Position encoder with fault indicator
US5723858A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 24, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 24, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02P25/0925
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A failure detector for a position encoder which uses a plurality of position sensors. The failure detector receives position signals from the plurality of position sensors. The position signals represent the rotor position for a switched reluctance machine, and the position signals have allowable states and allowable output state sequences that occur if the position encoder is operating properly. If one or more of the plurality of sensors fail or the rotating element of the position encoder is damaged, an illegal state occurs in the position signals from the position sensors. The failure detector produces a failure signal upon the occurrence of an illegal state. In addition, the failure detector monitors the sequence of the output states and generates a failure when the output states change in a sequence that is not one of the allowed sequences. The machine controller can respond to the failure signal to stop machine operation or trigger an alternate positioning scheme.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.