Motor controller and method of controlling the motor

• US 20090102412A1
• Filed: 10/16/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jung, Han Su, Lee, Chung Hun, Hwang, Sun Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/707
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/343 in operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 1/30 by progressive increase of frequency of supply to primary circuit of motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0241 the fault being an overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/18 without separate position detecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/20 Arrangements for starting H02P6/08 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates a motor controller and a motor control method of controlling a motor having a stator coil and a rotator. The motor controller includes: an activating operator receiving an operation command with a prescribed target frequency while the motor remains stationary, activating the motor at a prescribed voltage and a voltage phase, and then gradually increasing an operation frequency of the motor; an operation exchanger switching an activation operation into a normal operation when the operation frequency reaches a prescribed frequency lower than the target frequency; an evaluator evaluating a location of the rotor included in the motor and the operation frequency based on a current or voltage detected from the motor; a normal operator operating the motor in a normal manner based on the evaluated rotor location; an error determiner determining during the normal operation whether there is an error on the motor based on at least one of the detected current, the detected voltage, and the evaluated operation frequency; and an operation controller enabling the motor to stop in a case where it is determined that there is an error on the motor. The motor controller and the motor control method determine failure of location detection in a sensor-less manner and enable the motor to be stably stopped according to such a determination.

Claims

1. A motor controller to control a motor having a stator coil and a rotor, the:

motor controller comprising;

an activating operator adapted to;

receive an operation command with a predetermined target frequency while the motor remains stationary,

activate the motor at a predetermined voltage and a voltage phase, and

gradually increase, after activating, an operation frequency of the motor;

an operation exchanger adapted to switch an activation operation into a normal operation when the operation frequency reaches a predetermined frequency, where the predetermined frequency is lower than the predetermined target frequency;

an evaluator adapted to evaluate a location of the rotor included in the motor and the operation frequency based on a current or voltage detected from the motor;

a normal operator adapted to operate the motor in a normal manner based on the evaluated rotor location;

an error determiner adapted to determine, during operation of the motor, whether there is an error on the motor based on at least one of the detected current, the detected voltage, and the evaluated operation frequency; and

an operation controller adapted to stop the motor upon a determination by the error determiner of an error on the motor.

2. The motor controller of claim 1, wherein:

if the detected current or voltage is equal to or more than a first predetermined value, or equal to or less than a second predetermined value, where the second predetermined value is less than the first predetermined value, while the evaluated operation frequency is equal to or less than a predetermined frequency, then the error determiner determines that a failure of location evaluation of the motor has occurred, and

the operation controller pauses the motor according to the failure of location evaluation of the motor, and then reactivates the motor.

3. The motor controller of claim 2, wherein the operation controller completely stops operations of the motor in a case where pausing the motor occurs more than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

4. The motor controller of claim 3, wherein the operation controller generates an error signal when the motor is completely stopped.

5. The motor controller of claim 1, wherein:

if the detected current or voltage is equal to or more than a first predetermined value, or equal to or less than a second predetermined value, where the second predetermined value is less than the first predetermined value, while the evaluated operation frequency is more than a predetermined frequency, the error determiner determines that a failure of location evaluation of the motor has occurred, and

the operation controller completely stops the motor according to the failure of location evaluation of the motor.

6. The motor controller of claim 1, wherein:

if a difference between the predetermined target frequency and the evaluated frequency is equal to or more than a predetermined value while the evaluated operation frequency is equal to or less than a predetermined frequency, the error determiner determines that a failure of speed evaluation of the motor has occurred, and

the operation controller pauses the motor according to the failure of speed evaluation of the motor, and then reactivates the motor.

7. The motor controller of claim 6, wherein the operation controller completely stops operations of the motor in a case where pausing the motor occurs more than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

8. The motor controller of claim 7, wherein the operation controller generates an error signal when the motor is completely stopped.

9. The motor controller of claim 1, wherein

if a difference between the predetermined target frequency and the evaluated frequency is equal to or more than a predetermined value while the evaluated operation frequency is more than a predetermined frequency, the error determiner determines that a failure of speed evaluation of the motor has occurred, and

the operation controller completely stops the motor according to the failure of speed evaluation of the motor.

10. The motor controller of claim 1, wherein the detected current is an output current flowing through the motor.

11. The motor controller of claim 1, wherein the detected voltage is a counter-electromotive force generated from the motor.

12. The motor controller of any one of claims 2, 5, 6, and 9, wherein the predetermined frequency is 30 Hz.

13. A method of controlling a motor having a stator coil and a rotor, the motor control method comprising:

receiving an operation command with a predetermined target frequency while the motor remains stationary;

activating the motor at a predetermined voltage and a voltage phase, and then gradually increasing an operation frequency of the motor;

switching an activation operation into a normal operation when the operation frequency reaches a predetermined frequency, where the predetermined frequency is lower than the target frequency;

operating the motor in a normal manner based on a location of the rotor evaluated by an evaluator of the motor;

determining, during the normal operation, whether there is an error on the motor based on a current or a voltage detected from the motor, or the evaluated operation frequency; and

stopping the motor if it is determined that there is an error on the motor.

14. The motor control method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a failure of location evaluation of the motor if the detected current or voltage is equal to or more than a first predetermined value, or equal to or less than a second predetermined value, where the second predetermined value is less than the first predetermined value, while the evaluated operation frequency is equal to or less than a predetermined frequency, and

pausing the motor according to the failure of location evaluation and then reactivating the motor.

15. The motor control method of claim 14, further comprising:

completely stopping operations of the motor if pausing the motor occurs more than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

16. The motor control method of claim 15, further comprising generating an error signal when the operations of the motor are completely stopped.

17. The motor control method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a failure of location evaluation of the motor if the detected current or voltage is equal to or more than a first predetermined value, or equal to or less than a second predetermined value less than the first predetermined value while the evaluated operation frequency is more than a predetermined frequency, and

completely stopping the motor according to the failure of location evaluation of the motor.

18. The motor control method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining it as failure of speed evaluation of the motor if a difference between the target frequency and the evaluated frequency is equal to or more than a predetermined value while the evaluated operation frequency is equal to or less than a predetermined frequency, and

pausing the motor according to the failure of speed evaluation and then reactivating the motor.

19. The motor control method of claim 18, further comprising:

completely stopping operations of the motor if the pausing of the motor occurs more than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time.

20. The motor control method of claim 19, further comprising generating an error signal when the operations of the motor are completely stopped.

21. The motor control method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining it as failure of speed evaluation of the motor if a difference between the target frequency and the evaluated frequency is equal to or more than a predetermined value while the evaluated operation frequency is more than a predetermined frequency, and

completely stopping the motor according to the failure of speed evaluation of the motor.

22. The motor control method of claim 13, wherein the detected current is an output current flowing through the motor.

23. The motor control method of claim 13, wherein the detected voltage is a counter-electromotive force generated from the motor.

24. The motor controller of any one of claims 14, 17, 18, and 21, wherein the predetermined frequency is 30 Hz.