Commutation position detection system and method
First Claim
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1. A method of starting a polyphase brushless motor, said brushless motor having a plurality of field coils disposed about a rotor, comprising the steps of:
- (a) simultaneously energizing each of said plurality of field coils with a driving signal while said rotor is maintained in a fixed position within said motor;
(b) continuously monitoring the current waveform for each of said plurality of field coils during said step of simultaneously energizing;
(c) continuously differentiating said current waveform for each of said plurality of field coils to define a current rate of change waveform for each of said plurality of field coils;
.(d) comparing said current rate of change waveform for each of said plurality of field coils to a predetermined voltage threshold to determine commutation position; and
(e) applying a driving signal to an active field coil based on said commutation position to initiate said rotor into motion within said motor.
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Abstract
An improved commutation position detection system for accurately determining commutation position within polyphase brushless motors without employing proximity sensors or transducers. The present invention determines commutation position. by differentiating the current flowing within the stator coils and comparing the differentiated current waveforms to one another (absolute commutation position detection) or a predetermined threshold (incremental commutation position detection) to obtain a real-time assessment of commutation position.
82 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of starting a polyphase brushless motor, said brushless motor having a plurality of field coils disposed about a rotor, comprising the steps of:
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(a) simultaneously energizing each of said plurality of field coils with a driving signal while said rotor is maintained in a fixed position within said motor; (b) continuously monitoring the current waveform for each of said plurality of field coils during said step of simultaneously energizing; (c) continuously differentiating said current waveform for each of said plurality of field coils to define a current rate of change waveform for each of said plurality of field coils; .(d) comparing said current rate of change waveform for each of said plurality of field coils to a predetermined voltage threshold to determine commutation position; and (e) applying a driving signal to an active field coil based on said commutation position to initiate said rotor into motion within said motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of starting a brushless polyphase motor having a rotor and a plurality of field coils, comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying a driving signal to each of said plurality of field coils while said rotor is stationary; (b) continuously differentiating the current waveform within each of said plurality of field coils during step (a); (c) continuously comparing the differentiated current waveforms from step (b) to a predetermined voltage threshold; and (d) selectively energizing at least one of said plurality of field coils based on the comparisons from step (c) to force said rotor into proper rotational motion. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for detecting the position of a rotor with respect to a plurality of field coils in a polyphase brushless motor, comprising the steps of:
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(a) continuously injecting at least a predetermined nominal exciting current into each of said plurality of field coils; (b) continuously monitoring the current waveform for each of said plurality of field coils during said step of continuously injecting; (c) continuously differentiating said current waveform for each of said plurality of field coils to define a current rate of change waveform for each of said plurality of field coils; and (d) comparing the magnitude of at least two of said current rate of change waveforms to one another to produce an absolute reference indicative of the position of said rotor within said motor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for determining commutation position within a brushless motor having a plurality of stator coils disposed about a rotor, comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying at least a predetermined nominal electric current to each of said plurality of stator coils; (b) continuously differentiating the electric current flowing within each of said plurality of stator coils during step (a) to produce a current rate of change waveform for each of said plurality of stator coils; and (c) continuously comparing together at least two of said current rate of change waveforms to determine an absolute reference indicative of the position of said rotor within said motor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for controlling the operation of a polyphase brushless motor having rotor and a plurality of stator coils, comprising:
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(a) commutation position detection means for determining the position of said rotor relative to said plurality of stator coils, said commutation position detection means including; (i) current sensing means for sensing the amount of electric current flowing within each of said plurality of stator coils; (ii) differentiation means for differentiating said amount of electric current flowing within each of said plurality of stator coils; and (iii)comparator means for comparing together said differentiated electric current of at least two of said plurality of stator coils to determine an absolute reference indicative of a position of said rotor within said motor; and (b) commutation means for selectively applying at least a predetermined nominal electric current to each of said plurality of stator coils and selectively applying a driving signal to one or more of said plurality of stator coils depending upon said absolute reference. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for determining commutation position within a brushless motor having a rotor and plurality of stator coils, comprising:
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(a) current sensing means for sensing the amount of electric current flowing within each of said plurality of stator coils; (b) differentiation means for differentiating said amount of electric current flowing within each of said plurality of stator coils; and (c) comparator means for comparing together said differentiated electric current of at least two of said plurality of stator coils to determine an absolute reference indicative of a position of said rotor within said motor. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification