Responsive To An Additional Condition Patents (Class 318/802)
  • Patent number: 9018970
    Abstract: In a rotating electrical machine, a conductive foil or conductive rubber is applied to the surface of insulation layer of a conductor series connection area or to the surface of insulation layer of a turn conductor of coils of rotating electrical machine winding, waveforms of grounding voltages of the individual turn conductor portions are measured through the medium of an electrostatic capacitance of the insulation layer of coil conductor series connection area or through the medium of the insulation layer of coil turn conductor, and a partial discharge is measured while measuring a voltage developing in the coil or across a winding turn in the coil from a difference between the waveforms of grounding voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Obata, Yutaka Higashimura, Keiji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8988035
    Abstract: A system for identifying magnetizing inductance and rotor resistance of an induction machine comprises an induction machine comprising a rotor and a stator, a DC voltage bus, and a DC-to-AC voltage inverter coupled to the DC voltage bus and to the induction machine. The system also comprises a controller configured to cause the DC-to-AC voltage inverter to apply a square-wave excitation to a plurality of phases of the induction machine, determine a stator resistance of the stator of the induction machine based on the square-wave excitation, and determine a rotor resistance of the rotor of the induction machine based on the square-wave excitation. The controller is also configured to calculate a magnetizing curve for the induction machine based on the stator and rotor resistances and control the induction machine to operate based on the magnetizing curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Kai Wang, Wenxi Yao, Huaqiang Li, Zhengyu Lu
  • Patent number: 8988016
    Abstract: A control method comprises determining wheel creep of a wheel operably coupled to a traction motor and limiting a rate of change of an excitation frequency applied to the traction motor to drive the wheel, based on the determined wheel creep. According to one aspect, the rate of change of the excitation frequency is limited if the wheel creep exceeds a wheel creep threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Louis Daigle, Jeremy McGarry
  • Patent number: 8924051
    Abstract: A control device for a railway vehicle controls an inverter device based on a direct-current link voltage Vfc between the opposite terminals of a filter capacitor. A direct-current voltage applied to the inverter device during regeneration is the sum of a voltage Vb of power storage equipment and an overhead wire voltage Vs, so that only detecting the direct-current link voltage Vfc is not enough to separate the voltage Vb of the power storage equipment and the overhead wire voltage Vs from each other. The power storage equipment can be connected in series with the inverter device, and a voltage sensor that detects the overhead wire voltage Vs is provided between a current collector device and a grounding point. The power storage equipment is controlled based on the detection result from the voltage sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daijiro Araki, Motomi Shimada, Shuichi Tachihara, Akira Horie, Masahiro Nagasu
  • Patent number: 8912744
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting a dead time of a BLDC motor during a phase change detect the winding current of the BLDC motor during the dead time, and terminate the dead time when the winding current is detected to be substantially or close to zero. Thus, the method and apparatus can optimize the dead time and switch the BLDC motor between two phases at a zero-current point, without reducing the maximum rotation speed of the BLDC motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Haó-Yu Chang, Pei-Cheng Huang, Wei-Hsu Chang, Kuo-Chung Lee
  • Patent number: 8872455
    Abstract: For each phase of a controller, semiconductor switches comprise a high side switch and a low side switch. A direct current voltage bus provides electrical energy to the semiconductor switches. A measuring circuit is adapted to measure the collector-emitter voltage or drain-source voltage for each semiconductor switch of the controller. A data processor determines that a short circuit in a particular semiconductor switch is present if the measured collector-emitter voltage or measured source-drain voltage for the particular semiconductor switch is lower than a minimum threshold and if an observed current associated with the particular semiconductor switch has an opposite polarity from a normal operational polarity. A driver simultaneously activates counterpart switches of like direct current input polarity that are coupled to other phase windings of the electric motor, other than the particular semiconductor switch, to protect the electric motor from potential damage associated with asymmetric current flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Chris J Tremel, Eric Vilar
  • Patent number: 8860342
    Abstract: A system. The system includes a processor, a first module, a second module and a third module. The first module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for calculating a q-axis voltage component and a d-axis voltage component. The second module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for determining a voltage angle relative to the q-axis. The third module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for (1) comparing the determined voltage angle to a predetermined value, (2) outputting the determined voltage angle if the determined voltage angle is less than the predetermined value, and (3) outputting the predetermined value if the predetermined value is less than the determined voltage angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Curtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corporation
    Inventors: Mark P. Krefta, Kalyan K. Sen
  • Patent number: 8854015
    Abstract: A current controller for controlling plural stator currents of plural stator windings of an electrical machine, in particular a generator, is provided, wherein the plural windings are separately connectable to a converter. The current controller includes a positive-sequence current controller configured to provide a first voltage command, in particular in a rotating dq+ frame, based on the plural stator currents; a negative-sequence current controller configured to provide a second voltage command, in particular in the dq+ frame, based on the plural stator currents. Further, the current controller includes a summation system for adding the first voltage command and the second voltage command to obtain a summed voltage command based on which the converter is controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heng Deng
  • Patent number: 8853987
    Abstract: In an electric tool, in order to carry out a phase control or an antiphase control using a transistor, constant voltage generating means of the tool includes a series circuit including a resistor and a diode, and a parallel circuit including a capacitor and a Zener diode. One end of the resistor is connected between an AC power supply and an AC motor. A cathode of the diode is connected to one capacitor end and a cathode of the Zener diode. The other capacitor end and an anode of the Zener diode are connected to transistor sources. One ends of resistors are connected to gates of the transistors, and a voltage at the other ends of the resistors are switched between a voltage at a node between the series circuit and the parallel circuit and a voltage of the source of the transistors to turn the transistors ON or OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Maeda Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayoshi Obatake
  • Publication number: 20140247003
    Abstract: A power conversion device formed of a converter for rectifying a single-phase AC voltage to a DC voltage and an inverter for driving an AC motor by converting the DC voltage to an AC voltage includes: a first compensation unit that uses a frequency component twice the frequency of the single-phase AC voltage with respect to the DC voltage outputted from the converter or a current outputted from the inverter as a compensation value for at least one of a torque command value, a current command value, a voltage command value, a frequency command value, and a phase angle command value; and a second compensation unit that uses the DC voltage outputted from the converter or a current outputted from the inverter after being subjected to low frequency cut-off processing and gain processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hisanori Yamasaki, Keita Hatanaka, Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 8823302
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a switching circuit includes a controller, a target-rotational-speed acquiring device, a target-torque acquiring device, and an ON-time varying device. The controller is configured to turn on a bidirectional conduction switching device provided parallel to a reverse conducting device through which a commutation current flows. The target-rotational-speed acquiring device is configured to acquire a target rotational speed of an alternating current motor. The target-torque acquiring device is configured to acquire a target torque of the alternating current motor. The ON-time varying device is configured to vary, on a basis of the target rotational speed and the target torque, an ON time period during which the bidirectional conduction switching device provided parallel to the reverse conducting device through which a commutation current flows is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8816615
    Abstract: In a drive device for a railway vehicle, in which regeneration braking force is increased by adding the output voltage of a voltage adjustment device to a DC power source voltage, operation of the current control device is started prior to the start of the power running operation or the regeneration operation of the inverter device, and the operation of the current control device is stopped later than the stopping of the power running operation or the regeneration operation of the inverter device. Thereby, the current control device is surely operated at least during the operation period of the inverter device, so that the output voltage of the voltage adjustment device is adjusted by the current control device, to thereby prevent the over-discharge of the energy storage device at the time of power running operation or the overcharge of the energy storage device at the time of regeneration operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daijiro Araki, Motomi Shimada, Yoshihiro Miyaji, Keita Suzuki, Keishi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8766563
    Abstract: Described herein is a drive arrangement for the motor-driven adjustment of an adjustable element in a motor vehicle, the drive arrangement having two electrical drives and a control device, the drives, in the fitted state, acting in the same way on the adjustable element and having a substantially identical configuration, apart from tolerance-related discrepancies. The control device has a power controller which, in the fitted state, during the motor-driven adjustment of the adjustable element, subjects the electrical power that is output respectively to the two drives to closed-loop control, for the purpose of compensating for the tolerance-related discrepancies, in such a way that an identical electrical power consumption is established for both drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Hallstadt
    Inventors: Jürgen Eggeling, Klaus Dünne, Dirk Hellmich
  • Patent number: 8766589
    Abstract: In a motor control unit, a current-carrying failure detection unit determines a first determination condition and a second determination condition. The current-carrying failure detection unit measures a duration of a state where the first determination condition is satisfied, and a duration of a state where the second determination condition is satisfied. When the first or second duration exceeds a predetermined reference period, the current-carrying failure detection unit determines that a current-carrying failure has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Satoru Mikamo, Hiroshi Kawamura, Jun Hasegawa, Akihiro Tomita, Akira Nambu
  • Patent number: 8736218
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power supply device for an electric vehicle that allows highly efficient operation of a compressor inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 8710782
    Abstract: Multiple inverter motor drives are interconnected in parallel to provide a common output to a motor. Common control circuitry is coupled to all parallel drives via optical cables and provides signals to power layer circuitry of each inverter for generation, at the power layer, of timing for gate drive signals for the respective inverter power electronic switches. The resulting timing exhibits a high degree of synchronicity such that very little imbalance occurs in the outputs of the paralleled drives, resulting in very low circulating currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, Russel J. Kerkman, Richard H. Radosevich, Alan J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 8664907
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an inverter including a high-side switch coupled to a low-side switch, the inverter generating a time-varying drive current from a plurality of drive control signals, a positive rail voltage, and a negative rail voltage wherein controlling the switches to generate the time-varying drive current produces a potential transitory overshoot condition for one of the switches of the inverter; a drive control, coupled to the inverter, to generate the drive control signals and to set a level of each of the rail voltages responsive to a plurality of controller signals; and a controller monitoring one or more parameters indicative of the potential transitory voltage overshoot condition, the controller dynamically adjusting, responsive to the monitored parameters, the controller signals to reduce a risk of occurrence of the potential transitory voltage overshoot condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Kroeze, Colin Campbell, Nicholas Robert Kalayjian
  • Patent number: 8618765
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a sensorless electric motor that drives an electric oil pump, in a case where a rotational speed of the motor deviates from a first range defined between a first upper limit value and a first lower limit value, a rotational speed limiting section generates a current command signal acting for controlling the rotational speed of the motor to suppress deviation of the rotational speed of the motor from the first range, and in a case where deviation of the rotational speed of the motor from the first range is continued for a predetermined time or more, the rotational speed limiting section sets a second range defined between a second upper limit value and a second lower limit value which are respectively displaced from the first upper limit value and the first lower limit value in a direction in which the deviation is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Yukihiro Sano, Yuukou Nojiri, Ippei Suzuki, Jyunichi Noda
  • Patent number: 8584459
    Abstract: A forced induction system for an engine comprising a compressor for increasing the pressure of gas into the engine and a turbine arranged to be driven by engine exhaust gas. The system further comprises a generator and an electric motor. The generator is arranged to be driven by the turbine and the motor is arranged to drive the compressor, wherein the generator and motor are electrically connected. The system comprises electrical control means arranged to receive the electrical signal output by said generator during operation and to apply an AC control signal to said electric motor whereby the compressor is driven at least in part by an output torque of the turbine via the electrical connection therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Aeristech Limited
    Inventor: Bryn Richards
  • Patent number: 8575879
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems, a machine-readable medium operable in a controller, and apparatus for controlling a multi-phase inverter that drives a multi-phase electric machine. When a sensor fault is detected, a phase current angle is computed based on the feedback stator currents, and used to estimate an angular velocity and an angular position of a rotor of the multi-phase electric machine. When the estimated angular velocity of the multi-phase electric machine is less than a transition angular velocity threshold, an open-circuit response can be applied at the multi-phase inverter by controlling all switches in the multi-phase inverter drive to be open. By contrast, when the estimated angular velocity is greater than the transition angular velocity threshold, a short-circuit response can be applied at the multi-phase inverter by controlling selected switches in the multi-phase inverter drive to connect all phases of the multi-phase inverter to a single bus (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Brian A. Welchko, Min Dai
  • Patent number: 8558497
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to drive a load using a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal and spread a spectrum of the PWM signal across a plurality of frequencies while maintaining a constant duty cycle for the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: David G. Wright
  • Patent number: 8541962
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus includes a motor driving unit, a low-voltage source, a current detecting element, and an insulation resistance degradation determinator. The motor driving unit includes an inverter coupled between a positive DC bus line and a negative DC bus line of a DC power source. The inverter converts DC power into AC power to drive an AC motor. The low-voltage source is coupled between a ground and at least one of the positive DC bus line and the negative DC bus line. The current detecting element detects a closed circuit current flowing through a closed circuit of the low-voltage source, the AC motor, and a part of the inverter. The insulation resistance degradation determinator makes a comparison between the closed circuit current and a predetermined threshold, and configured to determine, based on the comparison, whether an insulation resistance of the AC motor is degraded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Kazuo Sato, Mitsujiro Sawamura
  • Patent number: 8519653
    Abstract: A control device for performing PWM control of an inverter includes a synchronous PWM control circuit for generating a control command for the inverter by performing PWM control based on a comparison between a sinusoidal voltage command signal for operating the AC motor according to, an operation command and a carrier signal, and a carrier generating unit for keeping an integer as a synchronization number being a frequency ratio between the voltage command signal and the carrier signal, and producing the carrier signal by switching the synchronization number according to an operation state of the AC motor. The carrier generating unit adjusts a phase relationship between the voltage command signal and the carrier signal according to the synchronization number such that an AC current transmitted between the inverter and the AC motor according to the control command provided from the synchronous PWM control circuit is symmetrical with respect to a boundary between positive and negative portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyoshi Takamatsu, Masaki Okamura, Takanori Degaki
  • Patent number: 8513911
    Abstract: A power converter that interfaces a motor requiring variable voltage/frequency to a supply network providing a nominally fixed voltage/frequency includes a first rectifier/inverter connected to a stator and a second rectifier/inverter. Both rectifier/inverters are interconnected by a dc link and include switching devices. A filter is connected between the second rectifier/inverter and the network. A first controller for the first rectifier/inverter uses a dc link voltage demand signal indicative of a desired dc link voltage to control the switching devices of the first rectifier/inverter. A second controller for the second rectifier/inverter uses a power demand signal indicative of the level of power to be transferred to the dc link from the network through the second rectifier/inverter, and a voltage demand signal indicative of the voltage to be achieved at network terminals of the filter to control the switching devices of the second rectifier/inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Converteam Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Rodney Jones, Christopher Newton
  • 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: 8421398
    Abstract: An autonomous controller allows an AC induction motor to operate over a broad range of AC power supply frequencies by reducing the amount of current supplied to the motor at lower frequencies. The controller detects the frequency of the power supply and switches the supply current on and off during each AC cycle to limit the RMS current to a value that is related to the detected frequency. Alternatively, the controller switches capacitive reactance into the power supply circuit which reduces the current supplied to the motor at lower AC frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Fisher, John T. Paterson
  • Patent number: 8410746
    Abstract: The present invention provides an inverter circuit for a vehicle, which includes: a switching unit that includes a plurality of switching elements and switches a direct current into an alternating current; and a variable clamping unit that clamps an overshoot in case the overshoot is generated, and stops the operation of the switching unit in case a system voltage is greater than a clamping breakdown voltage. The circuit enables a voltage (DC input voltage) greater than a breakdown voltage of clamping unit to be used as a system voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jeong Yun Lee, Sung Kyu Kim, Jae Won Lee, Tae Hwan Chung, Ki Young Jang, Jung Hong Joo
  • Patent number: 8405344
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for estimating a rotation speed of an electric motor supplied by an inverter, by determining a time derivative of a stator current vector of the electric motor during a zero vector state of the inverter; and determining an estimate of the rotation speed of the electric motor on the basis of the determined time derivative of the stator current vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: ABB Oy
    Inventor: Samuli Heikkilä
  • Patent number: 8339093
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an AC motor drive includes a control system programmed with an energy algorithm configured to optimize operation of the motor drive. Specifically, the control system receives input of an initial voltage-frequency command to the AC motor drive, receives a real-time output of the AC motor drive generated according to the initial voltage-frequency command, and determines a real-time value of a motor parameter based on the real-time output of the AC motor drive. The control system also inputs a plurality of modified voltage-frequency commands to the AC motor drive, determines the real-time value of the motor parameter corresponding to each of the plurality of modified voltage-frequency commands, and identifies an optimal value of the motor parameter based on the real-time values of the motor parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Bin Lu, Charles John Luebke, Joseph Charles Zuercher, John Charles Merrison, Thomas M. Ruchti
  • Patent number: 8340848
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling an electric motor are provided. A signal comprising at least first and second cycles is provided to the electric motor. A first flux value for the electric motor associated with the first cycle of the signal is calculated. A second flux value for the electric motor associated with the second cycle of the signal is calculated based on the first flux value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Yo Chan Son, Nitinkumar R. Patel, Steven E. Schulz
  • Publication number: 20120280645
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an AC motor drive includes a control system programmed with an algorithm configured to optimize operation of the motor drive. Specifically, the control system is programmed to input an initial voltage-frequency command to the drive. The initial voltage-frequency command includes a voltage reference and a frequency reference corresponding to an operating point of an initial voltage/frequency (V/Hz) curve. The control system monitors a real-time output of the drive, modifies the voltage reference based on the real-time output of the drive, and transmits a modified voltage-frequency command to the drive. The modified voltage-frequency command corresponds to an operating point of a modified V/Hz curve defined by the modified voltage reference and the initial V/Hz curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Eric Jon Olsson, Bin Lu, Ting Yan, Steven John Fredette, Charles John Luebke
  • Patent number: 8294411
    Abstract: A sensorless induction motor control device with a function of correcting a slip frequency wherein a slip frequency estimation unit estimates the slip frequency from at least one kind of current flowing through the motor. A voltage command value calculation unit calculates a D-phase voltage command value and a Q-phase voltage command value which are used for controlling a voltage applied to the motor using a Q-phase current command value calculated based on a difference between a speed estimation value, which is calculated using an estimation value of the slip frequency, and an externally supplied speed command value. An ideal voltage command value determination unit determines an ideal voltage command value using the speed command value and the Q-phase current command value. An actual voltage command value calculation unit calculates an actual voltage command value using the D-phase voltage command value and the Q-phase voltage command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Okita, Takahiro Akiyama, Tomohisa Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 8283885
    Abstract: A drive control signal is effectively obtained. An offset control circuit (32) adds an offset to a rotational state signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Takashi Ogawa, Tsutomu Murata
  • Patent number: 8264191
    Abstract: A motor drive system using a current source inverter (CSI) for providing the main power and an active filter for providing the reactive power and harmonics is disclosed. The CSI can be a load-commutated inverter (LCI) build using silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs), while the active filter can be based on a voltage-controlled inverter. An LCI circuit comprising of SCRs, wherein CSI is autosequentially turned off is provided. In other words, the negative voltage for turning the SCR off is not load dependent. A control scheme for operating the motor drive system through proper control of the SCRs in the LCI circuit is also provided. As presented, the motor drive system is able to feed medium to high voltage motors using a simple circuit, such that low-frequency torque pulsations are eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Indian Institute of Science
    Inventors: Vilianguppam Thathachary Ranganathan, Sowmithri Ranganathan, legal representative, Debmalya Banerjee
  • Patent number: 8264190
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a multi-phase rotary machine includes a control unit and a plurality of power supply systems including respective inverter units. When a short-circuiting failure occurs in one of the systems due to an ON-failure in any one of FETs in an inverter unit of the failure system, the control unit stops driving of the rotary machine by bringing all the FETs in the failure system into the OFF state. The control unit controls FETs of the non-failure system such that a brake torque generated in the failure system is cancelled or the influence of the brake torque exerted on the driving of the motor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8259474
    Abstract: A matrix converter includes a plurality of switching elements and is adapted to receive a multi-phase alternating current (AC) input signal having an input frequency and to generate a multi-phase AC output signal having an output frequency. The phases of the input signal are sorted as a function of their instantaneous voltage amplitude (60). A reference signal is generated from output reference voltages that correspond to each phase of the output signal (56). Duty cycles are calculated for each phase of the output signal based on the sorted input signal phases and the reference signal (62). Switching functions, which each control one of the switching elements, are then generated based on the duty cycles for each phase of the output signal (64, 66).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Vladimir Blasko
  • Patent number: 8222857
    Abstract: In a controlling device for a permanent magnet synchronous motor, an asynchronous pulse mode is switched to a synchronous pulse mode in a situation where a modulation factor has become equal to or larger than a first set value or in a situation where an inverter output frequency has become equal to or higher than a second set value. The synchronous pulse mode is switched to the asynchronous pulse mode in a situation where the modulation factor has become smaller than the first set value, and also, the inverter output frequency has become lower than the second set value. By setting the second set value so that the number of pulses included in a half cycle of an output voltage fundamental wave of the inverter is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, it is possible to inhibit current oscillations and torque ripples from occurring in the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 8207700
    Abstract: The invention relates to a switch arrangement of an electric motor drive (1). The electric motor drive comprises safety switches (3) determined by the safety of the drive, a controlled mechanical brake (4), a power supply circuit (5) of the brake control, a power converter (6), which power converter comprises a network rectifier (7) and a power rectifier (8) of the motor. The power rectifier of the motor is at least partly implemented with controlled semiconductor switches (9, 10) arranged into a bridge. The power converter comprises an intermediate circuit (11, 12) between the network rectifier and the power rectifier of the motor. The switch arrangement comprises normally-open switches (13, 14) in the intermediate circuit of the power converter (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Timo Syrman, Ari Kattainen
  • Patent number: 8198837
    Abstract: A DC motor control device calculates motor speed using determinations of motor field flux and armature voltage in the motor. The device includes a control module having one or more control inputs and one or more control outputs. At least one control input is configured to receive data representing field current measured in the DC motor. The control module includes flux curve logic that is responsive to measurements of motor field current to calculate a field flux in the motor. The flux curve logic uses a flux curve stored in the control module, the flux curve representing a functional relationship between field current and field flux in the motor. The flux curve is defined by a plurality of flux curve data points corresponding to a plurality of motor field currents within a lower current range and within an upper current range. The flux curve is further defined by at least a first flux curve line positioned within the lower current range and a second flux curve line positioned within the upper current range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Magnetek, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Wellnitz
  • Patent number: 8188702
    Abstract: A rotating electrical machine control system includes a frequency converting portion that is interposed between a rotating electrical machine for driving a vehicle and a DC power source for supplying electric power to the rotating electrical machine, and that converts an output of the DC power source to an AC output at least during a powering operation of the rotating electrical machine; a voltage converting portion that is interposed between the DC power source and the frequency converting portion, and that boosts the output of the DC power source based on a boost command value which is set according to a target torque and a rotational speed of the rotating electrical machine; and a control portion for controlling the frequency converting portion and the voltage converting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Yoshida, Subrata Saha, Daisuke Ogino, Jin Izawa, Yoshinori Ono
  • Patent number: 8188694
    Abstract: Multiple inverter motor drives are interconnected in parallel to provide a common output to a motor. Common control circuitry is coupled to all parallel drives via optical cables and provides signals to power layer circuitry of each inverter for generation, at the power layer, of timing for gate drive signals for the respective inverter power electronic switches. The resulting timing exhibits a high degree of synchronicity such that very little imbalance occurs in the outputs of the paralleled drives, resulting in very low circulating currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rangarajan M. Tallam, Russel J. Kerkman, Richard H. Radosevich, Alan J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 8183816
    Abstract: In a method for field-oriented operation to zero speed of an encoder-less asynchronous machine, wherein the associated field-oriented regulation device has a monitor with a machine model and rotation-speed adaptation, a model flux and a model current are calculated from a calculated actuating voltage and an adapted rotation speed, from which, in conjunction with a determined machine current, a complex difference is calculated. Also calculated is a model slip rotation speed as a function of the model flux and the model current, which is then scaled. The adapted rotation speed is then superimposed, and the sum is used as the rotation speed actual value which supplied to a rotation-speed regulator. An asynchronous machine without an encoder can therefore be operated to zero speed on a field-oriented basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thilo Weigel
  • Patent number: 8174222
    Abstract: Methods, system and apparatus are provided for sensorless control of a vector controlled motor drive system that includes an electric motor used to drive an auxiliary oil pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Nitinkumar R. Patel, Yo Chan Son
  • Patent number: 8154241
    Abstract: An electric power steering system includes a multi-phase electric motor, an inverter connected to the rotary electric machine and an electronic control apparatus. One phase of the motor is pulled up by a resistor. The electronic control apparatus detects disconnection abnormality between the motor and the inverter by checking phase voltages of the inverter by stopping the inverter operation. If disconnection is detected, current is supplied to the remaining normal two phases. The electronic control apparatus detects short-circuit abnormality by checking an electric angle (rotation angle) of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8143839
    Abstract: An alternating-current motor control apparatus includes a stator frequency computing unit configured to compute a stator frequency of a motor magnetic flux; a torque error computing unit configured to compute a torque error by using the motor magnetic flux, an estimated current, and a motor current; and a speed estimator configured to estimate a speed of the alternating-current motor by using the stator frequency and the torque error. The speed estimator includes a proportional controller configured to reduce the torque error to zero, and an adaptive filter configured to eliminate a high-frequency component of the torque error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Kozo Ide, Sadayuki Sato, Hideaki Iura, Shinya Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8143837
    Abstract: An inverter control apparatus includes: a state estimator that calculates an estimated current vector and an estimated magnetic flux vector from a motor command voltage vector, a detected current vector, and a motor parameter; a correction voltage calculator that calculates a correction voltage vector on the basis of a current error between the detected current vector and the estimated current vector; and a correction voltage unit that adds the correction voltage vector to the motor command voltage vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Kozo Ide
  • Patent number: 8129936
    Abstract: An open-loop and/or closed-loop control device for operating an asynchronous machine which is fed by a 3-phase power converter. The open-loop and/or closed-loop control structure has a stator flux controller and a pulse pattern generator for generating pulse signals based on mean values. An output of the stator flux controller is connected to an input of the pulse pattern generator, with the result that the pulse pattern generator can generate the pulse signals as a function of a manipulated variable which is generated by the stator flux controller. The stator flux controller is configured so as to generate the manipulated variable as a function of a desired value of the stator flux of the asynchronous machine and as a function of a desired value of the torque of the asynchronous machine. The stator flux controller has a dead-beat control response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Becker, Peter Krafka, Michael Rampe
  • Patent number: 8125179
    Abstract: A motor control circuit (MC) comprising input terminals (IT1, IT2) to receive a rectified input voltage (Vrm), and output terminals (OT1, OT2) to supply a motor drive signal (Vm). A switching circuit (1) is alternately in an on-state (Ton) and an off-state (Toff) for intermittently coupling the input terminals (IT1, IT2) to the output terminals (OT1, OT2). A controller (2) controls the switching circuit (1) to be (i) in the on-state (Ton) during a first period in time (T1) when an amount of magnetic saturation of the motor is smaller than a predetermined value, and (ii) alternately in the on-state (Ton) and the off-state (Toff) to obtain a pulse width control of the motor drive signal (Vm) during a second period in time (T2) when the amount of magnetic saturation of the motor is larger than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Wessel Adolf Otten, Wilhelmus Ettes
  • Patent number: 8125178
    Abstract: A drive and a method, including an electric motor, which is supplied by a rectifier, the rectifier including a time-discrete closed-loop control structure, which regulates the stator current of the electric motor by setting the voltage applied at the motor, the current of the motor being acquired in time-discrete fashion, the closed-loop control structure including a closed-loop controller whose actual value is a first current component of the current, the setpoint input of the closed-loop controller being coupled with at least one upstream setpoint limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hammel, Thomas Schuster
  • Patent number: 8076881
    Abstract: A system. The system includes a first module, a second module communicably connected to the first module, a third module communicably connected to the first module, and a fourth module communicably connected to the third module. The first module is configured for determining an angle. The angle is defined by a first rotating reference frame having an axis aligned with a permanent magnet flux of a permanent magnet motor, and a vector of a motor magnetizing flux of the permanent magnet motor. The second module is configured for defining a second rotating reference frame having an axis aligned with the vector, and for transforming a two-phase set of direct currents from the first rotating reference frame to the second rotating reference frame. The first and second rotating reference frames are synchronized. The third module is configured for generating a first direct current reference signal associated with the second rotating reference frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Curtiss-Wright Electro-Mechanical Corp.
    Inventors: David J. Hall, Mark P. Krefta