POWERTRAIN WITH AC BRUSHLESS STARTER AND SENSOR/SENSORLESS CONTROL METHOD
First Claim
1. An electric starter system for use with an internal combustion engine and an alternating current (AC) voltage bus, the electric starter system comprising:
- a brushless starter motor electrically connected to the AC voltage bus and selectively connectable to the engine in response to a requested engine start event, the brushless starter motor having a rotor with a rotor position;
a position sensor positioned with respect to the rotor that is configured to generate measured position signals indicative of the rotor position; and
a controller in communication with the position sensor and programmed with sensorless logic configured to generate an estimated rotor position;
wherein the controller is configured, below a threshold speed of the brushless starter motor, to;
calibrate the sensorless logic using the measured position signals; and
control a torque operation of the starter motor during the requested engine start event using the measured position signals; and
wherein the controller is configured to control the torque operation of the brushless starter motor above the threshold speed solely using the estimated rotor position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electric starter system includes a brushless alternating current (AC) starter motor selectively coupled to an engine and having a rotor with a rotor position. A position sensor generates measured position signals indicative of rotor position. A controller is in communication with the sensor. The controller has sensorless logic, e.g., a BEMF, inductance, or high-frequency signal injection method, for generating an estimated rotor position. The controller executes a method in which, below a threshold speed of the starter motor, the controller calibrates the sensorless logic using the measured position signals and controls a torque operation of the starter motor using the measured position signals. Above the threshold speed, the torque operation is controlled solely using the estimated rotor position. A powertrain includes the engine, a transmission, a drive shaft, and a load, along with the electric starter system.
5 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electric starter system for use with an internal combustion engine and an alternating current (AC) voltage bus, the electric starter system comprising:
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a brushless starter motor electrically connected to the AC voltage bus and selectively connectable to the engine in response to a requested engine start event, the brushless starter motor having a rotor with a rotor position; a position sensor positioned with respect to the rotor that is configured to generate measured position signals indicative of the rotor position; and a controller in communication with the position sensor and programmed with sensorless logic configured to generate an estimated rotor position; wherein the controller is configured, below a threshold speed of the brushless starter motor, to; calibrate the sensorless logic using the measured position signals; and control a torque operation of the starter motor during the requested engine start event using the measured position signals; and wherein the controller is configured to control the torque operation of the brushless starter motor above the threshold speed solely using the estimated rotor position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A hybrid sensor/sensorless control method for use with a system having an alternating current (AC) brushless starter motor selectively connectable to an internal combustion engine, the brushless starter motor having a rotor with a rotor position, a position sensor positioned with respect to the rotor, and a controller in communication with the position sensor, the method comprising:
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below a threshold speed of the starter motor; generating measured angular position signals using the position sensor, the measured angular position signals being indicative of the rotor position of the brushless starter motor; calibrating sensorless logic of the controller using the measured angular position signals; and controlling a torque operation the brushless starter motor below the threshold speed using the measured angular position signals; and above the threshold speed; generating an estimated rotor position using the sensorless logic; and controlling the torque operation of the brushless starter motor solely using the estimated rotor position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A powertrain comprising:
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an internal combustion engine; a transmission connected to the engine; a drive axle connected to the transmission; a load connected to the drive axle; and an electric starter system comprising; a brushless starter motor electrically connected to an alternating current (AC) voltage bus, the brushless starter motor being selectively connectable to the engine in response to a requested engine start event, the brushless starter motor having a rotor with a rotor position; a position sensor positioned with respect to the rotor that is configured to generate measured position signals indicative of the rotor position; and a controller in communication with the position sensor and programmed with sensorless logic configured to generate an estimated rotor position; wherein the controller is configured, below a threshold speed of the brushless starter motor, to; calibrate the sensorless logic using the measured position signals; and control a torque operation of the brushless starter motor during the requested engine start event using the measured position signals; and wherein the controller is configured to control the torque operation of the brushless starter motor above the threshold speed solely using the estimated rotor position. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification