← Back to Patent Explorer
US6441572B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Detection of rotor angle in a permanent magnet synchronous motor at zero speed

Assignee: Penn State Research Foundation
•
Filing: 2000-12-14
•
Granted: 2002-08-27
•
Expires: 2020-12-14
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract The teachings herein comprise a method and apparatus for determining the position of a rotor by applying a voltage across a pair of phases of a motor and using a voltage measurement responsive to the applied voltage and indicative of the distribution of the phase inductances within the phase pair to which a test voltage is applied to determine the rotor position.

Inventors

  • 👤 Todd D. Batzel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 04:44
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P6/00; H02P6/20; H02P6/22; H02P6/14; H02P6/16; H02P6/18; H02P6/185; H02P6/21

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 181 words
A method for determining the rotor position in a motor at standstill in a motor having multiple phase windings arranged as a stator and a permanent magnet rotor, comprising the steps of: applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a first pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said first phase pair and holding a remaining phase winding open; measuring a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said first phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a second pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said second phase pair and holding a remaining phase winding open; measuring a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said second phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; and determining the rotor position of the motor at standstill based on the magnitude of the measured responses across the open phases of said motor in response to said applied voltages.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 181 words
A method for determining the rotor position in a motor at standstill in a motor having multiple phase windings arranged as a stator and a permanent magnet rotor, comprising the steps of: applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a first pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said first phase pair and holding a remaining phase winding open; measuring a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said first phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a second pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said second phase pair and holding a remaining phase winding open; measuring a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said second phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; and determining the rotor position of the motor at standstill based on the magnitude of the measured responses across the open phases of said motor in response to said applied voltages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the test voltages applied across all phase pairs are equal in magnitude.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the test voltage applied across said first phase pair does not equal the test voltage applied across said second phase pair.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of referencing a predetermined lookup table containing relational information of measured open phase voltages for determining the rotor position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 57 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: measuring a reactance ratio of the measured responses for the first phase pair and the second phase pair for the applied test voltages of said first and second polarities; and calculating an unbalanced reactance term and using the unbalanced reactance term to further determine the rotor position.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 230 words
An apparatus for determining the rotor position in a motor at standstill in a motor having multiple phase windings arranged as a stator and a permanent magnet rotor, said apparatus comprising: switching circuitry for applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a first pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said first phase pair and while holding a remaining phase winding open; measurement circuitry for measuring, at said remaining open phase, a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said first phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; switching circuitry for applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a second pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said second phase pair and holding a remaining phase winding open; measurement circuitry for measuring, at said remaining open phase, a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said second phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; and control means for controlling the application of the test voltage across said phase pairs, including the polarity and timing of the applied test voltages; determination means for determining the rotor position of the motor at standstill based on the magnitude of the measured responses across the open phases of said motor in response to said applied voltages.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 230 words
An apparatus for determining the rotor position in a motor at standstill in a motor having multiple phase windings arranged as a stator and a permanent magnet rotor, said apparatus comprising: switching circuitry for applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a first pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said first phase pair and while holding a remaining phase winding open; measurement circuitry for measuring, at said remaining open phase, a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said first phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; switching circuitry for applying a test voltage of a first and second polarity across a second pair of said stator phase windings for selectively establishing a current flow through said second phase pair and holding a remaining phase winding open; measurement circuitry for measuring, at said remaining open phase, a voltage response to the application of said test voltage across said second phase pair at said remaining open phase winding; and control means for controlling the application of the test voltage across said phase pairs, including the polarity and timing of the applied test voltages; determination means for determining the rotor position of the motor at standstill based on the magnitude of the measured responses across the open phases of said motor in response to said applied voltages.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 40 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the control means comprises a processor coupled to the switching circuitry for controlling the application of the test voltages, and further coupled to the measurement circuitry for performing the determination of the rotor position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising signal conditioning circuit means for formatting the measured open phase response voltages for use by the processor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 63 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the rotor position is determined by the determination means by further averaging a reactance ratio of the measured responses for the first phase pair and the second phase pair for the test voltages of said first and second polarities, and calculating an unbalanced reactance term and using the unbalanced reactance term to further determine the rotor position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the determination means references a predetermined lookup table containing relational information of measured open phase voltages for determining the rotor position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the test voltages applied across all phase pairs are equal in magnitude.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the test voltages applied across said first phase pair does not equal the test voltage applied across said second phase pair.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4558259A Cited
US5117165A Cited
US5206567A Cited
US5608300A Cited
US5841252A Cited
US5751125A Cited
US5854548A Cited
US5973469A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2005-08-26 2006-02-25 2006-08-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-08-26 2010-02-25 2010-08-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-08-26 2014-02-25 2014-08-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag