Motor drive system including a feedback loop

Claim 2

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, the drive system comprising a motor-starting and speed-regulation control including: motor-rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; timing means for measuring a predetermined time interval after the starting of the timing means; means for starting the timing means with each generation of a feedback pulse; and means for comparing the length of said predetermined time interval to the length of the time interval between consecutive feedback pulses and for generating a motion-command-pulse at the end of the longer of either said predetermined time interval or said time interval between consecutive feed-back pulses; whereby the motor rotates at a speed limited to a regulated speed in which the time of each increment of movement is not less than said predetermined time interval.

Claim 3

A motor drive system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a high-speed control including means effective upon the receipt of a HIGH-SPEED command, when the motor is operating at its predetermined regulated speed, to immediately generate an extra motion-command-pulse before the generation of the motion-command-pulse by the next feedback pulse, and to disable said timing means starting means so that only said feedback pulses generate motion-command-pulses, whereby the motion-command-pulses are in a one-phase-advanced relationship with respect to said feedback pulses, which accelerates the motor to a speed above its predetermined regulated speed.

Claim 4

A motor drive system as defined in claim 2, further comprising a deceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of a DECELERATION command, when the motor is operating at its high-speed, to cause the next two feedback pulses to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse, whereby the motion-command-pulses are in a one-phase-delayed relationship with respect to said feedback pulses, which decelerates the motor to its predetermined regulated speed.

Claim 5

A motor drive system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a stop control including means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command when the motor is operating at its predetermined regulated speed to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse, whereby the motion-command-pulses are in a one-phase-delayed relationship with respect to said feedback pulses, which decelerates the motor from its predetermined regulated speed.

Claim 6

A motor drive system as defined in claim 4, wherein said stop control further includes means for effecting a complete stop of the motor at the end of a predetermined number n of feedback pulses, producing n motion-command- pulses subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command.

Claim 7

A motor drive system as defined in claim 1, wherein said motor-rotation sensing means comprises: a timing disc driven by the motor and including evenly spaced sensible elements around the periphery thereof, and a sensor sensing said elements and generating feedback pulses at a rate corresponding to the actual speed of rotation of the motor.

Claim 8

A motor drive system as defined in claim 6, wherein said sensible elements are teeth of magnetic material carried on the timing disc, and said sensor is a magnetic pick-up device.

Claim 9

A motor drive system as defined in claim 1, wherein said control is implemented by a synchronous sequential machine having a static logic gating matrix and a plurality of clocked delay elements, the output of the logic gating matrix being fed to the delay elements, and the outputs of the latter elements being fed back to the input of the logic gating matrix.

Claim 10

A motor drive system as defined in claim 1, wherein said means generating motion-command-pulses selectively generates pulses of a predetermined amplitude to produce a driving torque by the motor, or pulses of a limited amplitude to produce a holding torque by the motor.

Claim 11

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, the drive system comprising a motor-starting and speed-regulation control including: motor-rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; first timing means for measuring a first predetermined time interval after the starting of the first timing means; means for starting the first timing means with each generation of a feedback pulse; and means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse or the run-out of the first predetermined time interval, whichever occurs later, for generating a motion-command-pulse and for restarting the first timing means; and stop control means comprising: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of motion-command-pulse; ii. means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command for generating a motion-command-pulse; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n-1 th one of said latter feedback pulses for starting a second timing means to measure a second predetermined time interval; iv. and means effective to generate the n th motion-command- pulse upon the run-out of either said second predetermined time interval or the generation of the n th feedback-pulse, whichever occurs sooner.

Claim 12

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, the drive system comprising a motor-starting and speed-regulation control including: motor-rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; first timing means for measuring a first predetermined time interval after the starting of the first timing means; means for starting the first timing means with each generation of a feedback pulse; and means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse or the run-out of the first predetermined time interval, whichever occurs later, for generating a motion-command-pulse and for restarting the first timing means; and stop control means comprising: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of motion-command-pulse; ii. means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command for generating a motion-command-pulse; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n-1 th one of said latter feedback pulses for starting a second timing means to measure a second predetermined time interval; iv. and means effective to generate the n th motion-command- pulse upon the run-out of either said second predetermined time interval or the generation of the n th feedback-pulse, whichever occurs sooner.

Claim 13

A motor drive system as defined in claim 10, wherein n equals 3.

Claim 14

A motor drive system as defined in claim 10, further including: means effective upon the generation of the n th feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped by the STOP command for starting said timing means to measure a third predetermined time interval, and means for disabling the restarting of the motor until the run-out of said third predetermined time interval.

Claim 15

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with motion-command-pulses supplied thereto at times not less than a preselected interval after the preceeding motion command pulse comprising: motor rotation sensing means sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; a speed regulation control including means for generating a motion-command-pulse either for each feedback pulse or at end of said preselected time interval, whichever is later; acceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of an ACCELERATION command for generating an extra motion-command-pulse, to thereby bring the motion-command-pulses into a one-phase-advanced relationship with respect to the feedback pulses; and a deceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of a DECELERATION command for causing the next two feedback pulses to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse.

Claim 16

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with motion-command-pulses supplied thereto at times not less than a preselected interval after the preceeding motion command pulse comprising: motor rotation sensing means sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; a speed regulation control including means for generating a motion-command-pulse either for each feedback pulse or at end of said preselected time interval, whichever is later; acceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of an ACCELERATION command for generating an extra motion-command-pulse, to thereby bring the motion-command-pulses into a one-phase-advanced relationship with respect to the feedback pulses; and a deceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of a DECELERATION command for causing the next two feedback pulses to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse.

Claim 17

A motor drive system as defined in claim 13, wherein said speed-regulation control includes timing means for measuring a predetermined time interval after the starting of the timing means; and means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse or the run-out of the predetermined time interval, whichever occurs later, for generating a motion-command-pulse and for restarting the timer; whereby the motor rotates one increment for each feedback pulse but its speed is limited to a predetermined regulated speed in which the time of each increment of movement is not less than said predetermined time interval.

Claim 18

A motor drive system as defined in claim 13, further comprising a stop control including means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command when the motor is operating at its predetermined regulated speed to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion-command- pulse, whereby the motion-command-pulses are in a one-phase- delayed relationship with respect to said feedback pulses, which decelerates the motor from its predetermined regulated speed.

Claim 19

A motor drive system as defined in claim 13, wherein said stop control further includes means for effecting a complete stop of the motor at the end of a predetermined number n of feedback pulses producing n motion-command-pulses subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command.

Claim 20

A motor drive system as defined in claim 13, wherein said control is implemented by a synchronous sequential machine having a static logic gating matrix and a plurality of clocked delay elements, the output of the logic gating matrix being fed to the delay elements, and the outputs of the latter elements being fed back to the input of the logic gating matrix.

Claim 21

A motor drive system as defined in claim 13, wherein said means generating motion-command-pulses selectively generates pulses of a predetermined amplitude to produce a driving torque by the motor, or pulses of a limited amplitude to produce a holding torque by the motor.

Claim 22

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, comprising: motor-rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and for generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; a speed-regulation control means including means for generating a motion-command-pulse for each feedback pulse; acceleration control means including means effective upon the receipt of an ACCELERATION command for generating an extra motion-command-pulse, to thereby bring the motion-command-pulses into a one-phase-advanced relationship with respect to the feedback pulses; a deceleration control means including means effective upon the receipt of a DECELERATION command for causing the next two feedback pulses to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse, and a stop control means including: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse; ii. means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command for generating a motion- command-pulse; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n-1 th one of said latter feedback pulses for starting a timing means to measure a predetermined time interval; and iv. means effective to generate the n th motion-command- pulse upon the run-out of either said predetermined time interval or the generation of the n th motion-command-pulse whichever occurs sooner.

Claim 23

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, comprising: motor-rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and for generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; a speed-regulation control means including means for generating a motion-command-pulse for each feedback pulse; acceleration control means including means effective upon the receipt of an ACCELERATION command for generating an extra motion-command-pulse, to thereby bring the motion-command-pulses into a one-phase-advanced relationship with respect to the feedback pulses; a deceleration control means including means effective upon the receipt of a DECELERATION command for causing the next two feedback pulses to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse, and a stop control means including: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse; ii. means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command for generating a motion- command-pulse; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n-1 th one of said latter feedback pulses for starting a timing means to measure a predetermined time interval; and iv. means effective to generate the n th motion-command- pulse upon the run-out of either said predetermined time interval or the generation of the n th motion-command-pulse whichever occurs sooner.

Claim 24

A motor drive system as defined in claim 21, wherein n equals 3.

Claim 25

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command- pulses applied thereto, the drive system comprising: motor rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; and stop control means including: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion command pulse; ii. means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command for generating a motion-command- pulse; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n-1 th one of said latter feedback pulses for starting a timing means to measure a predetermined time interval; and iv. means effective to generate the n th motion-command- pulse upon the run-out of either said predetermined time interval or the generation of the n th feedback-pulse, whichever occurs sooner.

Claim 26

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command- pulses applied thereto, the drive system comprising: motor rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; and stop control means including: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion command pulse; ii. means effective upon the generation of each feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command for generating a motion-command- pulse; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n-1 th one of said latter feedback pulses for starting a timing means to measure a predetermined time interval; and iv. means effective to generate the n th motion-command- pulse upon the run-out of either said predetermined time interval or the generation of the n th feedback-pulse, whichever occurs sooner.

Claim 27

A motor drive system as defined in claim 21, further including: means effective upon the generation of the n th feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped by the STOP command for starting said timing means to measure a third predetermined time interval, and means for disabling the restarting of the motor until the run-out of said third predetermined time interval.

Claim 28

A motor drive system as defined in claim 21, wherein said means generating motion-command-pulses selectively generates pulses of a predetermined amplitude to produce a driving torque by the motor, or pulses of a limited amplitude to produce a holding torque by the motor.

Claim 29

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, comprising: motor-rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and for generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; a speed-regulation control including means for generating a motion-command-pulse for each feedback pulse; acceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of an ACCELERATION command for generating an extra motion-command-pulse, to thereby bring the motion-command-pulses into a one-phase advanced relationship with respect to the feedback pulses; a deceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of a DECELERATION command for causing the next two feedback pulses to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse; and a stop control means including: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command when the motor is operating at its predetermined regulated speed to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion-command- pulse; ii. means for effecting a complete stop of the motor at the end of a predetermined number n of feedback pulses producing n motion-command-pulses subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n th feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped by the stop command for starting a timing means to measure a predetermined time interval; and iv. means for disabling the restarting of the motor until the run-out of said predetermined time interval.

Claim 30

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, comprising: motor-rotation sensing means for sensing the rotation of the motor and for generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each movement of the motor a predetermined increment; a speed-regulation control including means for generating a motion-command-pulse for each feedback pulse; acceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of an ACCELERATION command for generating an extra motion-command-pulse, to thereby bring the motion-command-pulses into a one-phase advanced relationship with respect to the feedback pulses; a deceleration control including means effective upon the receipt of a DECELERATION command for causing the next two feedback pulses to skip the generation of a motion-command-pulse; and a stop control means including: i. means effective upon the receipt of a STOP command when the motor is operating at its predetermined regulated speed to cause the next feedback pulse to skip the generation of a motion-command- pulse; ii. means for effecting a complete stop of the motor at the end of a predetermined number n of feedback pulses producing n motion-command-pulses subsequent to the one skipped following the STOP command; iii. means effective upon the generation of the n th feedback pulse subsequent to the one skipped by the stop command for starting a timing means to measure a predetermined time interval; and iv. means for disabling the restarting of the motor until the run-out of said predetermined time interval.

Claim 31

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, the drive system comprising a motor-starting control and a control for regulating motor speed so that time intervals between consecutive motion-command-pulses are not less than a predetermined time interval, including: motor rotation sensing means including a timing disc driven by the motor for sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each predetermined increment of movement of the motor; timing means for measuring said predetermined time interval after the starting of the timing means; means for starting the timing means with each generation of a feedback pulse; and means for comparing the length of said predetermined time interval to the length of the time interval between consecutive feedback pulses and for generating a motion-command-pulse at the end of the longer of either said predetermined time interval or said time interval between consecutive feed-back pulses.

Claim 32

A motor drive system for driving a motor incrementally in accordance with the generation of motion-command-pulses supplied thereto, the drive system comprising a motor-starting control and a control for regulating motor speed so that time intervals between consecutive motion-command-pulses are not less than a predetermined time interval, including: motor rotation sensing means including a timing disc driven by the motor for sensing the rotation of the motor and generating in response thereto a feedback pulse for each predetermined increment of movement of the motor; timing means for measuring said predetermined time interval after the starting of the timing means; means for starting the timing means with each generation of a feedback pulse; and means for comparing the length of said predetermined time interval to the length of the time interval between consecutive feedback pulses and for generating a motion-command-pulse at the end of the longer of either said predetermined time interval or said time interval between consecutive feed-back pulses.