Control Device and Method for Operating an Electric Motor, in Particular of a Steering System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024421741-A1
Application number	US-202218698568-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2022
Priority date	Oct 5, 2021
Publication date	Dec 19, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control device for operating an electric motor, in particular of a steering system, includes (i) a power electronics system, (ii) a primary driver unit which is intended to actuate the power electronics system in a normal operating state, and (iii) a secondary driver unit which is connected in parallel with the primary driver unit and is intended to actuate the power electronics system in at least one fault operating state in which a malfunction and/or failure of the primary driver unit occurs. The primary driver unit and the secondary driver unit each have an integrated tri-state functionality and the second driver unit is in a high-impedance state in the normal operating state.

First claim

1 . A control device for operating an electric motor, comprising:
a power electronics system, a primary driver unit configured to actuate the power electronics system in a normal operating state, and a secondary driver unit which is (i) connected in parallel with the primary driver unit, and (ii) configured to actuate the power electronics system in at least one fault operating state in which a malfunction and/or failure of the primary driver unit occurs, wherein the primary driver unit and the secondary driver unit each have an integrated tri-state functionality and the second driver unit is in a high-impedance state in the normal operating state.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the primary driver unit and the secondary driver unit are each configured as integrated electronic circuitry.

3 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the primary driver unit comprises a control pin for controlling tri-state functionality of the primary driver unit.

4 . The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the secondary driver unit comprises a further control pin for controlling tri-state functionality of the secondary driver unit.

5 . The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a computing unit provided configured to monitor operation of the primary driver unit in the normal operating state and, upon determination of a malfunction and/or failure of the primary driver unit, deactivate the primary driver unit and activate the secondary driver unit.

6 . An actuator assembly, comprising:
an electric motor, and a control device according to claim 1 .

7 . A steering system having at least one actuator assembly according to claim 6 .

8 . A method for operating an electric motor by way of a control device according to claim 1 , in which a power electronics system is actuated in a normal operating state by means way of a primary driver unit and in a fault operating state, in which a malfunction and/or a failure of the primary driver unit occurs, by means way of a secondary driver unit connected in parallel with the primary driver unit, wherein the primary driver unit and the secondary driver unit each have integrated tri-state functionality and the secondary driver unit is in the normal operating state in a high-impedance state.

9 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is an electric motor of a steering system.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Lemmer Paul
• Nagel Andreas
• Weber Markus
• Schmidt Jonas

Classifications

• B62D5/0493

  detecting processor errors, e.g. plausibility of steering direction · CPC title

• B62D5/0484

  for reaction to failures, e.g. limp home · CPC title

• H02P27/06 Primary

  using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02P27/08 Primary

  with pulse width modulation · CPC title