Component position determination circuit using a brushless DC motor commutation sensor
First Claim
1. A position determination circuit for determining a position of a component driven by a brushless DC motor, the circuit comprising:
- a commutation sensor configured to sense a rotational position of the brushless DC motor and operable to supply a rotational position signal representative thereof;
a pulse generator coupled to receive the rotational position signal and operable to generate a pulse each time the rotational position signal represents a complete revolution of the brushless DC motor; and
an integrator circuit coupled to receive (i) an enable signal and (ii) each pulse generated by the pulse generator, the integrator circuit operable, upon receipt of both the enable signal and each pulse, to selectively supply a position signal having a voltage magnitude representative of the position of the component.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A position determination circuit uses the commutation sensor of a brushless DC motor to determine the position of an actuator and/or actuated component 125. The commutation sensor supplies a rotational position signal representative of the rotational position of the motor to a pulse generator. The pulse generator generates a pulse each time the rotational position signal represents a complete revolution of the brushless DC motor. The generated pulses are supplied to an integrator circuit, which selectively supplies a position signal having a voltage magnitude representative of the position of the actuator and/or component.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A position determination circuit for determining a position of a component driven by a brushless DC motor, the circuit comprising:
-
a commutation sensor configured to sense a rotational position of the brushless DC motor and operable to supply a rotational position signal representative thereof; a pulse generator coupled to receive the rotational position signal and operable to generate a pulse each time the rotational position signal represents a complete revolution of the brushless DC motor; and an integrator circuit coupled to receive (i) an enable signal and (ii) each pulse generated by the pulse generator, the integrator circuit operable, upon receipt of both the enable signal and each pulse, to selectively supply a position signal having a voltage magnitude representative of the position of the component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. An actuation control system, comprising:
-
a motor control circuit configured to receive position command signals and operable, upon receipt thereof, to supply DC excitation signals; a brushless DC motor coupled to receive the DC excitation signals and operable, upon receipt thereof, to rotate and supply a drive force; an actuator coupled to receive the drive force and operable, upon receipt thereof, to move to an actuator position; a commutation sensor configured to sense rotational position of the brushless DC motor and operable to supply a rotational position signal representative thereof; a pulse generator coupled to receive the rotational position signal and operable to generate a pulse each time the rotational position signal represents a complete revolution of the brushless DC motor; and an integrator circuit coupled to receive (i) an enable signal and (ii) each pulse generated by the pulse generator, the integrator circuit operable, upon receipt of both the enable signal and each pulse, to selectively supply a position signal having a voltage magnitude representative of the actuator position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A position determination circuit for determining a position of a component driven by a brushless DC motor, the circuit comprising:
-
a commutation sensor configured to sense a rotational position of the brushless DC motor and operable to supply a rotational position signal representative thereof; a processor including a counter and a pulse generator, the processor coupled to receive the rotational position signal and operable, upon receipt thereof, to (i) command the counter to count a number of complete revolutions of the brushless DC motor and (ii) command the pulse generator to generate a pulse each time the brushless DC motor makes a complete revolution; and an integrator circuit coupled to receive each pulse generated by the pulse generator and operable, upon receipt thereof, to supply an analog position signal having a voltage magnitude representative of the position of the component. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification