Motor Control Device Communication Abnormality Diagnosis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor control devices struggle to accurately identify the cause of communication abnormalities between control circuits, leading to potential misinterpretation of system failures and inadequate response to faults.

Innovation Solution

A motor control device with multiple control circuits, communication lines, and signal lines that transmit state signals and periodic pulse signals to determine whether communication abnormalities or system function failures have occurred, allowing for precise identification of fault causes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single communication line is used between control circuits, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to identify communication abnormality causes deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication line configurationVSAvoidabnormality cause identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the monitoring function by introducing a separate periodic pulse signal transmission path (signal line) distinct from the state signal transmission path (communication line). This segmentation allows independent monitoring of communication establishment and control circuit operation, enabling precise identification of abnormality causes without increasing communication line complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If communication abnormality detection is simplified, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision of abnormality cause deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabnormality detection processVSAvoidabnormality cause identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces periodic pulse signals as an intermediary monitoring mechanism. These pulse signals serve as a mediator that indirectly indicates control circuit operation status without requiring complex direct analysis of communication states, thus maintaining ease of operation while improving abnormality cause identification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If multiple monitoring signals are transmitted, then abnormality cause identification accuracy is improved, but loss of information is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabnormality cause identification accuracyVSAvoidsystem state information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by continuously transmitting periodic pulse signals that preemptively indicate control circuit operation status. This allows the system to proactively identify abnormalities before they manifest as communication failures, preventing information loss about the true system state and enabling accurate abnormality cause identification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3650965B1Motor control device
Publication Date: 2022.02.23 JTEKT CORP
  • EP3650965B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3650965B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3650965B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a motor control device capable of identifying a cause of an abnormality in communication between a plurality of control circuits. A first microcomputer (21) is configured to identify the cause (a content of the abnormality) of a communication abnormality based on a combination of whether communication through a first communication line (41) is established, whether communication through a second communication line (42) is established, and whether a second clock (SCL2) is normal. Specifically, the first microcomputer (21) separately determines whether the communication abnormality between the first microcomputer (21) and a second microcomputer (31) is simply due to an abnormality in the first communication line (41) and the second communication line (42), or due to stop of a function of the second microcomputer (31). The second microcomputer (31) is configured to identify the cause of the communication abnormality based on a combination of whether the communication through the first communication line (41) is established, whether the communication through the second communication line (42) is established, and whether a first clock (SCL1) is normal.