Pluse Width Modulation Or Chopping Patents (Class 318/811)
  • Publication number: 20080218118
    Abstract: A control method and a control system for single phase induction motors driven by two-power electronic switch inverter are disclosed. The system fulfills two main tasks i.e. precise motor speed control and maximum motor efficiency control over wide ranges of motor load and speed command without a motor speed feedback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Sadegh Vaez-Zadeh, Bijan Zahedi
  • Patent number: 7421301
    Abstract: A control system and a method of using the same for an electric machine having a random number generating module generating a random number ranging from a first value to a second value, a multiplying module multiplying the random number and a sample rate to generate an random delay value; and a delay limiter module limiting the random delay value as a function of speed of the electric machine and generating a limited delay value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Schulz, Daniel L. Kowalewski
  • Publication number: 20080203964
    Abstract: A control unit controls a drive signal for determining a voltage to be supplied to the motor. A drive unit drives the motor by applying a current corresponding to the voltage determined based on the drive signal to the motor. The control unit includes a velocity detecting unit that detects a rotation velocity of the motor and an output unit that outputs the drive signal corresponding to a voltage with which a current lower than a predetermined current limit is applied to the motor, based on the rotation velocity of the motor detected by the velocity detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: Takahisa Koike
  • Patent number: 7417394
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for controlling a final power-output stage, the latter comprising three half-bridges consisting respectively of a series circuit including an upper semiconductor switch and a lower semiconductor switch and subjected to a service voltage, the connection points of the semiconductor switches of the half-bridges forming outputs which are connected to the windings of a motor having at least three phases. The invention is characterized in that there is provided a control device for shifting on-state respectively one semiconductor switch or simultaneously several semiconductor switches according to a predetermined programme and for determining whether the respective voltages at the outputs are respectively within a predetermined tolerance range for the corresponding switching state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bay, Michael Henninger
  • Patent number: 7417400
    Abstract: The present invention is a motor control device comprising a control system, the control system being capable of controlling the motor by PWM and having integration means being capable of outputting an integrated value obtained by integrating a deviation between a rotation speed and a target rotation speed of a motor, the motor control device being capable of starting control with the control system for causing the motor to rotate at the target rotation speed after rotation of the motor has been started. In this motor control device, an output value of the integration means at a time when control with the control system is to be started is set to have a value that corresponds to a counter electromotive force generated in the motor by its rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuji Takeishi, Hirotomo Tanaka, Sumito Anzai
  • Publication number: 20080197799
    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: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio TOMIGASHI
  • Publication number: 20080191660
    Abstract: An aspect of the invention is a method and a device for controlling a rotating field machine having several phase windings, which can be controlled by means of pulse width modulation, wherein a pulse width modulation controller is adapted in such a way that an individual winding of the phase windings of the rotating field machine is energized at a specifiable sampling time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Uwe Krause, Uwe Nolte, Jan Spannberger
  • Patent number: 7411368
    Abstract: An electric motor speed controller for use in a bicycle includes a motor to provide a propulsion force to move the bicycle. The actual motor speed and a target motor speed are compared, and if the actual motor speed is lower, more current is supplied to the motor, and if the actual motor speed is higher, less current is supplied to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Panasonic Semiconductor Asia Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tien Yew Kang, Kian Teck Teo, Yubin Liu
  • Publication number: 20080185987
    Abstract: A motor driving integrated circuit for controlling motor driving, comprising: a data signal input terminal; a data signal receiving circuit configured to receive a data signal inputted from the data signal input terminal; a control circuit configured to control the motor driving integrated circuit based on a first data received through the data signal receiving circuit; and a pulse generating circuit configured to generate a pulse signal for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)—controlling a motor coil based on a second data signal received through the data signal receiving circuit, the pulse generating circuit including: a rectangular signal generating circuit configured to generate a plurality of rectangular signals different in pulse width; and a synthesizing circuit configured to synthesize the plurality of rectangular signals outputted from the rectangular signal generating circuit to generate the pulse signal with a duty ratio corresponding to the second data signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicants: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kawakami, Takashi Someya, Tetsuya Yoshitomi
  • Patent number: 7408323
    Abstract: A frequency converter for outputting a power to drive a motor, having: an inverter unit for inverting a d.c. power to an a.c. power; a control unit for controlling the inverter unit; and a housing for supporting at least the inverter unit and control unit, wherein a rise time change unit is provided in the housing, the rise time change unit changes a rise time of a waveform of a voltage output from the inverter unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiro Shimozono, Takeshi Obata, Koichiro Saito, Osamu Matsumoto, Kouji Obata
  • Publication number: 20080179122
    Abstract: An electric motor control system including a generator, an AC motor, a power converter for driving the AC motor using a DC output voltage of the generator, and an electric motor controller for controlling the power converter. The electric motor controller controls the power converter by predicting a change in the DC voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Naoshi SUGAWARA, Tetsuhiro Fujimoto, Yasuhiro Kiyofuji, Keizo Shimada, Akira Kikuchi, Kazuhiro Imaie
  • Patent number: 7402975
    Abstract: A rise in the power supply voltage as a result of a sudden speed reducing command causing the motor current to flow to the power supply is prevented. The motor drive device has a drive signal generating unit for generating a drive signal by an energizing control unit, PWM control unit, and oscillation unit; a drive unit for producing drive power to drive the motor based on the drive signal; a torque control signal generating unit for generating a torque control signal specifying the motor torque; a speed detection unit for detecting the rotational speed of the motor and generating a rotational speed signal denoting motor speed information; and a decision unit for generating a speed difference detection signal denoting the difference between the torque control signal and the rotational speed signal. The drive signal generating unit is controlled based on the speed difference detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Takata, Hideaki Mori, Yasunori Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20080150470
    Abstract: A controller for a synchronous machine includes: a power converter; a synchronous machine driven by the power converter; a PWM modulation section for controlling the synchronous machine; a current detection section which detects a current conducted to the synchronous machine; a voltage detection section which detects a voltage applied to the synchronous machine; a current variation operation section which operates a current variation during a time interval between timings synchronized with detection sampling in the current detection section; a voltage integration operation section which operates a voltage integration value during a time interval between the same timings as the timings in the current variation operation section; a current variation operation section for a time interval in which all sets are included, defining, as one set, the current variation and the voltage integration value, and operating a current variation during the time interval in which all the sets are included; a voltage integration
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuya Yasui, Kazuaki Yuuki, Kentaro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7391181
    Abstract: A dynamic pulse width modulation (PWM) selection device automatically switches between discontinuous PWM (DPWM) control methods. The PWM selection device comprises a PWM control module. The PWM control module determines a desired pulse width of a switching control signal according to a desired output signal. The PWM control module controls an actual pulse width of the switching control signal according to the desired pulse width and a first PWM control method. A selection module determines whether the desired pulse width exceeds a pulse width threshold. The selection module selects a second PWM control method when the desired pulse width exceeds the pulse width threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Welchko, Steven E. Schulz, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 7385372
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a system comprising an electric drive system for a machine. The system can comprise a rectifier adapted to convert AC power from an alternator to DC power. The system can comprise an inverter adapted to receive DC power from the rectifier and provide power to a traction motor and/or auxiliary devices. Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a system and method for dissipating excess energy from a machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignees: Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc., Siemens Atkiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Raed H. Ahmad, Ekkehard Pittius
  • Publication number: 20080116770
    Abstract: A drive circuit includes an ac network and first and second network rectifier/inverters (which can be active or passive) that are connected to the ac network in parallel. A first PWM rectifier/inverter is connected to the first network rectifier/inverter through a first dc link. A second PWM rectifier/inverter is connected to the second network rectifier/inverter through a second dc link. A first two-layer stator winding having a plurality of individual stator coils is connected to the first PWM rectifier/inverter and a second two-layer stator winding having a plurality of individual stator coils is connected to the second PWM rectifier/inverter. The stator coils of the first stator winding and the stator coils of the second stator winding are interconnected such that, in use, the vector sum of voltages across the stator coils in the first stator winding is substantially equal to the vector sum of voltages across the stator coils in the second stator winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventor: Eric Anthony Lewis
  • Publication number: 20080116841
    Abstract: The semiconductor device according to the present invention generates pulse width modulation signals for controlling inverter circuits that drive a motor. The semiconductor device includes: a first register which holds values for determining a period in which each pulse width modulation signal becomes active; a correction buffer which holds a correction value; a first counter; a second counter which counts a value obtained by temporally advancing or delaying a count value of the first counter; a selector which selects the count value of the first counter or the count value of the second counter; and a pulse width modulation control unit which generates each pulse width modulation signal, logical values of which are switched in a timing when the selected count value matches the value held by the first register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigehiro MASAMOTO, Masaru KOHARA
  • Patent number: 7372227
    Abstract: A method is proposed for braking a synchronous machine 1, with the armature windings (u, v, w) of the synchronous machine 1 being short-circuited, optionally by interposing at least one braking resistor. In order to keep the braking moment constant over virtually the entire speed range it is proposed that the short-circuit current is regulated by a pulse-width modulation depending on the difference between the setpoint value of the short-circuit current corresponding to the setpoint value of the braking moment and the actual value of the short-circuit current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Bernecker + Rainer Industrie-Elektronik Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Josef Rainer, Erwin Bernecker
  • Patent number: 7365506
    Abstract: A motor driving part has half bridge circuits in which a high potential side drive transistor and a low potential side drive transistor are connected in series to each other, and a connection point therebetween serves as a stator winding driving terminal of each phase of a motor. A rotor position detector detects a rotor position of the motor and outputs a rotor position signal. The current phase detector detects the phase of a phase current flowing in the stator winding driving terminal. A voltage signal generator controls and generates a voltage profile signal such that a first phase difference that is a difference between the phase of the phase current and the phase of the rotor position signal is kept to a predetermined electrical angle. A driving signal generator generates a PWM signal that drives the drive transistor of each phase depending on the voltage profile signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunori Yamamoto, Hideaki Mori, Yoshiaki Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20080094023
    Abstract: A method for controlling an alternating current (AC) motor includes choosing a pulse sequence based on a ripple current in the AC motor at a sampling instant; and providing a voltage to the AC motor based on the pulse sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Stephen T. West, Brian Welchko, Steven E. Schulz, Silva Hiti
  • Patent number: 7362069
    Abstract: A simple and accurate dead time dispersion measurement method and a voltage source inverter control method that can prevent the occurrence of an unstable phenomenon are provided. The control method controls a voltage source inverter of a PWM system, which includes a power semiconductor device controlling a level of a voltage, a frequency and a phase. According to the control method, before operation, voltage error information for each polarity of respective phase currents of the inverter is stored. And during the operation, the voltage error information is read to compensate for a voltage instruction value or a pulse width of a PWM instruction signal, so that a voltage error can be corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamamoto, Masashiro Tanaka, Shigekazu Nakamura, Hiroshi Suetake
  • Patent number: 7362060
    Abstract: A feedback control logic system for commanding a particular air conditioning unit fan speed is driven by a pulse-width modulated signal from a control unit. The engine control unit decrements the pulse-width modulated signal to the air conditioning unit fan and allows the fan to run for a predetermined time. If a particular function, such as shutting off of an air conditioner pressure switch or other sensor, has not been achieved within the predetermined time, the engine control unit again decrements the pulse-width modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Tembreull, Eric L. Charbonneau
  • Patent number: 7362061
    Abstract: A gate driver for forcing a power transistor including a gate electrode insulated with oxide film into conduction or shut-off, the gate driver includes a first current source for outputting a first current value to raise an electric potential of the gate electrode for changing shut-off state of the power transistor to conductive state; and a second current source for outputting a second current value to lower the electric potential of the gate electrode for changing the conductive state of the power transistor to the shut-off state. The first current value and the second current value are assigned based on at least one kind of current-source control information. This structure allows preparing an appropriate speed of forcing the power transistor into conduction or shut-off with a small number of elements, and the gate driver can be used with ease for driving power transistors having different output sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yasohara, Koji Kameda, Kazuaki Sakurama
  • Publication number: 20080088271
    Abstract: A device of pulse width modulation type for load drive according to the present invention includes a first output unit (3) that applies a first output signal (e) to a load (5) in response to a first drive timing signal (c), a second output unit (4) that applies a second output signal (f) to the load (5) in response to a second drive timing signal (d), a signal converter (1) that converts a drive input signal (a) into a parallel signal (b), the drive input signal indicating time information allowing a potential difference to be generated across the load (5), and a drive timing generator (2) that generates the first and second drive timing signals (c, d) in response to the parallel signal (b), the load (5) being driven by increasing and reducing pulse widths of the first and second output signals (e, f).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Akihisa Ueno, Fumihisa Watanabe, Daijiro Arisawa
  • Patent number: 7352150
    Abstract: A stepping motor driving apparatus includes a detector that detects a current supplied to a winding included in the stepping motor, a first offset adding section that adds an offset to the output of the detector, an amplifier that amplifies the output of the first offset adding section, a reference signal generator that generates a reference signal indicating a current limit, a second offset adding section that adds an offset to the output of the reference signal generator, a switching section that supplies a power to the winding when the switching section is turned on and cuts off a power to the winding when the switching section is turned off, and a PWM controller that turns on the switching section every predetermined period, and turns off the switching section when the output of the amplifier exceeds the output of the second offset adding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujinaka, Naoki Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7348755
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for frequency scaling the PWM signal output of a controller/driver for an electrical device such as a BLDC motor. The apparatus comprises a number of multiple half-bridge assemblies, with each multiple half-bridge assembly connected to a respective phase winding of the motor. Each individual half-bridge assembly is operated within the frequency limit of its internal switching elements, but the composite output frequency of each multiple half-bridge assembly can be the product of the switching element frequency and the number of individual half-bridge assemblies in the multiple half-bridge assembly. High-speed torque loop control is implemented by synchronizing multiple DSP's with overlapping interrupts, so that the output pulse width of the PWM signal can be adjusted on a pulse-to-pulse basis. Moreover, the frequency scaling and pulse-to-pulse control processes can be achieved with standard off-the-shelf devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Robert J. Atmur
  • Patent number: 7348757
    Abstract: Apparatus for reconstructing the phase currents of a multiphase load driven by a multiphase inverter fed by a DC link and controlled by a PWM controller, the apparatus including a sensor in the DC link, first and second sampling arrangements for sampling the current in the DC link by obtaining an output from said sensor, the first sampling arrangement obtaining a first sample of the current in the DC link during a first time period corresponding to a first switching pattern of said multiphase inverter and storing said first sample; the second sampling arrangement obtaining a second sample of the current in the DC link during a second time period after said first time period and corresponding to a second switching pattern of said multiphase inverter and storing said second sample; an A/D converter for converting said first sample to a digital signal during a time period after said first time period and for converting said second sample to a digital signal during a following third time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7348758
    Abstract: A method and system for reducing audible motor noise in a system for reconstructing motor phase current from a DC bus current comprising current pulses on a DC bus in a PWM inverter motor drive system having a PWM cycle, and for controlling the motor, which forms a command voltage vector according to a space vector modulation arrangement for controlling the motor; measures the DC bus current on the DC bus supplying power to the inverter to reconstruct said motor phase current; and determines when the command voltage vector results in an inverter switching state that prevents the measuring of the DC bus current from accurately indicating motor phase current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Eddy Ying Yin Ho
  • Patent number: 7348749
    Abstract: A control device is provided for a synchronous motor, which drives the synchronous motor through a voltage operated PWM inverter and controls a torque and a speed of the motor, including a unit for causing a PWM carrier signal to have an arbitrary phase difference between two phases such UV, VW, or WU in three phases of U, V, and W, a unit for extracting a high frequency voltage and a high frequency current, which are thus generated from a detecting voltage or a command voltage and a detecting current, and a unit for estimating a position of a magnetic flux or position of a magnetic pole by using the high frequency voltage and the high frequency current which are excited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Kozo Ide, Mitsujiro Sawamura, Toshihiro Sawa, Jun Oyama
  • Patent number: 7348743
    Abstract: An apparatus including a power source, a system board, coupled to the power source and disposed within the computer, on which an electrical component, which controls operations of the computer, is installed, a heat sink including heat transfer surfaces which are configured to contact the electrical component and to thereby remove heat therefrom, a fan reversing control card coupled to the system board and configured to generate normal and reverse cycle rotation signals in predetermined intervals, and a fan coupled to the fan reversing control card and configured to receive the rotation signals and to thereby operate in normal and reverse cycles in which the fan rotates in first and second directions, respectively. The fan is disposed proximate to the heat transfer surfaces such that the first and second directional rotations of the fan generate air flows in first and second directions with respect to the heat transfer surfaces, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jesse V. Corbett, David J. Steiner, Donald C. Johnson
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7332886
    Abstract: An integrated control and power driving system moves a read/write head carrying arm over the surface of a disk. The integrated control and power driving system is applicable to a spindle motor, a mass storage disk drive and a voice-coil motor, for example, and includes a first chip and a second chip. The first chip integrates the output power stages driving the motors, and has an interface for outputting feedback signals representing functioning conditions of the voice-coil motor and of the spindle motor, and for receiving digital control signals of the output power stages. The second chip integrates logic drive and control circuitries of the power stages and an interface for receiving the feedback signals output by the first chip, and for transmitting to the first chip the digital control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Maiocchi, Michele Boscolo, Roberto Bardelli
  • Patent number: 7330012
    Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a system comprising an electric drive system for a machine. The system can comprise a rectifier adapted to convert AC power from an alternator to DC power. The system can comprise an inverter adapted to receive DC power from the rectifier and provide power to a traction motor and/or auxiliary devices. Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise a system and method for dissipating excess energy from a machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Raed H. Ahmad, Ekkehard Pittius
  • Patent number: 7327113
    Abstract: A bidirectional buck-boost power converter 13 including a pair of inverter modules 14, 15 disposed at an output of a machine, and an inductor Lo connected between the pair of inverter modules 14, 15. A method for controlling a voltage output of a machine starter generator having an inverter rectifier and bidirectional buck-boost converter, includes outputting a dc voltage controlled by bidirectional buck-boost pulse width modulation (PWM) switching control, when the starter generator is in a generator mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Louis Steigerwald, Luis Jose Garces, Matthew Christopher Bringman
  • Patent number: 7317304
    Abstract: An inductive load driving device includes two inductive loads (20A, 20B) connected to a power source (21), two switching elements (15A, 15B), which are connected in series to the two inductive loads, respectively, their on/off are controlled by a pulse width modulation signal, respectively, and a control device (30), which outputs the pulse width modulation signal to each of the two switching elements, and the pulse width modulation signal is configured such that a rising edge of one pulse of the pulse width modulation signal to be output to one switching element starts between an end point of a rising edge and a start point of a trailing edge of one pulse of the pulse width modulation signal to be output to the other switching element, and a time from a start point of a trailing edge to an end point of the trailing edge of the one pulse of the pulse modulation signal to be output to one switching element does not overlap with a time from the start point of the trailing edge to an end point of the trailing ed
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sunaga, Kaoru Tanaka, Masaharu Tomiyama
  • Patent number: 7317292
    Abstract: It is possible to control the DC intermediate voltage to be constant without using a device for returning regenerative resistance or regenerative energy to a power source and to safely continue operation of an AC motor even if an instantaneous stop occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Hideaki Iura, Tohru Kai
  • Publication number: 20070296375
    Abstract: This invention provides a control method for a motor that calculates a voltage command value based on a difference between a current command value and a current detected value and controls a PWM based on the voltage command value. The control method includes steps of: detecting a failure or an undetectable state of a current detecting system; obtaining a current estimated value of a failure phase or an undetectable state phase by using the current detected value except the failure phase or the undetectable state phase when the failure or the undetectable state is detected; and continuously controlling the motor by using the current estimated value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru SAKAGUCHI, Shuji ENDO, Lilit KOVUDHIKULRUNGSRI
  • Patent number: 7313005
    Abstract: In the PWM circuit of the present invention, a PWM counter counts clock signals. A reference value setting register sets a comparative reference value for determining a duty ratio of a PWM signal. A comparator generates the PWM signals based on a comparative result of the comparative reference value and a count value of the PWM counter. A delay device delays the PWM signal. A switching device switchably outputs the output of the comparator and the output of the delay device in order of time sequence. Thereby, the pulse phase of the PWM signal can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuji Azuma, Daishi Gouko
  • Patent number: 7310475
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus is provided which can minimize ripple current flowing through a DC link capacitor, and downsize the motor driving apparatus. It synchronizes the frequency of the inverter carrier signal for driving an inverter with the frequency of the DC/DC converter carrier signal for driving a DC/DC converter, and carries out control in such a manner that the center of a period during which the input current of the inverter is zero and the center of a period during which the output current of the DC/DC converter is zero are matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuya Okuda, Takahiro Urakabe, Yuuji Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 7307397
    Abstract: A driving unit of the present invention comprises a moving element, an elastic body configured to support the moving element, a permanent magnet fixed on said moving element, an electromagnet disposed to be opposed to said permanent magnet, and a controller. The moving element and the elastic body constitute a resonance system. The electromagnet includes a magnetic material and a coil wounded around the magnetic material. The controller magnetizes the magnetic material by feeding a current through the coil and gives a vibration force to the moving element by magnetic force acting between the magnetic material and the permanent magnet. The feature of the present invention resides in that the controller determines a current waveform necessary for an intended motion of the moving element, and applies a voltage to the coil intermittently so that a current in the form of the current waveform flows through said coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Izumi, Yasuo Ibuki, Mikihiro Yamashita, Hideaki Abe
  • Patent number: 7308192
    Abstract: A drive system for a three phase brushless AC motor that is operative to optimize a transistor switching pattern to improve power output while allowing current measurement in all of the phases using a single sensor. This is achieved by defining a voltage demand vector where more than two states are required to meet a minimum state time requirement determined by the single sensor and calculating three or more state vectors that produce the demand vector while still allowing single current sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignees: TRW Limited, TRW Automotive US, LLC
    Inventors: Connel Brett Williams, Jeffrey Ronald Coles, Adrian Szabo, Christopher David Dixon, Jiang Li, Abbas Ahmad Fardoun
  • Patent number: 7307401
    Abstract: PWM methods and apparatus are provided for loss minimized control of AC motors taking into consideration inverter non-linear limitations. The method comprises providing a voltage to the AC motor based on a switching cycle, adding a duty cycle of a zero vector to each phase leg of the switching cycle when a duty cycle of a first phase leg of the switching cycle is less than a minimum duty cycle, and subtracting the duty cycle of the zero vector from each phase leg of the switching cycle when a second duty cycle of a second phase leg is greater than a maximum duty cycle. The minimum duty cycle and maximum duty cycle indicate distortion regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Slobodan Gataric, Brian Welchko, Steven E. Schulz, Silva Hiti, Steve T. West
  • Patent number: 7304451
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus capable of expanding a voltage output and a modulating wave signal generating method for a PWM inverter apparatus of the motor control apparatus, which is controlled by a pulse width modulating signal obtained by comparing a modulating wave signal of a voltage instruction with a carrier wave are provided. An upper limit value calculation unit 105 and a modulation wave limiter unit 4 are provided, and an upper limit value 14 of a modulating wave, which is equal to or smaller than the maximum value of the carrier wave and equal to or larger than the minimum value of the carrier wave is produced in the upper limit value calculation unit 105 and modulating wave instructions 13 for a plurality of phases are corrected by the modulating wave control unit 4 by using the upper limit value 14 of the modulating wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yasakawa Denki
    Inventors: Shinya Morimoto, Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7304452
    Abstract: A motor control device for controlling a permanent magnet motor includes a current detector detecting current flowing through three-phase windings, an induced voltage computing unit obtaining voltage induced at each phase from the detected three-phase winding current based on a phase voltage equation, a position detector detecting a rotational position of the rotor from the induced voltage of each phase computed by the induced current computing unit, the rotational position of the rotor having a 6n resolution where n is an integer equal to or larger than 1, an energization phase control unit determining a phase to be energized based on the rotational position of the rotor and a phase command, an energization signal forming unit forming a 6n-resolution three-phase energization signal, and an energizing unit carrying out PWM modulation for the three-phase energization signal, supplying voltage according to the modulated three-phase energization signal to each of the three-phase windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazunobu Nagai, Tsuyoshi Shinohara, Hiromi Oka, Toshikazu Sekihara
  • Patent number: 7301301
    Abstract: In an electric car control apparatus for driving an induction motor, detection accuracy of a DC voltage is improved. A DC power supply device is provided which has a maximum potential terminal A, an intermediate potential terminal B, a minimum potential terminal C, an upstream side capacitor 6 between the maximum potential terminal A and the intermediate potential terminal B, and a downstream side capacitor 7 between the intermediate potential terminal B and the minimum potential terminal C. Also, an overvoltage suppression part is provided which includes a resistor 8 and a thyristor 9 between the maximum potential terminal A and the minimum potential terminal C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Nagatsuka, Takeo Matsumoto, Shouichi Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7301298
    Abstract: A prior art direct back EMF detection method synchronously sampled motor back EMF during PWM “off” time without the need to sense or re-construct the motor neutral in a sensorless brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive system. Since this direct back EMF sensing scheme requires a minimum PWM “off” time to sample the back EMF signal, the duty cycle cannot reach 100%. Also in some applications, for example, high inductance motors, the long settling time of a parasitic resonant between the motor inductance and the parasitic capacitance of power devices can cause false zero crossing detection of back EMF. An improved direct back EMF detection scheme samples the motor back EMF synchronously during PWM “on” time at high speed. In the final system the motor back EMF can be detected during PWM “off” time at low speed, and it is detected during PWM “on” time at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianwen Shao, Dennis Nolan
  • Patent number: 7298112
    Abstract: This deadbeat control method of controlling an asynchronous rotary electrical machine consists of: a) a step of establishing a set point current that is adapted to achieve at the end of the interval T both the mechanical force set point and a set point magnetic flux and is established on the basis of a relationship between the set point current, the set point magnetic flux and initial current and magnetic flux values at the beginning of the interval T; and b) a step of calculating an average control vector to be applied continuously during the interval T to obtain at the end of the interval T a current equal to the set point current established during the step a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Alstom Transport SA
    Inventor: Jean Alacoque
  • Patent number: 7294989
    Abstract: A method of protecting a frequency converter against overvoltage by controlling an AC motor during braking or during light load and a frequency converter, wherein the frequency converter is a voltage-controlled PWM frequency converter operating in single quadrant (1Q) and comprising at least one uncontrolled rectifier bridge (10) to be connected to a AC supply line (UL1, UL2, UL3), a direct-voltage intermediate circuit and at least one controlled inverter bridge (11) for feeding an AC motor (12) with an alternating voltage (Uu, Uv, Uw) of varying magnitude and frequency, in which method: the angle (??) between the output voltage vector (Us) and current vector (Is), i.e. the power factor, is measured, the angle (??) between the output voltage vector (Us) and current vector (Is), i.e. the power factor, is controlled on the basis of the measurement, and the angle (??) between the output voltage vector (Us) and current vector (Is), i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Vacon Oyj
    Inventor: Hannu Saren
  • Patent number: 7292004
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus for driving a motor includes a single-phase rectifier circuit having an input connected to a single-phase AC power supply, an inverter circuit that is connected to the single-phase rectifier circuit and applies a current and a voltage to the motor, and an inverter control unit for controlling the inverter circuit. The inverter control unit controls the current applied to the motor, i.e., the output of the inverter circuit, so that the inverter input voltage becomes equal to the absolute value of the voltage of the single-phase AC power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Ueda, Hideki Nakata
  • Patent number: 7288905
    Abstract: A method and device for control of a low-cost DC motor such as that suitable for portable or battery-powered applications are disclosed such that an intended behavior for the motor may be programmed without reliance on external equipment or specific expertise. The invention enables programming of a motor controlling device by means of physical manipulation of the motor. In other words, the invention allows for the training of a motor by demonstrating the intended behavior for the motor. The invention specifies a method of parsing an observation of the motor system into storable commands, while preserving information on motor response and conditions for execution. A motor controller device comprising an implementation of this method is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventor: Andrew Evert Carlson