Compact FPGA Digital Motor Controller Hardware Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital motor controllers for brushless DC motors, especially those using sensors for feedback control, face complexity due to non-linear commutation control logic, requiring demanding mathematical calculations and microprocessor-based systems, which are unsuitable for geometrically constrained or harsh environments like high radiation areas.
Innovation Solution
A compact FPGA-based digital motor controller with hardware circuitry for sensor interfaces, commutation control, and time inversion to generate linear feedback control parameters, eliminating the need for microprocessors and software, using antifuse technology for increased reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If microprocessor-based control systems are used for sensor feedback control, then accurate motor control is achieved, but device complexity and board area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces microprocessor-based software control with a dedicated hardware circuit implementation. The sensor interface circuit directly processes sensor signals and generates commutation control signals through hardware logic, eliminating the need for microprocessors, operating systems, and application software while maintaining accurate motor control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary computer system control elements (non-volatile memory, volatile memory, arbitration logic, operating system software, application software) from the motor control loop, retaining only the essential sensor interface and commutation control functions implemented in hardware.
2Measurement precision
If microprocessor-based control systems are used for sensor feedback control, then accurate motor control is achieved, but board area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces microprocessor-based software control with a dedicated hardware circuit implementation. The sensor interface circuit directly processes sensor signals and generates commutation control signals through hardware logic, eliminating the need for microprocessors, operating systems, and application software while maintaining accurate motor control.
3Productivity
If conventional digital motor controllers are used, then motor control functionality is achieved, but reliability in harsh environments decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs antifuse technology for the hardware circuit implementation, which provides increased reliability in harsh environments including high radiation conditions. The antifuse technology creates permanent, radiation-hardened connections that are more reliable than microprocessor-based systems in extreme environments.
4Measurement precision
If non-linear commutation control logic is used, then accurate motor control is achieved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements non-linear commutation control logic directly in hardware circuitry rather than through software algorithms. The sensor interface circuit and commutation control circuit use hardware logic to process sensor signals and generate commutation pulses, eliminating the need for demanding mathematical calculations and complex software algorithms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A compact field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based digital motor controller (102), a method, and a design structure are provided. The compact FPGA-based digital motor controller (102) includes a sensor interface (206) configured to receive sensor data from one or more sensors (104) and generate conditioned sensor data. The one or more sensors (104) provide position information for a DC brushless motor (108). The compact FPGA-based digital motor controller (102) also includes a commutation control (210) configured to create switching commands to control commutation for the DC brushless motor (108). The commutation control (210) generates commutation pulses from the conditioned sensor data of the sensor interface (206). The compact FPGA-based digital motor controller (102) also includes a time inverter (208) configured to receive the commutation pulses. The time inverter (208) converts the commutation pulses into a rotational speed of the DC brushless motor (108) to provide a linear feedback control parameter.