IP Library Patent Application 12100836
Patent Application
App. No. 12/100,836

WEIGHTED FIELD ORIENTED MOTOR CONTROL FOR A VEHICLE

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/100,836
Abstract

A system for transitioned field oriented motor control is described. The system may include a module using a current-based algorithm to estimate flux and a module using a voltage-based algorithm to estimate flux. A weighting module operates over a transition range to transition between the flux estimate using the current-based algorithm to the flux estimate using the voltage-based algorithm based on a weighted combination of the flux estimates. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims (32)

1 . An apparatus for controlling an induction motor comprising:

a low speed module using a first algorithm to estimate flux;

a high speed module using a second algorithm to estimate flux; and

a weighting module to transition over a transition range from using the low speed module to using the high speed module by providing a flux estimate based on a weighted combination of a flux estimate from the first algorithm and a flux estimate from the second algorithm.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a speed measurement module to measure rotor speed of the induction motor.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the transition range is determined based on rotations per minute (RPM) of the rotor of the induction motor.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first algorithm estimates flux using current and rotor speed, and the second algorithm estimates flux using voltage and current.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the weighted combination of the flux estimate from the first algorithm and the flux estimate from the second algorithm is a weighted vector.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transition range is based on at least one of stability and accuracy thresholds.

7 . A method for controlling torque output of an induction motor comprising:

using a first algorithm to determine a first estimated flux value;

using a second algorithm to determine a second estimated flux value;

calculating a weighted flux estimate based on a combination of the first estimated flux value and the second estimated flux value; and

generating a voltage command using the weighted flux estimate to produce a torque output in the induction motor.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the torque output is substantially proportional to the product of a torque producing current and the weighted flux estimate.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the weighted flux estimate is based substantially on the first estimated flux value at low motor speeds.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the weighted flux estimate is based substantially on the second estimated flux value at high motor speeds.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the weighted flux estimate is based on a variably weighted combination of the estimated flux using the current-based algorithm and the estimated flux using the voltage-based algorithm during a motor speed transition range between low motor speeds and high motor speeds.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the variably weighted combination of the estimated flux using the current-based algorithm and the estimated flux using the voltage-based algorithm is based on a linear weighting function during the motor speed transition range between low motor speeds and high motor speeds.

13 . A vehicle including an electric drive comprising:

an electrically powered motor;

a controller to control the motor in response to a torque command;

a first module within the controller to determine a low motor speed flux estimate;

a second module within the controller to determine a high motor speed flux estimate; and

a third module within the controller to use the low motor speed flux estimate and the high motor speed flux estimate to estimate flux through the motor for motor speeds in a transition range between low motor speeds and high motor speeds.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising a speed module to determine motor speeds.

15 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the third module uses a weighted sum of the low motor speed flux estimate and the high motor speed flux estimate to estimate flux through the motor.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the weighted sum is based on a linear weighting.

17 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the transition range includes substantially all speeds.

18 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first module uses a current-based algorithm.

19 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the second module uses a voltage-based algorithm.

20 . The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising control modules within the controller in communication with the third module to send commands to the electrically powered motor based on the estimated flux through the motor during a transition range between low motor speeds and high motor speeds.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 20, 2010
From: TESLA MOTORS, INC.
To: MIDLAND LOAN SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 023820/0536 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2008
From: BAGLINO, ANDREW DAVID; NERGAARD, TROY ADAM; HOFMANN, HEATH
To: TESLA MOTORS, INC.
Reel/Frame 020932/0169 →