System and method for controlling power balance in an electrical/mechanical system

1. A method of controlling an actuator having a stator, a shaft with a plurality of magnets, wherein the stator and the shaft move relative to each other at an interface between the stator and the shaft so that the plurality of magnets provide a first magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface, at least one coil defined on the stator with respect to the interface so that an electric current applied to the at least one coil provides a second magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface responsively to variations in the electric current, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by a controller a first input comprising a first signal indicating a request for a force to be output by the actuator;

(b) receiving by the controller a second input comprising a second signal indicating a request to dissipate electrical power in the actuator;

(c) in response to the first input, controlling the second magnetic flux so that the second magnetic flux has a predetermined phase with respect to the first magnetic flux;

(d) in response to the second input, and variably with respect to the first input, controlling the second magnetic flux so that the phase of the second magnetic flux with respect to the first magnetic flux shifts from the predetermined phase, and the magnitude of the second magnetic flux is controlled in order to substantially maintain the requested force output of the actuator.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the second signal carries information indicating the presence of a regeneration event.

3. The method as in claim 2 comprising the steps:

wherein step (b) comprises the steps:

(e) determining a power dissipated in the at least one coil,

(f) determining a mechanical power at the shaft,

(g) based on the dissipated power determined at step (e) and the mechanical power determined at step (f), determine a power on a bus between the power source and the at least one coil,

(h) comparing the bus power determined at step (g) to a predetermined criteria indicating presence of regeneration electric current to the power source to generate the information indicating the presence of the regeneration event, and;

wherein step (d) comprises shifting, a phase of the electric current on the at least one coil to introduce a d-axis component to the electric current on the at least one coil.

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the second input comprises a signal indicating a request for dissipation of heat in the at least one coil.

5. A method of controlling an actuator having a stator, a shaft with a plurality of magnets, wherein the stator and the shaft move relative to each other at an interface between the stator and the shaft, so that the plurality of magnets provide a first magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface, at least one coil disposed on the stator with respect to the interface so that an electric current applied on the at least one coil provides a second magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface responsively to variations in the electric current, and a power source having a voltage, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) applying the voltage across the at least one coil at a variable level;

(b) determining a relative position between the stator and the shaft;

(c) receiving by a controller a first input comprising a first signal indicating a request for a force to be output by the actuator;

(d) receiving by the controller a second input comprising a second signal indicating a request to dissipate electrical power in the actuator;

(e) controlling the variable level responsively to the relative position and the first signal to provide a q-axis component of the electric current on the at least one coil to vary the second magnetic flux; and

(f) controlling the variable level responsively to the second signal to provide a d-axis component of the electric current on the at least one coil to vary the second magnetic flux, to dissipate electrical power in the actuator while substantially maintaining the requested force output of the actuator.

6. The method as in claim 5 , wherein the second signal carries information indicating the presence of a regeneration event.

7. The method as in claim 6 comprising the steps:

wherein step (d) comprises the steps:

(g) determining a power dissipated in the at least one coil,

(h) determining a mechanical power at the shaft,

(i) based on the dissipated power determined at step (g) and the mechanical power determined at step (h), determine a power on a bus between the power source and the at least one coil,

(j) comparing the bus power determined at step (i) to a predetermined criteria indicating presence of regeneration electric current to the power source to generate the information indicating the presence of the regeneration event.

8. The method as in claim 5 , wherein the second input comprises a signal indicating a request for dissipation of heat in the at least one coil.

9. The method as in claim 8 , comprising the step of storing a predetermined phase shift corresponding to a predetermined said d-axis component, and wherein step (f) comprises shifting, in response to receipt of the second signal, a phase of electric current on the at least one coil by the predetermined phase shift to introduce the predetermined d-axis component.

10. A plant in a vehicle and control system for actively suspending the plant in the vehicle, comprising:

a plant that varies in position with respect to the vehicle in response to a force determined by the control system;

an electrically commutated actuator comprising

a stator,

a shaft with a plurality of magnets, the stator and the shaft move relative to each other at an interface between the stator and the shaft,

wherein the plurality of magnets are disposed with respect to the interface so that the plurality of magnets provide a first magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface, and

at least one coil disposed on the stator with respect to the interface so that an electric current on the at least one coil provides a second magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface responsively to variations in the electric current,

wherein the shaft is in mechanical communication with the plant so that force is applied to the plant via the shaft;

a power source having a voltage;

a variable amplifier disposed electrically between the power source and the at least one coil, so that the amplifier applies the voltage across the at least one coil at a variable level;

a sensor disposed with respect to at least one of the stator and the shaft so that the sensor detects a relative position between the stator and the shaft, wherein the sensor outputs a signal corresponding to the relative position; and

a control circuit that

receives a first input comprising a first signal indicating a request for a force to be output by the actuator,

receives a second input comprising a second signal indicating a request to dissipate electrical power in the actuator,

receives the signal from the sensor,

controls the variable amplifier so that the variable level varies responsively to the relative position and the first signal to provide a q-axis component of the electric current on the at least one coil, and

controls the variable amplifier so that the variable level varies responsively to the second signal to provide a d-axis component of the electric current on the at least one coil.

11. The plant and control system as in claim 10 , comprising a user-activatable switch that outputs a signal that comprises the second input and that indicates a request for dissipation of heat in the at least one coil.

12. The plant and control system as in claim 11 , wherein the control circuit stores a predetermined phase shift corresponding to a predetermined d-axis component, and wherein the control circuit shifts, in response to receipt of the second signal, a phase of electric current on the at least one coil by the predetermined phase shift to introduce the predetermined d-axis component.

13. The plant and control system as in claim 10 , comprising a sensor that detects environment temperature and when the detected environment temperature being below a predetermined value to output a signal that comprises the second input and that indicates a request for dissipation of heat in the at least one coil.

14. The plant and control system as in claim 10 , comprising three said at least one coils arranged in a three-phase configuration.

15. The plant and control system as in claim 10 , wherein the control circuit defines a maximum total current in the at least one coil, and wherein when an aggregate of the q-axis component and d-axis component exceeds the maximum total current, the control circuit reduces the d-axis component so that the aggregate does not exceed the maximum total current.

16. The plant and control system as in claim 10 , wherein the second signal comprises information indicating the presence of a regeneration event.

17. The plant and control system as in claim 10 , wherein

the control circuit comprises a processor configured to

determine a power dissipated in the at least one coil,

determine a mechanical power at the shaft,

based on the dissipated power and the mechanical power, determine a power on a bus between the battery and the at least one coil to generate an indicating signal, and

wherein the control circuit is configured to shift, when the indicating signal corresponding to the comparison indicates a regeneration electric current, a phase of electric current on the at least one coil to introduce the d-axis component.

18. An electrically commutated actuator and control system, comprising:

a stator;

a shaft that is movable with respect to the stator at an interface between the stator and the shaft;

a plurality of magnets movable with the shaft, wherein the plurality of magnets are disposed with respect to the interface so that the plurality of magnets provide a first magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface;

at least one coil disposed on the stator with respect to the interface so that an electric current on the at least one coil provides a second magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface responsively to variations in the electric current;

a variable amplifier that applies a varying electric current on the at least one coil that comprises a q-axis component and a d-axis component; and

a control circuit that defines the q-axis component in response to a first input comprising a first signal indicating a request for a force to be output by the actuator, and defines the d-axis component in response to a second input comprising a second signal indicating a request to dissipate electrical power in the actuator, variably with respect to the q-axis component, wherein the varying electric current is controlled in order to substantially maintain the requested force output of the actuator.

19. A plant in a vehicle and control system for actively suspending the plant in the vehicle, comprising:

a plant that varies in position with respect to the vehicle in response to a force determined by the control system;

an electrically commutated actuator comprising

a stator,

a shaft with a plurality of magnets, the stator and the shaft move relative to each other at an interface between the stator and the shaft,

wherein the plurality of magnets are disposed with respect to the interface so that the plurality of magnets provide a first magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface, and

at least one coil disposed on the stator with respect to the interface so that an electric current on the at least one coil provides a second magnetic flux that varies in magnitude and direction along the interface responsively to variations in the electric current;

wherein the shaft is in mechanical communication with the plant so that force is applied via the shaft;

a variable amplifier that applies a varying electric current on the at least one coil that comprises a q-axis component and a d-axis component; and

a control circuit that defines the q-axis component in response to a first input comprising a first signal indicating a request for a force to be output by the actuator, and defines the d-axis component in response to a second input comprising a second signal indicating a request to dissipate electrical power in the actuator, variably with respect to the q-axis component.