U.S. patent application number 11/851773 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-24 for motor driving apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Shinichi KUROSHIMA, Hideaki MORI.
Application Number | 20080018274 11/851773 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35374573 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080018274 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MORI; Hideaki ; et
al. |
January 24, 2008 |
Motor Driving Apparatus
Abstract
A motor having plural-phase windings and a rotor includes a
position detector, a state determining device, an activation
controlling device, and a switching controlling device. The
position detecting device detects the position of the rotor
according to a comparison signal obtained by comparing terminal
voltages of the windings in a non-activation phase with a center
tap voltage of a common potential of the plural-phase windings and
outputting a position detection signal. The state determining
device detects the state of the rotor and outputs the result
obtained by comparing the position detection signal with a
predetermined value. The activation controlling device performs
activation control of the windings by setting a leading phase of an
activation control signal with respect to the position detection
signal when the state determining device outputs a first output
signal, and performs activation control of the windings by
canceling the leading phase of an activation control signal with
respect to the position detection signal when the state determining
device outputs a second output signal. The switching controlling
device outputs a drive signal for performing high-frequency
switching control according to a command signal to the activation
controlling device.
Inventors: |
MORI; Hideaki;
(Nishinomiya-shi, JP) ; KUROSHIMA; Shinichi;
(Ibaraki-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD L.L.P.
ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
2005 MARKET STREET, SUITE 2200
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,
Ltd.
1006, Oaza Kadoma Osaka
Kadoma-Shi
JP
571-8501
|
Family ID: |
35374573 |
Appl. No.: |
11/851773 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11123509 |
May 6, 2005 |
7274161 |
|
|
11851773 |
Sep 7, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
318/268 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02P 6/20 20130101; H02P
2209/07 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
318/268 |
International
Class: |
H02P 7/00 20060101
H02P007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 18, 2004 |
JP |
2004-147226 |
Claims
1. A motor having plural-phase windings and a rotor, the motor
comprising: a position detecting means for detecting position of
said rotor according to a comparison signal obtained by comparing
terminal voltages of said windings in a non-activation phase with a
center tap voltage of a common potential of said plural-phase
windings and outputting a position detection signal; a state
determining means for detecting the state of said rotor, and
outputting the result obtained by comparing the position detection
signal with a predetermined value; an activation controlling means
for performing activation control of said windings by setting a
leading phase of an activation control signal with respect to said
position detection signal when said state determining means outputs
a first output signal, and performing activation control of said
windings by canceling leading the leading phase of an activation
control signal with respect to said position detection signal when
said state determining means outputs a second output signal; and a
switching controlling means for outputting a drive signal for
performing high-frequency switching control according to a command
signal to said activation controlling means.
2. The motor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said state
determining means determines whether or not a rotor rotating speed
obtained on the basis of said position detection signal exceeds a
predetermined value.
3. The motor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said state
determining means determines whether or not an electrical cycle of
said activation control signal is output a predetermined number of
time or more.
4. The motor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said activation
controlling means cancels the leading phase linearly or gradually
according to an output of said state determining means.
5. The motor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said activation
controlling means set a second leading phase smaller than the
leading phase of said activation control signal with respect to
said position detection signal when said state determining means
outputs the first output signal, and the leading phase is canceled
when said state determining means outputs the second output signal,
and activation control in the second leading phase is
performed.
6. The motor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said switching
controlling means performs slope control and the waveform of a
driving current flowing to said plural-phase windings forms a
trapezoidal wave, the trapezoidal wave having a slope control angle
at a rising side of a slope and a slope control angle at a falling
side of a slope.
7. The motor in accordance with claim 6, wherein said activation
controlling means sets the leading phase by controlling the slope
control angles of substantially trapezoidal waveform of a current
flowing to said plural-phase windings at rising and falling sides
of a slope, respectively, when said state determining means outputs
the first output signal.
8. The motor in accordance with claim 6, wherein said activation
controlling means sets leading phase by reducing a slope control
angle of a substantially trapezoidal waveform of a current flowing
to said plural-phase windings when said state determining means
outputs the first output signal.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/123,509, filed May 6, 2005, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a motor driving apparatus which
detects zero-crossing of back electromotive forces generated in a
non-activation phase (open phase) in windings to perform position
sensorless PWM driving of the motor, in particular, a starting
control method in the motor driving apparatus.
[0003] In recent years, a brushless motor has been generally
employed to drive a recording medium such as a hard disk and an
optical disk, or a fan, a compressor and the like in air
conditioning equipment. For a wide range of variable speed control
or reduction in electricity consumption, such brushless motor is
driven by PWM operation by using an inverter device. In the
brushless motor having three-phase windings, to detect position of
a magnetic pole of the rotor, position sensors such as Hall devices
are generally arranged every 120 degrees of electrical angle. In
opposition to the brushless motor having such position sensors, for
the purpose of reducing costs and size, there is a demand for a
brushless motor without position sensor and various sensorless
driving techniques have been developed. Means of realizing
sensorless driving include a method of performing 120-degree
activation in electrical angle and detecting zero-crossing of the
back electromotive forces generated in the non-activation phase
(open phase). 120-degree activation means that the width of
activation has an electrical angle of 120 degrees.
[0004] FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing a conventional motor
driving apparatus which performs sensorless driving. In FIG. 22, a
motor 10 is comprised of a rotor having a field part formed of a
permanent magnet (not shown) and a stator in which three-phase
windings 11, 12 and 13 are Y-connected. An outputting part 120 is
disposed between a power supply 1 and the ground (GND) and bridge
configuration is achieved by three high-side power transistors and
three low-side power transistors to supply electric power to the
three-phase windings 11, 12 and 13. By comparing three-phase
terminal voltages Vu, Vv, and Vw with a center tap voltage Vc, a
position detector 130 detects the position of the rotor and outputs
position detection signals UN, VN and WN to an activation
controller 140 comprised of a CPU. The activation controller 140
outputs high-side activation control signals UU, VU and WU and
low-side activation control signals UL, VL, and WL for controlling
each power transistor of the outputting part 120 according to the
position detection signals UN, VN and WN and performs activation
timing control of the three-phase windings 11, 12 and 13.
Sensorless driving of the motor 10 is performed by the motor
driving apparatus thus configured.
[0005] FIG. 23 is a timing chart showing operation of each part of
the motor driving apparatus having the configuration as shown in
FIG. 22. In FIG. 23, waveforms Eu, Ev and Ew are waveforms of the
three-phase back electromotive forces and waveforms UN, VN and WN
represent the position detection signals. The position detection
signals UN, VN and WN are results obtained by comparing the
three-phase terminal voltages Vu, Vv, and Vw with the center tap
voltage Vc, respectively, each having an edge at zero-crossing
points of the waveforms of the three-phase back electromotive
forces Eu, Ev and Ew, respectively. Waveforms UU and UL are the
high-side control signal and the low-side control signal of the
U-phase upper and lower power transistors in the outputting part
120. A waveform Iu is a drive current flowing to the U-phase
winding.
[0006] The activation controller 140 measures rotor rotating speed
from rotor position detected by the position detection signals UN,
VN and WN and rate of change in speed and calculates a delay time
corresponding to an electrical angle of 30 degrees. Activation
control is performed at the timing according to this delay time to
output the high-side activation control signals UU, VU and WU and
the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL. By
controlling activation timing in this manner, the conventional
motor driving apparatus performs motor driving control.
[0007] The motor driving apparatus which calculates the delay time
corresponding to an electrical angle of 30 degrees on the basis of
the position detection signals UN, VN and WN and performs
activation control at the timing according to the calculated delay
time as described above is disclosed in, for example, an Official
Gazette of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2778816.
[0008] FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing a configuration of
another conventional motor driving apparatus. The activation
controller 140 formed of a CPU comprises a controller 140A and an
operating part 140B. Outputs of the controller 140A and the
operating part 140B are switched by a switch of a switching part
150 and sent to the outputting part 120 as activation control
signals. The outputting part 120 supplies electric power to the
motor 10 according to the activation control signals. The position
detector 130 detects a rotor position and outputs the position
detection signals indicating the rotor position to the operating
part 140B. The outputs of the controller 140A and the operating
part 140B are input also to a comparing circuit 160, and a phase
difference between both signals is detected and output to the
controller 140A and the switching part 150.
[0009] Operation of the motor driving apparatus thus constituted
shown in FIG. 24 will be briefly described.
[0010] The controller 140A outputs a synchronization signal for
performing synchronous operation, and accordingly the motor 10 is
started to perform synchronous operation. When the rotor starts
rotating, the position detector 130 detects rotor position by back
electromotive forces and the operating part 140B outputs the
activation control signal according to the position detection
signals. The comparing circuit 160 detects a phase difference
between the synchronization signal of the controller 140A and the
activation control signal of the operating part 140B, and when the
phase difference falls within a predetermined value, the switch of
the switching part 150 is switched from a terminal 150A to a
terminal 150B. That is, synchronous operation is switched to
position detection driving. A phase difference detection signal is
fed back to the controller 140A and the synchronization signal of
the controller 140A is corrected so that phase difference may fall
within the predetermined value in the comparing circuit 160.
[0011] As described above, the conventional motor driving apparatus
in which the phase difference between the synchronization signal
and the activation control signal according to the position
detection signal is detected, and at the time when the phase
difference falls within the predetermined value, synchronous
operation is switched to position detection driving, is disclosed
in, for example, the Official Gazette of Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. Hei 7-87783.
[0012] In the conventional motor driving apparatus thus configured,
sensorless driving is performed by generating the activation
control signals on the basis of the position detection signals
using back electromotive forces. In such a method, when the rotor
rotating speed is slow, for example, at starting, the position
detection signals include many detection errors since back
electromotive forces is small, etc. That is, since displacement in
the detected phase arises with respect to the real phase which
should be detected, there is a problem that a starting failure such
as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse rotation may be
caused depending on the initial rotor position, or even if the
rotor rotates in the normal direction, sufficient starting torque
cannot be obtained, thereby making starting time longer. Especially
in driving of the motor for information equipment such as an
optical disk, reduction in starting time has been strongly desired
and stable sensorless starting in sensorless driving is an absolute
requirement.
[0013] To solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention
intends to provide a motor driving apparatus which can carry out
stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting failure such as
oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse rotation and shorten
starting time.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a first aspect
of the present invention has a motor having plural-phase windings
and a rotor;
[0015] a position detecting means for detecting position of the
above-mentioned rotor according to a comparison signal obtained by
comparing terminal voltages of the above-mentioned windings in a
non-activation phase (open phase) with a center tap voltage of a
common potential of the above-mentioned plural-phase windings and
outputting a position detection signal;
[0016] an activation controlling means for performing activation
control of the above-mentioned windings by setting leading phase of
a leading phase activation control signal with respect to the
above-mentioned position detection signal at starting and
performing activation control of the above-mentioned windings
according to the above-mentioned position detection signal in
normal times; and
[0017] a switching controlling means for outputting a drive signal
(PWM signal) for performing high-frequency switching control
according to a command signal to the above-mentioned activation
controlling means. In the motor driving apparatus of the present
invention thus configured, it becomes possible to improve starting
torque and shorten starting time.
[0018] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a second aspect
of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the first aspect, a predetermined cycle OFF
means for providing activation of the above-mentioned plural-phase
windings with a predetermined cycle OFF period is further provided,
and the above-mentioned position detecting means performs position
detection in the above-mentioned predetermined cycle OFF period.
With such configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting without any
starting failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and
reverse rotation becomes possible.
[0019] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a third aspect
of the present invention may be configured so that the
above-mentioned position detecting means in the configuration from
the first aspect generates a reversal comparison signal obtained by
reversing the above-mentioned comparison signal and performs
position detection according to the above-mentioned reversal
comparison signal in a ON period of high-frequency switching
control. With such configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting
without any starting failure such as oscillation, loss of
synchronism and reverse rotation becomes possible. Further, since
predetermined cycle OFF is not applied, it becomes possible to
improve starting torque and shorten starting time.
[0020] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a fourth aspect
of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the first aspect, a state determining means for
determining rotation state of the above-mentioned rotor is further
provided, and the above-mentioned activation controlling means
cancels leading phase according to an output of the above-mentioned
state determining means. With such configuration, stable PWM
sensorless starting without any starting failure such as
oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse rotation becomes
possible, and after cancellation of leading phase, PWM sensorless
driving in the optimum phase in terms of efficiency can be
performed.
[0021] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a fifth aspect
of the invention may be configured so that, in the configuration
from the second aspect, a state determining means for determining
rotation state of the above-mentioned rotor is further provided,
the above-mentioned activation controlling means cancels leading
phase according to an output of the above-mentioned determining
means and stops a predetermined cycle OFF operation of said
predetermined cycle OFF means, and the above-mentioned position
detecting means performs position detection in an ON period or OFF
period of high-frequency switching control. With such
configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting
failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation becomes possible, and after cancellation of leading phase,
PWM sensorless driving in the optimum phase in terms of efficiency
can be performed. Moreover, since predetermined cycle OFF is not
applied, starting torque can be improved, thereby shortening
starting time.
[0022] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a sixth aspect
of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the third aspect, a state determining means for
determining rotation state of the above-mentioned rotor is further
provided, the above-mentioned activation controlling means cancels
leading phase according to an output of the above-mentioned
determining means, and the above-mentioned position detecting means
performs position detection according to the above-mentioned
comparison signal. With such configuration, stable PWM sensorless
starting without any starting failure such as oscillation, loss of
synchronism and reverse rotation becomes possible, and after
cancellation of leading phase, PWM sensorless driving in the
optimum phase in terms of efficiency can be performed.
[0023] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a seventh
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the fourth to sixth aspects, said state
determining means determines whether or not the above-mentioned
rotor rotating speed obtained on the basis of the above-mentioned
position detection signal exceeds a predetermined value. With such
configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting
failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation becomes possible, and after cancellation of leading phase,
PWM sensorless driving in the optimum phase in terms of efficiency
can be performed.
[0024] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with an eighth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the fourth to sixth aspects, the
above-mentioned state determining means determines whether or not
electrical cycle of the above-mentioned activation control signal
is output a predetermined number of times or more. With such
configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting
failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation becomes possible, and after cancellation of leading phase,
PWM sensorless driving in the optimum phase in terms of efficiency
can be performed.
[0025] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a ninth aspect
of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the fourth to sixth aspects, the
above-mentioned activation controlling means cancels leading phase
linearly or gradually according to an output of the above-mentioned
state determining means.
[0026] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a tenth aspect
of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the fourth to sixth aspects, the
above-mentioned activation controlling means sets a second leading
phase smaller than the leading phase of the above-mentioned
activation control signal with respect to the above-mentioned
position detection signal at starting, and after cancellation of
leading phase according to the output of the state determining
means, activation control in the second leading phase is
performed.
[0027] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with an eleventh
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the first aspect, the above-mentioned switching
controlling means performs slope control so as to form the waveform
of a drive current flowing to the above-mentioned plural-phase
windings like a substantially trapezoidal wave. With such
configuration, since waveform of the drive current is formed like a
trapezoidal wave, stable PWM sensorless starting without any
starting failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and
reverse rotation, in which vibration and acoustic noise due to the
waveform of the drive current can be reduced, becomes possible.
[0028] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a twelfth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the eleventh aspect, said activation controlling
means sets leading phase by controlling the slope control angles of
substantially trapezoidal waveform of a current flowing to the
above-mentioned plural-phase windings at rising and falling sides
of a slope, respectively, at starting.
[0029] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a thirteenth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the eleventh aspect, said activation controlling
means sets leading phase by controlling the slope control angle of
substantially trapezoidal waveform of a current flowing to the
above-mentioned plural-phase windings smaller at starting. With
such configuration, since further leading phase activation control
can be performed while maintaining trapezoidal waveform of the
drive current, starting torque can be improved, thereby shortening
starting time.
[0030] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a fourteenth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the thirteenth aspect, a predetermined cycle OFF
means for providing activation of the above-mentioned plural-phase
windings with a predetermined cycle OFF period is further provided,
and the above-mentioned position detecting means performs position
detection in the above-mentioned predetermined cycle OFF period.
With such configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting without any
starting failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and
reverse rotation becomes possible.
[0031] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a fifteenth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that the
above-mentioned position detecting means in the configuration from
the thirteenth aspect generates a reversal comparison signal
obtained by reversing the above-mentioned comparison signal and
performs position detection according to the above-mentioned
reversal comparison signal in a ON period of high-frequency
switching control. With such configuration, stable PWM sensorless
starting without any starting failure such as oscillation, loss of
synchronism and reverse rotation becomes possible. Further, since
predetermined cycle OFF is not applied, it becomes possible to
improve starting torque and shorten starting time.
[0032] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a sixteenth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the thirteenth aspect, a state determining means
for determining rotation state of the above-mentioned rotor is
further provided, and the above-mentioned activation controlling
means cancels leading phase according to an output of the
above-mentioned state determining means. With such configuration,
stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting failure such as
oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse rotation becomes
possible, and after cancellation of leading phase, PWM sensorless
driving in the optimum phase in terms of efficiency can be
performed.
[0033] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a seventeenth
aspect of the invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the fourteenth aspect, a state determining means
for determining rotation state of the above-mentioned rotor is
further provided, the above-mentioned activation controlling means
cancels leading phase according to an output of the above-mentioned
determining means and stops a predetermined cycle OFF operation of
said predetermined cycle OFF means, and the above-mentioned
position detecting means performs position detection in an ON
period or OFF period of high-frequency switching control. With such
configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting
failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation becomes possible, and after cancellation of leading phase,
PWM sensorless driving in the optimum phase in terms of efficiency
can be performed. Moreover, since predetermined cycle OFF is not
applied, starting torque can be improved, thereby shortening
starting time.
[0034] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with an eighteenth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from the fifteenth aspect, a state determining means
for determining rotation state of the above-mentioned rotor is
further provided, the above-mentioned activation controlling means
cancels leading phase according to an output of the above-mentioned
determining means, and the above-mentioned position detecting means
performs position detection according to the above-mentioned
comparison signal. With such configuration, stable PWM sensorless
starting without any starting failure such as oscillation, loss of
synchronism and reverse rotation becomes possible, and after
cancellation of leading phase, PWM sensorless driving in the
optimum phase in terms of efficiency can be performed.
[0035] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a nineteenth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the sixteenth to eighteenth aspects, said
state determining means determines whether or not the
above-mentioned rotor rotating speed obtained on the basis of the
above-mentioned position detection signal exceeds a predetermined
value. With such configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting
without any starting failure such as oscillation, loss of
synchronism and reverse rotation becomes possible, and after
cancellation of leading phase, PWM sensorless driving in the
optimum phase in terms of efficiency can be performed.
[0036] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a twentieth
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the sixteenth to eighteenth aspects, the
above-mentioned state determining means determines whether or not
electrical cycle of the above-mentioned activation control signal
is output a predetermined number of times or more. With such
configuration, stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting
failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation becomes possible, and after cancellation of leading phase,
PWM sensorless driving in the optimum phase in terms of efficiency
can be performed.
[0037] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a twenty-first
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the sixteenth to eighteenth aspects, the
above-mentioned activation controlling means cancels leading phase
linearly or gradually according to an output of the above-mentioned
state determining means.
[0038] A motor driving apparatus in accordance with a twenty-second
aspect of the present invention may be configured so that, in the
configuration from one of the sixteenth to eighteenth aspects, the
above-mentioned activation controlling means sets a second leading
phase smaller than the leading phase of the above-mentioned
activation control signal with respect to the above-mentioned
position detection signal at starting, and after cancellation of
leading phase according to the output of the state determining
means, activation control in the second leading phase is
performed.
[0039] The configuration and operation and other configuration and
operation will be described in description of embodiments in
detail.
[0040] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to
provide an excellent motor driving apparatus which can carry out
stable PWM sensorless starting without any starting failure such as
oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse rotation and shorten
starting time.
[0041] While the novel features of the invention are set forth
particularly in the appended claims, the invention, both as to
configuration and content, will be better understood and
appreciated, along with other objects and features thereof, from
the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0042] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a whole configuration of a
motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 1 of the
present invention;
[0043] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of a position detector in the motor driving apparatus of FIG.
1;
[0044] FIG. 3 is a waveform chart showing operation of the position
detector in the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0045] FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing operation of a switching
controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0046] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of an activation controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG.
1;
[0047] FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing operation of the activation
controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 1 in normal
times;
[0048] FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing operation of the activation
controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 1 at the time of
starting;
[0049] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a whole configuration of a
motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2 of the
present invention;
[0050] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of a predetermined cycle OFF circuit in the motor driving apparatus
of FIG. 8;
[0051] FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are timing charts showing operation of
the predetermined cycle OFF circuit in the motor driving apparatus
of FIG. 8;
[0052] FIG. 11 is a starting characteristic diagram in the motor
driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2;
[0053] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a whole configuration of
a motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 3 of the
present invention;
[0054] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of a position detector in the motor driving apparatus of FIG.
12;
[0055] FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B are timing charts showing operation of
a switching controller of FIG. 12;
[0056] FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a whole configuration of
a motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 4 of the
present invention;
[0057] FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of an activation controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG.
15;
[0058] FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing operation of the
activation controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 15 in
normal times;
[0059] FIG. 18 is a timing chart showing operation of the
activation controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 15 at
the time of starting;
[0060] FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a whole configuration of
a motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 5 of the
present invention;
[0061] FIG. 20 is a timing chart showing operation of an activation
controller in the motor driving apparatus of FIG. 19 at the time of
starting;
[0062] FIG. 21 is a starting characteristic diagram in the motor
driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 5;
[0063] FIG. 22 is the block diagram showing the whole configuration
of the conventional motor driving apparatus;
[0064] FIG. 23 is the timing chart showing operation of each part
in the conventional motor driving apparatus of FIG. 22; and
[0065] FIG. 24 is the block diagram showing a whole configuration
of another conventional motor driving apparatus.
[0066] It will be recognized that some or all of the figures are
schematic representations for purposes of illustration and do not
necessarily depict the actual relative sizes or locations of the
elements shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0067] Preferred embodiments of a motor driving apparatus of the
present invention will be described below with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Embodiment 1
[0068] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a motor
driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 1 of the present
invention. A motor 10 to be controlled by the motor driving
apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 1 comprises a rotor (not
shown) having a field part formed of a permanent magnet and a
stator (not shown) in which three-phase windings 11, 12 and 13 are
Y-connected.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 1, the motor driving apparatus has an
outputting part 20, a position detector 30 as a position detecting
means, an activation controller 40 as an activation controlling
means, a current detector 70, a switching controller 80 as a
switching controlling means and a state determining part 90 as a
state determining means.
[0070] The outputting part 20 is disposed between a power supply 1
and the ground (GND) and bridge configuration is achieved by three
high-side power transistors 21, 22, and 23 and three low-side power
transistors 25, 26, and 27. The three-phase windings 11, 12 and 13
each are connected to connecting points of the high-side power
transistors 21, 22 and 23 and the low-side power transistors 25, 26
and 27, respectively. Moreover, high-side power diodes 21d, 22d and
23d are connected in reverse parallel with the high-side power
transistors 21, 22 and 23, respectively, and low-side power diodes
25d, 26d and 27d are connected reversely in parallel with the
low-side power transistors 25, 26 and 27, respectively.
[0071] The outputting part 20 thus configured carries out switching
control (PWM driving) of the power transistors 21, 22 and 23 and
25, 26 and 27 by using high-side activation control signals UU, VU
and WU and low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL from
the activation controller 40, and supplies electric power to the
three-phase windings 11, 12 and 13 of the motor 10. Although this
Embodiment describes the configuration of the outputting part 20 in
which the high-side power transistors 21, 22 and 23 and low-side
power transistors 25, 26, and 27 are formed of N-type field effect
transistors, the high-side power transistors 21, 22 and 23 may be
formed of P-type field effect transistors and the low-side power
transistors 25, 26 and 27 may be formed of N-type field effect
transistors. Alternatively, the high-side power diodes 21d, 22d and
23d and the low-side power diodes 25d, 26d and 27d may be
configured by using a parasitic diode which exists in each power
transistor structurally.
[0072] The position detector 30 compares three-phase terminal
voltages Vu, Vv and Vw with a center tap voltage Vc of the motor 10
and detects zero-crossing of back electromotive forces which appear
in a non-activation phase (open phase) of the three-phase windings.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the
position detector 30 and FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing operation
of the position detector 30. In FIG. 3, waveforms Eu, Ev, and Ew
show the back electromotive force of each phase.
[0073] The position detector 30 includes three comparators 31, 32
and 33 and a noise eliminater 34. The comparators 31, 32 and 33
each compare the three-phase terminal voltages Vu, Vv and Vw,
respectively, with the center tap voltage Vc of the motor 10 and
outputs comparison signals UN, VN and WN to the noise eliminater
34. The comparison signals UN, VN and WN are zero-crossing
detection signals of the back electromotive forces Eu, Ev and Ew
which appear in the non-activation phase (open phase) of the
three-phase windings 11, 12 and 13. The comparison signals UN, VN
and WN are influenced by kickback noise generated at switching of
activation and high-frequency switching noise due to PWM driving is
further superimposed thereon. However, the influence by these
noises is omitted in the waveform chart of FIG. 3.
[0074] The noise eliminater 34 removes the noise superimposed on
the comparison signals UN, VN and WN and outputs a position
detection signal Dt. The influence by the kickback noise generated
at switching of activation is subjected to mask processing by a
detection window signal WIN of the activation controller 40 and the
influence of the high-frequency switching noise due to PWM driving
is subjected to mask processing by a PWMMASK signal of the
switching controller 80.
[0075] As described above, the position detection signal Dt output
following mask processing of the influence due to the noise is a
pulse signal with 60 electrical degrees intervals which
synchronizes with zero-crossing of the back electromotive forces
appearing in the non-activation phase (open phase) of the windings.
The position detection signal Dt thus generated is input to the
activation controller 40 and the state determining part 90.
[0076] The configuration of position detector 30 is not limited to
the configuration shown in FIG. 2, and the center tap voltage Vc
may be generated in false by the three-phase terminal voltages Vu,
Vv and Vw and position detection may be selectively performed by
one comparator.
[0077] The activation controller 40 outputs the high-side
activation control signals UU, VU and WU the low-side activation
control signals UL, VL and WL for performing activation control of
the power transistors 21, 22 and 23 and 25, 26 and 27 of the
outputting part 20 according to the position detection signal Dt of
the position detector 30. Further, the activation controller 40
adjusts activation start timing of the high-side activation control
signals UU, VU and WU and the low-side activation control signals
UL, VL and WL according to a state determination signal SJ sent
from the state determining part 90. A PWM signal sent from the
switching controller 80 is superimposed on the high-side activation
control signals UU, VU and WU or the low-side activation control
signals UL, VL and WL. Detailed operation of the activation
controller 40 will be described later.
[0078] The current detector 70 comprises a current detecting
resistor, for example, and is disposed between the outputting part
20 and the GND to detect a current flowing to the outputting part
20. The current detector 70 outputs detected current detection
signal CS to the switching controller 80. Although Embodiment 1
describes the configuration in which the current detector 70 is
provided between the outputting part 20 and the ground (GND), the
present invention is not limited to such configuration and the
current detector 70 may be provided between the power supply 1 and
the outputting part 20.
[0079] The switching controller 80 outputs the PWM signal according
to the current detection signal CS and a command signal EC to the
activation controller 40 and causes the power transistors 21, 22
and 23 and 25, 26 and 27 of the outputting part 20 to perform
high-frequency switching operation (PWM driving). Further, the
switching controller 80 outputs a PWMMASK signal to the noise
eliminater 34 (FIG. 2) of the position detector 30.
[0080] FIG. 4 is a waveform chart showing operation of the
switching controller 80. In the switching controller 80, the PWM
signal according to the command signal EC which is inputted from
the outside of the apparatus and the current detection signal CS is
generated. There are various methods of generating the PWM signal
and since it is unnecessary to define the method specifically in
the present invention, description thereof is omitted. The PWMMASK
signal is generated so as to has the "L" level only for a
predetermined time Ty starting from ON timing and OFF timing of the
PWM signal. Thus, the influence of the high-frequency switching
noise due to PWM driving is avoided by disregarding output of the
comparators of the position detector 30 during the predetermined
time Ty.
[0081] The state determining part 90 outputs the state
determination signal SJ according to the position detection signal
Dt to the activation controller 40. When the rotor rotating speed
measured by the position detection signal Dt becomes a
predetermined value or more, the state of the state determination
signal SJ changes from the "L" level to the "H" level. The timing
of change in the state of the state determination signal SJ is not
limited to the above-mentioned point and may be a point when in the
detection of it has been determined that the measured rotor
rotating speed becomes a predetermined value or more a
predetermined number of times, or a predetermined number of times
in succession. Alternatively, the timing of change in the state of
the state determination signal SJ may be a point when a pulse of
the position detection signal Dt has been detected a predetermined
number of times and can be arbitrarily set according to the
circumstances.
[0082] In the motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment
1 thus configured, the motor 10 is driven by PWM sensorless
operation. Detailed operation of the activation controller 40 and a
PWM sensorless starting method will be described below.
[0083] The activation controller 40 outputs the high-side
activation control signals UU, VU and WU and the low-side
activation control signals UL, VL and WL for performing activation
control of the power transistors 21, 22 and 23 and 25, 26 and 27 of
the outputting part 20 according to the position detection signal
Dt. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing specific configuration of the
activation controller 40. The activation controller 40 is
configured so as to include a synchronization signal generating
circuit 41, a selecting circuit 42, a time measuring circuit 43, a
first adjusting circuit 44, a second adjusting circuit 45 and an
activation control signal creating circuit 46.
[0084] The synchronization signal generating circuit 41 outputs a
synchronization signal Fs of a constant cycle for forcing the motor
10 to perform synchronous operation. The selecting circuit 42
outputs the position detection signal Dt or the synchronization
signal Fs selectively. Immediately after the beginning of starting,
the synchronization signal Fs is selected by the selecting circuit
42 and synchronous operation of the motor 10 is carried out
according to the signal. When the rotor rotates with synchronous
operation and the position detection signal Dt is output, the
selecting circuit 42 switches the synchronization signal Fs to the
position detection signal Dt and outputs it.
[0085] An output signal of the selecting circuit 42 is input to the
time measuring circuit 43 and time between edges of the signal is
measured in the circuit 43. A value "Data" thus measured is loaded
to the first adjusting circuit 44 and the second adjusting circuit
45. The first adjusting circuit 44 outputs a first adjustment pulse
F1 after a first adjustment time T1 according to the loaded
measured value "Data" and the second adjusting circuit 45 outputs a
second adjustment pulse F2 after a second adjustment time T2
according to the loaded measured value "Data". The activation
control signal creating circuit 46 generates the high-side
activation control signals UU, VU and WU and the low-side
activation control signals UL, VL and WL according to the first
adjustment pulse F1 and generates the detection window signal WIN
for position detection according to the second adjustment pulse F2.
In this manner, according to the measurement value "Data",
activation start timing of the activation control signal is
determined to perform sensorless driving.
[0086] The state determination signal SJ is input into the first
adjusting circuit 44 and the second adjusting circuit 45, and the
first adjustment time T1 and the second adjustment time T2 are
adjusted according to the state determination signal SJ. That is,
the first adjusting circuit 44 and the second adjusting circuit 45
adjusts activation start timing of the high-side activation control
signals UU, VU and WU and the low-side activation control signals
UL, VL and WL.
[0087] FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing operation in each section
of the activation controller 40. FIG. 6 is a timing chart (only
U-phase) in normal times (the rotor rotating speed is a
predetermined value or more). Since a V-phase and a W-phase are
merely displaced from the U-phase by 120 and 240 electrical
degrees, respectively, description thereof is omitted herein. The
state determination signal SJ outputs the "H" level in normal times
and the selecting circuit 42 of the activation controller 40
selects and outputs the position detection signal Dt.
[0088] The time measuring circuit 43 measures time between the
edges of the position detection signal Dt and loads the measured
value "Data" to the first adjusting circuit 44 and the second
adjusting circuit 45. The loaded measured value "Data" is a time
measured value corresponding to 60 electrical degrees and the first
adjusting circuit 44 outputs the first adjustment pulse F1 to the
activation control signal creating circuit 46 after the first
adjustment time T1 as a delay time corresponding to 30 electrical
degrees from the edge of the position detection signal Dt. The
second adjusting circuit 45 outputs the second adjustment pulse F2
to the activation control signal creating circuit 46 after the
second adjustment time T2 as a delay time corresponding to 45
electrical degrees from the edge of the position detection signal
Dt. In synchronization with the second adjustment pulse F2, the
state of the detection window signal WIN outputted from the
activation control signal creating circuit 46 changes to the "H"
level, thereby enabling position detecting operation of the
position detector 30. Simultaneously with position detection
(detection of zero-crossing of the back electromotive force in each
phase), the state of the detection window signal WIN changes to the
"L" level.
[0089] The high-side activation control signals UU, VU and WU and
the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL are pulse
signals of 120-degree activation generated from the first
adjustment pulse F1. 120-degree activation means that the width of
activation has an electrical angle of 120 degrees. In FIG. 6, the
PWM signal of the switching controller 80 is superimposed on the
high-side and low-side activation control signals UU and UL in
practice. By generating the high-side activation control signals
UU, VU and WU and the low-side activation control signals UL, VL
and WL by the first adjustment pulse F1 and superimposing the PWM
signal thereon in this manner, the motor 10 is driven by PWM
sensorless operation. The output timing of the second adjustment
pulse F2 is delayed by 15 electrical degrees with respect to the
first adjustment pulse F1 in order to mask the influence of
kickback noise generated at activation switching and the like.
Although the high-side and the low-side activation control signals
UU and UL are pulse signals of 120-degree activation and the output
timing of the second adjustment pulse F2 is set to be equal to 45
electrical degrees from the edge of the position detection signal
Dt in FIG. 6, the present invention is not limited to the
activation control signal of 120-degree activation and also the
output timing of the second adjustment pulse F2 corresponding to 45
electrical degrees.
[0090] Next, operation of the motor driving apparatus in accordance
with Embodiment 1 at the time of starting will be described.
[0091] FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing operation of each part
(only U-phase) at the time of starting. Here, time of starting
refers to a period from the beginning of starting to the time when
the rotor rotating speed reaches a predetermined value. Immediately
after the beginning of starting, the state determination signal SJ
outputs the "L" level and the selecting circuit 42 selects and
outputs the synchronization signal Fs of a constant cycle. The time
measuring circuit 43 measures time between edges of the
synchronization signal Fs and loads the measured value "Data" to
the first adjusting circuit 44 and the second adjusting circuit 45.
The loaded measured value "Data" is a measured value corresponding
to 60 electrical degrees. The first adjusting circuit 44 sets the
first adjustment time T1 to 0 and outputs the first adjustment
pulse F1' at the same timing as the edge of the synchronization
signal Fs, and the second adjusting circuit 45 outputs the second
adjustment pulse F2' after the second adjustment time T2' as a
delay time corresponding to 15 electrical degrees from the edge of
first adjustment pulse F1'. In synchronization with the second
adjustment pulse F2', the state of the detection window signal WIN
changes to the "H" level, thereby enabling position detecting
operation of the position detector 30, and in synchronization with
the edge of the synchronization signal Fs, the state of the
detection window signal WIN changes to the "L" level.
[0092] The high-side activation control signals UU, VU and WU and
the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL are pulse
signals of 120-degree activation generated from the first
adjustment pulse F1'. In FIG. 7, the PWM signal of the switching
controller 80 is superimposed on the high-side and low-side
activation control signals UU and UL in practice. Immediately after
the beginning of starting, by generating the activation control
signal by the first adjustment pulse F1' generated by the
synchronizing signal Fs and further superimposing the PWM signal
thereon, the motor 10 is forced to perform synchronous
operation.
[0093] When the position detector 30 outputs the position detection
signal Dt with synchronous operation of the motor 10 (refer to a
point A in FIG. 7), the selecting circuit 42 switches the
synchronization signal Fs to the position detection signal Dt and
outputs it. Since the state determination signal SJ remains in "L"
level at this time, like the operation immediately after the
beginning of starting, the first adjusting circuit 44 sets the
first adjustment time T1 to 0 and outputs the first adjustment
pulse F1' at the same timing as the edge of the position detection
signal Dt, and the second adjusting circuit 45 outputs the second
adjustment pulse F2' after the second adjustment time T2' as a
delay time corresponding to 15 electrical degrees from the edge of
first adjustment pulse F1'. In synchronization with the second
adjustment pulse F2', the state of the detection window signal WIN
changes to the "H" level, thereby enabling position detecting
operation of the position detector 30 and in synchronization with
the edge of the position detection signal Dt, the state of the
detection window signal WIN changes to "L" level.
[0094] After the position detection signal Dt is output, by
generating the activation control signal by the first adjustment
pulse F1' generated by the position detection signal Dt and further
superimposing the PWM signal thereon, the motor 10 is driven by PWM
sensorless operation. Also from the point A onward in FIG. 7, until
the rotor rotating speed reaches a predetermined value, that is,
until the state of the state determination signal SJ changes from
the "L" level to the "H" level, similarly, activation is started by
the first adjustment pulse F1' output at the same timing as the
output of the selecting circuit 42.
[0095] As described above, by advancing timing from the first
adjustment pulse F1 to F1' and from the second adjustment pulse F2'
to F2' , in the period from the beginning of starting to the time
when the rotor rotating speed reaches a predetermined value, that
is, when the state determination signal SJ has the "L" level, the
activation start timing of the high-side activation control signals
UU, VU and WU and the low-side activation control signals UL, VL,
and WL is set earlier. By advancing the activation start timing of
the activation control signals in this manner, leading phase
activation control corresponding to 30 electrical degrees (FIG. 7)
can be performed as compared with the activation start timing of
activation control in normal times (FIG. 6).
[0096] When the motor 10 is driven by PMW sensorless operation by
thus performing leading phase activation control, the rotor
rotating speed is accelerated and then becomes a predetermined
value. At this point, the state of the state determination signal
SJ changes from the "L" level to the "H" level. When the state
determination signal SJ changes to "H" level, switching to
activation control in the efficient and optimal phase shown in FIG.
6 is made to perform PWM sensorless driving.
[0097] In the motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment
1, since leading phase activation control is performed in the
period from the beginning of starting to the time when the rotor
rotating speed reaches the predetermined value, and when the rotor
rotating speed becomes the predetermined value or more, switching
to activation control in the optimal phase is made to perform PWM
sensorless driving, starting time can be shortened. The position
detection signal Dt in the position detector 30 becomes a detection
signal which is always delayed in phase with respect to the real
phase which should be detected originally in the region where the
rotating speed is slow, for example, early stages of starting. To
perform leading phase activation control in the period from the
beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed
reaches the predetermined value is almost equivalent to perform
activation control in the phase close to the optimal phase which
should be activated originally. That is, by making the activation
control signal generated according to the position detection signal
Dt delayed in phase a leading phase activation control signal,
delay in phase is corrected to perform activation control. Hence,
as compared with the conventional method of getting started by the
activation control signal generated according to the position
detection signal Dt delayed in phase, since starting by the
activation control signal in the phase close to the optimal phase
is performed by applying leading phase activation control in the
motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 1, starting
torque is improved and starting time can be shortened.
[0098] Although Embodiment 1 describes 120-degree activation as an
example, wide angle activation like 150-degree activation may be
used in the present invention. 150-degree activation means that the
width of activation has an electrical angle of 150 degrees.
Although Embodiment 1 describes the amount of phase advance as 30
electrical degrees, it goes without saying that 20 or 10 electrical
degrees can achieve the effect of shortening starting time
similarly. Although the position detection signal Dt is defined as
a pulse signal generated in every 60 electrical degrees, the
present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and
activation control may be performed by using a pulse signal
generated in every 120 electrical degrees or 360 electrical
degrees. Although the state of the state determination signal SJ is
changed using the predetermined rotor rotating speed as a
threshold, the state of the state determination signal SJ may be
changed in substantially proportional to the rotor rotating speed
and accordingly the amount of leading phase may be cancelled
substantially proportionately or gradually. Embodiment 1 describes
the driving method of efficiently setting the activation start
timing of the activation control signal in an optimal phase in
normal times when the state determination signal SJ has the "H"
level. However, the present invention is not limited to this method
and it may be set so as to rotate at higher speed by leading phase
and the setting method can be set arbitrarily according to
circumstances.
Embodiment 2
[0099] Next, a motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described below. FIG.
8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the motor driving
apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
The motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2 is
different from the motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 1 in that a predetermined cycle OFF circuit 100 is
provided. As shown in FIG. 8, the predetermined cycle OFF circuit
100 is configured so as to receive inputs of the PWM signal from
the switching controller 80 and the state determination signal SJ
from the state determining part 90, output a PWMA signal to the
activation controller 40 and outputs a PWMMASK signal to the
position detector 30. Since the other configuration and operation
are the same as those in accordance with Embodiment 1, description
thereof is omitted in Embodiment 2.
[0100] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of the predetermined cycle OFF circuit 100. The predetermined cycle
OFF circuit 100 is configured so as to include an OFF period
creating circuit 101, an AND gate 102, and a mask creating circuit
103. The OFF period creating circuit 101 receives input of the PWM
signal of the switching controller 80 and outputs a PWMOFF signal
according to the state determination signal SJ. The AND gate 102
performs AND operation of the PWM signal and the PWMOFF signal and
outputs the PWMA signal. The mask creating circuit 103 receives
input of the PWMA signal and outputs the PWMMASK signal according
to the state determination signal SJ.
[0101] FIGS. 10A and 10B are timing charts showing operation of
each section of the predetermined cycle OFF circuit 100. FIG. 10A
is a timing chart in the case where the state determination signal
SJ has the "L" level (the period from the beginning of starting to
the time when the rotor rotating speed reaches the predetermined
value) and FIG. 10B is a timing chart in the case where the state
determination signal SJ has the "H" level (when the rotor rotating
speed is the predetermined value or more). In FIG. 10A, the OFF
period creating circuit 101 outputs the PWMOFF signal which
synchronizes with a rising edge of the PWM signal and turns OFF
during a Tx period in a predetermined cycle Tp. Therefore, a PWMA
signal is a signal which turns OFF when at least one of the PWM
signal and the PWMOFF signal is in the OFF period. Although the ON
duty of the PWMA signal is smaller than the ON duty which should be
activated originally as compared to the PWM signal, no
abnormalities in activation arise in real operation.
[0102] The mask creating circuit 103 generates a PWMMASK signal
which has the "L" level in the ON period of the PWMA signal and a
predetermined time Ty starting from the OFF timing of the PWMA
signal. The PWMA signal is input to the activation controller 40
and drives the motor 10 by PWM operation having the OFF period on a
predetermined cycle. The PWMMASK signal is also input to the noise
eliminater 34 of the position detector 30, thereby enabling rotor
position detecting operation in the period obtained by eliminating
the ON period of the PWM driving (PWMA signal) and the
predetermined time Ty starting from the OFF timing of PWM driving
(PWMA signal). That is, rotor position is detected only in the OFF
period of the PWM driving (OFF period detection). The OFF timing of
in the predetermined cycle Tp is not limited to the point shown in
FIG. 10A, and any setting value which meets the requirement that an
OFF period Tx is larger than a mask time Ty of the PWMMASK signal
can be set.
[0103] Next, in FIG. 10B, the OFF period creating circuit 101
outputs the PWMOFF signal of the "H" level at all times. Therefore,
the PMWA signal turns into the PWM signal as it is. The mask
creating circuit 103 generates the PWMMASK signal which has the "L"
level only for the predetermined time Ty starting from the ON
timing and OFF timing of the PWMA signal. The PWMA signal is input
to the activation controller 40 to performs PWM driving of the
motor 10. The PWMMASK signal is also input to the noise eliminater
34 of the position detector 30, thereby enabling rotor position
detecting operation in the period obtained by eliminating the
predetermined time Ty starting from the ON timing and OFF timing of
PWM driving (PWMA signal). That is, both ON period detection and
OFF period detection of PWM driving are performed.
[0104] In the motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment
2 thus configured, in the period from the beginning of starting to
the time when the rotor rotating speed reaches the predetermined
value, only OFF period detection of PWM driving is performed in the
position detector 30 and leading phase activation control is
performed in the activation controller 40. When the rotor rotating
speed is the predetermined value or more, the position detector 30
performs both of the ON period detection and the OFF period
detection and the activation controller 40 performs activation
control in the optimal phase. The motor driving apparatus in
accordance with Embodiment 2 thus configured can shorten starting
time and carry out stable PWM sensorless driving without start
failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation.
[0105] In the region where the rotating speed is low, for example,
in early stages of starting, the back electromotive forces
appearing in the non-activation phase (open phase) of the windings
are low. Therefore, according to the conventional sensorless
driving method of performing position detection by comparing the
terminal voltages with the center tap voltage, false detection is
often caused, thereby generating the position detection signal Dt
shifted in phase with respect to the real phase which should be
detected originally. Moreover, in the case of PMW sensorless
driving, induced voltage peculiar to PWM driving is superimposed on
the back electromotive force. Therefore, especially in the region
where the rotating speed is slow, for example, in early stages of
starting, since the induced voltage peculiar to PWM driving is
dominant over the back electromotive force, false detection is
likely to occur. According to the conventional sensorless driving
method, since the activation control signal is generated on the
basis of the position detection signal Dt including the false
detection, there is a high possibility that a starting failure such
as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse rotation may occur.
On the other hand, when the rotor rotating speed is high as in
normal times, the back electromotive forces appearing in the
three-phase windings are high and become dominant over the induced
voltage characteristic to PWM driving. Accordingly, influence due
to the induced voltage peculiar to PWM driving becomes smaller as
the rotating speed is increased and the position detection signal
Dt can actually detect the real phase which should be detected
originally.
[0106] The characteristic of the induced voltage peculiar to PWM
becomes opposite in polarity whether the ON period detection or the
OFF period detection is performed. Especially when the rotor
position is detected only in the OFF period, stable PWM sensorless
starting can be carried out. This is due to that the characteristic
of the induced voltage peculiar to PWM driving especially in the
OFF period detection is certainly detected in the lagging phase
with respect to the real phase to be detected originally and
improper acceleration activation control due to false detection is
eliminated.
[0107] As described above, providing that, in the period from the
beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed
reaches a predetermined value, PWM driving having the OFF period on
a predetermined cycle is performed, and only the OFF period
detection of PWM driving is performed, stable PWM sensorless
starting without failure in starting can be achieved. However,
although stable PWM sensorless starting is possible, starting
torque is not enough, since position detection is certainly
performed in the lagging phase with respect to the real phase to be
detected originally and activation control is performed according
to the detected position detection signal Dt delayed in phase Thus,
by applying leading phase activation control, that is, making the
activation control signal generated according to the position
detection signal Dt delayed in phase the leading phase activation
control signal, activation control in which delay in phase is
corrected can be achieved. Therefore, as compared with the
conventional method of getting started by using the activation
control signal generated according to position detection signal Dt
in the lagging phase, with the configuration of the motor driving
apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 2, since leading phase
activation control is applied and starting by the activation
control signal in the phase close to the optimal phase is
performed, starting torque is improved, leading to reduction in
starting time.
[0108] FIG. 11 is a view showing starting characteristics, a
starting curve (a) represented by a solid line shows a starting
characteristic in the case where leading phase activation control
is not applied and a starting curve (b) represented by a dashed
line shows a starting characteristic in the case where leading
phase activation control is applied to starting. In FIG. 11, a
horizontal axis represents starting time [sec] and a vertical axis
represents rotor rotating speed [rpm]. A value Na in the vertical
axis of FIG. 11 is a threshold of the rotor rotating speed which
changes the state of the state determination signal SJ. In the
starting curve (b) of FIG. 11, in the region where the rotor
rotating speed is lower than the predetermined rotating speed Na,
that is, the state determination signal has the "L" level, leading
phase activation control is performed and in the region where the
rotor rotating speed is the predetermined rotating speed Na or
more, that is, the state determination signal SJ has the "H" level,
activation control in the optimum phase is performed. As shown by
the starting curve (b) of FIG. 11, by applying leading phase
activation control, starting torque can be improved, thereby
enabling increase in the gradient of speed change to time. As a
result, the starting time up to the predetermined rotating speed Na
can be shortened from Ta1 to Ta2 and the starting time up to a
rotating speed Nb can also be shortened from Tb1 to Tb2.
[0109] As described above, in the motor driving apparatus in
accordance with Embodiment 2, by performing PWM driving having the
OFF period on a predetermined cycle and carrying out only OFF
period detection of PWM driving in the period from the beginning of
starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed reaches a
predetermined value, stable PWM sensorless driving without any
start failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation can be achieved, and by applying leading phase activation
control, starting time can be shortened.
Embodiment 3
[0110] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 3 of the
present invention. The motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 3 is different from the above-mentioned Embodiment 1 in
the configuration of a position detector 30A and a switching
controller 80A. Other configuration and operation are the same as
those described in accordance with Embodiment 1.
[0111] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of the position detector 30A in accordance with Embodiment 3. In
the position detector 30A, a reversal processing circuit 35 is
added to the position detector 30 of Embodiment 1. The position
detector 30A compares the three-phase terminal voltages Vu, Vv and
Vw with the center tap voltage Vc of the motor 10 and detects
zero-crossing of the back electromotive forces which appear in a
non-activation phase (open phase) of the windings according to
reversal processing output of the comparison result.
[0112] The position detector 30A includes the three comparators 31,
32 and 33, the noise eliminater 34 and the reversal processing
circuit 35. The comparators 31, 32 and 33 each compare the
three-phase terminal voltages Vu, Vv and Vw, respectively, with the
center tap voltage Vc of the motor 10 and output the comparison
signals UN, VN and WN on which influence by kickback noise
generated at switching of activation and high-frequency switching
noise due to PWM driving are superimposed. The reversal processing
circuit 35 performs reversal processing of the comparison signals
UN, VN and WN and outputs reversal comparison signals UNB, VNB and
VNB. The noise eliminater 34 removes the noise superimposed the
reversal comparison signals UNB, VNB and WNB and outputs the
position detection signal Dt according to the signals from which
the noise is removed. In the noise eliminater 34, the influence by
the kickback noise generated at switching of activation is removed
through mask processing by use of the detection window signal WIN
of the activation controller 40, and the influence of the
high-frequency switching noise due to PWM driving is removed
through mask processing by use of the PWMMASK signal of the
switching controller 80A.
[0113] The switching controller 80A outputs the PWM signal
according to the current detection signal CS and the command signal
EC to the activation controller 40 and causes each power transistor
of the outputting part 20 to perform high-frequency switching
operation (PWM driving). The switching controller 80A is configured
so as to receive input of the state determination signal SJ from
the state determining part 90 and outputs the PWMMASK signal
according to the state determination signal SJ to the noise
eliminater 34 of the position detector 30.
[0114] FIGS. 14A and 14B are wave form charts showing operation of
switching controller 80A. In FIG. 14A shows the case where the
state determination signal SJ has the "L" level (the period from
the beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed
reaches the predetermined value) and FIG. 14B shows the case where
the determination signal SJ has the "H" level (when the rotor
rotating speed is the predetermined value or more). In the
switching controller 80A, the PWM signal is generated according to
the current detecting signal CS and the command signal EC. However,
since there are various methods of generating the PWM signal and it
is unnecessary to define the method specifically herein,
description thereof is omitted. In FIG. 14B, as in Embodiment 1,
the PWMMASK signal is generated so as to have the "L" level in the
predetermined time Ty starting from the ON timing and the OFF
timing of the PWM signal. In FIG. 14A, the PWMMASK signal is
generated so as to have the "L" level in the OFF period of the PWM
signal and a predetermined time Ty starting from the ON timing of
the PWM signal.
[0115] Although the noise eliminater 34 of the position detector
30A to which the PWMMASK signal is input performs noise removal and
rotor position detection according to the PWMMASK signal, since the
PWMMASK signal is switched according to the state determination
signal SJ, a detecting method is also changed according to the
state determination signal SJ. In the state shown in FIG. 14A, that
is, in the period during which the state determination signal SJ
has the "L" level (the period from the beginning of starting to the
time when the rotor rotating speed reaches the predetermined
value), rotor position detecting operation is enabled in the period
obtained by eliminating the OFF period and the predetermined time
Ty starting from the ON timing of PWM driving. In other words, in
the period from the beginning of starting to the time when the
rotor rotating speed reaches the predetermined value, only ON
period detection of PWM driving is performed.
[0116] On the other hand, when the determination signal SJ has the
"H" level (the rotor rotating speed is the predetermined value or
more), rotor position detecting operation is enabled in the period
obtained by eliminating the predetermined time Ty starting from
each of the ON timing and the OFF timing of PWM driving. In other
words, when the rotor rotating speed is the predetermined value or
more, both of the ON period detection and the OFF period detection
of PWM driving are performed.
[0117] In the motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment
3 thus configured, when the state determination signal SJ has the
"H" level (rotor rotating speed is the predetermined value or
more), normal PWM sensorless driving is carried out as in the
above-mentioned Embodiments 1 and 2. On the other hand, when the
state determination signal SJ has the "L" level (in the period from
the beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed
reaches the predetermined value), ON period detection is performed
using the reversal comparison signals UNB, VNB and WNB obtained by
reversing the comparison signals UN, VN and WN. This operation is
quasi-equivalent to performing only OFF period detection described
in Embodiment 2. This is based on the fact that the characteristic
of the induced voltage peculiar to PWM becomes opposite in polarity
whether the ON period detection or the OFF period detection is
performed, and rotor position is detected by using the reversal
comparison signals in place of performing only ON period detection.
Thus, the motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 3
can obtain the same effect as the motor driving apparatus in
accordance with Embodiment 2 in which only OFF period detection is
performed by using the comparison signals to detect rotor position.
That is, stable PWM sensorless driving without start failure such
as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse rotation can be
achieved and since leading phase activation control is applied,
starting time can be shortened.
[0118] Further, contrary to Embodiment 2, in Embodiment 3, since
the motor driving apparatus does not require OFF period to be
provided on a predetermined cycle, decrease in current in the OFF
period of the predetermined cycle, that is, decrease in starting
torque is improved, thereby further shortening starting time.
[0119] The configuration of position detector 30A is not limited to
the configuration shown in FIG. 13, and the center tap voltage Vc
may be generated in false by the three-phase terminal voltages Vu,
Vv and Vw and position detection may be selectively performed by
one comparator.
[0120] In Embodiment 3, noise eliminating of the comparison signals
is performed by using the signal obtained by reversing the
comparison signals. However, even when noise eliminating of the
comparison signals is firstly performed, the comparison signals
subjected to noise eliminating are reversed and output, and then
rotor position is detected by using the reversed comparison signal,
the same effect can be obtained.
Embodiment 4
[0121] FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 4 of the
present invention. The motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 4 is different from the above-mentioned Embodiment 1 in
the configuration of an activation controller 40A and other
configuration and operation are the same as those described in
accordance with Embodiment 1.
[0122] FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration
of the activation controller 40A in accordance with Embodiment 4.
The activation controller 40A has the configuration in which a
slope adjusting circuit 47 is added to the activation controller 40
of Embodiment 1. The slope adjusting circuit 47 outputs a slope
adjustment pulse SL on the basis of the measured value "Data" of
the time measuring circuit 43. The slope adjusting circuit 47 also
adjusts output timing of the slope adjustment pulse SL according to
the state determination signal SJ.
[0123] FIG. 17 is a timing chart showing operation (only U-phase)
of the activation controller 40A in normal times (the rotor
rotating speed is a predetermined value or more). Since a V-phase
and a W-phase are merely displaced from the U-phase by 120 and 240
electrical degrees, respectively, description thereof is omitted
herein. The state determination signal SJ outputs the "H" level in
normal times and the selecting circuit 42 of the activation
controller 40 selects and outputs the position detection signal Dt.
The time measuring circuit 43 measures time between the edges of
the position detection signal Dt and loads the measured value
"Data" to the first adjusting circuit 44, the second adjusting
circuit 45 and the slope adjusting circuit 47. The loaded measured
value "Data" is a time measured value corresponding to 60
electrical degrees and the first adjusting circuit 44 outputs the
first adjustment pulse F1 after the first adjustment time T1 as a
delay time corresponding to 15 electrical degrees from the edge of
the position detection signal Dt. The second adjusting circuit 45
outputs the second adjustment pulse F2' after the second adjustment
time T2 as a delay time corresponding to 55 electrical degrees from
the edge of the position detection signal Dt. The slope adjusting
circuit 47 outputs a slope adjustment pulse SL after a slope
adjustment time TSL as a delay time corresponding to 45 electrical
degrees from the edge of the position detection signal Dt. In
synchronization with the second adjustment pulse F2', the state of
the detection window signal WIN changes to the "H" level, thereby
enabling position detecting operation of the position detector 30.
Simultaneously with position detection (detection of zero-crossing
of the back electromotive force in each phase), the state of the
detection window signal WIN changes to the "L" level.
[0124] The high-side activation control signals UU, VU and WU and
the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL are pulse
signals of 150-degree activation which are generated from the first
adjustment pulse F1 and the slope adjustment pulse SL. In FIG. 17,
the PWM signal of the switching controller 80 is superimposed on
the high-side and low-side activation control signals UU and UL in
practice. At this time, in a period indicated by B in FIG. 17
(period of 30 electrical degrees from the first adjustment pulse F1
to the slope adjustment pulse SL), PWM driving is performed so that
a drive current Iu has a waveform like a trapezoidal wave for slope
control. There are various slope control methods and since it is
unnecessary to define the method specifically in the present
invention, description thereof is omitted.
[0125] As described above, by performing PWM driving by using slope
control, PWM sensorless driving of the motor 10 is carried out so
that waveform of the drive current is formed like a trapezoidal
wave. The output timing of the second adjustment pulse F2' is
delayed by 10 electrical degrees with respect to the slope
adjustment pulse SL in order to mask the influence of kickback
noise generated at activation switching and the like.
[0126] Although Embodiment 4 describes 150-degree activation
including a slope period of 30 electrical degrees, the present
invention is not limited to this and if only a non-activation
period enough to perform position detection is secured, the slope
period can be made shorter or longer. Although the output timing of
the second adjustment pulse F2' is set to be 10 electrical degrees
from the slope adjustment pulse SL, the present invention is not
limited to this and any value can be set. Further, although the
output timing of the first adjustment pulse F1 is set to be 15
electrical degrees (optimal phase in terms of efficiency), the
present invention is not limited to this and any value can be
set.
[0127] As described above, in the motor driving apparatus in
accordance with Embodiment 4, by forming waveform of the drive
current like a trapezoidal wave, vibration and acoustic noise due
to the waveform of the drive current can be reduced.
[0128] Next, operation of the activation controller 40A at the time
of starting (period from the beginning of starting to the time when
the rotor rotating speed reaches the predetermined value) will be
described. FIG. 18 is a timing chart showing operation of the
activation controller 40A (only U-phase) at the time of
starting.
[0129] Immediately after the beginning of starting, the state
determination signal SJ outputs the "L" level and the selecting
circuit 42 selects and outputs the synchronization signal Fs of a
constant cycle. The time measuring circuit 43 measures time between
the edges of synchronization signal Fs and loads the measured value
"Data" to the first adjusting circuit 44, the second adjusting
circuit 45 and the slope adjusting circuit 47. The loaded measured
value "Data" is a measured value corresponding to 60 electrical
degrees and the first adjusting circuit 44 sets the first
adjustment time T1 to 0 and outputs the first adjustment pulse F1'
at the same timing as the edge of the synchronization signal Fs.
The second adjusting circuit 45 outputs the second adjustment pulse
F2' after the second adjustment time T2' as a delay time
corresponding to 40 electrical degrees from the edge of first
adjustment pulse F1'. The slope adjusting circuit 47 outputs the
slope adjustment pulse SL' after the slope adjustment time TSL' as
a delay time corresponding to 30 electrical degrees from the edge
of first adjustment pulse F1'. In synchronization with the second
adjustment pulse F2', the state of the detection window signal WIN
changes to the "H" level, thereby enabling position detecting
operation of the position detector 30, and in synchronization with
the edge of the synchronization signal Fs, the state of the
detection window signal WIN changes to the "L" level.
[0130] The high-side activation control signals UU, VU and WU and
the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL are pulse
signals of 150-degree activation which are generated from the first
adjustment pulse F1' and the slope adjustment pulse SL'. In FIG.
18, the PWM signal of the switching controller 80 is superimposed
on the high-side and low-side activation control signals UU and UL
in practice. At this time, as in normal times, in a period
indicated by B in FIG. 18 (period of 30 electrical degrees from the
first adjustment pulse F1' to the slope adjustment pulase SL'), PWM
driving is performed so that the drive current Iu has a waveform
like a trapezoidal wave for slope control. In this manner,
immediately after the beginning of starting, by generating the
activation control signal by the first adjustment pulse F1' and the
slope adjustment pulse SL' generated by the synchronizing signal Fs
and performing PWM driving by using slope control, the motor 10 is
forced to perform synchronous operation so that waveform of the
drive current is formed like a trapezoidal wave.
[0131] When the position detector 30 outputs the position detection
signal Dt with synchronous operation of the motor 10 (refer to a
point A in FIG. 18), the selecting circuit 42 switches the
synchronization signal Fs to the position detection signal Dt and
outputs it. Since the state determination signal SJ remains in "L"
level at this time, like the operation immediately after the
beginning of starting, the first adjusting circuit 44 sets the
first adjustment time T1 to 0 and outputs the first adjustment
pulse F1' at the same timing as the edge of the position detection
signal Dt, and the second adjusting circuit 45 outputs the second
adjustment pulse F2' after the second adjustment time T2' as a
delay time corresponding to 40 electrical degrees from the edge of
first adjustment pulse F1'. The slope adjusting circuit 47 outputs
the slope adjustment pulse SL' after the slope adjustment time TSL'
as a delay time corresponding to 30 electrical degrees from the
edge of first adjustment pulse F1'. In synchronization with the
second adjustment pulse F2', the state of the detection window
signal WIN changes to the "H" level, thereby enabling position
detecting operation of the position detector 30 and in
synchronization with the edge of the position detection signal Dt,
the state of the detection window signal WIN changes to "L"
level.
[0132] Even after the position detector 30 outputs the position
detection signal Dt, the high-side activation control signals UU,
VU and WU and the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL
are pulse signals of 150-degree activation which are generated from
the first adjustment pulse F1' and the slope adjustment pulse SL'.
The PWM signal of the switching controller 80 is superimposed on
the high-side and low-side activation control signals UU and UL
shown in FIG. 18 in practice. At this time, as in normal times, in
a period indicated by B in FIG. 18 (period of 30 electrical degrees
from the first adjustment pulse F1' to the slope adjustment pulse
SL'), PWM driving is performed so that the drive current Iu has a
waveform like a trapezoidal wave for slope control.
[0133] After the position detection signal Dt is output in this
manner, by generating the activation control signal by the first
adjustment pulse F1' and the slope adjustment pulse SL' generated
by the position detection signal Dt and performing PWM driving by
using slope control, PWM sensorless driving of the motor 10 is
performed.
[0134] Also from the point A onward in FIG. 18, until the rotor
rotating speed reaches a predetermined value, that is, until the
state of the state determination signal SJ changes from the "L"
level to the "H" level, similarly, activation is started by the
first adjustment pulse F1' output at the same timing as the output
of the selecting circuit 42.
[0135] As described above, the activation start timing of the
activation control signals is set earlier by setting the first
adjustment pulse F1 to F1', the second adjustment pulse F2' to F2'
and slope adjustment pulse SL to SL' in the period from the
beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed
reaches a predetermined value, that is, when the state
determination signal SJ has the "L" level. By advancing the
activation start timing of the activation control signals in this
manner, in the motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 4, leading phase activation control corresponding to 15
electrical degrees (FIG. 18) can be performed as compared with the
activation start timing of activation control in normal times (FIG.
17).
[0136] In the motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment
4, when the motor 10 is driven by PMW sensorless operation by
leading phase activation control, the rotor rotating speed is
accelerated and then, becomes a predetermined value or more. At
this point, the state of the state determination signal SJ changes
from the "L" level to the "H" level. When the state determination
signal SJ changes to "H" level, as shown in FIG. 17, switching to
activation control of the efficient and optimal phase is made to
perform PWM sensorless driving.
[0137] In the motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment
4, while controlling the waveform of the drive current to be formed
like a trapezoidal wave from the beginning of starting to the
normal time, leading phase activation control is performed in the
period from the beginning of starting to the time when the rotor
rotating speed reaches a predetermined value and leading phase
activation control is switched to activation control in the optimum
phase when the rotor rotating speed is the predetermined value or
more to perform PWM sensorless driving. Accordingly, in the motor
driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 4, it is possible
to reduce vibration and acoustic noise due to the waveform of the
drive current and shorten starting time.
[0138] Although the position detection signal Dt is defined as a
pulse signal generated in every 60 electrical degrees in the motor
driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 4, the present
invention is not necessarily limited to this, activation control
may be performed by using a pulse signal generated in every 120
electrical degrees or 360 electrical degrees. Although the state of
the state determination signal SJ is changed using the
predetermined rotor rotating speed as a threshold, the state of the
state determination signal SJ may be changed in substantially
proportional to the rotor rotating speed and accordingly the amount
of leading phase may be cancelled substantially proportionately or
gradually. Needless to say, by configuring the motor driving
apparatus in Embodiment 4 as in Embodiments 2 and 3, stable PWM
sensorless driving without start failure such as oscillation, loss
of synchronism and reverse rotation can be achieved.
Embodiment 5
[0139] FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a
motor driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 5 of the
present invention. The motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 5 is different from the above-mentioned Embodiment 1 in
the configuration of an activation controller 40B and other
configuration and operation are the same as those described in
accordance with Embodiment 1.
[0140] The activation controller 40B has the substantially same
configuration as the activation controller 40A (FIG. 16) and they
are different from each other in operation of the slope adjusting
circuit 47. Operation in normal times, that is, operation at the
time when the state determination signal SJ has the "H" level
(rotor rotating speed is a predetermined value or more) is the same
as the operation in normal times in Embodiment 4.
[0141] FIG. 20 is a timing chart showing operation (only U-phase)
of the activation controller 40B at starting (in the period from
the beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed
reaches a predetermined value). Immediately after the beginning of
starting, the state determination signal SJ outputs the "L" level
and the selecting circuit 42 selects and outputs the
synchronization signal Fs of a constant cycle. The time measuring
circuit 43 measures time between the edges of the synchronization
signal Fs and loads the measured value "Data" to the first
adjusting circuit 44, the second adjusting circuit 45 and the slope
adjusting circuit 47. The loaded measured value "Data" is a time
measured value corresponding to 60 electrical degrees and the first
adjusting circuit 44 sets the first adjustment time T1 to 0 and
outputs the first adjustment pulse F1' at the same timing as the
edge of the synchronization signal Fs. The second adjusting circuit
45 outputs the second adjustment pulse F2' after the second
adjustment time T2' as a delay time corresponding to 25 electrical
degrees from the edge of the first adjustment pulse F1'. The slope
adjusting circuit 47 outputs a slope adjustment pulse SL' after a
slope adjustment time TSL' as a delay time corresponding to 15
electrical degrees from the edge of the first adjustment pulse F1'.
In synchronization with the second adjustment pulse F2', the state
of the detection window signal WIN changes to the "H" level,
thereby enabling position detecting operation of the position
detector 30, and in synchronization with the edge of the
synchronization signal Fs, the state of the detection window signal
WIN changes to the "L" level.
[0142] The high-side activation control signals WU, VU and WU and
the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL are pulse
signals of 135-degree activation which are generated from the first
adjustment pulse F1' and the slope adjustment pulse SL'. 135-degree
activation means that the width of activation has an electrical
angle of 135 degrees. In FIG. 20, the PWM signal of the switching
controller 80 is superimposed on the high-side and low-side
activation control signals UU and UL in practice. At this time, as
in normal times, in a period indicated by B in FIG. 20 (period of
15 electrical degrees from the first adjustment pulse F1' to the
slope adjustment pulse SL'), PWM driving is performed so that a
drive current Iu has a waveform like a trapezoidal wave for slope
control. In this manner, immediately after the beginning of
starting, by generating the activation control signal by the first
adjustment pulse F1' and the slope adjustment pulse SL' generated
by the synchronizing signal Fs and performing PWM driving by using
slope control, the motor 10 is forced to perform synchronous
operation so that the waveform of the drive current is formed like
a trapezoidal wave.
[0143] When the position detector 30 outputs the position detection
signal Dt with synchronous operation of the motor 10 (refer to a
point A in FIG. 20), the selecting circuit 42 switches the
synchronization signal Fs to the position detection signal Dt and
outputs it. Since the state determination signal SJ remains in "L"
level at this time, like the operation immediately after the
beginning of starting, the first adjusting circuit 44 sets the
first adjustment time T I to 0 and outputs the first adjustment
pulse F1' at the same timing as the edge of the position detection
signal Dt, and the second adjusting circuit 45 outputs the second
adjustment pulse F2' after the second adjustment time T2' as a
delay time corresponding to 25 electrical degrees from the edge of
first adjustment pulse F1'. The slope adjusting circuit 47 outputs
the slope adjustment pulse SL' after the slope adjustment time TSL'
as a delay time corresponding to 15 electrical degrees from the
edge of first adjustment pulse F1'. In synchronization with the
second adjustment pulse F2', the state of the detection window
signal WIN changes to the "H" level, thereby enabling position
detecting operation of the position detector 30 and in
synchronization with the edge of the position detection signal Dt,
the state of the detection window signal WIN changes to "L"
level.
[0144] Even after the position detector 30 outputs the position
detection signal Dt, the high-side activation control signals UU,
VU and WU and the low-side activation control signals UL, VL and WL
are pulse signals of 135-degree activation which are generated from
the first adjustment pulse F1' and the slope adjustment pulse SL'.
In FIG. 20, the PWM signal of the switching controller 80 is
superimposed on the high-side and low-side activation control
signals UU and UL in practice. At this time, in a period indicated
by B in FIG. 20 (period of 15 electrical degrees from the first
adjustment pulse F1' to the slope adjustment pulase SL'), PWM
driving is performed so that the drive current Iu has a waveform
like a trapezoidal wave for slope control. In this manner, after
the position detection signal Dt is output, by generating the
activation control signal by the first adjustment pulse F1' and the
slope adjustment pulse SL' generated by the position detection
signal Dt and performing PWM driving by using slope control, PWM
sensorless driving of the motor 10 is performed.
[0145] Also from the point A onward in FIG. 20, until the rotor
rotating speed reaches a predetermined value, that is, until the
state of the state determination signal SJ changes from the "L"
level to the "H" level, similarly, activation is started by the
first adjustment pulse F1' output at the same timing as the output
of the selecting circuit 42.
[0146] As described above, in the motor driving apparatus in
accordance with Embodiment 5, the activation start timing of the
activation control signals is set earlier by setting the first
adjustment pulse F1 to F1', the second adjustment pulse F2' to F2'
and slope adjustment pulse SL to SL' in the period from the
beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating speed
reaches a predetermined value, that is, when the state
determination signal SJ has the "L" level. Further, in the motor
driving apparatus in accordance with Embodiment 5, in the period
from the beginning of starting to the time when the rotor rotating
speed reaches the predetermined value, slope control angle at
starting is controlled smaller than that in normal times.
Specifically, while the slope control angle in normal times is 30
electrical degrees (150-degree activation), the slope control angle
at starting is 15 electrical degrees (135-degree activation). As
described above, the motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 5 is different from the motor driving apparatus in
accordance with Embodiment 4 in the slope control angle is
controlled smaller.
[0147] As described above, by controlling the slope control angle
at starting to be smaller and applying leading phase activation
control, the motor driving apparatus of Embodiment 5 enables
further leading phase activation control corresponding to 22.5
electrical degrees as compared to leading phase activation control
corresponding to 15 electrical degrees in Embodiment 4.
[0148] FIG. 21 is a view showing starting characteristics, a
starting curve (a) represented by a solid line shows a starting
characteristic in the case where leading phase activation control
is not applied, a starting curve (b) represented by a short dashed
line (dotted line) shows a starting characteristic in the case
where leading phase activation control is applied as slope control
angle is unchanged, and a starting curve (c) represented by a long
dashed line shows a starting characteristic in the case where
further leading phase activation control is applied by controlling
slope control angle to be smaller.
[0149] In FIG. 21, a horizontal axis represents starting time [sec]
and a vertical axis represents rotor rotating speed [rpm]. A value
Na is a threshold of the rotor rotating speed which changes the
state of the state determination signal SJ. In the region the rotor
rotating speed is lower than the predetermined rotating speed Na,
that is, the state determination signal SJ has the "L" level, the
starting curve (b) shows the case where leading phase activation
control is applied as slope control angle is unchanged, and the
starting curve (c) shows the case where further leading phase
activation control is applied by controlling slope control angle to
be smaller. In the region the rotor rotating speed is the
predetermined rotating speed Na or higher, that is, the state
determination signal SJ has the "H" level, activation control of
the optimum phase in terms of efficiency is performed in each
case.
[0150] As shown in FIG. 21, the following relation: starting curve
(a) <starting curve (b) <starting curve (c) holds for the
gradient of speed change to the time in the region where the state
determination signal SJ has the "L" level. From this fact, it is
understood that by applying the configuration of Embodiment 5 with
the starting characteristic represented by the starting curve (c),
starting torque can be further improved, thereby further shortening
starting time.
[0151] As described above, the motor driving apparatus in
accordance with Embodiment 5 has the configuration in which PWM
sensorless driving using further leading phase activation control
is carried out by controlling the slope control angle to be smaller
in the period from the beginning of starting to the time when the
rotor rotating speed reaches the predetermined value. This enables
further shortening starting time. By controlling waveform of the
drive current to be formed like a trapezoidal wave, vibration and
acoustic noise due to the waveform of the drive current can be
reduced.
[0152] As a matter of course, the set value of the slope control
angle is not limited to 15 electrical degrees as described in
Embodiment 5 and when the slope control angle is set smaller than
that in normal times, the effect of the present invention can be
obtained.
[0153] Further, the motor driving apparatus in accordance with
Embodiment 5 may be configured so as to individually control the
slope control angles of current waveform like a trapezoidal wave at
the rising and falling sides of the slope, respectively. Needless
to say, by configuring the motor driving apparatus in Embodiment 5
as in Embodiments 2 and 3, stable PWM sensorless driving without
start failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and reverse
rotation can be achieved.
[0154] Although the synchronization signal Fs has a constant cycle
in the above-described Embodiments, the present invention is not
necessarily limited to a constant cycle, and the synchronization
signal Fs may have a variable cycle that shortens gradually. The
present invention can make various modification to the
configuration described in the above-described Embodiments without
changing the contents and as a matter of course, such modified
configuration is included in the spirit of the present
invention.
[0155] The motor driving apparatus of the present invention has the
effect of performing stable PWM sensorless starting without any
starting failure such as oscillation, loss of synchronism and
reverse rotation and shortening starting time, and therefore it is
useful as a motor driving apparatus etc. for performing PWM
sensorless driving.
[0156] Although the invention has been described in its preferred
form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that
the present disclosure of the preferred form has been changed in
the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of
parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the
scope of the invention as claimed.
* * * * *