Ford Motor Company Limited

Kah S Oo

Gary M Klingler

Charles Francis Weber

Paul Michael Suzio

Darrel Alan Recker

Rodolfo Palma

David Lee Porter

This invention includes the method of calibrating an inductance position encoder for a variable reluctance motor including the steps of selectively positioning the motor to predetermined positions, detecting the readings from position encoder and averaging the readings to define encoder position and to produce a calibration for the motor.

Automatic self-calibration method for position encoder

A method and system are provided for positioning a gasoline engine throttle in response to an angular position input command signal. A multi-phase variable reluctance motor positions the throttle in response to motor current commands from a micro-controller. The micro-controller receives and processes the position input command and throttle position feedback signals from a multi-phase variable inductance position encoder rotatably coupled with the motor shaft. The motor current command are obtained from look-up tables that are derived from empirical data of the motor. The motor current command tables are a mapping from motor rotor position and desired motor torque to desired motor currents in the appropriate phases of the motor to hold the load.

Method and system for engine throttle control

A method and system for determining absolute rotor position with a Variable Reluctance (VR) motor. An inductance sensor is compatible with the VR motor and is adapted to generate a plurality of variable inductance values corresponding to the position of the rotor. The inductance values may be plotted during calibration as phase-separated pseudo-sinusoidal waveforms with a resultant inductance/position profile having near-linear regions with determinable slopes and offsets. Excitation electronics converts variable inductance values to corresponding digital values which are suitable for computer processing. A micro computer is adapted to determine which of the digital values is a mid-value and to convert the mid-value to high resolution motor rotor angular units in accordance with the calibration-determined slopes and offsets.

Encoder system and method for determining absolute rotor position by

A speed control system maintains vehicle speed at a desired speed by controlling the engine throttle. The speed control system includes feedback from a quadratic control signal having an amplitude related to a square of the speed error signal and also having the speed error signal's sign. The speed control system also includes integral feedback control and proportional feedback control.

Vehicle speed control system with quadratic feedback control

A speed control system having an operator actuable switch assembly providing a single multiplexed output. Decoding of a single momentary switch generates a standby mode when the speed control system is in the control mode, and generates a resume mode when the speed control system is in the standby mode. The decoding also provides the speed control system with the appropriate operator actuable commands only after all switches of the switch assembly are concurrently detected in a neutral or idle position.

Vehicle speed control system with resume/cancel function

A speed controller maintains the engine throttle at a desired throttle position based upon an initial throttle position and a speed error signal. The initial throttle position is generated by multiplying vehicle speed by a constant and adding an offset value related to throttle position at idle and speed control slack. The initial throttle position is adaptively updated by subtracting the above product from actual throttle position during speed control operation to learn a new offset value.

Vehicle speed control system with adaptive learning

A speed control system electronically controls the engine throttle to maintain vehicle speed at a reference speed in response to a control signal. The control signal is generated by multiplying a speed error signal by a gain value. Such gain value is provided with a variable amplitude having a first linear relationship to the error signal which is increased to a second linear relationship having greater sensitivity when the error signal exceeds a preselected amplitude.

Speed control system with variable gains related to speed control

A speed control system controls the engine throttle to maintain vehicle speed at a desired speed and increments the desired speed to a previous reference speed during resume mode of operation or other speed alteration mode of operation. A control signal is generated which is related to both the difference between actual vehicle speed and desired speed. The control signal is multiplied by a gain value generated with a first amplitude when the vehicle speed is within a preselected range from the reference speed, a second amplitude when the vehicle speed is within the preselected range, and a third amplitude when the vehicle speed is greater than a desired speed. An actuator controls the engine throttle in response to the product of the error signal times the gain value for asymptotically approaching the previous reference speed.

Speed control system with adaptive gain control during a speed alteration

A speed control system having an operator actuable switch assembly providing a single multiplexed output. The switch output is scaled with respect to the switch reference voltage to concel any effect of noise or battery voltage variation. Decoding of the scaled output provides the speed control system with the appropriate operator actuable command after all switches of the switch assembly are concurrently detected in a neutral position.

Vehicle speed control system with multiplex switch decoding

A speed control system operable during the resume mode which initially turns the engine throttle to an initial throttle position computed as a function of vehicle speed. A reference ramp is then incremented towards the previously set or resume speed and the throttle controlled in response to a speed error between reference and vehicle speed. When incrementing of the reference speed is terminated, the engine throttle is turned to a recomputed throttle position based upon the previously set speed.

Speed control system with adaptive resume mode

A vehicle speed control system having speed altering modes such as acceleration and resume modes. When resuming speed control operation to attain a previously set desired speed, a lower reference ramp and upper reference ramp are generated in a preprogrammed manner. The lower reference ramp is selected as the reference speed when vehicle speed is below such ramp, and the upper reference ramp is selected as the reference speed when the vehicle speed is greater than such ramp. The vehicle speed is selected as the reference speed when it is within both reference ramps.

Speed control system with resume mode override

A vehicle speed control system having phasing circuitry which provides a sequence of electrical phase steps in response to a comparison of actual vehicle speed to a desired vehicle speed. A stepper motor coupled to a pinion shaft rotates by discrete phase steps in response to the phasing circuitry. An anti-backlash/transfer gear assembly includes a first sprocket gear coupled to a second sprocket gear by integrally formed compression or flexure members which hold the sprocket gears together and a spring assembly which displaces the circumferential teeth of the two sprocket gears relative to one another. Another gear assembly couples rotational movement from the stepper motor to the engine throttle.

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Kah S Oo