Inductive Load Driver Timing Control for Ripple Current Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic control devices that manage multiple inductive loads face challenges in minimizing ripple currents, which lead to increased heat generation and reduced component lifespan.
Innovation Solution
An electronic control device is designed with a control unit that sets drive output values, a current output unit that monitors current values, and an ON timing setting unit that adjusts the ON timings of load drivers to cancel out ripple currents effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of loads controlled by a driver and the load current increase, then the driving capability is improved, but the ripple current increases causing increased heat generation in electronic components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by shifting the ON timings of multiple load drivers in a cyclic manner. The control unit distributes switching operations across different time periods, so that drivers operate at staggered intervals rather than simultaneously. This periodic distribution of switching events reduces peak ripple currents and associated heat generation in electronic components while maintaining the overall driving capability for multiple loads.
2Loss of energy
If fixed interval shifting of ON timings is applied, then heat generation is suppressed, but the total amount of effective ripple current values cannot be minimized when multiple loads are controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the control unit calculate the total amount of effective ripple current values based on actual operating conditions. The system continuously monitors and adjusts the timing shifts of load drivers according to the calculated ripple current levels. This closed-loop control ensures that heat generation is minimized while component lifespan is extended, as the timing adjustments are dynamically optimized based on real-time electrical conditions rather than fixed intervals.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electronic control device (110) that drives and controls a plurality of inductive loads and can extend the life of an electronic component by minimizing the total amount of ripple current effective values of the electronic component. The electronic control device (110) includes a control unit (270) that sets drive output values including drive start timings, output duty ratios, and drive frequencies of a plurality of load drivers (160-180) that drive a plurality of inductive loads (130-150) based on drive state information of the inductive loads (130-150), current output units (280, 300, 320) that output current values flowing through the load drivers (160-180), and an ON timing setting unit (290) that sets timings to turn on the outputs of drive output values of the load drivers (160-180) based on the current values output by the current output units (280, 300, 320). The ON timing setting unit (290) sets the ON timing of each of the load drivers (160-180) so as to set timings to cancel out the ripple current effective values generated in an electronic component (120) connected by a power line as a drive source for the plurality of inductive loads (130-150).