Selectable current limiting for a power tool. One embodiment provides a method for selectable current limiting for a power tool including determining, using a current sensor, an average current and determining whether the average current exceeds a predetermined current threshold. The method also includes determining a deviation of the average current from the predetermined current threshold and reducing a PWM duty ratio proportional to the deviation of the average current from the predetermined current threshold. The PWM duty ratio corresponds to a PWM signal provided to an inverter bridge.

A rotary current machine system and method for controlling an electric rotary current machine, in particular an induction machine, having a rotor, a stator and at least two phase windings is disclosed. At least one electrical signal, in particular a voltage signal, is applied to at least one phase winding, preferably all phase windings, of the rotary current machine, and the current waveform in the at least one phase winding is measured. An intermodulation signal component, induced in the rotary current machine by slotting effects and magnetic saturation effects, which is determined from the current waveform measured in the at least one phase winding, is used for controlling the rotary current machine.

In a control device for an AC rotary machine, having an angle detector for detecting an electrical angle of the AC rotary machine, a detection error produced by the angle detector due to a noise magnetic field generated by a multi-phase alternating current flowing through an inverter connection unit is corrected using a correction signal having a phase and an amplitude that are determined in accordance with a relative positional relationship between the inverter connection unit and the angle detector and a current vector of the multi-phase alternating current, whereupon an inverter is controlled on the basis of the corrected electrical angle. As a result, a simple, low-cost control device for an AC rotary machine with which an angular position of a rotor can be detected with a high degree of precision is obtained.

In a control device for an AC rotary machine, having an angle detector for detecting an electrical angle of the AC rotary machine, a detection error produced by the angle detector due to a noise magnetic field generated by a multi-phase alternating current flowing through an inverter connection unit is corrected using a correction signal having a phase and an amplitude that are determined in accordance with a relative positional relationship between the inverter connection unit and the angle detector and a current vector of the multi-phase alternating current, whereupon an inverter is controlled on the basis of the corrected electrical angle. As a result, a simple, low-cost control device for an AC rotary machine with which an angular position of a rotor can be detected with a high degree of precision is obtained.

An AC-rotating-electric-machine control apparatus includes two or more electric-power conversion circuits that control respective voltages to be applied to the two or more groups of multi-phase armature windings, for each of the two or more groups of multi-phase armature windings; each of the two or more electric-power conversion circuits has two or more switching devices for opening or closing the corresponding group of multi-phase armature windings, for each of the phases; the two or more switching devices are switching-controlled in such a way that opening operation or duty control can be applied to the corresponding group of multi-phase armature windings.

An AC-rotating-electric-machine control apparatus includes two or more electric-power conversion circuits that control respective voltages to be applied to the two or more groups of multi-phase armature windings, for each of the two or more groups of multi-phase armature windings; each of the two or more electric-power conversion circuits has two or more switching devices for opening or closing the corresponding group of multi-phase armature windings, for each of the phases; the two or more switching devices are switching-controlled in such a way that opening operation or duty control can be applied to the corresponding group of multi-phase armature windings.

Low speed and high speed estimates of rotor angle and speed relative to the stator are received from a low speed estimator and a high speed estimator, respectively. LS_θ_EST and a subset of torque-controlling I_Q trajectory curve (“IQTC”) parameter values appropriate to low speed rotor operation are selected for rotor speeds below a low speed threshold value ω_LOW_THRS. HS_θ_EST and a subset of IQTC curve parameter values appropriate to high speed rotor operation are selected for rotor speeds above a high speed threshold value ω_HIGH_THRS. LS_θ_EST and the low speed subset of IQTC parameter values remain selected for rotor speeds less than ω_HIGH_THRS after accelerating to a rotor speed greater than ω_LOW_THRS. HS_θ_EST and the subset of high speed IQTC parameter values remain selected for rotor speeds greater than ω_LOW_THRS after decelerating to a rotor speed less than ω_HIGH_THRS.

Low speed and high speed estimates of rotor angle and speed relative to the stator are received from a low speed estimator and a high speed estimator, respectively. LS_θ_EST and a subset of torque-controlling I_Q trajectory curve (“IQTC”) parameter values appropriate to low speed rotor operation are selected for rotor speeds below a low speed threshold value ω_LOW_THRS. HS_θ_EST and a subset of IQTC curve parameter values appropriate to high speed rotor operation are selected for rotor speeds above a high speed threshold value ω_HIGH_THRS. LS_θ_EST and the low speed subset of IQTC parameter values remain selected for rotor speeds less than ω_HIGH_THRS after accelerating to a rotor speed greater than ω_LOW_THRS. HS_θ_EST and the subset of high speed IQTC parameter values remain selected for rotor speeds greater than ω_LOW_THRS after decelerating to a rotor speed less than ω_HIGH_THRS.

A motor drive apparatus includes a power converter including an inverter having an upper arm and a lower arm, the inverter being configured to control an operation of an electric motor, and a drive controller configured to apply a dead time for preventing a short circuit between the upper arm and the lower arm, and to control the power converter. The drive controller is configured to control the power converter by switching a first mode in which a first correction value representing a time used to correct a voltage drop due to the dead time is employed to control the power converter, and a second mode in which a second correction value smaller than the first correction value is employed to control the power converter.

Disclosed are an inverter control device and method. The method according to an embodiment of the present includes estimating a rotation speed of a motor, determining a slip frequency reference using an energy of a direct current terminal capacitor of an inverter, which provides an output voltage to the motor, and a direct current terminal energy reference when a direct current terminal voltage of the inverter is a certain level or less, and providing a frequency reference determined by adding the rotation speed of the motor and the slip frequency reference to the inverter.