IP Library Granted Patent US 7,839,104
Granted Patent B2
US 7,839,104 · App. 12/252,289 · Granted Nov 23, 2010

Motor drive circuit, fan motor, electronic device, and notebook personal computer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,839,104
App. No.
12/252,289
Granted
Nov 23, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A motor drive circuit includes: a pulse generation circuit configured to generate a pulse signal whose duty ratio of one logic level is increased as a drive voltage is increased in accordance with a target rotation speed of a motor; and a drive control circuit that configured to drive the motor with the drive voltage using a duty ratio higher than the duty ratio of the pulse signal when the motor starts rotating from the stopped state, and configured to drive the motor with the drive voltage during a period when the pulse signal is at the one logic level after the motor starts rotating, based on a rotation signal corresponding to the rotation of the motor.

Claims (73)

1. A motor drive circuit comprising:

a pulse generation circuit that receives a variable drive voltage and generates a pulse width modulation signal having a first duty ratio, wherein the first duty ratio is increased as the drive voltage is increased; and

a drive control circuit configured

to supply to a motor coil a drive current at a second duty ratio higher than the first duty ratio when a rotation detection signal indicates the motor is starting from a stopped state, and

to supply to the motor coil the drive current according to the drive voltage modulated by the pulse width modulation signal when the rotation detection signal indicates the motor has started rotating.

2. The motor drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein the drive control circuit includes:

a rotation detection circuit configured to output the rotation detection signal.

3. The motor drive circuit of claim 2 , wherein the second duty ratio is 100%.

4. The motor drive circuit of claim 2 , wherein

the rotation detection circuit indicates the motor has started rotating after the motor rotates a predetermined number of revolutions from the stopped state.

5. The motor drive circuit of claim 4 , wherein

the rotation detection circuit comprises a counter to count a number of revolutions of the motor based on a signal indicating a motor rotational position,

the counter is reset when the motor is in the stopped state, and

the rotation detection signal is output when a count value of the counter is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

6. The motor drive circuit of claim 5 , wherein

the rotation detection circuit further comprises:

a comparator to convert a sinusoidal signal indicating a motor rotational position into a square wave signal, and

an edge detector to output clock pulses corresponding to rising and falling edges of the square wave signal,

wherein the counter counts the clock pulses.

7. The motor drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second duty ratio is 100%.

8. A fan motor comprising:

a fan;

a motor configured to drive the fan; and

a motor drive circuit configured to drive the motor,

the motor drive circuit including:

a pulse generation circuit that receives a variable drive voltage and generates a pulse width modulation signal having a first duty ratio, wherein the first duty ratio is increased as the drive voltage is increased; and

a drive control circuit configured

to supply to a motor coil a drive current at a second duty ratio higher than the first duty ratio when a rotation detection signal indicates the motor is starting from a stopped state, and

to supply to the motor coil the drive current according to the drive voltage modulated by the pulse width modulation signal when the rotation detection signal indicates the motor has started rotating.

9. An electronic device comprising:

a fan;

a motor configured to drive the fan;

a motor drive circuit configured to drive the motor; and

an apparatus to be cooled by the fan,

the motor drive circuit including:

a pulse generation circuit that receives a variable drive voltage and generates a pulse width modulation signal having a first duty ratio, wherein the first duty ratio is increased as the drive voltage is increased; and

a drive control circuit configured

to supply to a motor coil a drive current at a second duty ratio higher than the first duty ratio when a rotation detection signal indicates the motor is starting from a stopped state, and

to supply to the motor coil the drive current according to the drive voltage modulated by the pulse width modulation signal when the rotation detection signal indicates the motor has started rotating.

10. A notebook personal computer comprising:

a fan;

a motor configured to drive the fan;

a motor drive circuit configured to drive the motor; and

a processor to be cooled by the fan,

the motor drive circuit including:

a pulse generation circuit that receives a variable drive voltage and generates a pulse width modulation signal having a first duty ratio, wherein the first duty ratio is increased as the drive voltage is increased; and

a drive control circuit configured

to supply to a motor coil a drive current at a second duty ratio higher than the first duty ratio when a rotation detection signal indicates the motor is starting from a stopped state, and

to supply to the motor coil the drive current according to the drive voltage modulated by the pulse width modulation signal when the rotation detection signal indicates the motor has started rotating.

11. A motor drive circuit that receives a variable drive voltage, comprising:

a pulse generation circuit to generate a pulse width modulation signal whose duty ratio is increased as the drive voltage is increased;

a rotation detection circuit to output a rotation detection signal indicating whether or not the motor has started rotating from a stopped state;

a logic circuit to logically sum the pulse width modulation signal and the rotation detection signal to output a drive signal; and

a control circuit to drive the motor with the drive voltage modulated by the drive signal, whereby

the control circuit drives the motor with the drive voltage at 100% duty ratio when the motor starts rotating from the stopped state, and

the control circuit drives the motor with the drive voltage at the duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal after the motor starts rotating.

12. The motor drive circuit of claim 11 , wherein

the rotation detection circuit outputs the rotation detection signal indicating the motor has started rotating from a stopped state after the motor rotates a predetermined number of revolutions from the stopped state.

13. The motor drive circuit of claim 12 , wherein

the rotation detection circuit comprises a counter to count a number of revolutions of the motor based on a signal indicating a motor rotational position,

the counter is reset when the motor is in the stopped state, and

the rotation detection circuit outputs the rotation detection signal indicating the motor has started rotating from a stopped state when a count value of the counter is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

14. The motor drive circuit of claim 13 , wherein

the rotation detection circuit further comprises:

a comparator to convert a sinusoidal signal indicating a motor rotational position into a square wave signal, and

an edge detector to output clock pulses corresponding to rising and falling edges of the square wave signal,

wherein the counter counts the clock pulses.

15. A motor drive circuit that receives a variable drive voltage and a rotation detection signal indicating whether or not a motor has started rotating from a stopped state, the motor drive circuit comprising:

a pulse generation circuit to generate a pulse width modulation signal whose duty ratio is increased as the drive voltage is increased;

a logic circuit to logically sum the pulse width modulation signal and the rotation detection signal to output a drive signal; and

a control circuit to drive the motor with the drive voltage modulated by the drive signal, wherein

the control circuit drives the motor with the drive voltage at 100% duty ratio when the rotation detection signal indicates the motor is starting from a stopped state, and

the control circuit drives the motor with the drive voltage at the duty ratio of the pulse width modulation signal when the rotation detection signal indicates the motor has started rotating.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 038620, FRAME 0087 Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064070/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER 5859768 AND TO RECITE COLLATERAL AGENT ROLE OF RECEIVING PARTY IN THE SECURITY INTEREST PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038620 FRAME 0087. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 25, 2016
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 039853/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2016
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
Reel/Frame 038620/0087 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 033813 FRAME: 0420. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 21, 2015
From: SYSTEM SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 034816/0510 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2014
From: SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD
To: SYSTEM SOLUTIONS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034537/0044 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2014
From: SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 033813/0420 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT #12/577882 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 026594 FRAME 0385. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 6, 2014
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 032836/0342 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2011
From: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 026594/0385 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2009
From: IMAI, TOSHIYUKI; YOSHITOMI, TETSUYA; NOIE, JOJI
To: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.; SANYO SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 022171/0855 →