state by multiplying the given voltage instruction by a set gain. Simultaneously, a time constant of the first degree delay filter is made larger than a time constant in a normal control state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hideaki Iura, Kazuhiko Hiramatsu, Mitsujiro Sawamura
  • Patent number: 7800331
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating an electric motor having at least one winding coupled to first and second power supplies. A torque command for the electric motor is received. A present power reserve for the first and second power supplies is determined based at least in part on the torque command. An operating voltage for the second power supply is determined based on the present power reserve. The operating voltage for the second power supply is applied to the at least one winding. The application of the operating voltage allowing the present power reserve to flow between the first and second power supplies and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Sibaprasad Chakrabarti, Brian A. Welchko, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 7791308
    Abstract: A semiconductor element (20) of the present invention includes a plurality of field effect transistors (90) and a schottky electrode (9a), and the schottky electrode (9a) is formed along an outer periphery of a region where the plurality of field effect transistors (90) are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Kitabatake, Osamu Kusumoto, Masao Uchida, Kenya Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20100219788
    Abstract: A high phase order alternating current rotating machine is disclosed having an inverter drive that provides more than three phases of drive waveform of harmonic order H, and characterized in that the windings of the machine have a pitch of less than 180 rotational degrees. Preferably the windings are connected together in a mesh, star or delta connection. A method for operating a high phase order induction motor is also disclosed, involving electrically connecting N windings into a mesh connection with a value of ? that provides a substantial range in speed/torque relation when operating with at least two out of first, second and third harmonic, low order harmonics being the most efficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: BOREALIS TECHNICAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Jonathan Sidney Edelson
  • Patent number: 7786686
    Abstract: A method is for estimating an angular position of a rotor of a motor having position sensors along the circumference of a stator and generating digital signals that switch each time the rotor crosses certain angular positions. The method includes storing rotor angular positions at every digital signal switching, and determining for each rotor revolution a time interval elapsed between a current and a precedent switching edge of the signal generated. The method also includes estimating the angular position during a current rotor revolution by identifying which position sensor generated the last detected switching edge. The corresponding angular position and the time interval elapsed between two consecutive rotor crossings, through a same angular position, correspond to a sum between the angular position and a product between a fraction of the time interval elapsed from the corresponding precedent switching edge multiplied by 360° and a number of polar pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giuseppe D'Angelo, Giovanni Moselli, Stefano Baratto
  • Patent number: 7786694
    Abstract: A converter system and method, including: at least one supply module, which provides a unipolar, intermediate circuit voltage; one or more drive modules, which may be powered from the intermediate circuit voltage and each include at least one inverter for powering at least one electric motor; and at least one buffer module for storing energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Kneller
  • Patent number: 7786690
    Abstract: The present invention restrains high frequency leakage current while reducing ripples of current flowing through a motor having one set and another set of independent phase windings. A plurality of inverter type drive means drives the respective phase windings and a PWM control means controls the respective inverter type drive means, by a switching sequence connecting one end of all phase windings including the other set to the negative side of the power supply when both ends of the phase winding included in one set are connected to the positive side of the power supply and connecting at least one end of all phase windings included in the other set to the positive side of the power supply when both ends of at least one phase winding included in one set are connected to the negative side of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Oriental Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiko Hoda
  • Patent number: 7782009
    Abstract: A protection scheme to protect pulse width modulated drives is described. The scheme is implantable in both hardware and software and combinations thereof. The semiconductor devices of the drive are protected from transient signals such as power line spikes and loss of line. The present scheme uses an adaptive technique to determine the normal or steady state distortion (transients and harmonics) value in an unfiltered power signal. The present distortion value is compared to the normal distortion. If the present distortion exceeds the steady state value by a given amount, then the drive is placed in freewheel mode to protect the semiconductor devices in the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Cornelius Wiseman
  • Patent number: 7778529
    Abstract: A method is proposed for supplying electrical power to a DC motor (16) which can be commutated electronically via a semiconductor power output stage (28), preferably a three-phase DC motor, through which a control unit (22) passes current in blocks, corresponding to the signals from a rotor position sensor (20). Current is passed through the motor (16) variably in steps, in such a manner that the magnitude and/or the duration and/or the trigger angle of the current blocks can be varied as a function of the rotation speed and/or of the load, with respect to the profile of the induced voltage (E).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Torsten Wilharm
  • Patent number: 7777443
    Abstract: An energy saving service includes: a service contract conclusion step in which a service contract is concluded with a customer who has purchased or will purchase a product with a permanent magnet motor; a driving device provision step in which a driving device which can drive a permanent magnet motor with any specifications is provided on the basis of the service contract; and a product upgrade step in which the driving device drives the permanent magnet motor so as to improve the performance of the product with the permanent magnet motor, thereby upgrading the product with the permanent magnet motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Shinomoto, Masaaki Yabe, Mamoru Kawakubo
  • Patent number: 7773396
    Abstract: Method for synchronizing inverter units (INU11, INU12) that are connected in parallel and supply a motor, and a parallel connection arrangement, in which motor is either one winding, which is supplied by inverter units connected in parallel, or a plurality of parallel windings, in which each winding is supplied by its own inverter unit, in which parallel connection one inverter unit functions as a master and the others as slaves, in which method a telecommunications bus is arranged between the units, and in which each inverter unit has its own modulation cycle counter, which are synchronized with each other on the basis of telecommunications messages, preferably serial telecommunications messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Vacon Oyj
    Inventors: Jaakko Ollila, Pasi Kukkonen, Kimmo Rajakangas, Stefan Strandberg
  • Patent number: 7772797
    Abstract: A motor controller for correcting offset of a drive current of a motor. An offset amount calculating section (14) calculates offset amounts (Iuofs, Ivofs, Iwofs) of the drive currents (Iu, Iv, Iw) when the motor is being driven. A drive signal correcting section (18) corrects offset of the drive currents (Iu, Iv, Iw) by correcting the duty ratios of drive signals (Suo, Svo, Swo) based on the offset amounts (Iuofs, Ivofs, Iwofs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Eiji Sato, Hiroki Ohtani
  • Patent number: 7768227
    Abstract: A control method and a control system for single phase induction motors driven by two-power electronic switch inverter are disclosed. The system fulfills two main tasks i.e. precise motor speed control and maximum motor efficiency control over wide ranges of motor load and speed command without a motor speed feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Inventors: Sadegh Vaez-Zadeh, Bijan Zahedi
  • Patent number: 7764042
    Abstract: An inverter-driven rotating machine system is provided in which three-phase AC electric power of the inverter is supplied to a rear motor generator by using a cable. One end of an additional cable is connected to rotating machine terminals, namely motor input terminals of a motor case. The other end is connected to fixed voltage terminals, namely inverter additional terminals on an outer case of the inverter via resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Obata, Yutaka Matsunobu, Takashi Yasuhara, Takayuki Koizumi