Method of controlling an electric propulsion system

• US 9,026,274 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Hartman, Jonathan, Lauder, Timothy Fred, Halstead, Russell L., Winslow, Christopher L., Hardy, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Application Number:
  US13/600,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/15, 701/100, 244/5, 244/6, 244/17.11, 244/26, 244/52, 244/55, 244/56
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/02 Initiating means
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/06 for regulating or controlling an individual dc dynamo-electric motor by varying field or armature current

Abstract

An apparatus is described comprising: at least one processor; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: regulate an operation of a motor based at least in part on a control imposed on an output torque of the motor and a rate of change of a speed of the motor.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least two switches;

at least one processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

regulate an operation of a motor based at least in part on a control imposed on an output torque of the motor and a rate of change of a speed of the motor, wherein the control is a function of a position of each of the least two switches;

the at least two switches including a first switch configured to provide a first position in which the motor is disengaged from a drive system, a second position in which a manual mode of operation id provided, and a third position is which an automatic mode of operation is provided;

the at least two switches include a second switch configured to select an idle mode of operation wherein a threshold is associated with a corresponding first maximum value for the speed of the motor and a fly mode of operation wherein the threshold is associated with a corresponding second maximum value for speed of the motor, the second maximum value being greater than the first maximum value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

limit a rate of change of the output torque of the motor based on the control.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is associated with the operation of an aircraft, and wherein a value for the control is a function of whether the aircraft is in a system start phase, a ground check phase, and a flight phase.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least two switches includes a third switch configured to provide a first position that commands the speed of the motor to increase subject to the control, a second position that commands the speed of the motor to remain the same, and a third position that commands the speed of the motor to decrease subject to the control.

5. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

regulate an operation of a motor based at least in part on a control imposed on an output torque of the motor and a rate of change of a speed of the motor;

wherein the apparatus is associated with the operation of an aircraft, and wherein a value for the control is a function of whether the aircraft is in a system start phase, a ground check phase, and a flight phase;

wherein the ground check phase comprises an idle mode wherein a threshold is associated with a corresponding first maximum value for the speed of the motor and a fly mode wherein the threshold is associated with a corresponding second maximum value for the speed of the motor.

6. A system comprising:

a motor;

at least two switches; and

a controller configured to regulate operation of the motor in accordance with a control imposed on an output torque of the motor and a rate of change of a speed of the motor based at least in part on a determined position of each of the at least two switches;

the at east two switches including a first switch configured to provide a first position in which the motor is disengaged from a drive system, a second position in which a manual mode, of operation is provided, and a third position in which an automatic mode of operation is provided;

the at least two switches include a second switch configured to select an idle mode of operation wherein a threshold is associated with a corresponding first maximum value for the speed of the motor and a fly mode of operation wherein the threshold is associated with a corresponding second maximum value for the speed of the motor, the second maximum value being greater than the first maximum value.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the at least two switches includes a third switch configured to provide a first position that commands the speed of the motor to increase subject to the control, a second position that commands the speed of the motor to remain the same, and a third position that commands the speed of the motor to decrease subject to the control.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to determine an actual speed of the motor and to regulate the motor such that the actual speed of the motor converges to the commanded speed of the motor.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to limit a rate of change of the output torque of the motor.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the control imposed on the rate of change of the speed of the motor and the rate of change of the output torque of the motor is removed when the switch is in a position associated with an automatic mode of operation and when the speed of the motor is greater than a predetermined value.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to regulate operation of the motor in accordance with a second control associated with the rate of change of the speed of the motor when the switch is in the position associated with an automatic mode of operation and when the speed of the motor is greater than a predetermined value.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the control comprises a specification of at least one of a minimum speed of the motor and a maximum speed of the motor.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is implemented using analog hardware.

14. A method comprising:

regulating an operation of a motor based at least in part on a control imposed on an output torque of the motor and a speed of the motor;

wherein the motor is associated with an aircraft, and wherein the regulation of the motor is based on whether the aircraft is operating in a system start phase, a ground check phase, or a flight phase;

wherein the ground check phase comprises a first mode wherein a speed of the motor is established in response to a user input, and wherein the ground check phase comprises a second mode wherein the speed of the motor is established in accordance with a predetermined value associated with flight of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

based at least in part on determining that a speed of the motor is greater than a predetermined value, removing the control, and applying a second control to at least one of the output torque of the motor, the speed of the motor, a rate of change of the output torque of the motor, and a rate of change of the speed of the motor.