Abstract: Example embodiments relate to light systems with controllable branches of light elements. One example light system includes at least two parallel branches, each branch including a series connection of a plurality of light elements and a switching element. The at least two parallel branches are intended to share a common regulated current source configured for feeding the at least two parallel branches. The light system also includes a control module having a supply input line and at least two control output lights. The at least two control output lines are connected for controlling the switching elements of the at least two parallel branches. The control module optionally includes a galvanic isolation. The control module is configured for controlling the switching elements of the at least two parallel branches according to at least two different control schemes: a first control scheme and a second control scheme.

Abstract: A system for determining motor speed of a brush DC motor in an apparatus, including a first filter for receiving a substantially DC component of the motor current and parameters corresponding to the brush DC motor, for calculating a speed estimate thereof; an adaptive bandpass filter having a center frequency corresponding to the speed estimate of the first filter, for receiving the motor current and substantially isolating a periodic current fluctuation thereof; a block for determining a frequency of the periodic current fluctuation, the current fluctuation corresponding to motor speed of the brush DC motor. The adaptive bandpass filter uses debounce filtering to reduce rapid filter passband switching, and a run-in period prior to passband switching to obviate transient effects of filter switching.

Abstract: In a brush holder accommodating part 26d of a gear housing 26, paired flat surface parts 26c and paired curved parts 26b are alternately disposed so as to be formed into an elliptical shape, one of the paired flat surface parts is formed with first heat sinks 26i, and two brushes 20 and 20 mounted on a brush holder unit 19 accommodated in the brush holder accommodating part 26d are disposed near the first heat sinks 26i.

Abstract: A system can control a rotary speed of a computer fan according to the type of the computer fan. If the computer fan is determined to be a 3-pin fan, the system can output a changeable voltage to control the rotary speed of the 3-pin fan.

Abstract: A DC motor drive (100) including power electronics (120) and control electronics (130). The power electronics (120) are arranged to receive a high voltage power supply and to controllably output that supply to a DC motor to controllably operate the motor. The control electronics (130) are arranged to receive a low voltage power supply and to control operation of the power electronics (120) and hence of the motor at least partly in response to signals received by the control electronics (130) indicative of at least one potential difference across the power electronics (120). The drive further includes a microprocessor (150) and an opto-coupler (170) arranged to sense the output of the power electronics (120) and to generate based thereon the signals in a form for optical transmission via opto-coupler (170) between the output of the power electronics (120) and the control electronics (130), thereby allowing galvanic isolation of the control electronics (30) from the power electronics (120).

Abstract: A fan driver circuit for powering a fan with a linear voltage may be designed using digital design techniques, resulting in a testable, accurate circuit on a smaller die size. The fan driver circuit may be configured to receive a digital control signal, which may be a sequence of numeric values, e.g. multiple-bit binary numbers, each indicative of a desired present rotational speed of the fan. The fan driver circuit may be implemented using a digital modulator, e.g. a delta-sigma modulator, with a simple low-pass filter, e.g. an RC-filter at the output, and may use oversampling based on a system clock, to shift in-band noise to out-of-band frequencies, and digital interpolation to filter out unwanted images from the upsampled digital control signal. The delta-sigma modulator may be constructed as a first-order delta-sigma modulator using an error-feedback structure to reduce die size.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that determines whether a cooling device in a computer system is responsive to control signals. During operation of the computer system, a control signal is sent to the cooling device. Next, a response of the computer system to the control signal is measured, wherein the response includes a temperature profile. The frequency content of the control signal is then compared to the frequency content of the temperature profile to determine whether the cooling device is responsive to the control signal.

Abstract: Electrically powered devices are provided that are generally capable of automatically adjusting an operating speed of a tool removably connected to the device. The device includes circuitry that evaluates tool wear for the tool removably connected to the device, produces a tool wear speed related signal, and adjusts the operating speed of the tool based on the speed related signal. The device may further be capable of automatically setting the initial operating speed of the particular tool removably connected to the device by identifying the particular tool and setting the initial operating speed which may later be adjusted.

Abstract: A fan driving circuit includes a digital-analog converting circuit (10), an amplifier circuit (40), and a controlling circuit (50). The digital-analog converting circuit receives a digital signal from a controlling integrated circuit (IC), and outputs an analog signal. The amplifier circuit receives the analog signal from the digital-analog converting circuit, and outputs an amplified analog signal at an output terminal. The controlling circuit includes an isolation diode (D1), a transistor (Q1), and a resistor (R4), an anode of the isolation diode is coupled to an output terminal of the amplifier circuit, a cathode of the isolation diode is coupled to a base of the transistor, the base of the transistor is coupled to a power supply (Vcc1) via the resistor, a collector of the transistor is coupled to the power supply, an emitter of the transistor is coupled to a fan (60).

Abstract: A control and motor arrangement in accordance with the present invention includes a motor configured to generate a locomotive force for propelling the model train. The control and motor arragement further includes a command control interface configured to receive commands from a command control unit wherein the commands correspond to a desired speed. The control and motor arrangement still further includes a plurality of detectors configured to detect speed information of the motor, and a process control arrangement configured to receive the speed information from the sensors. The process control arrangement is further configured and arranged to generate a plurality of motor control signals based on the speed information for controlling the speed of said motor. The control and motor arrangement yet still further includes a motor control arrangement configured to cause power to be applied to the motor at different times in response to the motor control signals.

Abstract: A system of detecting position drift in the motor due to lost pulses. Due to imperfections in the motor, the timing of the commutation pulses is not uniform but forms a unique repeatable signature. The system identifies lost pulses by using a pattern recognition technique on the signature of the motor commutation pulse rate. By detecting when a pulse is lost, the system can apply a correction to the pulse count. Accordingly, the real time correction of the pulse count allows for the system to operate with significantly reduced mispositioning errors. In addition, the system requires far fewer calibrations.

Abstract: In a control apparatus for a motor, which rotates a fan, a semiconductor device is connected to the motor in series to drive the motor. An analog driver circuit drives the semiconductor device with an analog voltage. A PWM control circuit drives the semiconductor device with a PWM signal of a frequency of less than several tens. A switching control circuit selects the analog driver circuit and the PWM control circuit when the motor is to be rotated at speeds lower and higher than a predetermined speed, respectively.

Abstract: A processor for controlling a sensorless, brushless DC motor is disclosed comprising a first output for providing a control signal to a potentiometer controlling the speed and voltage of the DC motor. The processor also includes a second input for receiving a back-EMF voltage from an open phase of a three phase winding. The processor determines a digital error signal from the back-EMF voltage and generates a control signal responsive to the digital error signal. The control signal decreases the speed of the motor when the digital error signal is in a first range. The processor decreases both the speed and voltage of the motor when the digital error signal is in a second range. The processor increases the speed of the motor when the digital error signal is in a third range. The processor increases both the speed and voltage of the motor when the digital error signal is in a fourth range.

Abstract: A permanent magnet DC brushless motor control assembly permits a user to select the permanent magnet DC brushless motor operating characteristics by selecting appropriate control circuits to interface with the motor. The assembly includes a permanent magnet DC brushless motor, a commutator electrically coupled to the motor, and at least one control module electrically coupled to the commutator, to control operating characteristics of the permanent magnet DC brushless motor.

Abstract: A multi-mode motor controller architecture includes a motor, an integrated circuit controller, and an integrated circuit driver circuit. The integrated circuit controller includes a pulse generator, a DAC, an ADC, and a digital compensator circuit. The integrated circuit driver circuit is in communication with the controller and includes an error amplifier, first and second output amplifiers for driving the motor, and a sense amplifier. The motor controller architecture is configurable to operate in a linear mode, a pulsed mode, or a switchable linear/pulsed mode. The controller architecture can be implemented with external compensation circuitry, such as a resistor-capacitor circuit, or with the digital compensation circuitry located within the controller integrated circuit.

Abstract: A digital control device used with a direct-current (DC) motor is disclosed. The digital control device controls the revolving speed of a DC motor by outputting a certain intensity of current according to the digital states of a group of digital signals inputted therein from the external such as a computer system. The digital control device performs a precise control for the revolving speed of the DC motor at low cost, and the speed levels of the DC motor can be varied with the circuitry details of the digital control device.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus for controlling a motor is provided. The motor has an output power stage and a relay allowing power to be connected to the output power stage. The apparatus comprises a microprocessor providing a PWM cycle delivered through a capacitor to a transistor. The microprocessor activates the transistor for a first predetermined amount of time during the PWM cycle causing the relay to actuate the output power stage thereby driving the motor. A detection mechanism within the microprocessor for detecting a fault in the main output transistor. The circuitry disengages the relay from the output power stage thereby causing the motor to cease being driven.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus for a sewing machine includes an adjustable speed setter for generating a speed set signal. A first memory stores a plurality of reference values each defining a reference region into which the speed set signal can fall. A second memory stores speed setpoint values corresponding to the reference regions. A central processing unit selects one of the reference regions by comparing the speed set signal with the reference values and selects the corresponding speed setpoint value from the second memory. A motor is controlled to run at the selected speed setpoint value.

Abstract: A remote-control system is used in combination with a sewing machine for controlling revolution of a sewing machine motor. A remote-controller is connected to a main body of the sewing machine and operated by the sewing machine operator to change a resistance value of a variable resistor contained therein so that the sewing machine motor is driven under control in response to an output volume from the variable resistor. A condensor is connected to said variable resistor and chargeable by a power supply source mounted in the sewing machine main body. The output voltage is converted into a corresponding digital value at each timing when the condensor is saturated with electricity in response to a clock pulse signal at a predetermined interval. The output voltage at such timing will be in proportion to the resistance value of the variable resistor which is, in turn, in porportion to the amount of operation of the remote-controller.

Abstract: The mailing machine includes a print drum and shutter bar assemblies and a transport system for receiving seriately and assuming displacement control over envelopes from a feed means. The mailing machine drive control system is a microcomputer in control of a first stepper motor which is a driving communication with the transport system, a second motor in driving communication with the print drum assembly and a third motor in driving communication with the shutter bar assembly. A speed sensing means inform the microcomputer of the incoming velocity of an envelope and a trigger sensing means informs the microcomputer of the relative position of the envelope with respect to the transport system and printing station. The microcomputer is programmed to determine the peak drum speed relative to the speed of an incoming envelope and a preselected pitch distance between successive envelopes.

Abstract: A rotary body drive device for controlling rotation of a motor on the basis of the phase difference between a periodic signal produced in accompaniment with rotation of the motor and a reference clock signal so that their phase relationship becomes a prescribed one. When the phase difference between both signals detected in a certain state is largely different from that detected in the preceding time, a correction is given to the phase difference of both signals detected in the aforesaid certain state, so that the rotation of said motor is controlled in accordance with the corrected phase difference.

Abstract: Variable potential and breaking detection potential of a controller in a sewing machine are respectively subjected to analog-to-digital conversions, thereby to make it possible that the breaking detection of the controller and correction of dispersions of component accuracies of the controller are effected at one time.