Electronic device and control method therefor

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device comprises: an inverter that includes a plurality of switch pairs, each including first and second switches connected in series; three-phase motors connected to each connection node between the first and second switches in the plurality of switch pairs; and a processor for controlling the inverter such that a direct current power source is converted into a three-phase alternating current power source and is provided to the three-phase motors. The processor controls that each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is in an on state during a preset second time period, and identifies, on the basis of the magnitude of a current detected by the inverter during the second time period, whether each first switch is abnormal.

Description

Electronic device and method of controlling the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method for controlling the same.

[0002] Inverters can be used in electronic devices such as washing machines, air conditioners, and refrigerators to convert direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC). Furthermore, with the increasing miniaturization of electronic devices, the use of Intelligent Power Modules (IPMs) within inverters is also increasing. IPMs incorporate various protection circuits, including overcurrent and short-circuit protection circuits.

[0003] However, if a short circuit current occurs due to repeated arm shorts during inverter use, the IPM may be damaged due to thermal runaway, and the IPM may be destroyed, resulting in a fire. Here, an arm short circuit indicates that a short circuit current occurs when all switches connected in series within the inverter are closed.

[0004] According to the present disclosure, an electronic device according to at least one embodiment includes an inverter including a plurality of switch pairs, each pair including first and second switches connected in series, a three-phase motor each connected to a connection node between the first and second switches in the plurality of switch pairs, and a processor controlling the inverter to convert direct current power into three-phase alternating current power and provide the same to the three-phase motor.

[0005] The processor controls each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset first time period, and identifies whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected in the inverter during the first time period. The processor controls each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset second time period, and identifies whether each first switch is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected in the inverter during the second time period.

[0006] Meanwhile, a method for controlling an electronic device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a step of turning on each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a first preset time period, a step of identifying whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on a magnitude of current detected in the inverter during the first time period, a step of turning on each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a second preset time period, and a step of identifying whether each first switch is abnormal based on a magnitude of current detected in the inverter during the second time period.

[0007] Meanwhile, in a computer-readable recording medium including a program for executing a control method of an electronic device according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the control method includes a step of turning on each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a first preset time period and identifying whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the magnitude of current detected in the inverter during the first time period, and a step of turning on each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a second preset time period and identifying whether each first switch is abnormal based on the magnitude of current detected in the inverter during the second time period.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a detailed configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are drawings for explaining the operation of an inverter according to various embodiments.

[0012] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are flowcharts for explaining a method of controlling an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0014] It should be understood that the various embodiments and terms used in this document are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but rather to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments.

[0015] In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0016] The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0017] In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0018] The term "and / or" includes any combination of a plurality of related described elements or any one of a plurality of related described elements.

[0019] Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another and do not qualify the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0020] When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0021] The terms "include" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in this document, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0022] When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact with” another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also cases where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0023] When we say that a component is "on" another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where there is another component between the two components.

[0024] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings below.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] The electronic device (100) can be implemented as a washing machine, dryer, air conditioner, blower, air purifier, ventilator, electric fan, dehumidifier, vacuum cleaner, etc. that uses a three-phase motor.

[0027] Among these, the washing machine performs an operation to remove dirt from the laundry.

[0028] For example, a washing machine may be implemented as a front-loading washing machine using a drum. In a front-loading washing machine, laundry can be washed by rotating the drum, causing the laundry to repeatedly rise and fall. To rotate the drum, the washing machine may use a three-phase motor. The driving force generated by the three-phase motor is transmitted to the drum via a rotating shaft, allowing the drum to rotate forward or reverse.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 1, the electronic device (100) includes an inverter (110), a three-phase motor (120), and a processor (130).

[0030] The inverter (110) includes a plurality of switch pairs, each of which includes a first switch and a second switch. Specifically, the inverter (110) is composed of a plurality of switching pairs in which the first switch and the second switch are connected in series, and each of the switching pairs is connected in parallel. The inverter (110) can convert direct current power into alternating current power. The detailed operation of the inverter (110) will be described again in the following section.

[0031] A three-phase motor (120) is connected to each connection node between the first and second switches within a plurality of switch pairs. The three-phase motor (120) can be operated through an AC power source to provide rotational power to the electronic device (100).

[0032] For example, if the electronic device (100) of FIG. 1 is implemented as a washing machine, the three-phase motor (120) can provide rotational force to rotate the drum. The three-phase motor (120) of the washing machine can rotate the drum forward or backward to perform each operation according to the washing, rinsing, spin-drying, or drying cycle.

[0033] The processor (130) is a component that is connected to each component of the electronic device (100) and controls the overall operation of the electronic device (100). The processor (130) may be implemented as a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor, or an NPU (Neural Processing Unit). However, the processor (130) is not limited thereto, and may include one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), a MCU (Micro Controller Unit), an MPU (micro processing unit), a controller, an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), or an ARM processor, or may be defined by the corresponding terminology. In addition, the processor (130) may be implemented as a SoC (System on Chip), an LSI (Large Scale Integration) having a built-in processing algorithm, or may be implemented in the form of an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0034] The processor (130) controls the inverter (110) to convert direct current power into three-phase alternating current power and provide it to the three-phase motor (120). The processor (130) controls each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset first time period, and identifies whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected by the inverter (110) during the first time period. In this case, the processor (130) can control each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be off for the first time period.

[0035] If at least one of the second switches is damaged, the first switch connected in series with the damaged second switch may be in an arm short state, resulting in a short circuit current. The processor (130) may compare the detected current with a preset first reference current value to identify whether the second switch is abnormal. For example, if the detected current is greater than or equal to the first reference current value, the processor (130) may determine that the second switch is abnormal.

[0036] The processor (130) controls each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset second period of time, and identifies whether each first switch is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected by the inverter (110) during the second period of time. In this case, the processor (130) can control each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be off for the second period of time.

[0037] If at least one of the first switches is damaged, the second switch connected in series with the damaged first switch may be in an arm short state, resulting in a short circuit current. The processor (130) can identify whether the first switch is abnormal by comparing the detected current level with a preset second reference current value. For example, if the detected current level is greater than or equal to the second reference current value, the processor (130) can determine that the first switch is abnormal.

[0038] The first reference current value and the second reference current value may be set to the same value, or may be set to different values ​​if the first switch and the second switch are implemented with different elements. For convenience of explanation, the following description assumes that the first reference current value and the second reference current value are the same, and describes the first reference current value and the second reference current value as reference current values.

[0039] The first time and the second time can be set to a time equal to or greater than the minimum pulse width capable of detecting a short circuit current in the inverter (110). For example, when the first switch or the second switch in the inverter (110) is damaged, if the minimum PWM pulse width applied to the inverter (110) to detect the short circuit current generated is 1 μs, the first time and the second time can be set to a time equal to or greater than 1 μs. However, when the first time and the second time are actually applied to the inverter (110) to turn the first and second switches on / off, the processor (130) can set the first time and the second time by adding a margin time to the minimum PWM pulse width for accurate detection of the short circuit current.

[0040] The first time and the second time may be set to the same time, or may be set to different times depending on the operation of the three-phase motor (120). For example, when the processor (130) uses the bootstrap operation time of the three-phase motor (120) to identify whether the second switch is abnormal, the processor (130) may set the first time to the bootstrap operation time of the three-phase motor (120) and control each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on during the first time during which the bootstrap of the three-phase motor (120) is performed. In this case, the processor (130) may identify whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected in the inverter (110) during the first time corresponding to the bootstrap time (e.g., 50 ms).

[0041] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a detailed configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0042] According to FIGS. 2 and 3, the electronic device (100) may include a power supply unit (140), a converter (150), a smoothing unit (160), an inverter (110), a three-phase motor (120), a processor (130), a memory (170), a display (180), and a communication unit (190). Among the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a detailed description of configurations that overlap with the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 will be omitted.

[0043] The power supply unit (140) is configured to provide AC power to the electronic device (100). The power supply unit (140) can provide commercial AC power supplied externally to the electronic device (100).

[0044] The converter (150) is configured to convert alternating current (AC) power provided from the power supply (140) into direct current (DC) power. The converter (150) may include a rectifier that rectifies the alternating current power and converts it into direct current power under the control of the processor (130). For example, the converter (150) may include at least one diode.

[0045] The smoothing unit (160) is a configuration for reducing the ripple of the DC power converted by the converter (150). The smoothing unit (160) may include at least one capacitor. The smoothing unit (160) may boost or lower the DC voltage rectified by the converter (150) or control the power factor under the control of the processor (130). For example, the smoothing unit (160) may reduce the ripple of the DC power converted by the converter (150) to make it smooth, and convert it into a DC power of a certain size for driving a three-phase motor (120) and provide it to the inverter (110).

[0046] The inverter (110) can convert the direct current power provided from the smoothing unit (160) into three-phase (U, V, W) alternating current power and provide it to the three-phase motor (120). The inverter (110) can include an Intelligent Power Module (IPM) for converting the direct current power into three-phase alternating current power (U, V, W) based on a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal.

[0047] An IPM is a module that integrates components such as an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) or a MOSFET, a driving circuit, a protection circuit, etc. For example, an IPM can be implemented with six Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) and a three-phase gate driver. Referring to Fig. 3, when an IPM includes six IGBTs, the IGBTs corresponding to the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the IGBTs corresponding to the second switch (114, 115, 116) can be connected in series to implement three switch pairs.

[0048] IPMs incorporate various protection circuits, including overcurrent and short-circuit protection, making them easy to design, low power consumption, and miniaturized devices. In particular, IPMs offer a higher current capacity per unit area than conventional switching power devices, making them ideal for power management solutions in high-capacity motor control applications.

[0049] According to FIG. 3, the inverter (110) may include an IPM including a first switch (111, 112, 113) and a second switch (114, 115, 116) and a sensing unit (117) connected to the first switch (111, 112, 113) or the second switch (114, 115, 116) in the IPM to detect current. In FIG. 3, three first switches (111, 112, 113) are connected to a negative node of a DC power source, and three second switches (114, 115, 116) are connected to a positive node of the DC power source.

[0050] In addition, three first switches (111, 112, 113) and three second switches (114, 115, 116) are each connected in series to form three switch pairs, and the three switch pairs are connected in parallel. Specifically, the first switch (111) and the second switch (114), the first switch (112) and the second switch (115), and the first switch (113) and the second switch (116) are each connected in series to form three switch pairs. In this case, the first switches (111, 112, 113) and the second switches (114, 115, 116) in the IPM can be implemented as IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors).

[0051] An IGBT (Insulated-Grid Transistor) is a transistor that combines the strengths of a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) and a bipolar transistor. An IGBT is a hybrid device whose input section is implemented with a MOSFET structure and whose output section is a bipolar transistor structure. An IGBT combines the high input impedance and fast switching speed of a MOSFET with the low on-resistance of a bipolar transistor, even at high breakdown voltages.

[0052] However, it is not limited thereto, and the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) may be implemented with at least one of a GTO (Gate Trun-Off thyristor), a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor), a BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor), an SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier), a TRIAC, a UJT (Unijunction Transistor), a PUT (Programmable Unijunction Transistor), a JFET (Junction Field Effect Transistor), an MCT (MOS Controlled Thyristor), an IEGT (Injection-Enhanced Gate Transistor), and an IGCT (Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor).

[0053] Here, GTO represents a device developed to improve the turn-off function of conventional thyristor devices. Conventional thyristor devices can be turned on by applying current to the gate, but to turn off, the circuit itself must be disconnected by a mechanical switch. However, GTOs can be turned off using an electrical method that applies reverse current to the gate.

[0054] In FIG. 3, the sensing unit (117) may include at least one sensor for detecting current, which is connected to the first switch (111, 112, 113) or the second switch (114, 115, 116). The sensing unit (117) may further include at least one sensing resistor connected to the first switch (111, 112, 113) or the second switch (114, 115, 116). The sensing unit (117) may detect the current of each node to which the sensing resistor is connected by using the sensing resistor. In this case, the sensing resistor may be implemented as a shunt resistor.

[0055] Shunt resistors are low-resistance resistors primarily used to measure current. By connecting a shunt resistor in series with the middle of a current-flowing wire, the processor (130) can calculate the current value based on the magnitude of the voltage generated across the shunt resistor.

[0056] The processor (130) can control the operation of the electronic device (100). For example, the processor (130) can control the operation of the converter (150), the smoothing unit (160), the inverter (110), the memory (170), the display (180), and the communication unit (190). The processor (130) can control the on / off of each switch in the inverter (110) using a PWM signal.

[0057] The processor (130) may perform a control operation related to a PWM signal. The processor (130) may generate a PWM signal and convert the pulse width of the generated PWM signal. The processor (130) may control the on / off time of the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) according to the pulse width of the converted PWM signal. However, although the description herein is based on the case where the processor (130) generates a PWM signal, if the electronic device (100) is separately provided with a PWM generation device for generating a PWM signal, the processor (130) may also perform an operation of controlling the PWM generation device.

[0058] When a signal for operating a three-phase motor (120) is input, the processor (130) can identify whether each switch in the inverter (120) is abnormal before starting the three-phase motor (120). Specifically, the processor (130) can control each second switch (114, 115, 116) included in a plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset second time period before starting the three-phase motor (120), and identify whether each first switch (111, 112, 113) is abnormal based on the size of the current detected in the inverter (110) during the second time period.

[0059] In addition, the processor (130) can control the first and second switches (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) in the inverter (110) to be turned off to stop the operation of the three-phase motor (120) if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) in the inverter (110) is greater than or equal to a preset reference current value. The processor (130) can operate the three-phase motor (120) if the current value detected in each switch is within a preset reference current value.

[0060] The memory (170) can store at least one command, data, program, etc. required for the operation of the electronic device (100). For example, the memory (170) can store data for a first time and a second time. The processor (130) can set the first time and the second time to a time greater than the minimum pulse width capable of detecting a short current in the inverter (110) and store the data in the memory (170).

[0061] The memory (170) may be implemented in the form of memory embedded in the electronic device (100) or in the form of memory detachable from the electronic device (100) depending on the purpose of data storage. For example, data for driving the electronic device (100) may be stored in a memory embedded in the electronic device (100), and data for expanding the functions of the electronic device (100) may be stored in a memory detachable from the electronic device (100).

[0062] In the case of memory embedded in the electronic device (100), it may be implemented as at least one of volatile memory (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), or synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM)), non-volatile memory (e.g., one time programmable ROM (OTPROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g., NAND flash or NOR flash), hard drive, or solid state drive (SSD)).

[0063] The memory (170) may be implemented as a single memory that stores data generated from various operations according to the present disclosure, but is not limited thereto, and the memory (170) may be implemented to include multiple memories that each store different types of data or each store data generated at different stages.

[0064] The memory (170) can store information about the first time, the second time, the above-described reference current value, etc.

[0065] The display (180) can perform a display operation under the control of the processor (130). For example, the processor (130) can control the display (180) to display a fault state when the current value detected in at least one of the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) in the inverter (110) is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

[0066] The display (180) may be implemented as a display including a self-luminous element or a display including a non-luminous element and a backlight. For example, it may be implemented as various types of displays such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) display, an LED (Light Emitting Diodes), a micro LED, a Mini LED, a PDP (Plasma Display Panel), a QD (Quantum dot) display, a QLED (Quantum dot light-emitting diodes), etc.

[0067] The communication unit (190) is configured to perform communication with a user terminal device. The processor (130) can control the communication unit (190) to transmit an error signal to a preset user terminal device if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116) is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

[0068] The communication unit (190) may include at least one of a short-range communication module or a long-range communication module. The communication unit (190) may transmit data to an external device (e.g., a user terminal device, a server, a user device, and / or a home appliance) or receive data from an external device.

[0069] In FIGS. 1 to 3, the case where at least one sensor for detecting current is included in the inverter (110) is illustrated and described, but in the case where the electronic device (100) is not equipped with a sensor for detecting current in the inverter (110), the electronic device (100) may further include a sensing module (not shown) connected to the first switch (111, 112, 113) or the second switch (114, 115, 116) to detect current. The sensing module operates under the control of the processor (130) and can detect current flowing through the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) connected in series.

[0070] Figures 4 and 5 are drawings for explaining the operation of an inverter according to various embodiments. Figure 4 is a drawing showing the operation of an inverter (110) for detecting whether a first switch is abnormal.

[0071] According to Fig. 4, one end of the first switch (111, 112, 113) is connected to the negative (-) node of the DC power supply, and the other end of the first switch (111, 112, 113) is connected in series to the second switch (114, 115, 116), respectively. In Fig. 4, the inverter (110) includes three switch pairs in which the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) are connected in series, and the three switch pairs are connected in parallel. In addition, three phases of a three-phase motor (120) are respectively connected to the connection nodes (a, b, c) between each of the first and second switches (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116).

[0072] The processor (130) can control the first switch (111, 112, 113) to be turned on for a preset first time period. In this case, the processor (130) can set the first time period as a bootstrap time of the three-phase motor (120).

[0073] The electronic device (100) can charge the first switches (111, 112, 113) through a bootstrap operation when starting the three-phase motor (120) and then start the motor (120). Therefore, if the first time is set as the bootstrap operation time, sufficient time can be provided to identify whether the second switches (114, 115, 116) are abnormal while the bootstrap operation is in progress before starting the motor (120). However, this is only a time set to utilize the bootstrap time during the operation of the three-phase motor (120), and is not limited thereto, and the first time may be any time during which a short-circuit current can be detected by the sensor of the inverter (110). For example, if the minimum PWM pulse width applied to the inverter (110) to detect a short-circuit current by the sensor is 1 μs, the processor (130) may set the first time to 2 μs.

[0074] The processor (130) can control the first switch (111, 112, 113) to an On state using a PWM signal. For example, if the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) are implemented as N-channel type IGBTs, the processor (130) can control the first switch (111, 112, 113) to an On state by applying a High pulse to the first switch (111, 112, 113) for a first time period. In this case, the processor (130) can control the second switch (114, 115, 116) to an Off state by applying a Low pulse to the second switch (114, 115, 116).

[0075] If at least one of the second switches (114, 115, 116) is damaged, an arm short may occur through the first switch (111, 112, 113) that is connected in series with the damaged second switch (114, 115, 116) and is in an on state. When an arm short occurs, a short current is generated, so the processor (130) can identify whether the second switch (114, 115, 116) is abnormal based on the sensing result of the sensing unit (117). Here, an arm short indicates that all switches connected in series within the inverter (110) are closed, causing a short current to occur.

[0076] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the operation of an inverter (110) to detect whether a second switch (114, 115, 116) is abnormal. The configuration and connection relationship of the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) within the inverter (110) have been specifically described in Fig. 4, and therefore, a duplicate description will be omitted.

[0077] According to FIG. 5, the processor (130) can control the second switch (114, 115, 116) to be on for a preset second period of time. The processor (130) can control the second switch (114, 115, 116) to be on using a PWM signal. For example, when the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) are implemented as an N-channel type IGBT, the processor (130) can control the second switch (114, 115, 116) to be on by applying a high pulse to the second switch (114, 115, 116) for a second period of time. In this case, the processor (130) can control the first switch (111, 112, 113) to be in the off state by applying a low pulse to the first switch (111, 112, 113).

[0078] If at least one of the first switches (111, 112, 113) is damaged, an arm short may occur through the second switch (114, 115, 116) that is connected in series with the damaged first switch (111, 112, 113) and is in an on state. When an arm short occurs, a short current is generated, so the processor (130) can identify whether the first switch (111, 112, 113) is abnormal based on the sensing result of the sensing unit (117).

[0079] Meanwhile, the electronic device (100) can start the three-phase motor (120) after a bootstrap operation that controls the first switch (111, 112, 113) to the On state to charge the second switch (114, 115, 116). At the beginning of the start-up of the three-phase motor (120), a signal with a relatively short pulse width is applied, and as the speed increases, the applied pulse width increases. Therefore, if a short pulse signal less than a reference pulse width that the sensing unit (117) cannot detect is applied at the beginning of the start-up of the motor (120), even if at least one of the first switches (111, 112, 113) in the inverter (110) is damaged, the processor (130) cannot identify whether the switch is abnormal.

[0080] If a repeated arm short occurs due to damage to a switch in the inverter (110), and a short current is generated as a result, damage to the inverter (110) and destruction of the inverter (110) due to thermal runaway may occur, and a fire may also occur.

[0081] However, the electronic device (100) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure can prevent damage and fire of the electronic device (100) due to damage of the inverter (110) by identifying whether the first switch (111, 112, 113) and the second switch (114, 115, 116) are abnormal before starting the three-phase motor (120).

[0082] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are flowcharts for explaining a method of controlling an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0083] According to one or more embodiments, an electronic device may include an inverter and a three-phase motor, each pair of switches including first and second switches connected in series.

[0084] According to FIG. 6, the electronic device turns on each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset first time period (S610). In this case, the electronic device turns off each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for the first time period. The electronic device can set and store the first time period as the bootstrap time of the three-phase motor.

[0085] However, this is not limited to this, and the first time period may be any time period during which a short-circuit current can be detected by a sensor in the electronic device. For example, the electronic device may set and store the first time period as a time period greater than the minimum pulse width at which a short-circuit current can be detected by the inverter.

[0086] The electronic device identifies whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected from the inverter during the first time (S620).

[0087] In this case, if at least one of the second switches is damaged, the first switch connected in series with the damaged second switch may be in an arm short state, resulting in a short circuit current. Accordingly, the electronic device can detect the short circuit current and identify whether the second switch is abnormal based on the detected short circuit current.

[0088] The electronic device turns on each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset second period of time (S630). In this case, the electronic device turns off each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for the second period of time. The electronic device can set and store the second period of time as a period of time greater than or equal to the minimum pulse width capable of detecting a short circuit current in the inverter.

[0089] The electronic device identifies whether each first switch is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected from the inverter during the second time (S640).

[0090] In this case, if at least one of the first switches is damaged, the second switch connected in series with the damaged first switch may be in an arm short state, resulting in a short circuit current. Accordingly, the electronic device can detect the short circuit current and identify whether the first switch is abnormal based on the detected short circuit current.

[0091] FIG. 7 is a flowchart detailing a method for controlling an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0092] According to FIG. 7, the electronic device can turn on each first switch included in a plurality of switch pairs for a preset first time period (S610), and identify whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the magnitude of current detected from the inverter during the first time period (S620).

[0093] The electronic device can determine whether the detected current value is within the reference current value based on the identification result of whether the second switch is abnormal (S710). If the detected current value is within the reference current value based on the determination result, the electronic device can perform the next step (S630). For example, if the current values ​​detected from the first and second switches are within the reference current value, the electronic device can turn on each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset second time (S630).

[0094] In this case, if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is greater than or equal to the reference current value, the electronic device may turn off the first and second switches to stop the operation of the three-phase motor (S730). Alternatively, if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is greater than or equal to the reference current value, the electronic device may display a fault state of the electronic device (S740). If the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is greater than or equal to the reference current value, the electronic device may also transmit an error signal to a user terminal device that performs communication with the electronic device (S740).

[0095] The electronic device can turn on each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset second time (S630), and identify whether each first switch is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected from the inverter for the second time (S640).

[0096] The electronic device can determine whether the detected current value is within the reference current value based on the identification result of whether the first switch is abnormal (S720). If the detected current value is within the reference current value based on the determination result, the electronic device can perform the next step (S750). For example, if the current values ​​detected by the first and second switches are within the reference current value, the electronic device can control the first and second switches to operate the three-phase motor.

[0097] In this case, if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is greater than or equal to the reference current value, the electronic device may turn off the first and second switches to stop the operation of the three-phase motor (S730). Alternatively, if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is greater than or equal to the reference current value, the electronic device may display a fault state of the electronic device (S740). If the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is greater than or equal to the reference current value, the electronic device may also transmit an error signal to a user terminal device that performs communication with the electronic device (S740).

[0098] Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the various embodiments described above may be implemented as software including instructions stored in a machine-readable storage medium that can be read by a machine (e.g., a computer). The device, which is a device capable of calling instructions stored from the storage medium and operating according to the called instructions, may include a wireless transmission device according to the disclosed embodiments. When the instructions are executed by the processor, the processor may directly or under the control of the processor perform a function corresponding to the instructions using other components. The instructions may include code generated or executed by a compiler or interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' means that the storage medium does not contain a signal and is tangible, but does not distinguish between data being stored semi-permanently or temporarily in the storage medium.

[0099] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the method according to the various embodiments described above may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or online through an application store (e.g., Play Store™). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0100] In addition, each of the components (e.g., modules or programs) according to the various embodiments described above may be composed of a single or multiple entities, and some of the corresponding sub-components described above may be omitted, or other sub-components may be further included in various embodiments. Alternatively or additionally, some components (e.g., modules or programs) may be integrated into a single entity, which may perform the same or similar functions as those performed by each of the corresponding components prior to integration. Operations performed by modules, programs or other components according to various embodiments may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively or heuristically, or at least some operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or other operations may be added.

[0101] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and various modifications may be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the gist of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical idea or prospect of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. In electronic devices, An inverter comprising a plurality of switch pairs, each pair including first and second switches connected in series; A three-phase motor each connected to a connection node between the first and second switches within the plurality of switch pairs; and A processor for controlling the inverter to convert direct current power into three-phase alternating current power and provide it to the three-phase motor; The above processor, Controlling each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset first time period, and identifying whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the size of the current detected from the inverter during the first time period; An electronic device that controls each of the second switches included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset second time period, and identifies whether each of the first switches is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected from the inverter for the second time period.

2. In paragraph 1, The above inverter, IPM (Intelligent Power Module) for converting the DC power into the three-phase AC power based on the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal; and At least one sensor for detecting current, connected to the first switch or the second switch; The above IPM is, An electronic device comprising three first switches connected to a negative node of the DC power supply and three second switches connected to a positive node of the DC power supply, wherein the first switches and the second switches are implemented with IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors).

3. In paragraph 1, The above processor, An electronic device that sets the first time as a bootstrap time of the three-phase motor, controls each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on during the first time during which the bootstrap of the three-phase motor is performed, and identifies whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the size of the current detected from the inverter during the first time.

4. In paragraph 1, The above processor, An electronic device that controls each of the second switches included in the plurality of switch pairs to be on for a preset second time period before starting the three-phase motor, and identifies whether each of the first switches is abnormal based on the size of the current detected from the inverter during the second time period.

5. In paragraph 1, Further comprising a memory for storing data for the first time and the second time; An electronic device wherein the first time and the second time are each set to a time greater than or equal to the minimum pulse width capable of detecting a short circuit current in the inverter and are stored in the memory.

6. In paragraph 1, The above processor, An electronic device that controls the first and second switches to an OFF state to stop operation of the three-phase motor when the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

7. In paragraph 1, Including more displays, The above processor, An electronic device that controls the display to indicate a fault state when the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

8. In paragraph 1, It further includes a communication unit for performing communication with a user terminal device; The above processor, An electronic device that controls the communication unit to transmit an error signal to a preset user terminal device when the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

9. A method for controlling an electronic device including an inverter and a three-phase motor, the electronic device including a plurality of switch pairs each including first and second switches connected in series, A step of turning on each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset first time period; A step of identifying whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected from the inverter during the first time period; A step of turning on each of the second switches included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset second time; and A control method, comprising: a step of identifying whether each of the first switches is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected in the inverter during the second time period.

10. In paragraph 9, A control method further comprising: a step of setting and storing the first time as a bootstrap time of the three-phase motor.

11. In paragraph 9, A control method further comprising: a step of setting and storing the first time and the second time respectively as a time longer than the minimum pulse width capable of detecting a short circuit current in the inverter.

12. In paragraph 9, A control method further comprising a step of turning off the first and second switches to stop operation of the three-phase motor when the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

13. In paragraph 12, A control method further comprising: a step of indicating a fault state of the electronic device if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

14. In paragraph 12, A control method further comprising: a step of transmitting an error signal to a user terminal device that performs communication with the electronic device if the current value detected in at least one of the first and second switches is equal to or greater than a preset reference current value.

15. A computer-readable recording medium including a program for executing a control method of an electronic device including an inverter and a three-phase motor, wherein the inverter includes a plurality of switch pairs, each pair including first and second switches connected in series, The above control method is, A step of turning on each first switch included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset first time period, and identifying whether each second switch included in the plurality of switch pairs is abnormal based on the size of the current detected from the inverter during the first time period; and A computer-readable recording medium comprising: a step of turning on each of the second switches included in the plurality of switch pairs for a preset second time period, and identifying whether each of the first switches is abnormal based on the magnitude of the current detected from the inverter during the second time period.

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