Controller for driving a permanent magnet type synchronous motor

• US 5,883,484 A
• Filed: 06/06/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Akao, Norihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US08/870,391
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/254, 318/432, 318/433, 318/440, 318/442, 318/500, 318/690, 318/700, 318/701
• US Class Current: 318/700
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/025 using field orientation; Vector control; Direct Torque Control [DTC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2201/09 Boost converter, i.e. DC-DC step up converter increasing the voltage between the supply and the inverter driving the motor general aspects of plural converters in cascade H02M
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/08 Arrangements for controlling the speed or torque of a single motor H02P6/10, H02P6/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A controller for driving permanent magnet type synchronous motor. A motor terminal voltage or IPM (intelligent power module) input voltage necessary to achieve a target operating point is computed based on torque command and motor revolution. When the computed voltage exceeds an actual battery voltage, a booster is inserted between the battery and IPM, and the battery voltage, after being boosted, is applied between the direct current terminals of the IPM. Since the motor terminal voltage can be made so as to not exceed the boosted voltage even if the motor terminal voltage rises along with a rise in revolution and speed voltage, field weakening control becomes unnecessary.

Claims

1. A driving controller for controlling a permanent magnet type synchronous motor using a power converter that is connected between a battery and the permanent magnet type synchronous motor and converts a battery voltage to a motor current;

said driving controller comprising;

a booster for boosting said battery voltage before being supplied to said power converter according to a command;

judgment means for judging, based on a detected value of said battery voltage, whether or not a target operating point for said permanent magnet type synchronous motor is in an output range thereof; and

extending means for extending, when it has been determined by the judgment means that the target operating point is not in the output range, said output range so as to cover the target operating point by issuing the command to said booster according to the location of said target operating point.

2. The driving controller according to claim 1 further comprising an autonomous gate element for forming or interrupting a conduction path in accordance with a difference in the voltages before and after the booster, the conduction path being provided between said battery and said power converter that does not pass through said booster;

whereby said booster is automatically bypassed by said autonomous gate element when boosting is not being performed.

3. The driving controller according to claim 1 further comprising:

a controllable gate element for forming or interrupting a conduction path in accordance with a gate command, the conduction path being provided between said battery and said power converter that does not pass through said booster; and

means for providing the gate command to said controllable gate element to forcibly form said conduction path when said target operating point is on the regeneration side.

4. The driving controller according to claim 1 wherein:

said booster includes a passive element for storing the energy discharged from said battery and an active element for selectively connecting said passive element to a positive side or a negative side of said power converter according to said command; and

said driving controller includes command means for issuing said command to said active element in accordance with the position of said target operating point and the result of a judgment in the judgment means when the target operating point is on the power driving side and so that a conduction path passing through said passive element is formed between said battery and said power converter when the target operating point is on the regeneration side and when said permanent magnet type synchronous motor is to be started.