With Voltage Phase Angle Control Patents (Class 318/809)
  • Patent number: 7999503
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus are provided for a control module for operating an inverter in a vehicle. A control module comprises a first circuit card assembly and a microprocessor mounted on the first circuit card assembly. The microprocessor is configured to determine a phase modulation command for a first motor phase and determine a modulation criterion for the inverter. An integrated circuit is communicatively coupled to the microprocessor. The integrated circuit is configured to generate a first modulation signal based on the phase modulation command and the modulation criterion and generate a second modulation signal based on the phase modulation command and the modulation criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Daniel L. Kowalewski, Ted D. Peterson, David Tang, Mark L. Selogie, Michael R. Grimes
  • Patent number: 7969039
    Abstract: A controller is capable of executing direct couple control that directly couples a first power device and a second power device without causing a DC/DC converter to convert voltage. During the direct couple control, a drive signal that causes no voltage conversion is intermittently output to at least one of a plurality of switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Mimatsu, Yasushi Kojima, Seigo Murashige, Yutaka Asano
  • Patent number: 7923952
    Abstract: A device for controlling a polyphase rotating machine, the machine comprising a stator, a rotor, and sensors, the device being capable of receiving: at least one first sensing signal (U; V; W) representing a position of the rotor relative to the stator and output by a first sensor; and a second sensing signal (V; W; U) representing the position and phase-shifted relative to the first signal and output by a second sensor. The control device comprises: means (K, R) for combining the first and second sensing signals into a combined signal, the means including at least one controlled switching element capable adopting at least in two states, the combined signal being based on a state of the first element and enabling the machine to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Julien Masfaraud, Hugues Doffin, Farouk Boudjemai
  • Patent number: 7917017
    Abstract: If a PWM duty instruction D1 determined by a duty calculation circuit exceeds an upper limit value, a duty signal processing circuit in a motor drive apparatus divides a switching current supply period in each of the phases into a first current supply period and a second current supply period. In the first current supply period, the duty is set to the upper limit value. In the second current supply period, the duty is set to 100%, and the length of the second current supply period is set depending upon the duty instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Kanamori
  • Patent number: 7911176
    Abstract: A method for determining rotor position comprising sending a signal to a stator, receiving a first signal indicative of a first estimated stator inductance, and receiving a second signal indicative of a second estimated stator inductance. The method further includes, calculating a first rotor position angle using a function including the first estimated stator inductance and the second estimated stator inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Allen Michael Ritter, Rajib Datta, Luis J. Garces, Xianghui Huang
  • Patent number: 7884560
    Abstract: A device includes a housing configured with a working element. The device also includes a motor configured for urging motion of the working element. The device also includes a power control module which may be electrically connected with at least one of the motor, a first power source configuration and a second power source configuration. Electric current is provided to the motor by the first and/or the second power source configurations. The first power source configuration may be electrically connected to a battery assembly having a DC power output. The second power source configuration may be electrically connected to a power inverter which may receive AC power and output DC power to the second power source configuration. The motor may be one of a permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor, a universal motor and an induction motor, the motor receiving power via the power control module from at least one of the first power source configuration and the second power source configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: MTD Products Inc
    Inventors: Delbert E. Lucas, Justin Lucas, Ryan J. Lucas, Paul Brent Boyd
  • Patent number: 7868581
    Abstract: An induction motor controller that may include three phase paths leading from a power input to a power output, a solid-state switching device interposed between the power input and the power output on each of the three phase paths, a voltage sensor coupled to two of the phase paths between the solid-state switching device and the power input, a current sensor on one of the phase paths, a processor communicatively coupled to the voltage sensor, the current sensor, and the solid state switching device; and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor may be configured to calculate a motor parameter based on a signal from the voltage sensor and a signal from the current sensor and store the calculated motor parameter in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Qian, Haihui Lu, Thomas A. Nondahl
  • Patent number: 7868580
    Abstract: A method for turning a three-phase alternating current motor on again, after it has been separated from a supply voltage, if a residual field voltage induced by a rotor residual field is present, and to an electrical circuit for implementing the method. The time progressions of the residual field voltage and the supply voltage are recorded, and the phase difference between the voltages is calculated in advance from the time progressions. A time point ts is determined, at which the phase difference goes below a predetermined maximum value ??max. A switching command for applying voltage is triggered at a time interval that corresponds to a predetermined switching time delay ?s, before the time point ts is reached, so that the motor is connected to the supply voltage approximately at the time point ts. The electrical circuit has a measurement value detection device, a microcontroller and a direct current setting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Energas GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Kern, Stefan Pöhler, Hans Otto Seinsch
  • Patent number: 7855524
    Abstract: A voltage control circuit is disclosed. A power factor corrector may utilize the control circuit to provide power factor correction for an AC induction motor. An AC induction motor system may combine the power factor correct with an AC induction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Inventor: Alexander Pummer
  • Patent number: 7835630
    Abstract: An integrated circuit for controlling a DC motor is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes at least one digital position and speed circuit (DPS) for providing measurements of speed, position, and direction of the motor, the DPS being in signal communication with the motor for receiving a pair of signals having a quadrature relationship; and at least one programmable gain amplifier (PGA) electrically coupled to the motor, the PGA being configured to receive a feedback signal indicative of current flowing through the motor and to apply a second signal to the motor for adjusting the speed of the motor; and at least two analog-to-digital converters (A/D), one A/D being used to quantize the output of the PGA for an off-chip processor; and another A/D to provide motor reference position from an analog sensor, such as a potentiometer; and at least two digital-to-analog converters (D/A), one D/A used to set the motor voltage; and another D/A used to set the motor current limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Peter Kazanzides, Ndubuisi John Ekekwe, Ralph Etienne-Cummings
  • Patent number: 7821217
    Abstract: A power tool may include an electronically commutated motor such as, for example, a brushless DC permanent magnet motor with a rotor having internally mounted magnets and/or cavities filled with air or other non-magnetic materials. A control system may be used to control the motor in a manner that implements field weakening when the speed of the motor increases beyond its rated motor speed, or when the torque demands on the motor continue to increase after the maximum power output of the motor is reached. The field weakening may offset the growing back EMF and may enable a constant power and constant efficiency to be achieved by the motor over a wide speed range, rather than at just a single predetermined operating speed. Pulse width modulation control of the motor may be used up until the motor reaches its maximum power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Abolhassani, Shailesh P. Waikar, Ren H. Wang, Uday S. Deshpande
  • Patent number: 7750595
    Abstract: A rotating machinery includes a first control member for performing rectangular wave control by operating the switching devices of an inverter such that an on-state and an off-state occur once for one cycle period in electrical angle of a motor, a second control member for operating the switching devices on the basis of a magnitude relation between upper and lower limits of a predetermined hysteresis region and an actual current flowing through the motor, and a switching member for, when the actual current deviates from the hysteresis region while the rectangular wave control is undertaken, switching the control to an instantaneous current value control performed by the second control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamada, Hiroya Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7710066
    Abstract: A motor control device that controls a permanent-magnet synchronous motor has: a magnetic flux controller that derives, as a specified excitation current value, a specified current value corresponding to a d-axis component of a current passing through an armature winding; and a current controller that controls, based on the specified excitation current value, the current passing through the armature winding. The magnetic flux controller makes the specified excitation current value vary periodically, based on an estimated or detected rotor position, in a current range in which the magnetic flux produced by the permanent magnet is weakened, and changes the specified excitation current value according to a rotation speed of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichiro Hashimoto, Yoshio Tomigashi
  • Publication number: 20100102771
    Abstract: A power control system for an A.C. induction motor is disclosed, comprising a voltage/current phase difference generator for determining a difference in phase between a voltage applied to the motor and a current drawn by the motor, and for generating a phase difference signal as a function of the determined difference in phase, the voltage/current phase difference generator including an integrator, the integrator receiving the phase difference signal and generating an error signal for controlling an amount of power supplied to the motor as a function of the phase difference signal, the integrator being electrically coupled to a potentiometer, the potentiometer providing a bias signal for at least partially controlling the error signal; and a delay circuit for controlling the bias signal provided by the potentiometer so as to cause full available power to be supplied to the motor for a predetermined amount of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventor: Nicholas Anderson
  • Patent number: 7701165
    Abstract: An induction motor controller that may include three phase paths leading from a power input to a power output, a solid-state switching device interposed between the power input and the power output on each of the three phase paths, a voltage sensor coupled to two of the phase paths between the solid-state switching device and the power output, a current sensor on one of the phase paths, a processor communicatively coupled to the voltage sensor, the current sensor, and the solid state switching device; and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor may be configured to calculate a motor parameter based on a signal from the voltage sensor and a signal from the current sensor and store the calculated motor parameter in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Quian, Haihui Lu, Thomas A. Nondahl
  • Publication number: 20100072942
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus are provided for a control module for operating an inverter in a vehicle. A control module comprises a first circuit card assembly and a microprocessor mounted on the first circuit card assembly. The microprocessor is configured to determine a phase modulation command for a first motor phase and determine a modulation criterion for the inverter. An integrated circuit is communicatively coupled to the microprocessor. The integrated circuit is configured to generate a first modulation signal based on the phase modulation command and the modulation criterion and generate a second modulation signal based on the phase modulation command and the modulation criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: DANIEL L. KOWALEWSKI, TED D. PETERSON, DAVID TANG, MARK L. SELOGIE, MICHAEL R. GRIMES
  • Patent number: 7667428
    Abstract: A power monitoring apparatus for receiving an external input signal includes a first modulating unit, a second modulating unit and a comparing unit. The first modulating unit receives and modulates an input signal into a first signal. The second modulating unit receives and modulates the input signal into a second signal. The comparing unit is electrically connected with the first modulating unit and the second modulating unit and has a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal. The first input terminal receives the first signal and the second input terminal receives the second signal. When a difference between the first signal and the second signal is higher or lower than a predetermined range, the output terminal outputs a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Pin Wei, Yi-Lun Chen, Wei-Shuo Tseng, Wen-Shi Huang
  • Patent number: 7638966
    Abstract: A voltage control circuit is disclosed. A power factor corrector may utilize the control circuit to provide power factor correction for an AC induction motor. An AC induction motor system may combine the power factor correct with an AC induction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Inventor: Alexander Pummer
  • Patent number: 7579800
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus comprises the amplitude adjustment section and the peak voltage control section so as to adjust the torque control output in correspondence with the output voltage of the inverter. The peak voltage control section detects the peak voltage of the voltage command, and outputs the adjustment command instructing the amplitude adjustment section to suppress the amplitude when the peak voltage possibly exceed the previously determined value which is determined with respect to the maximum output voltage or maximum modulation rate of the inverter. The amplitude adjustment section lowers the gain by carrying out processing such that a constant proportional value is removed from the integration value, for example, in response to the supplying of the adjustment command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuki Kitano
  • Patent number: 7560897
    Abstract: To provide a current controller capable of constantly detecting an offset value of a current detection system, the offset value overlapping with a current detection value, in a state of regular operation of a motor to correct the current detection value and capable of current detection with high accuracy and a current offset correction method of the same. A carrier wave peak-trough judging part 10 is provided to discriminating the peak and the trough of a carrier wave. An A/D converted value detected in falling from the peak of the carrier wave is used as a current detection value. An A/D converted value detected in rising from the trough of the carrier wave is used as an offset value in the case that a modulated wave command is larger than a comparison standard value capable of computation by means of a calculation formula. On the basis of the current detection value and the offset value, carried out is an operation of a current detection correction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventor: Junichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7548039
    Abstract: A motor control unit including a rotational position detector detecting a rotational position of a brushless DC motor; a current detector detecting a current of the brushless DC motor; a coordinate transformer executing rotational coordinate transformation of the current by a control phase angle and obtaining a d-axis current and a q-axis current; a current controller generating a command d-axis voltage based on a d-axis current error, and generating a command q-axis voltage based on a q-axis current error; a coordinate transformer generating a three-phase command voltage by the control phase angle; a conductive signal generator; and a position controller that, when executing a positioning operation, maintains the command d-axis current at a constant value and the command q-axis current at zero, and that controls the control phase angle based on a difference between a target stop rotational position and a rotational position detected by the rotational position detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Naoki Oomura, Kazunobu Nagai, Shinichi Kominato, Yukihisa Hasegawa, Minoru Awazu
  • Patent number: 7548038
    Abstract: A controller for a motor is capable of reducing the amount of energization required to operate a motor under a predetermined condition, the motor having two rotors disposed around a rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Atarashi, Hiroyuki Isegawa
  • Patent number: 7541769
    Abstract: An electric power converter which has improved accuracy in compensation of a dead time. A motor driving system employing the electric power converter is also provided. A power module includes a plurality of switching devices connected in series and converts DC power to AC power. A control circuit produces a voltage command value in accordance with a control command inputted from the exterior, and produces gate signals to drive the switching devices of the power module corresponding to a final voltage command value which is obtained from the voltage command value with dead time compensation. A dead time compensation logic circuit calculates a final dead time compensation voltage based on a change rate of the voltage command value, a gain (dead time compensation voltage value), and a polarity of a current, the gain being calculated from a DC voltage value supplied to the electric power converter, a dead time, and a switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Nawa, Takefumi Sawada
  • Patent number: 7538510
    Abstract: A controller for a motor permits efficient energization control according to an operating condition of a motor without depending on a number of revolutions of the motor when operating a motor having two rotors disposed around a rotating shaft. The controller includes a voltage-between-terminals increaser which carries out at least one of first processing for increasing a voltage between terminals in which a rotor phase difference is changed by an actuator in a direction for reducing the magnetic fluxes of fields of the motor, second processing for increasing a voltage between terminals in which an output voltage of a DC power source is increased by a DC/DC converter, and third processing for increasing a voltage between terminals in which d-axis current is increased in the case where the magnitude of a resultant vector of a command value of a d-axis voltage and a command value of a q-axis voltage in the motor exceeds the radius of a target voltage circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Atarashi, Hiroyuki Isegawa
  • Publication number: 20090121671
    Abstract: An electric power supply driver executes duty control of turning on and off of a selected switching element to supply electric power to a corresponding stator coil in a case where an actual rotational direction and a target rotational direction of a motor shaft coincide with each other. Furthermore, the driver sets an on-duty ratio of the selected switching element below a lower limit value, which is at least required to rotate the motor shaft through the power supply to each corresponding stator coil in a case where the actual rotational direction and the target rotational direction do not coincide with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoki Uehama, Yasushi Morii
  • Patent number: 7521887
    Abstract: A vector controller for a permanent magnet synchronous motor uses current command values and detected currents of the d-axis and q-axis, a calculated frequency, and motor constant settings to control the output voltage of a power converter; the motor constants are identified by use of active or reactive power obtained from the output voltage and detected current of the power converter, the calculated frequency, and the detected current immediately before or during an actual operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Tobari, Tsunehiro Endo
  • Patent number: 7518334
    Abstract: A method and a control device for a brushless DC motor, which has an AC/DC inverter supplied by an intermediate direct voltage circuit for feeding the DC motor, a pattern generator for controlling switches of the AC/DC inverter having a variable frequency and phase periodical switch signal pattern and an input for a signal representative of the present phase position of the rotor of the DC motor. The pattern generator detects an average current strength released by the AC/DC inverter and adjusts a phase offset between the phase position of the rotor and the switch signal pattern in accordance with the detected average current strength and the speed of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Hochhausen, Jörg Seyfarth, Pietro De Filippis
  • Publication number: 20090058351
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including an induction-motor controller that has a motor controller configured to receive alternating current (AC) power with a voltage that varies generally sinusoidally and transmit the AC power during a conduction angle of a cycle of the AC power. In some embodiments, the conduction angle varies generally sinusoidally at a lower frequency than the AC power, and the motor controller may be configured to not transmit the AC power outside of the conduction angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: David M. Messersmith, John Herman Blakely
  • Patent number: 7482777
    Abstract: The motor control device includes a current detecting portion for detecting a phase current that flows in an armature winding of a stator of a three-phase motor based on current that flows between an inverter for driving the motor and a DC power supply. The motor control device performs a position sensorless vector control for the motor based on a control current that is obtained by a three-phase to two-phase conversion of the phase current based on an estimated rotor position of the motor. The motor control device farther includes a superposing portion for superposing a superposed voltage having a predetermined frequency on a drive voltage for driving the motor and an estimating portion for deriving the estimated rotor position based on the superposed current that is extracted from the control current and flows in the motor in accordance with the superposed voltage. A voltage vector locus of the superposed voltage from the superposing portion presents an ellipse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Tomigashi
  • Patent number: 7468595
    Abstract: A motor drive for conditioning power to be delivered to a load includes a current feedback circuit that monitors current being fed to a transformer connected between the motor drive and the load. Based on the total current input to the transformer, a controller adjusts the V/Hz profile along which the motor drive operates. In this regard, the motor drive operates according to a V/Hz profile during start-up that prevents transformer saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Lee, Jyrki K. Ahlgren, Ian T. Wallace, Thomas M. Doring
  • Publication number: 20080265809
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus which controls an output voltage reference for an inverter driving a permanent magnet synchronous motor based on d-axis and q-axis current references, d-axis and q-axis current detected values, and a computed frequency value. When a torque reference specifying torque greater than maximum torque that the motor can output is input, a limit value for a phase angle that is a deviation between a rotation phase reference of control and a rotation phase value of the motor is varied depending on a quantity of the predetermined state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Kentaro Ol, Kazuaki Tobari, Yoshitaka Iwaji, Mitsuo Sasaki, Tatsuo Matsumura
  • Patent number: 7443129
    Abstract: There is described a method for controlling a quenching device for a converter bridge with line regeneration, whereby the converter bridge controlled by a network-timed control circuit by ignition pulses is connected with its three inputs to the phases of a three-phase network and the two outputs of the bridge are connected to a direct-current motor which feeds, when operated as a generator, current back to the three-phase network via the bridge. The quenching device is controlled by a trigger unit which emits trigger pulses depending on the monitoring of electrical and temporary variables. The device has measuring values “direct output current” and/or “supply voltages” used to determine characteristic values which are compared with theoretical characteristic values. Depending on the result of said comparison, the quenching device is optionally activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Ă–sterreich
    Inventors: Thomas Biribauer, Franz Hackl, Wilfried Hofmüller, Heinz Pichorner, Wilhelm Ritschel, Franz Wöhrer
  • Patent number: 7432678
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus includes a speed control circuit for outputting a speed control signal on the basis of a target speed command and rotating speed information of a motor, a PWM signal generating circuit for generating and outputting a PWM signal on the basis of the speed control signal, a switching circuit for feeding power to motor windings on the basis of the PWM signal, and a protection circuit including a full torque detecting circuit for detecting a full torque status in which the speed control signal is a signal for instructing maximum torque. The protection circuit outputs a signal for stopping the switching circuit when the full torque detecting circuit detects a full torque status continuously for a specified time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoharu Yokouchi, Keisuke Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20080218117
    Abstract: A method for turning a three-phase alternating current motor on again, after it has been separated from a supply voltage, if a residual field voltage induced by a rotor residual field is present, and to an electrical circuit for implementing the method. The time progressions of the residual field voltage and the supply voltage are recorded, and the phase difference between the voltages is calculated in advance from the time progressions. A time point ts is determined, at which the phase difference goes below a predetermined maximum value ??max. A switching command for applying voltage is triggered at a time interval that corresponds to a predetermined switching time delay ?s, before the time point ts is reached, so that the motor is connected to the supply voltage approximately at the time point ts. The electrical circuit has a measurement value detection device, a microcontroller and a direct current setting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Ulrich Kern, Stefan Pohler, Hans Otto Seinsch
  • Patent number: 7388347
    Abstract: A three-phase direct-current motor is controlled by cyclically repeating three first switching states. In each of the three first switching states, one of the three phases of the direct-current motor is periodically switched over between a first and a second input voltage, whereas the two other phases are continuously connected to the first input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Pietro De Filippis, Ralf Hochhausen, Jörg Seyfarth
  • Publication number: 20080112695
    Abstract: If a PWM duty instruction D1 determined by a duty calculation circuit exceeds an upper limit value, a duty signal processing circuit in a motor drive apparatus divides a switching current supply period in each of the phases into a first current supply period and a second current supply period. In the first current supply period, the duty is set to the upper limit value. In the second current supply period, the duty is set to 100%, and the length of the second current supply period is set depending upon the duty instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsushi Kanamori
  • Patent number: 7358700
    Abstract: An induction motor controller that may include three phase paths leading from a power input to a power output, a solid-state switching device interposed between the power input and the power output on each of the three phase paths, a voltage sensor coupled to two of the phase paths between the solid-state switching device and the power output, a current sensor on one of the phase paths, a processor communicatively coupled to the voltage sensor, the current sensor, and the solid state switching device; and a memory coupled to the processor. The processor may be configured to calculate a motor parameter based on a signal from the voltage sensor and a signal from the current sensor and store the calculated motor parameter in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Qian, Haihui Lu, Thomas A. Nondahl
  • Patent number: 7345449
    Abstract: A polyphase AC induction motor is connected to a power supply through a soft starter having three sets of inverse parallel connected silicon controlled rectifiers with each set corresponding to one particular phase. Low speed starting and operation of the motor can be accomplished through triggering circuits controlling the phases of the triggering pulses in relation to the phases of the supply. The low motor speeds are developed by a gating sequence that generates a low frequency waveform that is less than the main supply frequency to the motor. This low frequency waveform is current and voltage controlled by the gating sequence to permit the AC motor to smoothly operate at speeds less than 100% of rated while developing net positive torque at the low controlled operating frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Benshaw, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter G. Barie, Ronald E. Vines, Harold D. Hagerty
  • Patent number: 7342380
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an inverter of a motor control unit includes a controller having a user interface configured to allow user selection of a waveform increment value or a waveform amplitude threshold. The controller also includes an integrator configured to receive the waveform increment value and generate a signal at least based on the waveform increment value. A logic circuit is configured to monitor the signal and reset the integrator when the signal reaches the waveform amplitude threshold to generate a waveform having a frequency-independent amplitude. A comparator compares the waveform to a modulating signal to trigger gating pulses delivered to an inverter to drive an associated motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russel J. Kerkman, David Leggate, Richard H. Radosevich
  • Publication number: 20080042614
    Abstract: A motor control unit including a rotational position detector detecting a rotational position of a brushless DC motor; a current detector detecting a current of the brushless DC motor; a coordinate transformer executing rotational coordinate transformation of the current by a control phase angle and obtaining a d-axis current and a q-axis current; a current controller generating a command d-axis voltage based on a d-axis current error, and generating a command q-axis voltage based on a q-axis current error; a coordinate transformer generating a three-phase command voltage by the control phase angle; a conductive signal generator; and a position controller that, when executing a positioning operation, maintains the command d-axis current at a constant value and the command q-axis current at zero, and that controls the control phase angle based on a difference between a target stop rotational position and a rotational position detected by the rotational position detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Naoki Oomura, Kazunobu Nagai, Minoru Awazu, Shinichi Kominato, Yukihisa Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7315147
    Abstract: Provided is a motor having a combination of a plurality of coil pairs and a permanent magnet, wherein these coil pairs are supplied with an excitation signal from a drive circuit so as to be excited at alternate opposite poles, and the permanent magnet is constituted such that the plurality of polar elements is disposed to become alternating opposite poles; the drive circuit is constituted to supply an excitation signal having a prescribed frequency to the coil pairs, and relatively move the coil pairs and permanent magnet with the magnetic attraction repulsion between the coils and permanent magnet; and the drive circuit is constituted to supply to the coil pairs a waveform signal corresponding to the pattern of the back electromotive voltage to be generated in accordance with the relative movement between the coil pairs and permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kesatoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7279865
    Abstract: A motor drive unit includes a controller, a voltage inverter, and a speed estimator. The controller is operable to generate at least one command signal for controlling a motor associated with the motor drive unit. The voltage inverter is operable to generate motor drive signals to be applied to the motor based on the command signal. The speed estimator is operable to estimate a speed of the motor when the voltage inverter is not providing the motor drive signals. The speed estimator is further operable to receive two-axis voltage measurements associated with the motor, determine flux angles for the motor based on the two-axis voltage measurements, and estimate the speed based on the determined flux angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Takayoshi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 7250740
    Abstract: In a method of generating pulse-width modulated waveform, the cycle of a carrier wave for the waveform is determined together with a first dead time value and a second dead time value both of which are set in a plurality of up-down counters, respectively. Using the plurality of the up-down counters is effective to assign individual dead times to upper and lower arms and to linearly control a PWM duty from 0% to 100%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Katsuki, Masashi Tsubota
  • Patent number: 7208910
    Abstract: A method, computer-readable code, and controller are provided for configuring a cycle-skipping control system having two or more cycle skippers connected to a common multi-phase AC (alternating current) power source to drive a variable frequency load. One or more circuit architectures (modified relative to a baseline circuit architecture) are provided. The modified circuit architectures enable at least some interconnections not enabled by the baseline circuit architecture when connected between the phases of the power source and the load phases. A respective firing sequence is generated to be applied to a plurality of power switches to the two or more cycle skippers with a modified circuit architecture for implementing a desired mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith K. Kumar, Bret D. Worden, Emil Nikolaev Nikolov
  • Patent number: 7208911
    Abstract: A method, computer-readable code, and controller are provided for controlling a cycle-skipping control system having at least one cycle skipper connected to a multi-phase AC (alternating current) power source to drive a variable frequency load. A respective firing sequence is generated to be applied to a plurality of power switches in the cycle skipper for implementing a desired mode of operation. The stream of pulses may be arranged to form a grouping of two or more closely adjacent pulses over a time interval, wherein each pulse grouping contributes a desired spectral power over the time interval, and further wherein each pulse grouping enables to spread the power over the time interval as compared to a single pulse having the desired spectral power, thereby reducing harmonic components in currents supplied by the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith K. Kumar, Bret D. Worden, Emil Nikolaev Nikolov
  • Patent number: 7129672
    Abstract: For providing a controller apparatus for a synchronous motor and a controlling method thereof, enabling to be manufactured, easily and cheaply, and to obtain a lock mechanism, but without necessity of mechanisms, such as, an electromotive lock mechanism, wherein the controller apparatus for the synchronous motor, which has a stator 20 wound with AC windings 21U, 21V and 21W, and a rotor 30 installed within an inside of the stator, rotatably, therein, comprises an inverter 200 for supplying AC voltages having a predetermined voltage/frequency characteristic to the AC windings, which are wound around poles of the stator of the synchronous motor; and further, the inverter is so controlled that the AC voltages, being supplied from the inverter to the AC windings wound around the poles of the stator is changed into DC voltages to be supplied thereto, when rotation of said rotor is zero (0) and also when a lock function signal is ON in condition thereof, thereby obtaining a lock condition of holding a rotating posi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kimura, Nobuo Arakawa
  • Patent number: 7106024
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for use with a controller that supplies voltages to an induction machine via supply lines, the voltages including a fundamental voltage component and an injected voltage component, the line voltages also including harmonic voltage components where the harmonic voltage components include at least a high frequency first harmonic component having a frequency substantially equal to the sum of the fundamental component frequency and the injected component frequencies, the method for identifying the high frequency first harmonic component and comprising the steps of sensing the line voltages, identifying a zero sequence voltage component of the line voltages, rectifying the zero sequence voltage component to generate a rectified signal and using the rectified signal to identify the high frequency first harmonic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Melvin Harbaugh, Semyon Royak
  • Patent number: 7102305
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a direct-current power source and an inverter circuit, which includes a switching element. The motor control apparatus receives a current command value in every control cycle and calculates a current deviation accumulated value by accumulating the current deviation between the received current command value and the actual current value that flows through a coil of a motor. The motor control apparatus then computes a voltage command value in accordance with the current deviation accumulated value and controls the switching timing of the switching element based on the voltage command value. The motor control apparatus judges whether the computed voltage command value exceeds a range of the voltage that can be output from the inverter circuit and causes saturation. If it is judged that the voltage command value is saturated, the motor control apparatus restricts the accumulation of the current deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7064514
    Abstract: A motor drive system without any portion for directly detecting the rotor position, rotation speed and motor phase currents, capable of realizing a high-performance variable speed drive even at high carrier frequencies. When detecting a current from a DC power supply of an inverter for driving a motor, applied voltages and frequencies to the motor are controlled based on sampled values by sampling a current flowing as intermittent pulses in the vicinity of each power conduction time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd., Hitachi Home & Life Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Tsunehiro Endo, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Tomofumi Okubo
  • Patent number: 7042192
    Abstract: A compressor having a winding circuit and a driven member being driven in part by a winding of the winding circuit. The compressor further includes an auxiliary circuit connected in a parallel relationship with the winding circuit. The auxiliary circuit has an auxiliary circuit element and an electronic switch assembly connected in a series relationship such that the electronic switch assembly controls the current through the auxiliary circuit element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: A.O. Smith Corporation
    Inventor: William L. Mehlhorn