Multiple electronically commutated motor control apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- first and second fans driven by first and second electronically commutated motors, respectively, a commutation circuit for providing commutated power to each of the motors, each commutation circuit responsive to a modulated signal corresponding to each motor;
a processor configured to receive a control signal from an external controller and operable to produce a modulated signal corresponding to each motor responsive to the control signal, wherein said processor is operable to produce each modulated signal at a common frequency; and
a signal bus connecting said processor to said commutation circuit for each of the motors, said signal bus operable to transmit the modulated signal to each corresponding motor.
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Abstract
A cooling system includes multiple cooling fans, each driven by a corresponding fan motor controller. Each fan motor controller includes electronic commutation circuitry that is responsive to a modulated signal to control the speed of the associated motor and fan. The controller for one motor includes a microcontroller that receives a single control signal from an external control unit and translates that control signal into the modulated signals provided to all of the other motor controllers. In one embodiment, the microcontroller can adjust the duty cycle of the modulated control signals, and can stagger the on-off times of the signals to minimize conducted RFI emissions.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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first and second fans driven by first and second electronically commutated motors, respectively, a commutation circuit for providing commutated power to each of the motors, each commutation circuit responsive to a modulated signal corresponding to each motor;
a processor configured to receive a control signal from an external controller and operable to produce a modulated signal corresponding to each motor responsive to the control signal, wherein said processor is operable to produce each modulated signal at a common frequency; and
a signal bus connecting said processor to said commutation circuit for each of the motors, said signal bus operable to transmit the modulated signal to each corresponding motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system comprising:
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first and second fans driven by first and second electronically commutated motors, respectively, a commutation circuit for providing commutated power to each of the motors, each commutation circuit responsive to a modulated signal corresponding to each motor;
a processor configured to receive a control signal from an external controller and operable to produce a modulated signal corresponding to each motor responsive to the control signal, wherein the processor is further operable to receive an ECU control signal from the external controller, the external controller comprising an engine control unit of a motor vehicle, and wherein the processor is operable to produce the modulated signal corresponding to each motor responsive to the ECU control signal; and
a signal bus connecting said processor to said commutation circuit for each of the motors, said signal bus operable to transmit the modulated signal to each corresponding motor. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system comprising:
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first and second fans driven by first and second electronically commutated motors, respectively, a commutation circuit for providing commutated power to each of the motors, each commutation circuit responsive to a modulated signal corresponding to each motor;
a processor configured to receive a control signal from an external controller and operable to produce a modulated signal corresponding to each motor responsive to the control signal;
a signal bus connecting said processor to said commutation circuit for each of the motors, said signal bus operable to transmit the modulated signal to each corresponding motor; and
a single wiring harness, the single wiring harness enclosing at least in part a first and second power supply wires and a control signal wire. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification