Method and controller for an electric motor with fault detection
US8872455B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 22, 2012 |
| Grant date | Oct 28, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 2, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02M7/53873
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
For each phase of a controller, semiconductor switches comprise a high side switch and a low side switch. A direct current voltage bus provides electrical energy to the semiconductor switches. A measuring circuit is adapted to measure the collector-emitter voltage or drain-source voltage for each semiconductor switch of the controller. A data processor determines that a short circuit in a particular semiconductor switch is present if the measured collector-emitter voltage or measured source-drain voltage for the particular semiconductor switch is lower than a minimum threshold and if an observed current associated with the particular semiconductor switch has an opposite polarity from a normal operational polarity. A driver simultaneously activates counterpart switches of like direct current input polarity that are coupled to other phase windings of the electric motor, other than the particular semiconductor switch, to protect the electric motor from potential damage associated with asymmetric current flow.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.