Motor drive controller and method for operating the same

Abstract

A motor driver controller including a difference control section; a driver output section; a drive current detection amplifier; and a load short-circuit detection circuit. A motor and sensing resistor is coupled in series and coupled to an output terminal of the driver output section. The difference control section generates a drive voltage command signal in response to a drive current command value and a drive current detection signal. The driver output section drives the motor and sensing resistor, in response to the drive voltage command signal, and a drive current detection amplifier generates a signal fed to the difference control section, in response to a drive current of the sensing resistor. The load short-circuit detection circuit detects an abnormal oscillation waveform signal caused by a short-circuit state between the both ends of the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A controller, comprising:
 a driver output circuit configured to receive a drive voltage command signal and generate a drive output signal for driving a load and sensing resistor coupled in series with the load based on the drive voltage command signal;   a drive current detection amplifier configured to generate a drive current detection signal based on a drive current flowing through the sensing resistor; and   a load short-circuit detection circuit configured to receive the drive current detection signal and determine that an abnormal oscillation waveform signal is caused by a short-circuit state between both ends of the motor.   
     
     
         2 . The motor drive controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the load short-circuit detection circuit comprises:
 a first comparator configured to receive the abnormal oscillation waveform signal at a first input terminal the first comparator, receive a first threshold value information at a second input terminal of the first comparator, and generate a first comparison output signal in response to the abnormal oscillation waveform signal becoming a value larger than the first threshold value information.   
     
     
         3 . The motor drive controller according to  claim 2 , wherein the load short-circuit detection circuit further comprises:
 a counter configured to receive the first comparison output signal and generate a count-up value by counting up in response to a pulse signal of the first comparison output signal at a cycle of the abnormal oscillation waveform signal.   
     
     
         4 . The motor drive controller according to  claim 3 , wherein the load short-circuit detection circuit further comprises:
 a second comparator configured to receive the count-up value at a first input terminal of the second comparator, receive a second threshold value information at a second input terminal of the second comparator, and generate a second comparison output signal in response to the count-up value becoming a value larger than the second threshold value information,   wherein the load short-circuit detection circuit is configured to output, as a load short-circuit detection signal, the second comparison output signal generated by the second comparator.   
     
     
         5 . A method of operating a controller, comprising:
 receiving a drive voltage command signal and generate a drive output signal for driving a load and sensing resistor coupled in series with the load based on the drive voltage command signal;   generating a drive current detection signal based on a drive current flowing through the sensing resistor;   receiving the drive current detection signal; and   determining that an abnormal oscillation waveform signal is caused by a short-circuit state between both ends of the motor.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the operation of determining that an abnormal oscillation waveform signal is caused by a short-circuit state between both ends of the motor further comprising:
 receiving the abnormal oscillation waveform signal at a first input terminal a first comparator;   receiving a first threshold value information at a second input terminal of the first comparator; and   generating a first comparison output signal in response to the abnormal oscillation waveform signal becoming a value larger than the first threshold value information.   
     
     
         7 . The motor drive controller according to  claim 2 , wherein the operation of determining that an abnormal oscillation waveform signal is caused by a short-circuit state between both ends of the motor further comprising:
 receiving the first comparison output signal; and   generating a count-up value by counting up in response to a pulse signal of the first comparison output signal at a cycle of the abnormal oscillation waveform signal.   
     
     
         8 . The motor drive controller according to  claim 3 , wherein the operation of determining that an abnormal oscillation waveform signal is caused by a short-circuit state between both ends of the motor further comprising:
 receiving the count-up value at a first input terminal of a second comparator;   receiving a second threshold value information at a second input terminal of the second comparator;   generating a second comparison output signal in response to the count-up value becoming a value larger than the second threshold value information; and   outputting, as a load short-circuit detection signal, the second comparison output signal generated by the second comparator.