Apparatus and method for driving a plurality of induction motors
First Claim
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1. A motor controller, comprising:
- a driver stage operable to provide voltage and current to a plurality of induction motors over a single power bus; and
a control unit coupled to the driver stage and operable to monitor the current drawn from the driver stage and cause one or more of the induction motors to operate in a regenerative mode to supply current to at least one other of the induction motors when the current drawn from the driver stage exceeds a threshold.
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Abstract
A motor controller includes: a driver stage operable to provide voltage and current to a plurality of induction motors over a single power bus; and a control unit operable to monitor the current drawn from the driver stage and cause one or more of the induction motors to operate in a regenerative mode to supply current to at least one other of the induction motors when the current drawn from the driver stage exceeds a threshold.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A motor controller, comprising:
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a driver stage operable to provide voltage and current to a plurality of induction motors over a single power bus; and
a control unit coupled to the driver stage and operable to monitor the current drawn from the driver stage and cause one or more of the induction motors to operate in a regenerative mode to supply current to at least one other of the induction motors when the current drawn from the driver stage exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A motor controller for sourcing voltage and current to a plurality of induction motors over a single bus, wherein at least one of the induction motors requires start-up current, the motor controller comprising:
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a driver stage operable to provide the voltage and current to the plurality of induction motors; and
a control unit coupled to the driver stage and operable to monitor the current drawn from the driver stage and cause one or more of the induction motors to operate in a regenerative mode to supply at least some of the start-up current to the at least one induction motor when the current drawn from the driver stage exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of providing voltage and current to a plurality of induction motors over a single bus, comprising:
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sourcing voltage and current to the plurality of induction motors;
determining whether the current drawn by the induction motors exceeds a threshold; and
causing one or more of the induction motors to operate in a regenerative mode when the threshold is reached or exceeded such that regenerative current is supplied to at least one of the induction motors. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
monitoring a frequency of the voltage sourced to the plurality of induction motors; and
determining a ratio of the voltage to the frequency.
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15. The method of claim 14, further comprising sourcing reduced magnitudes of the voltage and frequency to the induction motors while substantially maintaining the determined ratio when the current drawn exceeds the threshold such that the one or more induction motors operate in the regenerative mode.
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16. The method of claim 15, wherein the respective magnitudes by which the voltage and frequency to the induction motors are reduced are functions of the current drawn by the induction motors.
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17. The method of claim 16, further comprising increasing at least one of the voltage and frequency to the induction motors such that the regenerative mode is terminated and the induction motors are accelerated.
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18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the voltage and frequency to the induction motors are increased without permitting the current drawn to exceed the threshold.
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19. A method of providing voltage and current to a plurality of induction motors over a single bus, wherein at least one of the induction motors requires start-up current, the method comprising:
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sourcing voltage and current to the plurality of induction motors;
determining whether the current drawn by the induction motors exceeds a threshold; and
causing one or more of the induction motors to operate in a regenerative mode when the threshold is reached or exceeded such that regenerative current is supplied to the at least one of the induction motor requiring start-up current. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
monitoring a frequency of the voltage sourced to the plurality of induction motors; and
determining a ratio of the voltage to the frequency.
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21. The method of claim 20, further comprising sourcing reduced magnitudes of the voltage and frequency to the induction motors while substantially maintaining the determined ratio when the current drawn exceeds the threshold such that the one or more induction motors operate in the regenerative mode.
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22. The method of claim 21, wherein the respective magnitudes by which the voltage and frequency to the induction motors are reduced are functions of the current drawn.
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23. The method of claim 21, further comprising increasing at least one of the voltage and frequency to the induction motors such that the regenerative mode is terminated and the induction motors are accelerated.
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24. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the voltage and frequency to the induction motors are increased without permitting the current drawn to exceed the threshold.
Specification