A vehicle control apparatus capable of protecting a pre-charge circuit is provided. When a voltage has entered an operating voltage range, a microcomputer determines whether a preset period has elapsed from then. Upon determining that the preset period has elapsed, the microcomputer starts initial check. To carry out the initial check, the microcomputer starts charging a capacitor for power supply stabilization of a drive circuit by turning on the pre-charge circuit and, when the charging of the capacitor is completed, turns on a power supply relay provided on a power supply line that connects between a battery and the drive circuit.

In some embodiments, a motor drive system includes a communication subassembly electrically coupled to a control subassembly for providing communication between the control subassembly and at least one external device. The control subassembly and the communication subassembly transmit and receive control data independently of messaging data, greatly enhancing performance and reducing the workload of processors on the control subassembly and communication subassembly. Additionally, the control subassembly and the communication subassembly transmit message data via sequence count based messaging. Communications between the communication subassembly and the control subassembly may include a series of timeout periods and retries, increasing reliability.

Various embodiments include determining an alternating current (AC) voltage and frequency of a supply voltage coupled to a circuit input. The circuit includes a soft starter circuit that is coupled between the circuit input and a first side of an AC motor. A stator winding configuration of the AC motor is determined. A control transformer is configured in response to the AC voltage and frequency, wherein the control transformer is coupled to the circuit input. A jumper device is configured on a second side of the AC motor in response to the stator winding configuration of the AC motor.

A load control device may control power delivered from a power source, such as an alternating-current (AC) power source, to at least two electrical loads, such as a lighting load and a motor load. The load control device may include multiple load control circuit, such as a dimmer circuit and a motor drive circuit, for controlling the power delivered to the lighting load and the motor load, respectively. The load control device may adjust the rotational speed of the motor load in a manner so as to minimize acoustic noise generated by the load control device and reduce the amount of time required to adjust the rotational speed of the motor load. The load control device may remain powered when one of the electrical loads (e.g., the lighting load) has been removed (e.g., electrically disconnected or uninstalled) and/or has failed in an open state (has “burnt out” or “blown out”).

A load control device may control power delivered from a power source, such as an alternating-current (AC) power source, to at least two electrical loads, such as a lighting load and a motor load. The load control device may include multiple load control circuit, such as a dimmer circuit and a motor drive circuit, for controlling the power delivered to the lighting load and the motor load, respectively. The load control device may adjust the rotational speed of the motor load in a manner so as to minimize acoustic noise generated by the load control device and reduce the amount of time required to adjust the rotational speed of the motor load. The load control device may remain powered when one of the electrical loads (e.g., the lighting load) has been removed (e.g., electrically disconnected or uninstalled) and/or has failed in an open state (has “burnt out” or “blown out”).

A method of controlling a brushless permanent-magnet motor having a phase winding and a rotor, includes applying voltages of first and second opposing polarities to the phase winding when the rotor is oscillating about a parking position, measuring a plurality of first times, each first time including a time taken for current flowing through the phase winding in response to an applied voltage of the first polarity to exceed a threshold and measuring a plurality of second times, each second time including a time taken for current flowing through the phase winding in response to an applied voltage of the second polarity to exceed the threshold. The method includes determining which of an average magnitude of the plurality of first times and an average magnitude of the plurality of second times has the smaller average magnitude, and determining an amplitude peak of the plurality of times having the smaller average magnitude. The method includes using the amplitude peak to calculate a time window, setting a timer corresponding to the time window at a subsequent determined amplitude peak, and applying a drive voltage to the phase winding during the time window.

Ina power conversion system having a fixed pulse pattern modulation unit 2 that is configured to refer to tables storing therein pulse patterns that determine respective command voltage levels corresponding to phase information for each modulation ratio and to generate a gate signal g on the basis of a command modulation ratio d and a control phase θ and driving a power converter 3 on the basis of the gate signal g, the fixed pulse pattern modulation unit 2 is further configured to, when performing a pulse pattern transition, search for a proper post-transition table reference position and make a command voltage level follow a command voltage level of a post-transition pulse pattern. With this, the power conversion system that can perform the pulse pattern transition without current impulse and that can also be applied to a multi-level power converter having four levels or more can be provided.

Ina power conversion system having a fixed pulse pattern modulation unit 2 that is configured to refer to tables storing therein pulse patterns that determine respective command voltage levels corresponding to phase information for each modulation ratio and to generate a gate signal g on the basis of a command modulation ratio d and a control phase θ and driving a power converter 3 on the basis of the gate signal g, the fixed pulse pattern modulation unit 2 is further configured to, when performing a pulse pattern transition, search for a proper post-transition table reference position and make a command voltage level follow a command voltage level of a post-transition pulse pattern. With this, the power conversion system that can perform the pulse pattern transition without current impulse and that can also be applied to a multi-level power converter having four levels or more can be provided.

A control system may include a processor that may receive a first dataset associated with a current received at a load device coupled to a relay device. The processor may also determine harmonics data associated with the current and determine a switching profile to control moving a first armature of three armatures in the relay device based on the harmonics data. The switching profile is configured to control movement of the first armature between a first position and a second position, and wherein the switching profile comprises a firing angle for moving the first armature with respect to an electrical waveform, a second armature, and a third armature. The processor may then control a current provided to a relay coil of the relay device based on the switching profile, such that the relay coil causes the first armature to move.

An electric-vehicle propulsion control system to drive an electric vehicle includes a plurality of motors, an inverter to apply a common voltage to the plurality of motors, and at least one opening/closing unit or opening/closing unit to enable switching between electrical opening and conduction between the inverter and at least one of the motors.