Including Inverter Patents (Class 318/801)
  • Patent number: 8710702
    Abstract: A regenerative electric power storage system installed onboard a DC electric rail car comprises: a filter unit which removes high frequency components from the DC power supplied through the catenary of a pantograph; a storage unit for storing power; a bidirectional DC/DC converter which is electrically connected between the filter unit and the storage unit; a DC/DC filter unit to remove high frequency noise; a voltage detection unit and a control unit which controls the switching of the bidirectional DC/DC converter. Instability is presented in the remaining systems of the electric rail car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Korea Railroad Research Institute
    Inventors: Gil-Dong Kim, Han-Min Lee, Chang-Mu Lee, Sung-Kyou Choi
  • Patent number: 8704482
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a converter-inverter controller for controlling a converter and an inverter. The power conversion device further includes a DC capacitor connected between the converter and the inverter and a DC capacitor voltage detector for detecting a DC capacitor voltage Efc between the connection ends of the DC capacitor. The converter-inverter controller provides variable control on the DC capacitor voltage Efc to the converter on the basis of the motor frequency of an AC motor, the DC capacitor voltage Efc, and a pulse mode. Within a predetermined range of motor frequencies, the converter-inverter controller fixes the PWM modulation factor of the inverter to a value m0 and provides operation control to the inverter, where the value m0 being to reduce a harmonic of a predetermined order included in the output voltage from the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Maruyama, Takeo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8704481
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for detecting ground faults (i.e., line-to-ground faults) in motor drive systems. In particular, the embodiments described herein include a common mode choke of a motor drive system having additional (i.e., secondary) turns wound around a core of the common mode choke. These secondary turns are in addition to and separate from a plurality of sets of primary turns wound around the core of the common mode choke, each set of primary turns corresponding to a phase of AC power to which the common mode choke is directly coupled. The secondary turns terminate in series with a burden resistor. Ground faults may be detected by monitoring the voltage across the burden resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Rodriguez Valdez, Rangarajan Tallam, Russel Kerkman
  • Patent number: 8698435
    Abstract: A motor drive device includes an inverter circuit, a driver circuit for outputting a PWM signal to the inverter circuit, a booster circuit for boosting a power supply voltage supplied from a power supply circuit, a fail safe circuit arranged between the inverter circuit and the motor, and a fail safe drive unit for outputting a signal for turning ON/OFF a semiconductor switching element of the fail safe circuit. A boost voltage output from the booster circuit is supplied to the driver circuit and also supplied to the fail safe drive unit. The fail safe drive unit drives the semiconductor switching element of the fail safe circuit by such boost voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Tada
  • Patent number: 8681457
    Abstract: Relays are inserted and connected between a battery and a boosting converter, and other relays are inserted and connected between another battery and another boosting converter. A controller outputs control signals that control opening/closing of the relays. When short-circuit of a switching element occurs in the boosting converters, the controller controls turning-off of the relays such that at least one of order and timing of turning off the relays is changed depending on which of the switching elements is short-circuited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichiro Minegishi, Masashi Yoshimi
  • Patent number: 8680796
    Abstract: To provide an upper limit of a generated voltage or generated torque, to thereby prevent the occurrence of an overvoltage or excessive torque during power generation, a control selection section (308) chooses and outputs a minimum value between a control output of a generated voltage control section (306) for controlling a field current so that a B-terminal voltage of a polyphase AC generator-motor coincides with a generated voltage command and a control output of a generated torque control section (307) for controlling, based on the B-terminal voltage and a rotation speed, the field current so that generated torque of the polyphase AC generator-motor coincides with a generated torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakajima, Masato Mori, Kenichi Akita, Mitsunori Tabata
  • Patent number: 8674631
    Abstract: A power conversion apparatus includes: a line breaker that is connected in series to a direct-current power supply; a first capacitor that is connected in parallel to the direct-current power supply through the line breaker; a discharge circuit that includes a resistor and a first switching circuit connected in series and is connected in parallel to the first capacitor; a power converter for driving a synchronous machine; a second capacitor that is connected in parallel to a direct-current side of the power converter; a second switching circuit that is connected in series between the first capacitor and the second capacitor; and a control circuit for controlling the discharge circuit. The control circuit controls the discharge circuit on the basis of the voltage of the first capacitor and the voltage of the second capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kono, Keita Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 8674652
    Abstract: A motor control device includes an inverter circuit including a plurality of switching elements connected into a three-phase bridge configuration and converting a direct current into a three-phase alternate current, a current detecting element connected to a direct current side of the inverter circuit, thereby generating a signal corresponding to a current value, a PWM signal generating unit which determines a rotor position based on phase currents of the motor and generates a three-phase PWM signal pattern so that the signal pattern follows the rotor position, and a current detecting unit detecting phase currents based on the signal generated by the current detecting element and the PWM signal pattern. The PWM signal generating unit generates the three-phase PWM signal pattern so that the current detecting unit is capable of detecting two phase currents in synchronization with advent of two fixed time-points within a carrier period of the PWM signal respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Sari Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8674651
    Abstract: There is provided an electronic device that includes a heatsink and a set of IGBTs coupled to the heatsink and configured to deliver power to a field exciter and a battery. The electronic device also includes a temperature sensor disposed in the heatsink and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a temperature reading from the temperature sensor and, based on the temperature reading, determine a junction temperature for at least one of the IGBTs of the set of IGBTs. The controller is also configured to de-rate an output power provided by each of the IGBTs based, at least in part, on the junction temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Dimitrios Ioannidis
  • Patent number: 8664909
    Abstract: A miniaturizable, low-cost highly reliable inverter unit. A control circuit section for controlling operating timing of high breakdown voltage semiconductor elements included in an inverter circuit section and first and second drive and abnormality detection circuit sections for outputting drive signals for driving the high breakdown voltage semiconductor elements according to the operating timing and for feeding back an abnormality of the inverter circuit section to the control circuit section are formed on an SOI substrate as one integrated circuit chip. On the integrated circuit chip, circuit formation areas which differ in reference potential are separated from one another by dielectrics. A plurality of level shifters for transmitting signals exchanged between circuit formation areas separated by the dielectrics are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignees: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Sharp Kabushiki-Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Sumida, Akinobu Teramoto, Ken-ichi Nonaka, Toshio Naka
  • Patent number: 8659260
    Abstract: A motor drive apparatus has a plurality of motor drive parts and a control unit. The control unit performs first and second failure detection processing for the motor drive parts before starting to drive the motor. If the first motor drive part is determined to have failure by the first failure detection processing, a first power supply relay for the first motor drive part is turned off and the second failure detection processing for the first motor drive part is inhibited. If the second motor drive part is determined to have no failure by the first failure detection processing and then by the second failure detection processing, the motor is started to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mukai, Nobuhiko Uryu
  • Patent number: 8659248
    Abstract: A drive device has a break circuit. The break circuit inputs phase-current values transferred from phase-current sensors mounted on an electrical path of a motor generator. A power switching element is equipped with a freewheel diode connected in parallel with each other. An inverter has pairs of the power switching elements. In each pair, the power switching element in a high voltage side and the power switching element in a low voltage side are connected in series. It is detected for the freewheel diode to be in a freewheel mode when a forward current flows in the freewheel diode. The break circuit detects the freewheel mode where the current flows in the freewheel diode in a lower arm when the phase-current value is not less than a predetermined threshold value. The break circuit detects the freewheel mode where the current flows in the freewheel diode in an upper arm when the phase-current value is not more than the threshold current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Ryotaro Miura, Tsuneo Maebara, Yusuke Shindo, Junichi Fukuta, Junichi Nagata
  • Patent number: 8653779
    Abstract: A rotating electrical-machine control system is provided with: a rotating electrical-machine comprising a rotor further comprising permanent magnets that are divided into a dividing-number of sections; an inverter circuit that drives the rotating electrical-machine by PWM control, using a carrier wave having a carrier frequency; a storage unit that has stored therein a relationship file that indicates the relationship between the dividing-number of the magnets, the magnet temperature, and the carrier frequency; and a control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahisa Yashiro, Hiroki Kato, Kentaro Haruno
  • Patent number: 8653781
    Abstract: Provided is a variable frequency drive and a rotation speed searching apparatus for an induction motor incorporated therein. The rotation speed searching apparatus is featured by scanning the rotor frequency of the induction motor and determining either the error between a detected DC-bus voltage and a set DC-bus voltage or the error between a detected output current and a set output current, so that the rotation speed of the induction motor can be searched out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Hui-Chung Hsieh, Chi-Lung Hsiao
  • Patent number: 8648559
    Abstract: The system comprises a first motor for applying rotational energy to a respective first wheel of the vehicle. A second motor is arranged for applying rotational energy to a respective second wheel of the vehicle. A first inverter is coupled to the first motor, where the first inverter is capable of receiving direct current electrical energy from the direct current bus. The first inverter is configured to provide a first group of alternating currents with a corresponding reference phase. A second inverter is coupled to the second motor. The second inverter is capable of receiving direct current electrical energy from the direct current bus. The second inverter is configured to provide a second group of alternating currents with a phase shift with respect to the reference phase, such that the phase shift is effective to reduce the direct current ripple on the direct current bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Brij N. Singh
  • Patent number: 8648554
    Abstract: An embodiment of an electric motor car control system includes a resistor connected parallel to a main motor cut-off switch, or a switch for grounding terminals of the main motor, to discharge electric charges accumulated in stray capacitances of the main motor, whereby the electric motor car control system can prevent electrical shocks due to electric charges accumulated in main motor stray capacitances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Koki Kawamura, Satoshi Nakamura, Hiromitsu Ueda
  • Patent number: 8624538
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus is provided that performs AC/DC conversion by suppressing harmonics of the input at the time of normal operation, while on the other hand, allowing system operation to continue in the event of an overload by avoiding system stoppage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Yoshida, Takashi Harada, Shinichi Horikoshi, Yasusuke Iwashita
  • Patent number: 8624533
    Abstract: An inverter includes a voltage command generator generating a voltage command value according to an externally specified voltage value, a PWM signal generator generating a PWM signal according to the voltage command value and frequency command value, and a switching unit generating a three-phase AC power according to the PWM signal. The voltage command generator decreases the voltage command value if the output current increases, to prevent the rotation speed of a prime move from suddenly changing. If the output current exceeds a preset upper current threshold, the voltage command value is clamped at a preset minimum output voltage, thereby securing the minimum output voltage for an increase in the output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Narutoshi Yokokawa, Tomoyuki Hoshikawa, Kazumi Murata, Junichi Kanai, Naoyuki Mashima
  • Patent number: 8620504
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of: setting a target boost voltage to a maximum value when a request for changing a sub power supply is made; temporarily increasing discharge electric power of a main power supply and then restricting discharge electric power of the sub power supply before switching; shutting off a gate of a converter on the sub power supply side; performing processing for shutting off an SMR corresponding to the sub power supply before switching; connecting an SMR corresponding to a sub power supply after switching when an absolute value of a current is equal to or lower than a predetermined value; canceling shut-off of the gate of the converter on the sub power supply side; canceling temporary increase in discharge electric power of the main power supply and restriction of discharge electric power of the sub power supply; and canceling the setting of the maximum value as the target boost voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Komata, Noritake Mitsutani
  • Patent number: 8614555
    Abstract: An actuator control system includes a controller and a buck-boost circuit. The controller is configured to direct power from a power source to an actuator. The actuator is coupled to a control device to apply a force related to operation of a vehicle. The buck-boost circuit is configured to direct excess power generated by the actuator to an energy storage device when an actuator power level satisfies an anticipated power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James J. Sheahan, Jr., Thomas W. Omohundro, James L. Peck, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8604745
    Abstract: A method for the identification without shaft encoder of magnetomechanical characteristic quantities of a three-phase asynchronous comprising: —constant voltage impression U1? in ? axial direction in order to generate a constant magnetic flux; —test signal voltage supply U1? in ? axial direction of the asynchronous motor, whereby the ? axial direction remains supplied with constant current; —measuring signal current measurement I1? in ? stator axial direction of the asynchronous motor; —identification of mechanical characteristic quantities of the asynchronous motor based on the test signal voltage U1? and on the measuring signal current I1?, whereby the rotor can execute deflection movements. Method can also be used for control of electrical drives. An identification apparatus for the determination of mechanical characteristic quantities of an asynchronous motor and for motor control, whereby the identified characteristic quantities can be used to determine, optimize and monitor a motor control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Baumuller Nurnberg GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Villwock, Heiko Zatocil
  • Patent number: 8604732
    Abstract: The two-phase modulation control inverter unit includes a plurality of switching devices, a shunt resistor and a controller. The switching devices drive a three-phase motor. The shunt resistor is connected between a direct-current power supply and the switching devices. The controller reads a voltage applied to the shunt resistor in a read cycle, computes command voltages based on the read voltage, and uses the command voltages and carrier signals to compute three control signals. The read cycle corresponds to two or more signal cycles of each carrier signal. Each control signal has a pulse for each signal cycle of the corresponding carrier signal. The controller integrates a plurality of pulses of each control signal in the read cycle into one or more pulses. The controller reads a voltage applied to the shunt resistor at the time of outputting of the integrated one or more pulses in the next read cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Takashi Kawashima, Kazuki Najima, Yoshiki Nagata
  • Patent number: 8598837
    Abstract: An object is to provide a driving controller for an AC motor that can prevent generation of an excessive voltage between lines of a motor and between contacts of a motor cut-off contactor and a continuous arc between contacts of the motor cut-off contactor, regardless of the type of a fault occurred, even when a phase in which a current zero point is not generated and a phase in which a current zero point is generated coexist in a fault current that flows between an inverter and the motor. A control unit is configured to open a motor cut-off contactor not at a time when a state of a detected current is determined to be abnormal but at a time when the state of the current is determined to be normal, even when a basic contactor-close command MKC0 becomes off (L level).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kitanaka, Hideo Okayama, Shinichi Furutani, Toshie Takeuchi, Mitsuru Tsukima
  • Patent number: 8593101
    Abstract: A power converting device is disclosed that can reduce switching loss occurring in a voltage source inverter that drives an AC motor. It is possible to supply DC power to the voltage source inverter from both a voltage source rectifier, which converts AC power from an AC generator into DC power, and a battery. A first switching circuit is inserted between the voltage source rectifier and the AC generator, and the battery is connected to the output side of the voltage source rectifier. A second switching circuit is inserted between the battery and the voltage source inverter. A third switching circuit and a reactor are inserted in series between the input side of the voltage source inverter and the input side of the voltage source rectifier. At least one of an upper arm and a lower arm of the voltage source rectifier can be chopper controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Iwahori
  • Patent number: 8593768
    Abstract: A drive circuit for delivering high-level power to a load, and method of stopping a high power load from operating, are disclosed. The drive circuit includes a high power circuit capable of being coupled to the load and delivering the high level power thereto, and a low power circuit that controls the high power circuit. The low power circuit includes a first circuit portion that provides at least one control signal that is at least indirectly communicated to the high power circuit and that controls the delivering of the high level power by the high power circuit, and a second circuit portions coupled to the first circuit portion. The second circuit portion is capable of disabling the first circuit portion so that the at least one control signal avoids taking on values that would result in the high power circuit delivering the high level power to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David G. Fullington, Raymond G. Sladky, Daniel L. Stewart, Michael L. Gasperi, Scott P. Miles
  • Patent number: 8587248
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a multi-phase power converter having at least two phase modules (100) comprising valve branches (T1, . . . , T6) having bipolar subsystems (10, 11) connected in series, at low output frequencies (f). According to the invention, a target value (u1 (t), . . . , u6 (t)) of a valve branch voltage overlaps a common-mode voltage (uCM(t)) such that a sum of two valve branch voltages (u1 (t), U2 (t) or U3 (t), U4 (t) or U5 (t), U6 (t)) of each phase module (100) equals an intermediate circuit voltage (Ud) of said multi-phase power converter. In this manner a known converter having a triphase power converter comprising distributed energy accumulators on the grid and load side, or merely on the load side, may be utilized as a drive converter, which may start up from the idle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Marc Hiller
  • Patent number: 8589101
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring RMS values of burst-fired currents includes a current sensor having a signal output, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter coupled to the signal output of the current sensor, a digital processor coupled to an output of the A/D converter, and a digital memory coupled to the digital processor. Code segments stored in the digital memory are executable on the digital processor and implement a process of: a) initially sampling the output of the A/D converter; b) determining from the initial sampling a burst-fired current pattern; c) sampling the output of the A/D converter N times within a burst-fired current pattern to provide N samples; and d) calculating an RMS value from the N samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Neilsen-Kuljian, Inc.
    Inventors: Huy D. Nguyen, Tom Lik-Chung Lee
  • Patent number: 8581535
    Abstract: A drive unit has a control power supply, a power source (1) producing direct current to one or more inverters (2), an energy storage (C) arranged at the power source (1) output, and a discharge circuit (8,10) for discharging the energy stored in the energy storage (C) and including a power resistor (8). Switches (5, 6) are arranged between the power source (1) and energy storage (C) and in default position when there is no control power in the drive unit. The power source (1) is disconnected and the energy storage (C) discharged through the power resistor (8) when the switches (5, 6) are in default position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Technology Ltd
    Inventor: Yang Gao
  • Patent number: 8581533
    Abstract: A controller controls switching of IGBT devices of an inverter according to the desired output of the permanent magnet motor. The controller includes: a magnet temperature detection device that detects the magnet temperature of the permanent magnet motor based on the output of a temperature sensor; a setting device that sets a threshold value of the magnet temperature corresponding to the desired output of the permanent magnet motor, based on a predetermined relation between the output from the permanent magnet motor and a critical temperature, up to which demagnetization in the permanent magnet motor is not caused; and a carrier frequency control device that, when the magnet temperature detected by the magnet temperature detection device exceeds the threshold value, changes the carrier frequency, at which the IGBT devices are switched, such that a ripple current superimposed on a motor current that flows through the permanent magnet motor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhito Hayashi, Masayoshi Suhama
  • Patent number: 8575885
    Abstract: To make it possible to avoid an unstable state with a simple configuration even one of the phases of the motor fails. A motor drive system in accordance with the present invention includes a motor to which a plurality of phase coils of five phases or more are connected in a star connection, an inverter connected to one end of each of the phase coils, the inverter being configured to convert a DC power into an AC power and supply the AC power to each phase of the motor, a power relay disposed at another end of each of the phase coils, the power relay being configured so as to be able to cut off a supply power to at least one phase coil among the plurality of phase coils of the motor by using a plurality of contact points interposed between the star-connected coils, and a control unit that generates a control signal for the inverter and thereby controls driving of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Okumatsu
  • Patent number: 8575884
    Abstract: A motor drive control system connected to an alternating current/direct current conversion circuit which converts alternating-current voltage or alternating current to direct-current voltage or direct current are provided. A control circuit controls supply or stop of the supply of the direct-current voltage or direct current from the alternating current/direct current conversion circuit to the first number of first direct current/alternating current conversion circuits and the second number of second direct current/alternating current conversion circuits while maintaining the total of the outputs of the first number of motors and the outputs of the second number of motors at a certain power not more than power which can be supplied from the alternating current/direct current conversion circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Masuda, Kiichi Inaba
  • Patent number: 8575875
    Abstract: In a converter of a motor drive control device, one of a first switching element and a second switching element is selected in accordance with a current command value of a current flowing through a reactor. The converter is then controlled so that a drive command for the selected switching element is generated. In this way, the efficiency of the converter is improved while a voltage step-up or step-down operation is performed by the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Masaki Okamura
  • Patent number: 8559143
    Abstract: A system and method for a vehicle control system is disclosed herein. The system includes an inverter circuit, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, and a crossover connected between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. The system may also include at least one current sensor installed between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. A contactor may also be connected between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor and may pass or shut off electricity between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. The system may also include a control unit connected to the contactor and the current sensor. The control unit may detect a current abnormality using information from the current sensor and open the contactor if an abnormality is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ikuo Yasuoka, Shinichi Toda, Mitsuhiro Numazaki, Hidetoshi Manabe, Takashi Takagi
  • Patent number: 8558499
    Abstract: To provide a controller apparatus of a type, in which the controller is given the redundancy so that the control of the drive motor can be properly performed at all times when an abnormality such as the failure of the controller occurs, with the reliability consequently increased, a plurality of controllers are provided, each including a power circuit for outputting a drive current for the drive motor and a control circuit, which is a light electric circuit, for controlling the power circuit in response to a motor drive command fed from a higher control. An abnormality determiner is provided for determining an abnormality occurring in the controller then in use according to a prescribed rule and then generating a switching signal. A switch is provided, which is operable in response to the switching signal to change the controller then in a state of functioning relative to the drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Koichi Okada, Takeshi Kanda
  • Patent number: 8558496
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring current in an electric motor. An electrical system includes a (DC) interface, an electric motor, an inverter module coupled between the DC interface and the electric motor, a first current sensor between a first phase leg of the inverter module and a first phase of the electric motor to measure a first current flowing through the first phase of the electric motor, a second current sensor between the first phase leg and the DC interface to measure a second current flowing through the first phase leg, and a control module coupled to the first current sensor and the second current sensor. The control module is configured to initiate remedial action based at least in part on a difference between the first current measured by the first current sensor and the second current measured by the second current sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brian A. Welchko, Silva Hiti, Ronald W. Young, David Tang, Gregory S. Smith
  • Patent number: 8558490
    Abstract: It is presented a control device for driving an electric motor, wherein a drive control signal for the electric motor is arranged to be determined using a calculated rotor flux. A direct quadrature, dq, coordinate system relating to a rotor of the electric motor is used. The control device comprises a flux estimator arranged to determine the calculated rotor flux using a quadrature axis voltage, a measured direct axis current, a measured quadrature axis current, an angular velocity, stator resistance and a direct axis inductance and an actual torque calculator arranged to obtain an actual torque estimation using the calculated rotor flux, the measured direct axis current and the measured quadrature axis current. A corresponding method is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Danaher Motion Stockholm AB
    Inventor: Per Rickard Johansson
  • Patent number: 8553432
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling an apparatus transmitting power between two electricity networks or between an electricity network and a polyphase electric machine), and including low-voltage power cells (C), which include a single-phase input/output connection (IN/OUT). The power cells are arranged into groups (G1-GN, GP1-GPN1, GS1-GSN2, G1??-GN??) such that at least one power cell per each phase of the electricity network or of the electric machine belongs to each group, and the input terminals (IN) of all the power cells belonging to the same group are connected to a common transformer, the transformer including its own separate winding that is galvanically isolated. The controllable power semiconductor switches connected to the input connectors (IN) of all the power cells supplying power to the same transformer are controlled cophasally with a 50% pulse ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Vacon OYJ
    Inventors: Risto Komulainen, Hannu Sarén
  • Patent number: 8547053
    Abstract: An alternating current chopper circuit with low noise is disclosed. The circuit includes a switching circuit, a first freewheel circuit, and a second freewheel circuit. The switching circuit has a control switching unit, which turns on and or off accordingly to a control signal. The first freewheel circuit and the second freewheel circuit are for providing a current-conducting path to the motor, when the control switching unit is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: National Formosa University
    Inventors: Yu-Kai Chen, Chin-Hsiung Chang
  • Patent number: 8541971
    Abstract: When applying a high frequency voltage which alternates on positive and negative sides to a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a driving system of synchronous motor switches the applied voltage phase by 120 degrees successively and applies resultant voltages to three phases. A pulsating current generated by applying a high frequency voltage is detected at timing of elapse of a predetermined time ?t since an output voltage of at least one phase has changed from a state in which all output voltages of the three phases of a power converter are positive or negative. Current detection is conducted by using a DC resistor or a phase current sensor provided on a DC bus. A magnetic pole estimation unit calculates the rotor magnetic pole position of the permanent magnet synchronous motor on the basis of differences between positive side and negative side change quantities in three-phase currents obtained from detected current values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Sakai, Yoshitaka Iwaji, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Yoshiyuki Taguchi, Daigo Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8536823
    Abstract: A driving method for driving a polyphase inverter includes: receiving a reference input that includes a fundamental frequency component, and a previously generated feedback signal; generating an error signal that corresponds to a difference between the reference input and the previously generated feedback signal; attenuating the error signal to the minimum; generating an optimum signal; quantizing the optimum signal; and generating driving signals that correspond to the quantized optimum signal. A driving device that implements the driving method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Jwu-Sheng Hu, Keng-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 8525468
    Abstract: A method for controlling a motor drive system, the system comprising an AC-DC converter coupled to a DC-AC inverter by a DC bus, a motor coupled to and driven by the inverter, and a load coupled to and driven by the motor is provided. The method includes accessing a motion profile for the motor and load and determining power losses of the converter, the inverter, the motor and the load. The method also includes controlling the voltage of the DC bus based upon the motion profile and the power losses to enhance the motor drive system efficiency, reliability and motor shaft performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig R. Winterhalter, Robert H. Schmidt, Michael S. Baran, Todd M. Oestreich
  • Patent number: 8519655
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide novel techniques for using a switched converter to provide for three-phase alternating current (AC) rectification, regenerative braking, and direct current (DC) voltage boosting. In particular, one of the three legs of the switched converter is controlled with a set of pulse width modulation (PWM) control signals so that the input AC phase having the highest voltage is rectified and one of the switches in the two other legs is turned on to allow for added voltage. This switching activity allows for voltage from multiple AC line mains to be combined, resulting in an overall boost of the DC voltage of the rectifier. The DC voltage boost can then be applied to the common DC bus in order to ameliorate voltage sags, help with motor starts, and increase the ride-through capability of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lixiang Wei, Richard A. Lukaszewski, Russel Kerkman, Brian J. Seibel
  • Patent number: 8519649
    Abstract: A control device of a synchronous machine is disclosed. The control device includes an inverter configured to provide an output current to a synchronous machine. A controller configured to control the output current and to estimate a voltage command, at least in part, by using pulse width modulation to choose a non-zero vector at a time when the inverter is not driving the synchronous machine with the output current. The estimating the voltage command is performed without using a zero vector. A phase angle and angular velocity estimating section configured to estimate a phase angle and an angular velocity of a rotor of the synchronous machine based, at least in part, on an inductance value, an induction voltage value, the voltage command, and the output current. The controller is further configured to control the output current based, at least in part, on the phase angle and the angular velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Corporation
    Inventors: Shun Taniguchi, Kazuya Yasui, Kazuaki Yuuki, Yosuke Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8508165
    Abstract: A rectifier connected with an AC source through a reactor, a plurality of capacitors connected in series between output terminals of the rectifier, first switching means connected between one input terminal of the rectifier and a connection point of a plurality of capacitors, second switching means connected between the other input terminal of the rectifier and the connection point of a plurality of capacitors, and a plurality of diodes connected with the plurality of capacitors in inverse-parallel are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Shinomoto, Hideki Takahara, Masato Handa, Makoto Tanikawa, Mitsuo Kashima
  • Patent number: 8508181
    Abstract: An adjustable frequency drive includes a base having a first portion and a second portion, and an active front end converter disposed on the base. The converter includes an input, an output, and a plurality of first electronic switches electrically connected between the input and the output. An inverter is disposed on the base and includes an input electrically connected to the output of the active front end converter, an output, a plurality of capacitors disposed on the first portion of the base and electrically connected to the input of the inverter, a plurality of second electronic switches disposed on the second portion of the base and electrically connected between the input and the output of the inverter, and a heat pipe assembly. The inverter is structured to provide a single, three-phase output structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Harry Broussard, Melvin L. Hughes
  • Patent number: 8497649
    Abstract: A motor driving control apparatus includes a motor driving unit which drives a motor and a driving control unit which supplies to the motor driving unit a command value for the motor driving unit to drive the motor. A power characteristic acquiring unit acquires a power characteristic of an AC power supply that supplies power to the motor. A control parameter determining unit determines based on a voltage characteristic of the AC power supply whether, during driving of the motor, the voltage of the AC power supply drops to a level that adversely affects the driving of the motor, and if positive, the control parameter determining unit sets a control parameter so that the voltage of the AC power supply does not drop below that level and supplies the control parameter to the driving control unit in order for the driving control unit to determine the command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Tezuka, Kazuyuki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8487558
    Abstract: An electric vehicle may include a main battery, a charging system electronic device, an electrically powered system-based electronic device, a first high-voltage electric wire; and a second high-voltage electric wire. The electrically powered system-based electronic device and the charging system electronic device may be sequentially disposed in parallel. The electric vehicle may further include a first junction relay capable of isolating the first high-voltage electric wire; and a second junction relay capable of isolating the second high-voltage electric wire. The first junction relay is disposed between the main battery and the charging system electronic device, and a first pre-charge relay which bypasses the first junction relay is disposed in parallel with the first junction relay, and the second junction relay is disposed between the charging system electronic device and the electrically powered system-based electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taichi Ogawa, Tohru Kuribayashi, Arata Ohishi, Eiji Agatsuma
  • Patent number: 8487563
    Abstract: A drive motor control apparatus for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a motor and rotation detecting unit. In the apparatus, the first difference computing unit computes one of multiple first differences every time an actual detected angle of rotation of the motor becomes a corresponding representative angle during the one cycle. The first difference indicates an advancing amount of an estimated angle relative to the actual detected angle. The second difference computing unit computes multiple second differences based on the first differences of the one cycle. The second differences are adjusted in accordance with a degree of acceleration and deceleration of the motor. The adjusted second differences are used for correcting the actual detected angle of rotation of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichiro Kawakami, Shigenori Mori, Jyunji Miyachi
  • Patent number: 8482232
    Abstract: A motor drive circuit configured to supply drive currents to drive coils with a plurality of phases of a motor to drive the motor, includes: a trapezoidal wave signal generation circuit configured to output a trapezoidal wave signal whose inclination is changed with a rotation speed of the motor or a target rotation speed of the motor; and a plurality of output transistors configured to output the drive current to the drive coils, respectively, in accordance with the trapezoidal wave signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: ON Semiconductor Trading, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Imai
  • Patent number: 8482245
    Abstract: A power conversion device in which an inverter for controlling a load is connected to an alternating current power system, and arranged to perform an electric power assist by connecting a direct-current power assist device having a chopper and a charge device to a direct-current circuit of the inverter. The device including a setting section to set charge and discharge target values in accordance with a sensed value of the direct-current voltage of the inverter; a charge control section to perform a charge control based on the charge target value; a discharge control section to perform a discharge control based on the discharge target value; and an instantaneous-low high-speed-compensation section to estimate an electric power corresponding to a direct-current sensed voltage of the inverter, and to output a value to the discharge control section which is obtained by dividing the estimated value by the direct-current sensed voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Meidensha Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kondo, Katsutoshi Miyazaki