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US5410235A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for sensing the rotor position of a switched reluctance motor

Assignee: Texas A&M University System
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Filing: 1994-03-01
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Granted: 1995-04-25
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Expires: 2014-03-01
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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus and method for detecting rotor (12) position in a switched reluctance motor (18) having multiple stator phases (A-A', B-B', and C-C'). A multiplexer (48) intermittently connects a known resistor (54) to a non-conducting stator phase. Circuitry (62 and 68) detects the amplitude of the current passing through the resistor (54) and the phase difference between the varying voltage and the current passing through resistor (54). The resulting signal is proportional to the position of rotor (12).

Inventors

  • 👤 Mehrdad Ehsani

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 14:09
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P6/00; H02P6/14; H02P6/16; H02P6/18; H02P25/00; H02P25/02; H02P25/08; H02P25/086; H02P25/089

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of detecting rotor position in a switched reluctance motor having multiple stator phases which are energized in synchronism with rotor position by a commutating signal comprising: applying a continuously periodically varying signal to a non-excited stator phase of the motor, the frequency of said varying signal being different than the frequency of the commutating signal; detecting variances in a predetermined characteristic of said varying signal; and generating an indication of the position of said rotor in dependence upon said detected predetermined characteristic of said varying signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of detecting rotor position in a switched reluctance motor having multiple stator phases which are energized in synchronism with rotor position by a commutating signal comprising: applying a continuously periodically varying signal to a non-excited stator phase of the motor, the frequency of said varying signal being different than the frequency of the commutating signal; detecting variances in a predetermined characteristic of said varying signal; and generating an indication of the position of said rotor in dependence upon said detected predetermined characteristic of said varying signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined characteristic comprises the amplitude of the current drawn by said non-excited stator phase.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined characteristic comprises the phase difference between the voltage and current of said non-excited stator phase and a resistance connected with said non-excited stator phase.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined characteristic comprises the amplitude of the current drawn by said non-excited stator phase and the phase difference between the voltage and current of said non-excited stator phase.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 89 words
Apparatus for detecting rotor position in a switched reluctance motor having multiple stator phases which are energized in synchronism with rotor position by a commutating signal comprising: circuitry for applying a continuously periodically varying signal to a non-excited stator phase, the frequency of said varying signal being different than the frequency of the commutating signal driving the motor; circuitry for detecting a characteristic of said varying signal; and circuitry for generating an indication of the position of said rotor in dependence upon said detected characteristic of said varying signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 89 words
Apparatus for detecting rotor position in a switched reluctance motor having multiple stator phases which are energized in synchronism with rotor position by a commutating signal comprising: circuitry for applying a continuously periodically varying signal to a non-excited stator phase, the frequency of said varying signal being different than the frequency of the commutating signal driving the motor; circuitry for detecting a characteristic of said varying signal; and circuitry for generating an indication of the position of said rotor in dependence upon said detected characteristic of said varying signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said characteristic comprises the amplitude of the current drawn by said non-excited stator phase.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
The apparatus of claim 5 and further comprising a known resistance coupled to said non-excited stator phase said characteristic comprising the phase difference between the voltage and current of said non-excited stator phase and said resistance.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 46 words
The apparatus of claim 5 and further comprising a known resistance coupled to said non-excited stator phase, said predetermined characteristic comprising the amplitude of the current drawn by said non-excited stator phase and the phase difference between the voltage and current of said non-excited stator phase.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4520302A Cited
US4611157A Cited
US4772839A Cited
US4959596A Cited
US5140234A Cited
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US5291115A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-04-24 1998-10-24 1999-04-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-04-24 2002-10-24 2003-04-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-04-24 2006-10-24 2007-04-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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