Method and Apparatus for Controlling A Plurality of Motors

• US 20090189550A1
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Electric International AG (Johnson Electric Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Electric SA 125 Rue de Progres La Chaux de Fonds Switzerland (Johnson Electric Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: SUN, Chiping, XUE, Yanhong
• Granted Patent: US 8,378,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/51
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/0075 Electrical details, e.g. drive or control circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 5/68 controlling two or more dc dynamo-electric motors H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence

Abstract

Apparatus, having multiple motor modules, has an MCU module. Each motor module has an electronically controlled motor. The MCU module has an MCU and an interface for connecting to a bus from a CPU. In use the MCU module receives control signals from the CPU and in turn instructs a selected one of the motors to operate.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

an MCU module having an MCU and an interface for connecting to a bus from a CPU; and

a plurality of motor modules, each motor module having an electronically controlled motor and an Identifier;

wherein the motor modules are electrically connected to the MCU module, and the MCU module receives control signals from the CPU and in turn instructs a selected one of the motor modules to operate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MCU module is connected to the motor modules by a bus.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the bus carries high voltage AC signals for driving the selected motor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MCU module further comprises a power switch circuit which provides power signals for operating the motors.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MCU determines which motor to select in response to a command from the CPU based on information provided by the Identifier.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor module further comprises a feedback sensor for giving information to the MCU about a condition of the motor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronically controlled motors are piezoelectric motors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the MCU module is connected to the motor modules by low voltage signal wires.

9. A method of controlling multiple electronically controlled motors, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting a MCU to a bus from a CPU;

connecting the MCU to the plurality of motors;

using the MCU to select which motor to operate and in which direction based on the signals received by the MCU from the CPU.

10. The method of claim 9, including the steps of providing each of the motors as part of a motor module and connecting each motor to the MCU via an Identifier located in the motor module.

11. The method of claim 9, including the steps of providing a power switch circuit in each motor module to drive the respective motor.

12. The method of claim 9, including the steps of providing a power switch circuit in the MCU module and sharing the output from the power switch circuit with the motor modules.

13. A method of controlling multiple electronically controlled motors, the method comprising the steps of:

using a single MCU to interface between the multiple motors and a CPU.

14. The method of claim 13, including the step of providing a single power switch circuit to selectively operate each of the motors and using the MCU to select which motor is to be operated based on instructions from the CPU.

15. The method of claim 13, including the steps of providing feedback sensors associated with each motor and passing signals from the feedback sensor to the MCU to determine when to deselect the selected motor.