Field current profile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10063175-B2
Application number	US-201715807095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2017
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An output of a generator may vary according to the speed of the engine, physical characteristics of the engine, or other factors. A profile for a generator that describes a periodic fluctuation in an operating characteristic for the generator is identified. A field current of an alternator associated with the generator is modified based on the profile for the generator in order to counter variations in the output of the generator.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method comprising:
accessing a profile from memory, the profile based on data measured by a detection circuit and indicative of a characteristic of an alternator; and
applying the profile to a parameter of the alternator.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modifying the profile in response to data measured by the detection circuit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter is a field current of the alternator.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter is a duty cycle for a switch command.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the switch command is increased for a first portion of the profile and decreased for a second portion of the profile.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the duty cycle depends on a slope of the profile.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit detects movement of a component.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the component is a crankshaft, a gear box, a transmission, an armature, or a rotor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit includes a torque sensor, a deflection sensor, a dynamometer, a positional sensor, or a revolution sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuit includes an air to fuel ratio sensor.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile describes a speed associated with the alternator.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter of the alternator is an output voltage of the alternator.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile is a continuous function, a set of discrete values, or a piecewise function.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the profile to the parameter of the alternator reduces harmonic distribution on an output of the alternator.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the memory includes a plurality of profiles associated with different types of generators, different loads, different operating environments, or different sets of output tolerances.

16. An apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store the profile for a rotor, the profile based on data indicative of an operating characteristic for the rotor; and
a controller configured access the profile for the rotor and apply the profile to a parameter of the alternator.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the parameter is a duty cycle for a switch command.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the duty cycle depends on a slope of the profile.

19. A method comprising:
receiving data measured by a detection circuit and indicative of a characteristic of an alternator;
generating a profile based on the data measured by the detection circuit, the profile operable to modify a parameter of the alternator; and
storing the profile in a memory.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the parameter of the alternator is a field current or a duty cycle.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Frampton Isaac S

Classifications

• H02P9/14

  by variation of field (H02P9/08, H02P9/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02P9/305 Primary

  controlling voltage (H02P9/302 takes precedence) · CPC title