Systems and methods for sensing a line powering an electric motor
First Claim
1. An electric motor controller configured to be coupled to an electric motor, said controller comprising:
- a first power input connector, a second power input connector, and a third power input connector, each of said first, second, and third power input connectors configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source, wherein only one of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized at a time;
a radio frequency (RF) based line sensing device coupled to at least said first and second power input connectors and configured to generate a sensing device signal when one of said at least said first and second power input connectors is energized by the AC power source, wherein the sensing device signal is based on an RF signal generated in said first, second, and third power input connectors; and
a microcontroller configured to;
generate the RF signal in said first, second, and third power input connectors while one of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized; and
determine which of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized based at least in part on whether the sensing device signal is received by said microcontroller.
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Abstract
A system includes an electric motor controller configured to be coupled to an electric motor is provided. The controller includes a first power input, a second power input, and a third power input, each of the first, second, and third power inputs are configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source. The controller also includes a microcontroller configured to generate a radio frequency (RF) signal in each of the first, second, and third power inputs. The controller further includes an RF based line sensing device configured to sense which one of said first, second, and third power inputs has received power from the AC power source based on the RF signal.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An electric motor controller configured to be coupled to an electric motor, said controller comprising:
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a first power input connector, a second power input connector, and a third power input connector, each of said first, second, and third power input connectors configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source, wherein only one of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized at a time; a radio frequency (RF) based line sensing device coupled to at least said first and second power input connectors and configured to generate a sensing device signal when one of said at least said first and second power input connectors is energized by the AC power source, wherein the sensing device signal is based on an RF signal generated in said first, second, and third power input connectors; and a microcontroller configured to; generate the RF signal in said first, second, and third power input connectors while one of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized; and determine which of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized based at least in part on whether the sensing device signal is received by said microcontroller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of sensing a line powering an electric motor, said method comprising:
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providing a first power input connector, a second power input connector, and a third power input connector, each of the first, second, and third power input connectors configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source, wherein only one of the first, second, and third power input connectors is energized at a time; generating, by a microcontroller, a radio frequency (RF) signal in each of the first, second, and third power input connectors while one of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized; generating, using a RF based line sensing device coupled to at least the first and second power input connectors, a sensing device signal when one of the at least first and second power input connectors is energized by the AC power source, wherein the sensing device is based on the RF signal generated in the first, second, and third power input connectors; and determining, by the microcontroller, which one of the first, second, and third power input connectors is energized based at least in part on whether the sensing device signal is received by the microcontroller. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An electric motor controller configured to be coupled to an electric motor, said controller comprising:
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a first power input connector, a second power input connector, and a third power input connector, each of said first, second, and third power input connectors configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source, wherein only one of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized at a time; a radio frequency (RF) based line sensing device configured to generate a signal based on harmonics measured on at least one of said first, second, and third power input connectors; and a microcontroller configured to; operate the electric motor at a lowest speed when power is received on at least one of said first, second, and third power input connectors; receive the signal from said RF based line sensing device including measured harmonics on at least one of said first, second, and third power input connectors, the harmonics internally generated by the electric motor; and determine which of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized based on the measured harmonics.
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17. An electric motor controller configured to be coupled to an electric motor, said controller comprising:
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a first power input connector, a second power input connector, and a third power input connector, each of said first, second, and third power connectors configured to receive power from an alternating current (AC) power source; a radio frequency (RF) based line sensing device coupled to said first and second power input connectors and configured to generate a signal when one of said first and second power input connectors is energized by the AC power source based on an RF signal generated in said first, second, and third power input connectors, wherein said RF based line sensing device comprises a first sensor coupled to said first power input connector and a second sensor coupled to said second power input connector; and a microcontroller configured to; toggle an oscillator above a predetermined rate of speed such that the RF signal appears to be conducted through said first, second, and third power input connectors to generate the RF signal in said first, second, and third power input connectors; and determine which of said first, second, and third power input connectors is energized based at least in part on whether the signal is received from said RF based line sensing device.
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Specification