Motor control for stability and power supply protection
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a motor comprising windings;
a switch bridge comprising a plurality of switches configured to couple a power source to the windings;
a motor controller configured to control the plurality of switches and a duty cycle, wherein a number of the plurality of switches in the switch bridge is closed during the duty cycle to provide a current between the power source and the windings in response to a commanded current;
an undesired condition identifier configured to identify an undesired condition in the apparatus when the motor is providing power to the power source, wherein the undesired condition is defined with respect to a characteristic of the power source, and wherein the undesired condition is identified when the commanded current is greater than a current limit for the power source; and
an undesired condition reducer configured to reduce the undesired condition in response to identifying the undesired condition in the apparatus by the undesired condition identifier, wherein the undesired condition reducer is configured to set the commanded current based on the current limit for the power source when the undesired condition is identified when the commanded current is greater than the current limit for the power source.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling a motor. The motor comprises windings. A switch bridge comprising a plurality of switches is configured to couple a power source to the windings. A motor controller is configured to control the plurality of switches. An undesired condition identifier is configured to identify an undesired condition when the motor is providing power to the power source, wherein the undesired condition is defined with respect to a characteristic of the power source. An undesired condition reducer is configured to reduce the undesired condition in response to identifying the undesired condition by the undesired condition identifier.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a motor comprising windings; a switch bridge comprising a plurality of switches configured to couple a power source to the windings; a motor controller configured to control the plurality of switches and a duty cycle, wherein a number of the plurality of switches in the switch bridge is closed during the duty cycle to provide a current between the power source and the windings in response to a commanded current; an undesired condition identifier configured to identify an undesired condition in the apparatus when the motor is providing power to the power source, wherein the undesired condition is defined with respect to a characteristic of the power source, and wherein the undesired condition is identified when the commanded current is greater than a current limit for the power source; and an undesired condition reducer configured to reduce the undesired condition in response to identifying the undesired condition in the apparatus by the undesired condition identifier, wherein the undesired condition reducer is configured to set the commanded current based on the current limit for the power source when the undesired condition is identified when the commanded current is greater than the current limit for the power source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling a motor comprising:
controlling a plurality of switches in a switch bridge to couple a battery to windings of the motor, wherein a duty cycle during which a number of the plurality of switches are closed to provide a current between the battery and the windings is limited such that the current between the battery and the windings does not exceed a variable current limit for the battery, wherein a value for the variable current limit is selected based on feedback from a cell balancer circuit for the battery. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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a motor comprising windings; a switch bridge comprising a plurality of switches configured to couple the windings to a battery having a variable current limit, wherein a value for the variable current limit is selected based on feedback from a cell balancer circuit for the battery; a motor controller configured to limit a current between the battery and the windings during a duty cycle by controlling the plurality of switches such a number of the plurality of switches are closed to provide a current between the battery and the windings that does not exceed the value for the variable current limit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling a motor comprising:
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controlling a plurality of switches in a switch bridge according to a duty cycle, wherein a number of the plurality of switches in the switch bridge is closed during the duty cycle to provide a current between a power source and windings of the motor in response to a commanded current; identifying an undesired condition when the motor is providing power to the power source, wherein the undesired condition is defined with respect to a characteristic of the power source, wherein the undesired condition comprises a condition when the commanded current is greater than a current limit for the power source; and in response to identifying the undesired condition comprising the commanded current being greater than a current limit for the power source, setting the commanded current based on the current limit for the power source to reduce the undesired condition. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification