Method and apparatus for adaptive motor speed control

1. A method for controlling a motor, comprising:

controlling the motor in response to a first adaptive control method during a first phase of motor operation, wherein said first phase is an acceleration phase;

controlling the motor in response to a second adaptive control method during a second phase of motor operation, wherein the second adaptive control method comprises a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) method, and wherein the second phase is a constant-speed phase and occurs after the first phase;

detecting when the motor reaches a target speed during the first phase; and

controlling the motor in response to the first adaptive control method during a deceleration phase of motor operation occurring after the second phase;

wherein controlling the motor in response to the first and second adaptive control methods comprises measuring a motor speed, determining a control value using the motor speed and providing an input signal to the motor based on the control value, wherein determining the control value using the motor speed in the first phase comprises obtaining the control value from a look-up table.

2. The method claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

storing a steady-state value produced by the PID method in the constant-speed phase, the steady-state value remaining stored while the motor operates during the subsequent deceleration phase and a subsequent acceleration phase; and

initializing a value in the PID method to the stored steady-state value when the motor returns to the constant-speed phase.

3. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the look-up table is empirically established from measurements of motor speed in response to motor input power.

4. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the control value is obtained from a first look-up table when the motor is controlled during the acceleration phase; and

the control value is obtained from a second look-up table when the motor is controlled during the deceleration phase.

5. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the control value using the motor speed in at least one of the first and second phases comprises obtaining the control value from control logic.

6. A method for controlling a motor comprising:

controlling the motor in response to a first adaptive control method during a first phase of motor operation; and

controlling the motor in response to a second adaptive control method during a second phase of motor operation;

wherein controlling the motor in response to the first and second adaptive control methods comprises measuring a motor speed, determining a control value using the motor speed and providing an input signal to the motor based on the control value, wherein determining the control value using the motor speed in at least one of the first and second phases comprises obtaining the control value from control logic, wherein the control logic comprises a look-up table, and

wherein the look-up table relates motor speed to motor input power, the motor is of a type wherein its speed is responsive to its input power, and the control value is indicative of motor input power.

7. The method claimed in claim 6 , wherein the look-up table is empirically established from measurements of motor speed in response to motor input power.

8. A method for controlling a motor of a type wherein motor speed is responsive to input power, comprising:

controlling the motor during an acceleration phase of motor operation by the steps of:

measuring motor speed,

obtaining from a first look-up table a control value in response to the measured motor speed, and

providing an input signal to the motor in response to the control value, wherein the control value is indicative of motor input power;

detecting when the motor reaches a target speed during the acceleration phase; and

controlling the motor in response to a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) method during a constant-speed phase of motor operation beginning when the motor reaches the target speed, wherein the PID method is tuned to optimize constant-speed operation; and

controlling the motor during a deceleration phase of motor operation occurring after the constant-speed phase by:

measuring motor speed,

obtaining from a second look-up table a control value in response to the measured motor speed, and

providing an input signal to the motor in response to the control value, wherein the control value is indicative of motor input power.

9. A system for controlling a motor, comprising:

a motor speed sensor for measuring motor speed;

a motor power system; and

a processing system programmed or adapted to adaptively control the motor during an acceleration phase of motor operation by measuring motor speed, obtaining from a first look-up table a control value in response to the measured motor speed, and causing the motor power system to provide an input signal to the motor in response to the control value, wherein the control value is indicative of motor input power, the processing system further programmed or adapted to adaptively control the motor by detecting when the motor reaches a target speed during the acceleration phase and controlling the motor during a constant-speed phase of motor operation beginning when the motor reaches the target speed, the processing system further programmed or adapted to adaptively control the motor during a deceleration phase of motor operation occurring after the constant-speed phase by measuring motor speed, obtaining from a second look-up table a control value in response to the measured motor speed, and causing the motor power system to provide an input signal to the motor in response to the control value, wherein the control value is indicative of motor input power.

10. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the control value using the motor speed during the second phase comprises performing a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) method.