Apparatus for detecting the position of a rotor of an electric motor and related method
US8970150B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 23, 2011 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02P2203/11
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus detects the position of a rotor of an electric motor having three phases and a plurality of windings. The apparatus includes circuitry configured to connect at least two of said windings between first and second reference voltages according to a first current path disconnect said at least two windings, and allow the current stored in said two windings to be discharged through a second current path. The apparatus comprises a measuring circuit configured to measure the time period between the starting instant of storing the current in the two windings and the final instant of discharging the two windings and a rotor detector configured to detect the rotor position based at least in part on the measured time period.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.