Overmodulation systems and methods for induction motor control

1. A method for controlling an induction motor, the method comprising:

detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor;

disabling an overmodulation operation state of the motor before the field weakening operation state is detected; and

enabling the overmodulation operation state of the motor after the field weakening operation state is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to a predetermined fraction of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to ½of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to ¼of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to 1/n 2 of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value, wherein n is an integer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the motor is a field-oriented induction motor.

7. A system for controlling an induction motor, the system comprising:

means for detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor;

means for disabling an overmodulation operation state of the motor until the field weakening operation state is detected; and

means for enabling the overmodulation operation state of the motor after the field weakening operation state is detected.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises means for detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to a predetermined fraction of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises means for detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to {fraction (1/2 )}of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises means for detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to ¼of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the means for detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor comprises means for detecting when a flux current in the motor is reduced to 1/n 2 of a normal, non-voltage limited flux current value, where n is an integer.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the motor is a field-oriented induction motor.

13. A computer-readable medium storing instructions for causing a controller to control an induction motor, by:

detecting a field weakening operation state of the motor, wherein the field weakening operation state is detected when a flux current, I d , in the motor is reduced to a predetermined sub-multiple of its normal, non-voltage limited value;

disabling an overmodulation operation state of the motor before the field weakening operation state is detected; and

enabling the overmodulation operation state of the motor after the field weakening operation state is detected.

14. A system for controlling an induction motor, the system comprising:

at least one sensor to detect at least one operating condition of the motor;

a controller coupled to the at least one sensor to receive at least one signal corresponding to the at least one operating condition of the motor detected by the at least one sensor, and programmed to:

detect a field weakening operation state of the motor, wherein the field weakening operation state is detected when a flux current, I d , in the motor is reduced to a predetermined fraction of its normal, non-voltage limited value;

disable an overmodulation operation state of the motor before the field weakening operation state is detected; and

enable the overmodulation operation state of the motor after the field weakening operation state is detected.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising:

a memory coupled to the controller, the memory storing an algorithm for execution by the controller.