Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Frank Joseph Aiello

Zhenxing Fu

James Raymond Winkelman

Karienne Ann Yockey

Frank J Haas

An apparatus for determining angular positions of DC motor includes a capacitor connected in parallel with the DC motor. The current flowing through the capacitor, at any given time, is an AC ripple current responsive to a commutation event of the DC motor. The capacitor partially sources the motor current ripples during commutation and recharges itself during the off-commutation period. Since the number of commutation events per mechanical revolution is pre-determined once the DC motor is designed, the frequency of the AC ripple currents through the capacitor corresponds to the frequency of commutation, and thus a motor position of the DC motor.

Apparatus for DC motor position detection with capacitive ripple current extraction

A method for detecting faults in an electrical system having a plurality of control lines and an error indicator line is disclosed. This method determines which of the plurality of control lines are active and whether the error flag line is indicating that a fault is present. One of the plurality of control lines is deactivated when the error flag line is indicating that a fault is present. Further, the method re-determines whether the error flag line is indicating a fault is present and then determines that a fault is present on the deactivated control line when the error flag line indicates that a fault is not present. In a further aspect of the present invention, the method re-activates the deactivated control line when the error flag line indicates that the fault is still present. These steps are repeated until the control line having a fault is identified.

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Canton, MI, United States of America

Frank Joseph Aiello