IP Library Granted Patent US 7,746,013
Granted Patent B2
US 7,746,013 · App. 11/921,891 · Granted Jun 29, 2010

Method and device for controlling a brushless direct-current motor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,746,013
App. No.
11/921,891
Granted
Jun 29, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Presented in an apparatus for controlling a brushless DC motor with a permanent magnet arranged on a rotor and a stator with windings. The apparatus includes an observer that is adapted to determine an estimated temperature of the permanent magnet as a function of the temperature of the windings, and determine at least one actuating signal for controlling the DC motor as a function of the estimated temperature of the permanent magnet.

Claims (13)

1. An apparatus for controlling a brushless DC motor with a permanent magnet arranged on a rotor and a stator with windings, the apparatus comprising:

a winding temperature unit determining a temperature of the windings;

a first observer adapted to determine an estimated temperature of the permanent magnet as a function of the determined temperature of the windings, and determine at least one actuating signal for controlling the DC motor as a function of the estimated temperature of the permanent magnet; and

a second observer adapted to determine an estimated start temperature of the permanent magnet when the DC motor is switched on as a function of a time period since the last time the DC motor was switched off.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the observer comprises a PT 1 element.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein at least one parameter of the PT 1 element is dependent on at least one load variable of the DC motor.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one load variable is the rotation speed or the current through the windings.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the winding temperature unit determines the temperature of the windings as a function of the current through the windings.

6. A method for controlling a brushless DC motor with a permanent magnet arranged on a rotor and a stator with windings, the method comprising:

determining a temperature of the windings;

determining, by an observer, an estimated temperature of the permanent magnet as a function of the temperature of the windings;

determining at least one actuating signal for controlling the DC motor as a function of the estimated temperature of the permanent magnet; and

determining by a second observer an estimated start temperature of the permanent magnet when the DC motor is switched on as a function of a time period since the last time the DC motor was switched off.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2025
From: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
Reel/Frame 070441/0899 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 24, 2011
From: VDO AUTOMOTIVE AG
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 026009/0802 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 23, 2011
From: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE AG
To: VDO AUTOMOTIVE AG
Reel/Frame 026008/0555 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 8, 2008
From: FERNENGEL, MATHIAS; GROSSMANN, REINER; SADER, FRANK
To: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE AG
Reel/Frame 020546/0276 →