10536 results about "Motor controller" patented technology

A motor controller includes a power source unit providing a direct current output, a drive unit including a drive coil, first and second transistor units, a voltage drop component, and a processor. The transistor units are coupled to the power source unit and the drive unit, and enable electricity to flow through the drive coil in a first direction when the first and the second transistor units are in conducting and non-conducting states respectively, and in an opposite second direction when the first and the second transistor units are in non-conducting and conducting states respectively. The voltage drop component has a first end coupled to the drive unit and a grounded second end. The processor is coupled to a junction of the drive unit and the voltage drop component, and provides first and second pulse-width-modulated signals to the first and second transistor units, respectively.

A controllable selectable one-way clutch is provided for use within a hybrid transmission. The clutch comprises an outer and inner race, and a first and second selector plate. A transmission motor controller synchronizes the speeds of the races to facilitate application and release of the clutch, and a transmission controller communicates a signal to the clutch for re-positioning of the plates to apply and release the clutch. The clutch has three operational modes, including freewheeling and holding torque in one direction or both directions. A method is also provided for applying a selectable one-way clutch in a vehicle having a hybrid transmission with a motor controller and a transmission controller, including synchronizing the clutch speed using the motor controller, detecting the direction of the race speed difference, communicating the race speed difference to the transmission controller, and selecting between the clutch operational modes in response to the detected speed difference.

An aircraft having a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) propulsion system. The aircraft includes a fuselage, the VTOL propulsion system, at least one forward thruster, a power source used for both the VTOL propulsion system and forward thruster, fore and aft wings and a plurality of spars attached to and spanning the space between the two wings. The VTOL propulsion system includes a plurality of VTOL cells (including a motor, motor controller, and propeller) attached in a spaced relation along each spar. The VTOL cells are used exclusively for vertical flight or hovering and are powered down as the aircraft develops forward flight velocity and corresponding wing lift. During forward flight the VTOL propellers are articulated to allow the aircraft to take on a low drag configuration. The present invention is suitable for use in manned or un-manned aircraft of any scale.

An improved system for monitoring vibration of an electric machine is disclosed. According to one embodiment, sensors are positioned in a plane orthogonal to the motor shaft and each sensor detects vibration along at least one axis of the motor. The sensors are oriented such that the polarity of each sensor is reversed. The pairs of sensors may be used to isolate specific vibrations within the motor. According to another embodiment, a sensor may be mounted directly to the motor shaft. The sensor on the motor shaft directly detects vibrations along the motor shaft. Optionally, a second sensor may be mounted to a fixed location within the motor housing, and the combination of the sensor on the motor shaft and the sensor at a fixed location may be used to isolate specific vibrations within the motor. A motor controller may adjust operation of the motor to reduce the isolated vibration.

The invention is directed to an externally applied coordinator for communication and/or control of 2 or more implantable medical devices that may utilize different telemetry communication techniques. The coordinator receives telemetry signals from 2 or more implantable medical devices and provides functional direction to each of the devices to provide coordinated therapy and/or diagnostic function. The coordinator automatically configures itself for communication with a given medical device based either on the telemetry signal it receives or programmed by the physician. Specifically the coordinator is implemented as a software based, power efficient receiver/transmitter based upon an inexpensive, simple motor-controller DSP.

A percussive massage device includes an enclosure having a cylindrical bore that extends along a longitudinal axis. A motor has a rotatable shaft that rotates about a central axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A crank coupled to the shaft includes a pivot, which is offset from the central axis of the shaft. A reciprocation linkage has a first end coupled to the pivot of the crank. A piston has a first end coupled to a second end of the reciprocation linkage. The piston is constrained to move within a cylinder along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical bore. An applicator head has a first end coupled to a second end of the piston and has a second end exposed outside the cylindrical bore for application to a person receiving treatment. A motor controller measures current applied to the motor and displays a pressure indicator responsive to the measured current.

A disk includes an actuator assembly, a spindle motor and a disk that defines a plurality of servo wedges. A wedge to wedge timer is configured to measure the time elapsed between at least two circumferentially adjacent servo wedges and to output a wedge to wedge correction signal that defines a count between circumferentially adjacent servo wedges that is dependent upon the measured elapsed time. A servo frequency generator is configured to output a servo frequency generator signal having a frequency that is modulated by the wedge to wedge correction signal. A spindle motor control timer outputs a spindle control timer signal that is dependent upon the servo frequency generator signal and upon the time elapsed between at least two successive detections of circumferentially adjacent servo wedges. A spindle motor controller controls the spindle motor with a control signal that changes according to the spindle control timer signal.

Several methods of controlling a vacuum cleaner (10) using various types of sensors (94, 96, 97, 98) are provided. One method is based on a differential pressure between a suction airflow path and ambient air and includes: detecting the differential pressure, comparing the detected differential pressure to a predetermined threshold, and, when the detected differential pressure is less than the predetermined threshold, initiating a predetermined control procedure. A status indicator (164) is updated based on the detected differential pressure. Another method is based on a level of electrical current flowing through a brush motor (100). Still another method is based on a type or condition of the floor being traversed. Yet another method is based on a distance to a surface of a floor over which the vacuum cleaner is advancing. In another aspect of the invention, a vacuum cleaner is provided. In various combinations, the vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum source (36, 38), a brush motor (100), a drive motor (104), a controller processor (74), a sensor processor (90), an overcurrent sensor (98), a suction airflow sensor (94), a floor type sensor (97), and a floor distance sensor (96).

An energy management system for a motor-assisted user-propelled vehicle comprising a motor capable of assisting in propelling the vehicle and a rechargeable power supply for supplying energy to the motor. The system comprises: a user input for providing a desired value for each of at least one control parameter related to the user; a sensor for each control parameter for obtaining an actual value of the control parameter; a value comparator for receiving the desired value and the actual value of each control parameter and comparing them to generate a comparison signal for each control parameter; a command generator for generating a motor command using at least one comparison signal; and a motor controller for operating the motor, using the motor command, either to assist in propelling the vehicle, or act to recharge the power supply, in a way to bring the actual value closer to the desired value.

A vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a height adjust mechanism disposed on the housing and a height adjust motor, disposed within said housing that controls a height of the height adjust mechanism. A position element is mounted to said housing. A sensor processor, mounted to said housing, is in communication with the position element to provide a signal that relates to a position of the height adjust mechanism based at least in part upon data received from the position element. A controller processor, mounted to said housing, is in communication with the sensor processor for selectively controlling a height of the height adjust mechanism relative to a subjacent surface on which the vacuum cleaner is positioned. A height adjust mechanism height motor controller is in communication with the controller processor, for driving the height adjust motor to locate the height adjust mechanism in an appropriate position relative to the subjacent surface.

The present invention is directed to a centrifugal pump wherein voltage and current data are detected from voltage and current sensors in the motor controller of a pump motor. A power signal is then generated from the voltage and current data and spectrally analyzed to determine the presence of unwanted harmonics which are indicative of mechanical disturbances in the pump. As such, anomalies resulting from mechanical interference may be detected and a warning flag provided without additional transducers and other instruments on the motor or pump.

The invention provides a self-adaptive balance steering control method of a double-hub motor driving system. A basic control system comprises an electronic differential speed special processor, a left hub brake driving circuit, a left hub acceleration driving circuit, a left hub motor controller, a right hub brake driving circuit, a right hub acceleration driving circuit, a right hub motor controller, a left wheel rotation speed sensor, a right wheel rotation speed sensor, an inter-locking switch circuit, a vehicle body balance degree prejudging device, a front acceleration sensor, a tail acceleration sensor, a steering sensor, an acceleration pedal and a communication interface. The method has the advantage that a method for evaluating a vehicle steering safety degree is established by utilizing steering sensing information, vehicle body tilting degree information, vehicle speed and vehicle speed deviation rate, an electronic brake processing method is adopted in the field of steering control, and then the steering balance of the double-hub motor driving system can be controlled more efficiently and accurately, so the stability of the vehicle in the running process is improved.

The invention provides a double-hub electronic motor electrical differential and speed regulation integrated controller. A control signal integrated adjusting unit module, a right wheel speed signal preprocessing module, a right wheel pre-driving unit module, a left wheel pre-driving unit module, a left wheel speed signal preprocessing module, a left hub electrical motor controller, a right hub electrical motor controller, a driving module unit and a monolithic computer are arranged inside the double-hub electrical motor electronic differential and speed regulation integrated controller. The double-hub electrical motor electronic differential and speed regulation integrated controller is characterized in that an electronic differential mechanism, the left hub electrical motor controller and the right hub electrical motor controller are combined into a whole inside the double-hub electrical motor electronic differential and speed regulation integrated controller simultaneously, and all components inside the double-hub electrical motor electronic differential and speed regulation integrated controller are of module structures. Meanwhile, a control signal and speed feedback signal processing module needed by an electric vehicle is arranged inside the controller, pre-control circuits and terminal driving circuits of a left electrical motor and a right electrical motor are inserted in the controller, and thus the fact that a control assembly of the electric motor driven by a double-hub electrical motor has differential control in turning, speed control in driving, stop control in temporary stop and anti-theft control in parking is guaranteed.

The invention relates to a method for measuring currents in a motor controller. Some current sensing devices placed on the motor wires or inside the motor controller provide low amplitude output signals thus complicating sampling and data processing. In order to improve the signal/noise ratio, an oversampling technique is disclosed which makes used of a differential transmission of the output signal. Further, by applying intelligent sorting techniques on the sampled data, a substantial improvement in the signal/noise ratio can be obtained. The invention also concerns a motor controller using this method, and discloses the use of a power card and a control card, where the current sensing device is placed on the power card and a differential amplifier is placed on the control card. The gain of the differential amplifier is controlled by components placed on the power card as well as on the control card.

A controller for an AC electric motor, includes a Feed Forward Torque Controller and a load model. The Torque controller directly derives a torque related component of applied motor voltages from a signal representing a torque command input T* and at least one motor parameter. The load model derives a motor speed value including a model of motor speed behaviour of the AC electric motor to provide an output signal which represents the motor speed of the AC electric motor. This motor speed output signal is used in determining a frequency of rotation of an applied motor voltage vector. Where an input to the load model is the signal representing the torque command input T*, the load model uses the signal representing the torque command T*, at least over a part of an operating speed range of the AC motor which includes zero speed, to determine the motor speed output signal.

A method of controlling a current command by comparing voltage with a set value needs to vary the set value depending on voltage fluctuation, which involves taking a complicated control. A vector controller for a permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor, according to the present invention, can realize with a simplified configuration a field-weakening operation in a one-pulse mode in a high speed range by providing a current command compensator that corrects a current command by a corrected current command calculated based on a modulation index.

The invention provides a variable speed hydraulic pump designed to operate at a maximum horsepower throughout its pressure range by adjusting motor speed according to motor load parameters. In particular, the variable speed hydraulic pump includes a hydraulic pump unit coupled to a variable speed electric motor by a drive unit and to a hydraulic fluid tank for pressurizing and pumping hydraulic fluid when operated by the motor. A motor controller is electrically connected to the motor to supply drive signals to the motor based on electrical characteristics of the drive signals which are dependent on the load exerted on the motor. Suction from the load is provided by both the main pump and a bidirectional supercharging pump by reversing the direction of the motor and shifting a 4/3 valve to connect the main pump inlet to the load and its outlet to tank. In addition, the controller reduces the motor speed at the maximum rated pressure to just maintain the pressure, to reduce the amount of fluid pumped through the maximum pressure relief valve.

An improved treadmill control system which adjusts the speed of a moving tread belt to follow user motions. Equipment includes a tread base supporting a moving tread belt upon which a user can run or walk, a motor assembly and motor driver to move the tread belt, a plurality of foot sensors, a tread belt motion sensor, a measurement system to estimate user motion based on foot and tread belt sensor signals, and a motor controller to adjust motor assembly speed based on estimates of user motion. The system is capable of making improved user motion estimates and of using them to provide improved belt speed control. In one embodiment, user position, speed, and acceleration are estimated at each user footfall while estimates are continually revised between footfalls. In one embodiment, foot sensors are capacitive proximity sensors which are effective, fully concealable, and economical.

The invention discloses a double-motor controller with an electronic differential function. The double-motor controller comprises a main control chip integrated with an electronic differential module, two groups of drive motor control chips, two groups of rotary transformer decoding chips, two groups of power drive modules for controlling a motor to operate, a capacitor bank, an angle decoding and conditioning circuit, two permanent magnet motors with built-in rotary transformers, and an active force battery pack, wherein the main control chip is used for processing a received signal; and a left drive wheel control signal and a right drive wheel control signal are transmitted into the drive motor control chips corresponding to wheels respectively through the operation of an electronic differential operation module. The drive motor control chips receive information of position values, speed values and the like of the drive motor returned by corresponding rotary transformer decoding chips; information provided by the main control chip is combined so as to be processed comprehensively; and a waveform is output to a corresponding power drive module so as to operate the wheels through the drive motor. The double-motor controller with the electronic differential function has the advantages of high drive efficiency, small volume, convenience in arrangement and installation, and capability of active differential.