IP Library Granted Patent US 12,470,165
Granted Patent B2
US 12,470,165 · App. 18/526,838 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for detecting unbalance phase and phase loss fault for motor control

Inventors: Yan Zhang (Shanghai, CN); Chengpan Cai (Shenzhen, CN); Dino Costanzo (Catania, IT); Yanjie Sun (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
H02P29/0243H02P21/0003H02P21/09H02P21/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,470,165
App. No.
18/526,838
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various examples in accordance with the present disclosure provide systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer program products associated with detecting phase fault in a motor, such as unbalance phase and phase loss fault.

Claims (55)

1 . A computer-implemented method for detecting phase fault in a motor comprising a stator and a rotor, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by one or more processors and based on stator energization vector, a peak phase channel associated with a first sector of a plurality of sectors within which the rotor is located;

determining, by the one or more processors, a first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector, wherein the first peak phase channel current sum value comprises a sum value of consecutive numbers of peak current values associated with the peak phase channel;

determining, by the one or more processors, a degree of unbalance associated with the first sector based on comparing the first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector with a second peak phase channel current sum value associated with a second sector of the plurality of sectors, wherein the first sector comprises a current sector and the second sector comprises a previous sector determined based on a direction of rotation of the rotor;

comparing, by the one or more processors, the degree of unbalance with a degree of unbalance threshold to determine whether the degree of unbalance satisfies the degree of unbalance threshold; and

updating, by the one or more processors, a phase unbalance occurrence count for the motor based on comparison of the degree of unbalance with the degree of unbalance threshold.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the degree of unbalance associated with the first sector comprises:

determining, by the one or more processors, a difference measure for the first sector based on the first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector and the second peak phase channel current sum value associated with the second sector of the plurality of sectors; and

performing a normalization operation on the difference measure to determine the degree of unbalance.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies a predetermined threshold; and

initiating the performance of one or more protection actions in response to determining that the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies the predetermined threshold.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining that the motor is associated with an unbalance phase and/or phase loss fault in response to determining that the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies the predetermined threshold.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises a three-phase motor.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the first sector based on stator energization angle.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the first peak phase channel current sum value in a storage location for comparison with a third peak phase channel current sum value associated with a subsequent sector.

8 . An apparatus for detecting phase fault in a motor comprising a stator and a rotor, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory comprising program code stored thereon, wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

determine based on stator energization vector, a peak phase channel associated with a first sector of a plurality of sectors within which the rotor is located;

determine a first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector, wherein the first peak phase channel current sum value comprises a sum value of consecutive numbers of peak current values associated with the peak phase channel;

determine a degree of unbalance associated with the first sector based on comparing the first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector with a second peak phase channel current sum value associated with a second sector of the plurality of sectors, wherein the first sector comprises a current sector and the second sector comprises a previous sector determined based on a direction of rotation of the rotor;

compare the degree of unbalance with a degree of unbalance threshold to determine whether the degree of unbalance satisfies the degree of unbalance threshold; and

update a phase unbalance occurrence count for the motor based on comparison of the degree of unbalance with the degree of unbalance threshold.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the degree of unbalance associated with the first sector by:

determining a difference measure for the first sector based on the first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector and the second peak phase channel current sum value associated with the second sector of the plurality of sectors; and

performing a normalization operation on the difference measure to determine the degree of unbalance.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to at least:

determine whether the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies a predetermined threshold; and

initiate the performance of one or more protection actions in response to determining that the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies the predetermined threshold.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to at least:

determine that the motor is associated with an unbalance phase and/or phase loss fault in response to determining that the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies the predetermined threshold.

12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the motor comprises a three-phase motor.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to at least:

determine the first sector based on stator energization angle.

14 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one non-transitory memory and the program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to at least:

storing the first peak phase channel current sum value in a storage location for comparison with a third peak phase channel current sum value associated with a subsequent sector.

15 . A computer program product for detecting phase fault in a motor comprising a stator and a rotor, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising an executable portion configured to:

determine based on stator energization vector, a peak phase channel associated with a first sector of a plurality of sectors within which the rotor is located;

determine a first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector, wherein the first peak phase channel current sum value comprises a sum value of consecutive numbers of peak current values associated with the peak phase channel;

determine a degree of unbalance associated with the first sector based on comparing the first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector with a second peak phase channel current sum value associated with a second sector of the plurality of sectors, wherein the first sector comprises a current sector and the second sector comprises a previous sector determined based on a direction of rotation of the rotor;

compare the degree of unbalance with a degree of unbalance threshold to determine whether the degree of unbalance satisfies the degree of unbalance threshold; and

update a phase unbalance occurrence count for the motor based on comparison of the degree of unbalance with the degree of unbalance threshold.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the executable portion is further configured to determine the degree of unbalance associated with the first sector by:

determining a difference measure for the first sector based on the first peak phase channel current sum value for the first sector and the second peak phase channel current sum value associated with the second sector of the plurality of sectors; and

performing a normalization operation on the difference measure to determine the degree of unbalance.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the executable portion is further configured to:

determine whether the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies a predetermined threshold; and

initiate the performance of one or more protection actions in response to determining that the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies the predetermined threshold.

18 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the executable portion is further configured to:

determine that the motor is associated with an unbalance phase and/or phase loss fault in response to determining that the phase unbalance occurrence count satisfies the predetermined threshold.

19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the motor comprises a three-phase motor.

20 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the executable portion is further configured to:

determine the first sector based on stator energization angle.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2024
From: STMICROELECTRONICS (SHENZHEN) R&D CO., LTD.
To: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
Reel/Frame 068025/0573 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2024
From: STMICROELECTRONICS (CHINA) INVESTMENT CO., LTD.
To: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
Reel/Frame 068025/0557 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2023
From: CAI, CHENGPAN; COSTANZO, DINO
To: STMICROELECTRONICS (SHENZHEN) R&D CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065737/0825 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2023
From: ZHANG, YAN; SUN, YANJIE
To: STMICROELECTRONICS (CHINA) INVESTMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065737/0897 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250183836A1 · Jun 5, 2025
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