Method and device for detecting fault of Hall sensor, controller and medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to a method and device for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor, a controller and a medium. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring an initial phase of a rotor of the motor sensed by a Hall sensor, wherein the initial phase is associated with the position of the rotor relative to a stator; determining whether the initial phase corresponds to a zero phase; and determining that the Hall sensor has a fault in response to the initial phase corresponding to the zero phase. According to the method disclosed by the invention, whether the Hall sensor in the motor has a fault or not can be judged only by detecting the phase of the rotor represented by the output signal of the Hall sensor under the condition that expensive and complicated inspection equipment is not used.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of electromechanics, and more particularly to a method, an apparatus, a controller, a machine-readable storage medium, and a vehicle including the controller for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor. Background Art

[0002] A motor (e.g., a brushless DC motor) is installed in a gearbox actuator of an electric vehicle to control the shift fork of the gearbox actuator. A Hall sensor is further installed in the motor to sense the position of the motor's rotor. The Hall sensor plays a very important role in the motor.

[0003] When the motor is running, the Hall effect sensor records the rotor position and transmits the signal to the controller, which then controls the motor's operating state based on this signal. The motor's operation depends on the rotor position to switch operating states, and the Hall effect sensor must accurately detect the changes in the magnetic field as the rotor rotates. If the Hall effect sensor is incorrectly installed or malfunctions, the motor may operate erratically or even cease to rotate properly. Therefore, correct installation and proper functioning of the Hall effect sensor are crucial to the proper operation of the motor. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, apparatus, controller, machine-readable storage medium, and vehicle for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for detecting a fault in a Hall effect sensor in a motor is provided. The method includes: obtaining an initial phase of a rotor of the motor sensed by the Hall effect sensor, the initial phase being associated with a position of the rotor relative to a stator; determining whether the initial phase corresponds to a zero phase; and determining that at least one of the Hall effect sensors has failed in response to the initial phase corresponding to the zero phase.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a device for detecting a fault in a Hall effect sensor in a motor is provided. The device includes: a first acquisition unit configured to acquire an initial phase of a rotor of the motor sensed by the Hall effect sensor, the initial phase being associated with a position of the rotor relative to a stator; a first determination unit configured to determine whether the initial phase corresponds to a zero phase; and a second determination unit configured to determine that at least one of the Hall effect sensors has failed in response to determining that the initial phase corresponds to the zero phase.

[0007] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a controller is provided, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored therein, wherein when the at least one processor executes the instructions, the controller executes the method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a gearbox actuator including a motor installed therein; and the controller according to the third aspect of the present disclosure, the controller being configured to control the motor.

[0009] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, a machine-readable storage medium is provided, wherein machine-executable instructions are stored on the machine-readable storage medium, wherein the machine-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent through a more detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals generally represent like components throughout the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 1A A schematic diagram illustrating an example environment in which devices and / or methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented;

[0012] Figure 1B A schematic diagram illustrating installation of a Hall sensor in a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 2 FIG2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a phase timing sequence followed by a motor when operating according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 3 A flow chart illustrating a method for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 A flow chart illustrating a method for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating an apparatus for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0017] Figure 6 Illustrated is a schematic block diagram of an example device suitable for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] In the various drawings, the same or corresponding reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure. The embodiments of the present disclosure described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only.

[0020] In a motor, such as a brushless DC motor, the stator is a coiled armature, and the rotor is a permanent magnet. Hall effect sensors are typically mounted on the stator. These sensors detect the rotor's position in real time and then flow currents through the motor's coils in response to the rotor's position. This creates a uniformly directional rotating magnetic field in the stator, allowing the motor to rotate in response to the magnetic field.

[0021] If the Hall effect sensor is incorrectly installed or the device malfunctions, the brushless DC motor may experience unstable operation or even fail to rotate properly. This can lead to, for example, gearbox brake failure, inability to engage or shift gears, and other issues. Therefore, the correct installation and function of the Hall effect sensor is crucial for the proper operation of the brushless DC motor. However, detecting the installation position of each Hall effect sensor in the brushless DC motor is a difficult task on the production line. Traditionally, testing the Hall effect sensors in the shift actuator of a brushless DC motor requires expensive testing equipment to inspect the Hall effect sensors and determine if they are faulty.

[0022] The embodiments of the present disclosure therefore provide a more convenient and effective method for diagnosing Hall sensor faults in motors (such as whether the installation position is correct, whether the device is damaged, whether the electrical connection is connected). This diagnostic method does not require expensive and complex testing equipment, but only detects the phase of the rotor represented by the output signal of the Hall sensor to determine whether the Hall sensor in the motor has a fault.

[0023] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1A 1 shows an example environment 100 in which the devices and / or methods of embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. Figure 1AAs shown, example environment 100 includes a vehicle 102. Vehicle 102 may be an electric vehicle, and includes a gearbox actuator 104. Gearbox actuator 104 includes a motor (not shown), such as a brushless DC motor, mounted on the gearbox actuator 104 at a position shown in the box in FIG1 , which cannot be shown because it is located inside the gearbox actuator; and a shift fork 106. The motor may be used to control the operation of shift fork 106. Vehicle 102 may also include a controller 108, which may at least control the operation of the motor within the gearbox actuator, such as obtaining output signals from Hall sensors (not shown) and using the output signals to generate control signals for switching windings of respective phases (e.g., U, V, and W), thereby providing corresponding currents to the different phase coil windings of the motor to control the rotation direction and torque of the motor.

[0024] The following will be joined Figure 1B Schematic diagram of the installation of a Hall sensor in a motor (e.g., a brushless DC motor) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. In the brushless DC motor, the stator 110 can be mounted on the outside and wound with coil windings for each phase (e.g., U, V, W), and the rotor 120 can be mounted inside the stator 110 and can rotate to cause the magnetic field between the stator and the rotor to change. Although the above description describes that the stator 110 is mounted on the outside and the rotor 120 is mounted on the inside, it should be understood that, depending on different designs, the stator 110 can be located inside and the rotor 120 can be located outside.

[0025] like Figure 1B As shown, multiple Hall sensors are arranged on the stator 110 of the motor at certain angular intervals so as to detect changes in the magnetic field when the rotor 120 rotates. For example, three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 installed on the stator 110 at intervals of 120° can record the positions of six phases, such as Figure 1B The six phases shown are "5 4 6 2 31". Each Hall sensor can detect the rotor position within the range of 0°-180°. Then, among the three Hall sensors installed at intervals of 120°, there is a 60° intersection area between the first Hall sensor H1 and the second Hall sensor H2, and there is also a 60° intersection area between the second Hall sensor H2 and the third Hall sensor H3. Therefore, the rotor position can be identified with an accuracy of 60°. Therefore, for one electrical cycle (rotor rotation of 360°), there are six rotor positions or six rotor phases. In other words, brushless DC motors generally use a three-phase six-phase control method, that is, there are six rotor phases in each electrical cycle (i.e., rotor rotation of 360°).

[0026] When the rotor 120 rotates, the magnetic field of the magnet on the rotor 120 will periodically change to change the direction of the magnetic field, thereby causing periodic changes in the Hall voltage on the corresponding Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3. The principle by which the Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3 record the position of the rotor 120 is based on the Hall effect. The Hall effect refers to the fact that when current passes through a conductor, a magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of the current is generated on both sides of the conductor. When the Hall element is in this magnetic field, it will sense a voltage perpendicular to its own surface. This voltage is called the Hall voltage. By measuring this Hall voltage, the position and magnitude of the magnetic field can be determined, and thus the position of the rotor. By measuring the change in this voltage, the Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3 can generate an output signal, which can correspond to the position or phase of the rotor 120 relative to the stator 110.

[0027] After receiving these signals representing the phase of the rotor 120 or the state of the motor, the controller 108 generates a corresponding control timing diagram for controlling the motor. The control timing diagram includes, for example, the pulse timing of the three pulse width modulators PWM-U, PWM-V, and PWM-W for the U, V, and W phases. The pulse timing can be used to control the conduction or disconnection of the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor MOSFET (not shown) of the U, V, and W phases. After the corresponding MOSFET is turned on, the winding of the corresponding phase can be energized. The above-mentioned control timing diagram can also be called a phase timing diagram. According to the control timing diagram, the MOSFET of the corresponding phase can be turned on or off in a sequence or rule, thereby connecting or disconnecting the winding of the corresponding phase to change the direction and magnitude of the current of the motor, thereby achieving the direction and torque change of the motor. This control method can achieve smooth control and precise position control of the motor, and is suitable for various application scenarios that require precise control of the motor, such as robots, electric vehicles, etc.

[0028] Combined with the above Figure 1A A block diagram of an example system 100 is depicted in which embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented. Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating a phase timing diagram when a rotor of a motor rotates according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] As described above, in the phase timing of each electrical cycle (i.e., the rotor rotates 360°), multiple MOSFET switches for multiple phases are turned on and off in a certain order and time to achieve smooth control and operation of the motor. The switching order of these switches is determined according to the signal of the Hall sensor and the control strategy, so as to achieve precise control of the motor. In other words, the magnet on the rotor 120 periodically changes the direction of the magnetic field. The Hall sensors, such as Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3, sense this changing magnetic field and output a corresponding signal (i.e., the detected rotor position or phase, see Figure 2 The motor controller 108 (for example, the controller 108 can control the pulse width modulators PWM-U, PWM-V and PWM-W) generates a control sequence (i.e., a control signal for turning on or off a plurality of MOSFETs, see Figure 2 The lower half of the MOSFET is used to control the on or off of the corresponding MOSFET, thereby connecting the winding of the corresponding phase to control the commutation and speed of the motor.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, in one example, the phase timing in one cycle is generally composed of a series of numbers, for example, 6 numbers, each number representing a specific rotor position or rotor phase, for example, the 6 phases can be respectively as follows Figure 2 As shown in the figure, "5 4 6 2 31". Therefore, the multiple positions of the rotor 120 appear in a specific order, and the corresponding control signals for the MOSFET should also appear in a certain order. Therefore, by controlling the switching sequence and time of the corresponding MOSFET switches according to the phase timing with a specific order, the smooth control and operation of the motor can be achieved. This process requires ensuring the accuracy of the phase (i.e., the phase timing), otherwise it will cause abnormal operation of the motor, resulting in gear engagement, gear disengagement, gear shifting failure or impact of the gearbox actuator.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the digital sequence "101 100 110 010 011 001" represents an example of six output signals from three Hall sensors for six phases, and the digital sequence "5 4 6 2 31" represents an example of a rotor phase sequence for a three-phase brushless DC motor. This sequence describes the order of the six phases of the motor's rotor, with each phase represented by a number. In this phase sequence, the numbers "5," "4," "6," "2," "3," and "1" may represent the six rotor positions detected by the Hall sensors, i.e., the six phases of the motor's rotor. The sequence of these numbers can represent the change in magnetic pole position during the motor's rotor rotation. If the motor rotates counterclockwise, the phase sequence changes in the order "5 4 6 2 31." If the motor rotates clockwise, the phase sequence changes in the order "1 3 2 6 4 5."

[0032] like Figure 2As shown in the figure, the number "101" corresponds to the number "5", which can represent the output levels of the three Hall sensors. For example, the first Hall sensor H1 outputs a high level, the second Hall sensor H2 outputs a low level, and the third Hall sensor H3 outputs a high level. At this time, the pulse width modulators PWM-V and PWM-W for the V phase and the W phase send signals to control the current of the V phase and the W phase. Figure 2 As shown in FIG, the number "100" corresponds to the number "4", which can indicate that the first Hall sensor H1 outputs a high level, the second Hall sensor H2 outputs a low level, and the third Hall sensor H3 outputs a low level. At this time, the pulse width modulators PWM-V and PWM-U for the V phase and the U phase send signals to control the current of the V phase and the U phase. Figure 2 As shown in FIG, the number "110" corresponds to the number "6", which can indicate that the first Hall sensor H1 outputs a high level, the second Hall sensor H2 outputs a high level, and the third Hall sensor H3 outputs a low level. At this time, the pulse width modulators PWM-U and PWM-W for the U phase and the W phase send signals to control the current of the U phase and the W phase. Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the number "010" corresponds to the number "2", which can indicate that the first Hall sensor H1 outputs a low level, the second Hall sensor H2 outputs a high level, and the third Hall sensor H3 outputs a low level. At this time, the pulse width modulators PWM-V and PWM-W for the V phase and the W phase send signals to control the current of the V phase and the W phase. Figure 2 As shown in FIG, the numbers "011" and "3" correspond to each other, which can indicate that the first Hall sensor H1 outputs a low level, the second Hall sensor H2 outputs a high level, and the third Hall sensor H3 outputs a high level. At this time, the pulse width modulators PWM-U and PWM-V for the U phase and the V phase send signals to control the current of the U phase and the V phase. Figure 2 As shown, the number "001" corresponds to the number "1", which can indicate that the first Hall sensor H1 outputs a low level, the second Hall sensor H2 outputs a low level, and the third Hall sensor H3 outputs a high level. At this time, the pulse width modulators PWM-U and PWM-W for the U phase and the W phase send signals to control the currents of the U phase and the W phase.

[0033] As described above, if the current starting position of the rotor 120 corresponds to the number "5", if the Hall sensor is not faulty, then if the motor rotates counterclockwise, the motor is controlled according to the phase timing 5-4-6-2-3-1, and if the motor rotates clockwise, the motor is controlled according to the phase timing 5-1-3-2-6-4.

[0034] If the Hall sensor is not able to output the correct signal due to installation deviation or device failure (for example, the device is damaged, or the pin is installed incorrectly, or the pin cannot be powered), the pulse width modulator for the MOSFET cannot output the correct control signal, so that the motor cannot rotate in the correct direction or cannot output the appropriate current. In the case of a motor failure, the gearbox actuator 104 using the motor cannot correctly control the shift fork 106 for each gear position, which may cause a failure to engage, disengage or shift gears, or an impact when shifting gears. By checking the signal of the Hall sensor, it is possible to quickly determine whether the failure to engage gears is caused by a problem with the installation of the Hall sensor or a damage problem with the device.

[0035] Combined with the above Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a phase timing diagram of a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Figure 3 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method 300 for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] In step 301, the initial phase of the motor rotor sensed by the Hall sensors is obtained. For example, the initial phase of the rotor 120 can be obtained using the output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3. The initial phase is related to the position of the rotor 120 relative to the stator 110.

[0037] In step 302, the relationship between the initial phase and the zero phase is determined, that is, whether the initial phase corresponds to the zero phase. It is stipulated that when the output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3 are all 000, the corresponding phase is the zero phase.

[0038] In step 303, if the initial phase corresponds to the zero phase, it is determined that a Hall sensor fault has occurred. As described above, if the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 are all capable of outputting correct signals, the output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 may be any one of "101," "100," "110," "010," "011," and "001." In other words, the position or phase of the rotor 120 at this time may be any one of "5," "4," "6," "2," "3," and "1." If the output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 are 000, it indicates that at least one of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 has failed, because the detection signal "000" does not belong to any of the numbers in the aforementioned phase sequence. This failure may be caused by a deviation in the installation position of the Hall sensor or damage to the sensor component.

[0039] In the method for detecting a fault in a Hall sensor in a motor according to the present disclosure, it is only necessary to test the signals of the Hall sensors (e.g., three Hall sensors) to determine whether there is a problem with the Hall sensors, without the need for expensive and complex detection equipment.

[0040] The following will be combined Figure 4 1 and 2 are flowcharts illustrating a method 400 for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] In step 401, the initial phase of the rotor of the motor sensed by the Hall sensor is obtained. Figure 4 As shown, when obtaining the initial phase of the rotor, signals can be received from three Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3. These Hall sensors output signals of 0 or 1. According to the correspondence between the output signals and the rotor phases described above, the initial phase of the rotor can be obtained according to the output signals.

[0042] In box 402, it is determined whether the initial phase obtained is a zero phase. If the output signal of the three Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3 is 000, it means that at least one of the three Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3 has failed, then in step 403, it is determined that the Hall sensor has failed. However, if the initial output signal of the three Hall sensors H1, H2 and H3 is "001", then it means that the rotor 120 is now in the phase corresponding to the number "1". However, if there is a problem with the second Hall sensor H2 and it cannot output the number "1", then the digital signal corresponding to phase "3" may also become "001". Therefore, in order to determine whether the initial phase "001" corresponds to the correct phase "1" or to other phases caused by sensor failure, such as phase "3" caused by the failure of the Hall sensor H2, further processing is required. Figure 4 As shown, the further processing includes steps 404 to 408 or steps 404 ′ to 408 .

[0043] In some embodiments, in step 404, in response to the initial phase not corresponding to the zero phase, a first target phase sequence is obtained based on the initial phase for the rotor 120 of the motor to follow when rotating clockwise. The first target phase sequence includes a first plurality of phases arranged in a first order. In some embodiments, the target phase sequence may include six phases. In some embodiments, if the initial output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 are "001," it indicates that the rotor 120 is at the initial phase corresponding to the number "1." If the Hall sensors are installed correctly and there are no pin installation errors, when the rotor 120 rotates clockwise, the phase sequence corresponding to the output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 should be "1-3-2-6-4-5."

[0044] In some embodiments, the rotor 120 can also rotate counterclockwise. Therefore, in step 404', in response to the initial phase not corresponding to the zero phase, a second target phase sequence is obtained based on the initial phase for the rotor 120 of the motor to follow when rotating counterclockwise. The second target phase sequence includes a second plurality of phases arranged in a second order. In some embodiments, the target phase sequence can include six phases. As described above, if the initial output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 are "001," it indicates that the rotor 120 is at the initial phase corresponding to the number "1." If the Hall sensors are installed correctly and there are no pin installation faults, then when the rotor 120 rotates counterclockwise, the phase sequence corresponding to the output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 should be "1-5-4-6-2-3."

[0045] In step 405, the first detection phase sequence detected by the Hall sensors during clockwise rotation of the rotor is obtained. If all three Hall sensors H1 to H3 are correctly installed and the device is functioning properly, the detected first detection phase sequence should be "1-3-2-6-4-5." If Hall sensors H1 and H3 are properly installed and the device is functioning properly, and Hall sensor H2 is not properly installed or is damaged and cannot output 1, the output signal for phase "6" changes from "110" to "100," the output signal for phase "2" changes from "010" to "000," and the output signal for phase "3" changes from "011" to "001." In some embodiments, when the initial phase is "1," if the rotor 120 rotates clockwise, the phase sequence detected by the output signals of the three Hall sensors H1, H2, and H3 is "1-1-0-4-4-5." Accordingly, in some embodiments, in the case of counterclockwise rotation, in step 405 ′, a second detection phase timing detected by the Hall sensor during the counterclockwise rotation of the rotor 120 is acquired.

[0046] In step 406, a determination is made as to whether the first detected phase sequence is consistent with the first target phase sequence. As described above, if all three Hall sensors H1 to H3 are correctly installed and functioning properly, the detected first detected phase sequence is "1-3-2-6-4-5," which is consistent with the target phase sequence. In step 407, it is determined that the Hall sensors are not faulty. However, if Hall sensors H1 and H3 are properly installed and functioning properly, and Hall sensor H2 is faulty or damaged, the detected phase sequence is "1-1-0-4-4-5," which is inconsistent with the target phase sequence "1-3-2-6-4-5." In step 408, it is determined that at least one of the Hall sensors is faulty. This fault may be due to an installation error, a component failure, or other issues, prompting a request for inspection or repair of that Hall sensor. Accordingly, in some embodiments, when the rotor is rotating counterclockwise, a determination is made as to whether the second detected phase sequence is consistent with the second target phase sequence in step 406'. In step 407, in response to determining that the second detection phase timing is consistent with the second target phase timing, it can be determined that the Hall sensor is not faulty. In step 408, in response to determining that the second detection phase timing is inconsistent with the second target phase timing, it can be determined that at least one of the Hall sensors is faulty.

[0047] As described above, if Hall sensor H2 malfunctions and fails to output a digital "1," the output signal for phase "6" changes from "110" to "100," the output signal for phase "2" changes from "010" to "000," and the output signal for phase "3" changes from "011" to "001." By analyzing these erroneous phase data, it's possible to roughly determine which Hall sensor is malfunctioning. Therefore, simply based on the Hall sensor's output signal, it's possible to not only determine that a Hall sensor is malfunctioning, but also infer the specific sensor that is malfunctioning.

[0048] The method according to the present disclosure only needs to obtain the output signal of the Hall sensor and optionally rotate the rotor of the motor clockwise or counterclockwise to detect whether there is a problem with the Hall sensor and infer the faulty target sensor.

[0049] The Hall effect sensor is mounted on the stator of a brushless DC motor, sensing the changes in the magnetic field caused by the rotor's rotation during rotor rotation, thereby generating different output signals. If the Hall effect sensor fails and fails to output the correct signal, the pulse width modulator (PWM) for the MOSFET will fail to output the correct control signal, causing the motor to fail to rotate in the correct direction or output the appropriate current. If the motor fails to operate properly, the gearbox actuator 104 utilizing the motor will fail to properly control the shift forks for each gear position, potentially causing gear engagement failure, gear disengagement failure, or gear shift failure, or shock during gear shifting. Using the method disclosed herein, the gearbox actuator 104 can quickly determine whether a gear engagement failure, gear disengagement failure, gear shift failure, or gear shift shock is caused by a Hall effect sensor failure. This allows for rapid, large-scale factory inspection of gearbox actuators 104 and allows for the rapid screening of gearbox actuators 104 with Hall effect sensor issues for rework, repair, and maintenance, eliminating the need to inspect each gearbox actuator 104 using expensive and complex inspection equipment.

[0050] Combined with the above Figure 3 and 4 The flowcharts of the methods 300 and 400 for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are described. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an apparatus 500 for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The apparatus 500 may be applied to the controller 108 of FIG1 , which may include multiple modules for performing the following operations: Figure 3 The corresponding steps in the method 300 discussed in Figure 5 As shown, the device 500 includes: a first acquisition unit 502, configured to acquire the initial phase of the rotor of the motor sensed by the Hall sensor; a first determination unit 504, configured to determine whether the initial phase corresponds to the zero phase; and a second determination unit 506, configured to determine that the Hall sensor is faulty in response to the initial phase corresponding to the zero phase.

[0051] In some embodiments, the device 500 also includes a second acquisition unit 508, which is configured to acquire, in response to the initial phase not corresponding to the zero phase, a first target phase timing followed by the rotor of the motor when rotating clockwise or a second target phase timing followed when rotating counterclockwise based on the initial phase.

[0052] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further includes a third acquiring unit 510 configured to acquire a first detection phase timing sequence detected by the Hall sensor during clockwise rotation of the rotor or a second detection phase timing sequence detected by the Hall sensor during counterclockwise rotation of the rotor.

[0053] In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further includes a third determining unit 512 configured to determine whether the first detection phase timing is consistent with the first target phase timing or whether the second detection phase timing is consistent with the second target phase timing. In some embodiments, the apparatus 500 further includes a fourth determining unit 514 configured to determine that the Hall sensor is faulty in response to the aforementioned inconsistency.

[0054] Combined with the above Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a device 500 for determining the installation deviation of a shift fork according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of an example device 600 that can be used to implement an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The controller 108 in Figure 1 can be implemented using the device 600. As shown in the figure, the device 600 includes a processor 601, which can load computer program instructions stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 602 into a random access memory (RAM) 603 to perform various appropriate actions and processes. In the RAM 603, various programs and data required for the operation of the device 400 can also be stored. The processor 601, ROM 602, and RAM 603 are connected to each other via a bus 604. An input / output (I / O) interface 605 is also connected to the bus 604.

[0055] The various processes and procedures described above, such as methods 300 and 400, may be executed by processor 601. For example, in some embodiments, methods 300 and 400 may be implemented as computer software programs tangibly embodied on a machine-readable medium. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or installed onto device 600 via ROM 602. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 603 and executed by processor 601, one or more actions of methods 300 and 400 described above may be performed.

[0056] The present disclosure may be a method, an apparatus, a system and / or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a machine-readable storage medium carrying computer-readable program instructions for executing various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0057] A machine-readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can hold and store instructions used by an instruction execution device. A machine-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of machine-readable storage media include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), and any suitable combination thereof. The machine-readable storage medium used herein is not to be interpreted as a transient signal per se, such as a radio wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagated through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., a light pulse through a fiber optic cable), or an electrical signal transmitted through a wire.

[0058] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a machine-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device, or downloaded to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network can include copper transmission cables, fiber optic transmission, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. The network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer-readable program instructions to be stored in the machine-readable storage medium in each computing / processing device.

[0059] The computer program instructions for performing the operations of the present disclosure may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" language or similar programming languages. Computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on a user's computer, partially on a user's computer, as an independent software package, partially on a user's computer, partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., utilizing an Internet service provider to connect via the Internet). In some embodiments, an electronic circuit, such as a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA), may be personalized by utilizing the state information of the computer-readable program instructions. The electronic circuit may execute the computer-readable program instructions, thereby realizing various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0060] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0061] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processing unit of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, thereby producing a machine, such that when these instructions are executed by the processing unit of the computer or other programmable data processing device, a device is generated that implements the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a machine-readable storage medium, where these instructions cause the computer, programmable data processing device, and / or other device to operate in a specific manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing various aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0062] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to implement the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0063] The flow charts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in the flow chart or block diagram can represent a part of a module, program segment or instruction, and the part of the module, program segment or instruction contains one or more executable instructions for realizing the prescribed logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a sequence different from that marked in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or flow chart, and the combination of the boxes in the block diagram and / or flow chart can be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the prescribed function or action, or can be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0064] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the above descriptions are illustrative, non-exhaustive, and not intended to be limiting of the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or improvements to existing technologies, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a fault in a Hall effect sensor in a motor, comprising: Acquiring an initial phase of the rotor of the motor sensed by the Hall sensor, where the initial phase is associated with a position of the rotor relative to the stator; determining whether the initial phase corresponds to a zero phase; as well as In response to the initial phase corresponding to a zero phase, it is determined that at least one of the Hall sensors has failed.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: In response to the initial phase not corresponding to the zero phase, a first target phase sequence followed by the rotor of the motor when rotating clockwise is obtained based on the initial phase, the first target phase sequence including a first plurality of phases arranged in a first order.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: Acquiring a first detection phase timing detected by the Hall sensor during clockwise rotation of the rotor; determining whether the first detection phase timing is consistent with the first target phase timing; as well as In response to the first detection phase timing not being consistent with the first target phase timing, it is determined that at least one of the Hall sensors is faulty.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: In response to the initial phase not corresponding to the zero phase, a second target phase sequence followed by the rotor of the motor when rotating counterclockwise is obtained based on the initial phase, the second target phase sequence including a second plurality of phases arranged in a second order.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: acquiring a second detection phase timing detected by the Hall sensor during counterclockwise rotation of the rotor; determining whether the second detection phase timing is consistent with the second target phase timing; as well as In response to the second detection phase timing not being consistent with the second target phase timing, it is determined that at least one of the Hall sensors is faulty.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The motor includes a brushless DC motor; The Hall sensor comprises three Hall sensors mounted on the stator of the motor at intervals of 120°; as well as The output signal of each Hall sensor includes 0 or 1, and the zero phase is associated with all three Hall sensors outputting 0.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the target phase sequence followed by the rotor of the motor when rotating counterclockwise or clockwise includes 6 phases; and The initial phase varies due to differences in the position of the rotor relative to the stator. 8 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first detection phase timing is inconsistent with the first target phase timing, comprising at least one phase in the first detection phase timing being inconsistent with a corresponding phase in the first target phase timing.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: A faulty target Hall sensor among the Hall sensors is determined based on the at least one inconsistent phase.

10. A device for detecting a fault of a Hall sensor in a motor, comprising: a first acquiring unit configured to acquire an initial phase of the rotor of the motor sensed by the Hall sensor, wherein the initial phase is associated with a position of the rotor relative to the stator; a first determining unit configured to determine whether the initial phase corresponds to a zero phase; as well as The second determining unit is configured to determine that the Hall sensor fails in response to determining that the initial phase corresponds to a zero phase.

11. A controller comprising: at least one processor; as well as A memory is coupled to the at least one processor and has instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A vehicle comprising: a gearbox actuator, including a motor mounted therein; as well as The controller according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control the motor.

13. A machine-readable storage medium having machine-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the machine-executable instructions are executed by a processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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