Control apparatus and method for motor to prevent motor drive circuit from being overloaded
First Claim
1. A control apparatus for a motor, comprising:
- a motor drive circuit having a plurality of arms, each arm including same series-connected semiconductor switching devices for switching a voltage applied thereacross from a DC power supply so as to apply an AC power to the motor;
a controller for controlling switching operations of the respective semiconductor switching devices so as to regulate a driving of the motor according to a torque instruction inputted thereto; and
a detector for detecting a temperature having a correlation to a junction temperature of at least one semiconductor switching device, and wherein the controller includes;
an estimator for reading the detected temperature and estimating the junction temperature of the semiconductor switching device from the detected temperature;
a determinator for determining whether the estimated junction temperature is above an allowable limit of the junction temperature; and
an adjuster for adjusting an output of the motor drive circuit to the motor so that the estimated junction temperature is equal to or below the allowable limit on the basis of a result of a determination by the determinator that the estimated junction temperature is above the allowable limit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described are control apparatus and method for a motor applicable to an electric vehicle in which a motor drive circuit having a plurality of arms, each arm including same series-connected semiconductor switching devices for controllably switching a voltage applied thereacross from a DC power supply so as to apply an AC power to the motor, is associated with the motor, switching operations of the respective semiconductor switching devices so as to regulate a driving of the motor according to a torque instruction inputted thereto are controlled, a temperature having a correlation to a junction temperature of at least one semiconductor switching device is detected, the detected temperature is read, the junction temperature of the semiconductor switching device from the detected temperature is estimated, a determination is made whether the estimated junction temperature is above an allowable limit of the junction temperature, and an output of the motor drive circuit to the motor is adjusted so that the estimated junction temperature is equal to or below the allowable limit on the basis of a result of a determination that the estimated junction temperature is above the allowable limit.
84 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A control apparatus for a motor, comprising:
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a motor drive circuit having a plurality of arms, each arm including same series-connected semiconductor switching devices for switching a voltage applied thereacross from a DC power supply so as to apply an AC power to the motor; a controller for controlling switching operations of the respective semiconductor switching devices so as to regulate a driving of the motor according to a torque instruction inputted thereto; and a detector for detecting a temperature having a correlation to a junction temperature of at least one semiconductor switching device, and wherein the controller includes; an estimator for reading the detected temperature and estimating the junction temperature of the semiconductor switching device from the detected temperature; a determinator for determining whether the estimated junction temperature is above an allowable limit of the junction temperature; and an adjuster for adjusting an output of the motor drive circuit to the motor so that the estimated junction temperature is equal to or below the allowable limit on the basis of a result of a determination by the determinator that the estimated junction temperature is above the allowable limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A control apparatus for a motor, comprising:
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a motor drive circuit having a plurality of arms, each arm including series-connected semiconductor switching devices for switching a voltage applied thereacross from a DC power supply so as to apply an AC power to the motor; controlling means for controlling switching operations of the respective semiconductor switching devices so as to regulate a driving of the motor according to a torque instruction inputted thereto; detecting means for detecting a temperature having a correlation to a junction temperature of at least one semiconductor switching device; estimating means for reading the detected temperature and estimating the junction temperature of the semiconductor switching device from the detected temperature; determining means for determining whether the estimated junction temperature is above an allowable limit of the junction temperature; and adjusting means for adjusting an output of the motor drive circuit to the motor so that the estimated junction temperature is equal to or below the allowable limit on the basis of a result of the determination by the determining means that the estimated junction temperature is above the allowable limit.
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16. A control method for a motor associated with a motor drive circuit having a plurality of arms, each arm including same series-connected semiconductor switching devices for controllably switching a voltage applied thereacross from a DC power supply so as to apply an AC power to the motor, the control method comprising the steps of:
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controlling switching operations of the respective semiconductor switching devices so as to regulate a driving of the motor according to a torque instruction inputted thereto; detecting a temperature having a correlation to a junction temperature of at least one semiconductor switching device; reading the detected temperature; estimating the junction temperature of the semiconductor switching device from the detected temperature; determining whether the estimated junction temperature is above an allowable limit of the junction temperature; and adjusting an output of the motor drive circuit to the motor so that the estimated junction temperature is equal to or below the allowable limit on the basis of a result of a determination that the estimated junction temperature is above the allowable limit.
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Specification