Digital current regulator

Claim 2

In an AC drive having an inverter providing three-phase current and voltage to an induction motor in response to switching signals from a waveform generator to the inverter, the current and voltage having a predetermined frequency and period, a digital current regulator comprising: a sensor for sensing two of the three phase currents and providing the same as a first sensed current and a second sensed current; means for generating a first sensed digital current signal and a second sensed digital current signal functionally related to the first sensed current and the second sensed current in a stationary reference frame; means for converting the first sensed digital current signal and the second sensed digital current signal into a waveform angle signal and a waveform modulation constant signal in a synchronous reference frame; and means for generating switching signals from the waveform generator to the inverter in response to the waveform angle signal and the waveform modulation constant signal.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein the means for generating the first sensed digital current signal and the second sensed digital current signal comprises: a sample signal; means for determining the average value of each of the sensed currents over a predetermined time period and providing the same as a first average sensed current and a second average sensed current; and an analog to digital converter connected to receive the first average sensed current and the second average sensed current, the analog to digital converter converting the first average sensed current into the first sensed digital current signal and converting the second sensed average current into the second sensed digital current signal in response to the sample signal.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein the means for determining the average value of the first sensed current and the average value of the second sensed current comprises: a first integrator for integrating the first sensed current over a predetermined time period, the predetermined time period defined by a first integrate signal generated by the waveform generator and a hold signal generated by the waveform generator; and a second integrator for integrating the second sensed current over a second, predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period defined by the first integrate signal generated by the waveform generator and the hold signal generated by the waveform generator.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3, further comprising: means for resetting the first integrator and the second integrator.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4 wherein the means for resetting the first integrator and the second integrator comprises a reset signal generated by the waveform generator.

Claim 7

In an AC drive having an inverter providing three-phase current and voltage to an induction motor in response to switching signals from a waveform generator to the inverter, a method of controlling the current, comprising: sensing the voltage from the inverter to the motor and providing the same as a bus voltage; providing a quadrature axis current reference signal and a direct axis current reference signal; generating a quadrature axis current signal and a direct axis current signal; generating a quadrature axis voltage signal in response to the quadrature axis current reference signal, and the quadrature axis current signal; generating a direct axis voltage signal in response to the direct axis current reference signal and the direct axis current signal; generating a voltage magnitude signal and a voltage magnitude angle signal by converting the quadrature axis voltage signal and the direct axis voltage signal from rectangular coordinates to polar coordinates; determining the ratio of the voltage magnitude signal to the bus voltage and providing the same as a waveform modulation constant; providing a reference frame angle signal; summing the reference frame angle signal and the voltage magnitude angle signal and providing the sum as a waveform angle; and generating switching signals from the waveform generator to the inverter in response to the waveform angle and the waveform magnitude constant.

Claim 8

In an AC drive having an inverter providing three-phase current and voltage to an induction motor in response to switching signals from a waveform generator to the inverter, a method of controlling the current, comprising: sensing the voltage from the inverter to the motor and providing the same as a bus voltage; providing a quadrature axis current reference signal and a direct axis current reference signal; generating a quadrature axis current signal and a direct axis current signal; generating a quadrature axis voltage signal in response to the quadrature axis current reference signal, and the quadrature axis current signal; generating a direct axis voltage signal in response to the direct axis current reference signal and the direct axis current signal; generating a voltage magnitude signal and a voltage magnitude angle signal by converting the quadrature axis voltage signal and the direct axis voltage signal from rectangular coordinates to polar coordinates; determining the ratio of the voltage magnitude signal to the bus voltage and providing the same as a waveform modulation constant; providing a reference frame angle signal; summing the reference frame angle signal and the voltage magnitude angle signal and providing the sum as a waveform angle; and generating switching signals from the waveform generator to the inverter in response to the waveform angle and the waveform magnitude constant.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6 wherein generating the quadrature axis current signal and the direct axis current signal comprises the further steps of: sensing two of the three phase currents and providing the same as a first analog current signal and a second analog current signal; providing an activate signal; determining an average value of the first analog current signal over a first, predetermined time period in response to the activate signal, and providing same as the average first analog current signal; determining an average value of the second analog current signal over a second, predetermined time period in response to the activate signal, and providing same as the average second analog current signal; generating a sample signal; converting the average first analog current signal to a digital first current signal in response to the sample signal; converting the average second analog current signal to a digital second current signal in response to the sample signal; and generating the quadrature axis current signal and the direct axis current signal in response to the digital first current signal, the digital second current signal, and the reference frame angle signal.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7 wherein the activate signal is provided by the waveform generator in response to the waveform angle and the waveform magnitude constant.

Claim 11

The method of claim 7 wherein the sample signal is generated by the waveform generator in response to the waveform angle and the waveform modulation constant.

Claim 12

The device of claim 7 wherein the average first analog current signal is determined by integrating the first analog current signal over a predetermined time period.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 wherein the average second analog current signal is determined by integrating the second analog current signal over a predetermined time period.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are equal.

Claim 15

In an AC drive having an inverter which supplies three-phase voltage and current to an induction motor in response to switching signals from a waveform generator to the inverter, a method for regulating the current, comprising: sensing the voltage supplied from the inverter to the induction motor and providing the same as a bus voltage; generating a first digital sensed current signal and a second digital sensed current signal; providing a reference frame angle signal; generating a quadrature axis current signal and a direct axis current signal in response to the first digital sensed current signal, the second digital sensed current signal and the reference frame angle; providing a quadrature axis current reference signal; providing a direct axis current reference signal; generating a quadrature axis voltage signal in response to the quadrature axis current signal and the quadrature axis current reference signal; generating a direct axis voltage signal in response to the direct axis current signal and the direct axis current reference signal; generating a waveform modulation constant signal and a waveform angle signal in response to the quadrature axis voltage signal, the direct axis voltage signal and the reference frame angle signal; and generating switching signals for the inverter in response to the waveform angle signal and the waveform modulation constant signal.

Claim 16

In an AC drive having an inverter which supplies three-phase voltage and current to an induction motor in response to switching signals from a waveform generator to the inverter, a method for regulating the current, comprising: sensing the voltage supplied from the inverter to the induction motor and providing the same as a bus voltage; generating a first digital sensed current signal and a second digital sensed current signal; providing a reference frame angle signal; generating a quadrature axis current signal and a direct axis current signal in response to the first digital sensed current signal, the second digital sensed current signal and the reference frame angle; providing a quadrature axis current reference signal; providing a direct axis current reference signal; generating a quadrature axis voltage signal in response to the quadrature axis current signal and the quadrature axis current reference signal; generating a direct axis voltage signal in response to the direct axis current signal and the direct axis current reference signal; generating a waveform modulation constant signal and a waveform angle signal in response to the quadrature axis voltage signal, the direct axis voltage signal and the reference frame angle signal; and generating switching signals for the inverter in response to the waveform angle signal and the waveform modulation constant signal.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13 wherein generating the waveform modulation constant signal and the waveform angle singal comprises the additional steps of: converting the quadrature axis voltage signal and the direct axis voltage signal into a voltage magnitude signal and a voltage magnitude angle signal; dividing the voltage magnitude signal by the bus voltage to provide a waveform modulation constant signal; and summing the voltage magnitude angle signal and the reference frame angle signal to provide a waveform angle signal.

Claim 18

The method of claim 13 wherein generating the first digital sensed current signal and the second digital sensed current signal comprises the further steps of: sensing two of the three phase currents and providing the same as a first analog sensed current signal and a second analog sensed current signal; generating an integrate signal; integrating the first analog sensed current signal over a first predetermined period in response to the integrate signal; integrating the second analog sensed current signal over a second predetermined period in response to the integrate signal; generating a sample signal; converting the first analog sensed current signal to a first digital sensed current signal in response to the sample signal; and converting the second analog sensed current signal to a second digital sensed current signal in response to the sample signal.

Claim 19

The method of claim 15 wherein the integrate signal is generated in response to the waveform angle signal and the waveform modulation constant signal.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15 wherein the sample signal is generated in response to the waveform angle signal and the waveform modulation constant signal.

Claim 21

The method of claim 15 wherein the first analog sensed current signal is integrated by an integrator.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18 wherein the second analog sensed current signal is integrated by a second integrator.

Claim 23

The method of claim 19 further comprising the additional steps of: providing a reset signal; and resetting the first integrator and the second integrator in response to the reset signal.

Claim 24

The method of claim 13 wherein the quadrature axis current signal and the direct axis current signal are generated by a reference frame converter.

Claim 25

The method of claim 13 wherein the quadrature axis voltage signal is generated by a proportional-integral-derivative regulator, the proportional-integral-derivative regulator having a proportional gain, an integral gain, and a derivative gain.

Claim 26

The method of claim 14 further comprising the additional steps of: calculating the optimal regulator gain; and providing the same as the proportional gain of the proportional-integral-derivative regulator.

Claim 27

The method of claim 13 wherein the direct axis voltage signal is generated by a proportional-integral-derivative regulator, the proportional-integral-derivative regulator having a proportional gain, an integral gain and a derivative gain.

Claim 28

The method of claim 24 further comprising calculating an optimal regulator gain and providing the same as the proportional gain of the proportional-integral-derivative regulator.

Claim 29

The method of claim 14 further comprising the additional steps of: providing a predetermined limit to the waveform modulation constant; and adjusting the voltage magnitude signal in response to the predetermined limit of the waveform modulation constant.

Claim 30

The method of claim 14 wherein the quadrature axis voltage signal is generated by a proportional-integral-derivative regulator and the direct axis voltage signal is generated by a second proportional-integral-derivative regulator.

Claim 31

The method of claim 27 further comprising the additional steps of: providing a predetermined limited waveform modulation constant; and adjusting the voltage magnitude signal in response to the predetermined limit of the waveform modulation constant.

Claim 32

The method of claim 28 wherein each proportional-integral-derivative regulator includes an integrator.

Claim 33

The method of claim 29, wherein the voltage magnitude signal is adjusted by clamping the integrator of the first proportional-integral-derivative regulator and the integrator of the second proportional-integral-derivative regulator so as to vary the voltage magnitude signal while maintaining the voltage magnitude angle signal substantially constant.