IP Library Granted Patent US 10,516,356
Granted Patent B2
US 10,516,356 · App. 16/139,155 · Granted Dec 24, 2019

Stepper trajectory driver with numerical controlled oscillators operated at frequency provided by a synchronized clock signal

Inventor: Keith Curtis (Gilbert, AZ)
Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
H02P8/14G05B19/40H02P8/34H02P8/40G05B2219/41272G05B2219/41326G05B2219/42181G05B2219/43083
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,516,356
App. No.
16/139,155
Granted
Dec 24, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A stepper control circuit includes numerical controlled oscillators configured to provide step signals for multiple axes of stepper motor movement. The numerical controlled oscillators are configured to be operated at a same frequency provided by a synchronized clock signal.

Claims (24)

1. A stepper motor control circuit comprising:

a first numerical controlled oscillator configured to provide step signals for a first axis of stepper motor movement; and

a second numerical controlled oscillator configured to provide step signals for a second axis of stepper motor movement;

wherein the first and second numerical controlled oscillators are configured to be operated at a same frequency provided by a synchronized clock signal and generate step signals of different frequencies from one another.

2. The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a first counter configured to receive control signals for the first axis of stepper motor movement and a second counter configured to receive control signals for the second axis of stepper motor movement.

3. The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to set the same frequency of the first and second numerical controlled oscillators.

4. The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to set a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first constant value configured to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.

5. The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to set a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first numerical controlled oscillator configured to repeatedly add the first constant value to a counter to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.

6. The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to set a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first numerical controlled oscillator configured to repeatedly add the first constant value to a counter and generate a motor pulse upon an overflow of the counter to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.

7. The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a prescaler oscillator configured to accelerate movement of a motor by increasing frequency of operation of the first and second numerical controlled oscillators simultaneously.

8. The stepper motor control circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a third numerical controlled oscillator configured to provide step signals for a third axis of stepper motor movement, wherein the first, second, and third numerical controlled oscillators are configured to be operated at the same frequency.

9. A method for controlling a stepper motor, comprising:

providing step signals for a first axis of stepper motor movement by a first numerical controlled oscillator; and

providing step signals for a second axis of stepper motor movement by a second numerical controlled oscillator;

wherein:

control of the first and second numerical controlled oscillators is performed at a same frequency by a synchronized clock signal; and

the step signals provided to the first axis and the second axis are of a different frequency compared to each other.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving control signals for the first axis of stepper motor movement and control signals for the second axis of stepper motor movement into respective counters.

11. The method of claim 9 , further setting the same frequency of the first and second numerical controlled oscillators.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising setting a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first constant value configured to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising setting a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first numerical controlled oscillator configured to repeatedly add the first constant value to a counter to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising setting a first constant value of the first numerical controlled oscillator, the first numerical controlled oscillator configured to repeatedly add the first constant value to a counter and generate a motor pulse upon an overflow of the counter to set a rate of pulse generation of the first numerical controlled oscillator.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising accelerating movement of a motor by increasing frequency of operation of the first and second numerical controlled oscillators simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing step signals for a third axis of stepper motor movement by a third numerical controlled oscillator, wherein the first, second, and third numerical controlled oscillators are operated at the same frequency.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059263/0001 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052856/0909 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2018
From: CURTIS, KEITH
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 046947/0094 →