Continental Automotive Systems Corporation

Rene Vivanco

Patrick A O'Gorman

Alex Kurnia

An angular position of a rotating device is detected by sensing and counting high-resolution transitions of high-resolution digital sensors in response to the rotating device rotating; sensing low-resolution transitions of a low-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating, the low-resolutions transitions being unevenly spaced apart; determining an angular position of the rotating device in response to determining a number of high-resolution transitions between pairs of low-resolution transitions.

Detecting angular position of a rotating device

The position of a rotor of a motor is determined. The motor includes a stator having a plurality of coils. The rotor includes at least one rotating magnetic field device. When the rotor is moving below a threshold speed, the current in the coils is measured. A pre-programmed data structure is accessed. The data structure stores stator currents associated with predetermined rotor positions. A first absolute position of the rotor is determined from the data structure according to the measured current from each of the coils. When the rotor is moving above the threshold speed, one or more rising or falling edges of magnetic field strength associated with the at least one rotating magnetic field device are sensed. At least one timing aspect of the rising and falling edges of magnetic field strength are compared to determine a second absolute position of the rotor.

Apparatus and method for determining angular position

Methods and systems for detecting an angular position of a rotating device are disclosed, including sensing and counting high-resolution transitions of a high-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating; sensing low-resolution transitions of a low-resolution digital sensor in response to the rotating device rotating, the low-resolutions transitions being spaced apart at uneven angles; determining an angular position of the rotating device in response to determining a number of high-resolution transitions between pairs of low-resolution transitions.

Systems and methods for detecting angular position

Methods and systems for detecting an angular position of an electric motor are disclosed, including sending an electrical pulse through a stator coil of the electric motor, determining an approximate angular position of a rotor of the electric motor in response to detecting an timing of a returning electrical pulse from the stator coil, the timing of the returning electrical pulse being indicative of the angular position of the rotor; and determining an accurate position of the rotor in response to sensing a transition of a digital sensor in response to the rotor rotating relative to the stator, the transition being indicative of the accurate position.

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Johns Creek, GA, United States of America

Rene Vivanco