Low Speed and High Speed Controller Architecture for Electric Motors

摘要

A motor controller architecture and method of operating the same. The motor controller includes a function for estimating the low speed operation of the motor, for example by evaluating the response to a periodic excitation signal injected into the control loop of the controller architecture. A periodic excitation signal in the form of a square wave allows for analysis of the response of the motor without requiring demodulation, which allows the frequency of the excitation signal to be above the audible range. Control logic for controlling the motor at transitional speeds between low speed control and high speed (back emf) control is provided in some embodiments.

主权项

1. A controller for a rotating AC electric machine, comprising:
drive circuitry, for driving a multiphase electric machine responsive to at least one control signal; feedback circuitry for producing feedback signals responsive to electrical values received from at least one sensor at the machine; a control loop, for producing the at least one control signal to the drive circuitry responsive to the feedback signals; and a low speed state estimator, having inputs coupled to receive the feedback signals, for injecting at least one excitation signal into the control loop, and for estimating a velocity of the machine from a response of the machine to the excitation signal and communicating a control signal corresponding to the estimated velocity to the control loop.