DESC:INTEGRATED MOTOR DRIVER
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority from Indian Provisional Patent Application No. 202421042511 filed on 31/05/2025, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by a reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to a motor controller. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to an integrated motor driver for motor controller.
BACKGROUND
Recently, electric motors have seen rapid advancements in recent years due to their growing adoption across various industries. In the automotive sector, electric motors play a crucial role in propulsion systems. In the field of electric motor control, especially in applications involving electric vehicles (EVs), industrial automation, and robotics, motor controllers are critical for managing power flow and ensuring precise control of torque, speed, and position of the motor.
Nowadays, the modern motor controllers typically comprise several essential components, such as gate drivers, sensing and signal conditioning circuits, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), voltage references, switching devices (e.g., IGBTs or MOSFETs), voltage regulators, auxiliary power supplies, and microcontrollers or digital signal processors (DSPs). These components are conventionally implemented in a discrete form on printed circuit boards (PCBs). While discrete implementation allows for flexibility in design and component selection, but introduces several technical drawbacks. First, discrete layouts consume significant board space, making the motor control system difficult to achieve compact designs, especially in applications with space constraints such as electric vehicles. The need for multiple interconnects and traces between discrete components increases the size and complexity of PCB routing. Furthermore, discrete component-based controllers are more susceptible to the electromagnetic interference (EMI) and noise. The spatial separation of components and the longer signal paths between power and control circuits create potential for signal degradation, crosstalk, and increased parasitic inductance. This may affect the timing and reliability of switching operations, resulting in suboptimal motor performance or even system malfunction. Another problem associated is the thermal management which becomes increasingly challenging in discrete systems. Each power-dissipating component (e.g., gate drivers, switching devices, voltage regulators) contributes to localized heating, leading to thermal hotspots. Additionally, the packaging and integration of such discrete motor controller systems often require multi-layer PCBs and complex mechanical enclosures, which are not only expensive but also prone to assembly errors and reliability issues over prolonged use.
Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved solution for motor controller to overcome one or more problems associated as set forth above.
SUMMARY
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an integrated motor driver for a motor controller.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an integrated motor driver for a motor controller. The integrated module comprising at least one power management module configured to regulate power distribution within the module, at least one protection module configured to safeguard the motor controller against at least one of overvoltage, overcurrent, or thermal faults, at least one diagnostic module configured to monitor operational parameters of the motor controller, at least one gate driver configured to control switching devices in the motor controller, at least one voltage reference configured to provide a stable reference voltage for analog signal processing and an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert analog signals to digital signals for processing by the motor controller. The power management module, protection module, diagnostic module, gate driver, voltage reference and analog-to-digital converter are integrated into a single module to provide compact packaging, reduce susceptibility to noise and interference, and simplified design for motor control applications.
The present disclosure provides the integrated motor driver for the motor controller. The integrated module as disclosed by present disclosure is advantageous in terms of over conventional discrete component-based designs of the motor controller modules. Beneficially, the integrated module significantly reduces the overall footprint of the motor controller system, thereby enabling more compact and space-efficient designs. Furthermore, the integrated module minimizes the interconnect lengths and parasitic effects, which in turn improves the signal integrity and reduces the susceptibility to the electromagnetic interference (EMI) and noise which are the critical factors in high-performance motor control applications. Additionally, the integrated module simplifies the system architecture and reduces the design complexity, thereby facilitating the faster development cycles and improved reliability. Furthermore, the integrated module contributes to robust and efficient operation, especially in demanding environments such as electric vehicles, where compactness, performance, and durability are essential.
Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments constructed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.
It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, exemplary constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an integrated motor driver for a motor controller, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.
In the accompanying drawings, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non-underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and ways in which they can be implemented. Although some modes of carrying out the present disclosure have been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognise that other embodiments for carrying out or practising the present disclosure are also possible.
The description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of certain embodiments of an integrated motor driver for a motor controller and is not intended to represent the only forms that may be developed or utilised. The description sets forth the various structures and/or functions in connection with the illustrated embodiments; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimised to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “include(s)”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, system that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or system. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus preceded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or apparatus.
In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the description with unnecessary detail.
As used herein, the terms “electric vehicle”, “EV”, and “EVs” are used interchangeably and refer to any vehicle having stored electrical energy, including the vehicle capable of being charged from an external electrical power source. This may include vehicles having batteries which are exclusively charged from an external power source, as well as hybrid-vehicles which may include batteries capable of being at least partially recharged via an external power source. Additionally, it is to be understood that the ‘electric vehicle’ as used herein includes electric two-wheeler, electric three-wheeler, electric four-wheeler, electric pickup trucks, electric trucks and so forth.
As used herein, the term “integrated motor driver”, “front-end module”, “module” and “integrated module” are used interchangeably and refer to a compact and functionally unified electronic assembly that comprises multiple analog and mixed-signal components necessary for signal acquisition, conditioning, conversion, and interface in a motor control system. Specifically, the module includes, but is not limited to, one or more gate drivers for controlling power switching devices, signal conditioning circuits for filtering and amplifying sensor inputs, precision voltage reference sources for stable analog operation, and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for digitizing analog signals.
As used herein, the terms “motor controller” refers to an electronic system or device configured to manage the operation of an electric motor by regulating parameters such as speed, torque, direction of rotation, and braking. The motor controller typically includes one or more power switching devices (e.g., MOSFETs, IGBTs), control logic (e.g., microcontroller or digital signal processor), gate drivers, signal conditioning circuits, voltage regulators, and feedback mechanisms for monitoring motor performance.
As used herein, the term “at least one power management module” and “power management module” are used interchangeably and refer to a functional block or circuit integrated within the motor driver that is configured to manage and regulate electrical power distribution among various internal components of the module. The power management module may include one or more sub-circuits or devices such as voltage regulators, low dropout (LDO) regulators, DC-DC converters, and power switches, which are capable of providing stable and conditioned voltage and/or current levels required by sensitive analog and digital components including gate drivers, signal conditioning circuits, voltage references, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and microcontroller interfaces.
As used herein, the term “at least one protection module” and “protection module” are used interchangeably and refer to a functional block within the integrated motor driver configured to detect, prevent, and respond to abnormal electrical or thermal conditions that could potentially damage the motor controller or associated components. The protection module comprises circuitry designed to monitor voltage levels, current flow, and temperature in real time, and is configured to take corrective actions in the event of fault conditions.
As used herein, the term “at least one diagnostic module” and “diagnostic module” are used interchangeably and refer to an integrated subsystem or circuitry within the motor driver that is configured to monitor, evaluate, and report the operational status and health of various components and parameters of the motor controller system. The diagnostic module is operatively coupled to sensors, internal nodes, or signal paths and is designed to track real-time parameters such as temperature, voltage levels, current flow, and switching device status (e.g., on/off states, fault flags, response timing). The diagnostic module may include analog or digital sensing circuits, comparators, threshold detectors, memory elements for storing fault events, and logic for generating status flags or fault codes.
As used herein, the term “at least one gate driver” and “gate driver” are used interchangeably and refer to one or more electronic circuits or components configured to control the operation of one or more switching devices, such as insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), by providing appropriate voltage and/or current signals to their gate terminals. The gate driver is adapted to receive control signals, typically from a microcontroller or digital signal processor, and translate these signals into the required gate drive voltages with sufficient drive strength and switching speed.
As used herein, the term “switching devices” refers to power semiconductor components configured to control the flow of electrical current in a motor controller circuit by switching between conducting (ON) and non-conducting (OFF) states. Such devices include, but are not limited to, insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), gate turn-off thyristors (GTOs), silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN) transistors, or any other suitable semiconductor components capable of high-speed and high-efficiency electrical switching for motor control applications.
As used herein, the term “at least one conditioning circuit” and “conditioning circuit” are used interchangeably and refer to one or more electronic circuits configured to process input signals such as voltage or current signals from external sources or sensors associated with a motor controller system. The conditioning circuit may perform one or more signal processing functions including, but not limited to, amplification, filtering, level shifting, isolation, and impedance matching.
As used herein, the term “signal measurement” refers to the process of detecting, acquiring, and quantifying electrical signals typically analog signals originating from one or more sensors or circuit nodes within a system, wherein such signals represent physical parameters (such as current, voltage, temperature, or position) associated with motor operation.
As used herein, the term “at least one voltage reference” and “voltage reference” are used interchangeably and refer to one or more circuit elements or subsystems configured to provide a stable and precise reference voltage, which is substantially independent of variations in supply voltage, temperature, and load conditions. The voltage reference is typically used to ensure accurate operation of analog and mixed-signal components, such as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), comparators, and signal conditioning circuits.
As used herein, the term “analog-to-digital converter” and “ADC” are used interchangeably and refer to an electronic component or circuit configured to receive an analog input signal typically a continuously varying voltage or current and convert the input signal into a corresponding digital representation. The digital output comprises discrete values, typically expressed in binary format, which approximate the magnitude of the input analog signal within a defined resolution and sampling rate. The ADC enables analog signals, such as those from sensors or analog front-end circuits, to be processed by digital systems such as microcontrollers or digital signal processors (DSPs) within the motor controller.
As used herein, the term “insulated gate bipolar transistors” and “IGBTs” are used interchangeably and refer to a semiconductor switching device that combines the high input impedance and fast switching characteristics of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) with the high current-carrying capability and low conduction losses of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). The IGBT comprises a gate terminal insulated by an oxide layer, which controls the conductivity of a semiconductor channel between the collector and emitter terminals.
As used herein, the term “metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors” and “MOSFETs” are used interchangeably and refer to a type of field-effect transistor in which the conductivity of a semiconductor channel is controlled by an electric field applied through a gate terminal insulated from the channel by a thin oxide layer. The MOSFET typically comprises three terminals: the source, the drain, and the gate.
As used herein, the term “precision voltage output” refers to a stable and accurate voltage level provided by a voltage reference circuit or device, characterized by minimal deviation over variations in temperature, load conditions, and supply voltage fluctuations. This output voltage maintains a high degree of accuracy, typically within a tight tolerance range (e.g., ±0.1% or better), ensuring consistent and reliable operation of analog circuits such as analog-to-digital converters and signal conditioning modules.
As used herein, the term “microcontroller interface” refers to an electrical and logical communication pathway or circuitry that enables the transfer of data and control signals between the integrated motor driver and an external microcontroller or digital processing unit. The microcontroller interface facilitates the transmission of digitized sensor data, status information, and control commands in a format compatible with the microcontroller’s input/output protocols. The microcontroller interface may include, but is not limited to, standard communication protocols such as Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C), Controller Area Network (CAN), Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART), or parallel bus architectures, and incorporates necessary signal conditioning, buffering, and synchronization to ensure reliable and accurate data exchange.
As used herein, the term “digital signals” refers to electrical signals that represent data or information in discrete levels or states, typically corresponding to binary values such as '0' and '1'. Unlike analog signals, which vary continuously over a range of values, digital signals have distinct, quantized levels that enable reliable processing, storage, and transmission of information by digital circuits and systems.
As used herein, the term “microcontroller” refers to a compact integrated circuit designed to perform specific control functions within an embedded system. The microcontroller typically comprises a central processing unit (CPU), memory units such as read-only memory (ROM) or flash memory for program storage, random-access memory (RAM) for temporary data storage, and various input/output (I/O) peripherals. The microcontroller executes programmed instructions to monitor inputs, process data, and control outputs, enabling real-time operation of electronic devices such as motor controllers.
As used herein, the term “single integrated circuit chip” refers to a semiconductor device in which multiple electronic components and functional blocks such as transistors, resistors, capacitors, gate drivers, conditioning circuits, voltage references, and analog-to-digital converters are fabricated together on a single continuous piece of semiconductor material, typically silicon. This monolithic integration enables all the components to be interconnected internally within the same substrate, eliminating the need for external discrete components or separate packaged devices.
As used herein, the term "electromagnetic interference shielding” and “EMI shielding” are used interchangeably and refer to the incorporation of materials, structures, or design techniques within an electronic module or system to reduce, block, or attenuate the propagation of unwanted electromagnetic signals or noise. This shielding prevents external electromagnetic fields from interfering with the normal operation of sensitive electronic components, and simultaneously limits the emission of electromagnetic radiation from the device itself, thereby ensuring signal integrity, enhancing reliability, and complying with regulatory standards.
Figure 1, in accordance with an embodiment describes an integrated motor driver 100 for a motor controller. The integrated motor driver 100 comprising at least one power management module 102 configured to regulate power distribution within the motor driver 100, at least one protection module 104 configured to safeguard the motor controller against at least one of overvoltage, overcurrent, or thermal faults, at least one diagnostic module 106 configured to monitor operational parameters of the motor controller, at least one gate driver 108 configured to control switching devices in the motor controller, at least one voltage reference 110 configured to provide a stable reference voltage for analog signal processing and an analog-to-digital converter 112 configured to convert analog signals to digital signals for processing by the motor controller. The power management module 102, protection module 104, diagnostic module 106, gate driver 108, voltage reference 110 and analog-to-digital converter 112 are integrated into a single module to provide compact packaging, reduced susceptibility to noise and interference, and simplified design for motor control applications.
The present disclosure provides the integrated motor driver 100 for the motor controller. The integrated motor driver 100 as disclosed by present disclosure is advantageous significant technical advantages over conventional discrete motor controller designs. Beneficially, by consolidating multiple essential subsystems including power management module 102, protection module 104, diagnostics module 106, gate driver 108, voltage reference 110, analog-to-digital converter 112, signal conditioning, and microcontroller interface 116 into a single module which significantly enhances the system integration thereby reduces the board space requirements, and simplifies the circuit design and layout. Furthermore, the inclusion of a dedicated power management module 102 with the voltage regulation ensures stable power delivery to internal component. Moreover, the protection module 104 offers critical safety features such as overvoltage, overcurrent, and thermal fault detection and response. Beneficially, the diagnostic module 106 adds a layer of intelligent monitoring by tracking parameters like temperature, current, and voltage, enabling real-time health monitoring and predictive maintenance. Beneficially, integrating a high-resolution ADC 112 and precise voltage reference 110 improves signal fidelity and control accuracy, essential for precision motor control. Furthermore, the built-in EMI shielding mitigates interference in noisy environments, thereby ensures the reliable operation and compliance with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards. Additionally, a microcontroller interface 116 of the motor driver 100 facilitates seamless digital communication with system controllers, while the compact single-chip implementation minimizes parasitic effects which enhances the thermal performance, and improves manufacturability. Collectively, the technical advantages as set forth above results in a robust, noise-resistant, and highly efficient motor control solution with lower development and integration complexity.
In an embodiment, the power management module 102 includes at least one voltage regulator configured to supply stable voltage levels to the components of the motor driver 100. The voltage regulator may be implemented as a linear regulator, low-dropout regulator (LDO), or a switching regulator (e.g., buck or boost converter), depending on the specific voltage and efficiency requirements of the system. The voltage regulator may be operatively coupled to an input power supply and is configured to convert the input to one or more regulated output voltages suitable for powering internal circuitry such as the gate driver 108, diagnostic module 106, analog-to-digital converter 112, voltage reference 110, and conditioning circuits 114. Beneficially, the presence of the integrated voltage regulator ensures consistent electrical performance by minimizing the voltage ripple and the transient disturbances, which is particularly important for analog and mixed-signal components that are sensitive to power supply fluctuations.
In an embodiment, the protection module 104 includes circuitry for detecting and mitigating faults selected from the group consisting of short circuits, overvoltage conditions, and overheating. To detect short circuits, the protection module 104 may include current sensing elements, such as shunt resistors or Hall-effect sensors, coupled with comparator circuits that trigger protection responses when the sensed current exceeds a predefined threshold. For overvoltage protection, voltage monitoring circuits compare the supply or output voltages against reference limits and initiate corrective action if the voltage rises above a safe level. Similarly, thermal protection is provided by temperature sensing elements (e.g., thermistors or integrated temperature sensors) that detect excessive heat within the motor driver 100, triggering shutdown or derating protocols when critical temperatures are reached. Beneficially, by integrating the protection features directly into the motor driver 100, the system benefits from enhanced operational safety, improved fault tolerance, and reduced reliance on external protective components, resulting in a more compact, efficient, and reliable motor controller architecture.
In an embodiment, the diagnostic module 106 is configured to monitor parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, current, voltage, and switching device status. The temperature monitoring may be achieved using integrated temperature sensors such as thermistors, diodes, or semiconductor-based thermal sensors, which allow the motor driver 100 to detect overheating conditions and initiate protective measures or alert the system controller. Furthermore, the current monitoring may be implemented using current sense resistors, Hall-effect sensors, or current mirrors to detect abnormal load conditions, short circuits, or phase imbalances. Furthermore, the voltage monitoring ensures that all supply rails and reference voltages remain within specified tolerances and enables early detection of undervoltage or overvoltage conditions. Additionally, the switching device status monitoring feature allows the diagnostic module to track the operational state of external switching components such as IGBTs or MOSFETs, identifying faults such as failure to turn on/off, shoot-through conditions, or gate driver malfunctions. Beneficially, the diagnostic module 106 enables the system to take corrective action such as derating, shutdown, or fault logging based on the real-time diagnostic data. Additionally, the diagnostic module 106 enhances the safety, robustness, and serviceability of the motor control system, especially in critical applications like electric vehicles and industrial drives.
In an embodiment, the gate driver 108 is configured to drive insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) in the motor controller. The gate driver 108 may be responsible for delivering the appropriate voltage and current levels to the gates of the IGBTs or MOSFETs to enable efficient and precise switching operations based on control signals received from the microcontroller. Moreover, the gate driver 108 may include built-in features such as under-voltage lockout (UVLO), desaturation detection, soft turn-on/off control, and dead-time management to ensure safe and optimized operation of the switching devices under varying load and temperature conditions.
In an embodiment, the voltage reference 110 provides a precision voltage output in the range of 1.2V to 5V for stable operation of the at least one analog-to-digital converter 112. The at least one voltage reference 110 may be electrically coupled to the analog-to-digital converter 112 within the integrated motor driver 100 and serves as a stable reference point to ensure accurate analog-to-digital conversion. Beneficially, by integrating the voltage reference 110 within the same module as the ADC 112, the design eliminates the need for external reference components, which would otherwise introduce layout challenges and increase susceptibility to noise. Additionally, the co-location enhances the overall signal integrity by reducing reference line inductance and potential ground loop errors, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of the motor controller's digital signal processing.
In an embodiment, the analog-to-digital converter 112 has a resolution of at least 10 bits to ensure accurate signal conversion for motor control applications. The inclusion of the high-resolution ADC 112 may be critical in motor control applications, where precise and accurate signal conversion is necessary for effective control of motor parameters such as current, voltage, torque, and speed. The resolution of 10 bits or higher allows the ADC 112 to distinguish finer variations in the analog input signals, thereby enhances the dynamic response and control precision of the motor controller system.
In an embodiment, the integrated motor driver 100 is configured for use in an electric vehicle motor controller to enable efficient power delivery and control. In electric vehicle, the integrated motor driver 100 performs the critical analog front-end functions necessary for enabling efficient power delivery and precise motor control. The integrated motor driver 100 integrates multiple analog functional blocks into a single compact unit, thereby reduces the space requirements and improving system-level performance in the high-demand environment of electric vehicles.
In an embodiment, a conditioning circuit 114 is configured to filter and amplify input signals from sensors associated with the motor controller. The sensors may include current sensors, voltage sensors, temperature sensors, position sensors, or speed sensors that are critical for accurate motor operation and control. The conditioning circuit 114 includes analog filtering components, such as low-pass, high-pass, or band-pass filters, to eliminate high-frequency noise and ensure signal clarity. Additionally, the amplification stages are provided to scale low-amplitude signals to voltage levels compatible with the at least one analog-to-digital converter 112, thereby enhances the precision and reliability of the digital signal conversion. Beneficially, by integrating the at least one conditioning circuit 114 within the integrated motor driver 100, the signal integrity is preserved due to minimized routing distance and reduced susceptibility to external electromagnetic interference. Additionally, the configuration ensures that only clean, appropriately scaled signals are forwarded to the ADC 112 for conversion, which in turn improves the overall performance and responsiveness of the motor controller system.
In an embodiment, the integrated motor driver 100 is implemented as a single integrated circuit chip to enhance compactness and reduce design complexity. The configuration enables the co-location of multiple analog functional blocks namely, the at least one gate driver 108, the signal conditioning circuit 114, the at least one voltage reference 110 and the at least one analog-to-digital converter 112 onto a single semiconductor substrate. Such integration significantly enhances the compactness of the motor controller system by eliminating the need for multiple discrete components and the associated interconnects. Furthermore, implementing the integrated motor driver 100 as the single IC chip simplifies the overall system architecture, thereby reduces the bill of materials (BOM), and minimizes the chances of assembly errors or component mismatch.
In an embodiment, the integrated motor driver 100 comprises electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to minimize noise interference in high-power motor control applications. The EMI shielding may be implemented as a conductive enclosure or a grounded shielding layer integrated into the integrated module packaging, which surrounds the sensitive analog circuitry including the gate driver 108, the conditioning circuit 114, the voltage reference 110 and the analog-to-digital converter 112. The shielding structure may be designed to block radiated and conducted EMI signals originating from high frequency switching operations, nearby power electronics, or electromagnetic sources present in the operating environment of electric motor controllers. Beneficially, the EMI shielding contributes to the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) compliance by reducing emissions and susceptibility, thereby makes the motor driver 100 suitable for integration into systems requiring strict EMI standards, such as electric vehicles, industrial drives, and aerospace applications.
In an embodiment, the integrated motor driver 100 comprises a microcontroller interface 116 configured to communicate digital signals from the at least one analog-to-digital converter 112 to a microcontroller for further processing. The analog-to-digital converter 112 digitizes the analog input signals such as those originating from motor phase current sensors, voltage sensors, or temperature sensors after the signals are filtered and conditioned by the conditioning circuit 114. Once digitized, the signals are transmitted via the microcontroller interface 116, which may include industry-standard communication protocols such as SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), I²C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), or UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter), depending on the specific application and system design. Furthermore, the integration of the microcontroller interface 116 within the integrated motor driver 100 eliminates the need for external signal routing and separate communication hardware, thereby reducing latency, minimizes the electromagnetic interference, and enhances the system compactness. The microcontroller interface 116 allows seamless integration of the integrated motor driver 100 into the motor control systems by ensuring that the digitized sensor data is readily available to the microcontroller for real-time control algorithms, diagnostics, and system monitoring.
In an embodiment, the integrated motor driver 100 comprising the at least one power management module 102 configured to regulate power distribution within the motor driver 100, the at least one protection module 104 configured to safeguard the motor controller against at least one of overvoltage, overcurrent, or thermal faults, the at least one diagnostic module 106 configured to monitor operational parameters of the motor controller, the at least one gate driver 108 configured to control switching devices in the motor controller, the at least one voltage reference 110 configured to provide the stable reference voltage for analog signal processing and the analog-to-digital converter 112 configured to convert analog signals to digital signals for processing by the motor controller. The power management module 102, the protection module 104, the diagnostic module 106, the gate driver 108, the voltage reference 110 and the analog-to-digital converter 112 are integrated into the single module to provide compact packaging, reduce susceptibility to noise and interference, and simplified design for motor control applications. Furthermore, the power management module 102 includes the at least one voltage regulator configured to supply stable voltage levels to the components of the motor driver 100. Furthermore, the protection module 104 includes circuitry for detecting and mitigating faults selected from the group consisting of short circuits, overvoltage conditions, and overheating. Furthermore, the diagnostic module 106 is configured to monitor parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, current, voltage, and switching device status. Furthermore, the gate driver 108 is configured to drive insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) in the motor controller. Furthermore, the voltage reference 110 provides a precision voltage output in the range of 1.2V to 5V for stable operation of the at least one analog-to-digital converter 112. Furthermore, the analog-to-digital converter 112 has the resolution of at least 10 bits to ensure accurate signal conversion for motor control applications. Furthermore, the integrated motor driver 100 is configured for use in an electric vehicle motor controller to enable efficient power delivery and control. Furthermore, the conditioning circuit 114 is configured to filter and amplify input signals from sensors associated with the motor controller. Furthermore, the integrated motor driver 100 is implemented as the single integrated circuit chip to enhance compactness and reduce design complexity. Furthermore, the integrated motor driver 100 comprises electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to minimize noise interference in high-power motor control applications. Furthermore, the integrated motor driver 100 comprises the microcontroller interface 116 configured to communicate digital signals from the at least one analog-to-digital converter 112 to the microcontroller for further processing.
In the description of the present invention, it is also to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms “disposed,” “mounted,” and “connected” are to be construed broadly, and may for example be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, either mechanically or electrically. They may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood in specific cases to those skilled in the art.
Modifications to embodiments and combination of different embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non- exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural where appropriate.
Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the present disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.
,CLAIMS:WE CLAIM:
1. An integrated motor driver (100) for a motor controller, the integrated motor driver (100) comprising:
- at least one power management module (102) configured to regulate power distribution within the motor driver (100);
- at least one protection module (104) configured to safeguard the motor controller against at least one of: overvoltage, overcurrent, or thermal faults;
- at least one diagnostic module (106) configured to monitor operational parameters of the motor controller;
- at least one gate driver (108) configured to control switching devices in the motor controller;
- at least one voltage reference (110) configured to provide a stable reference voltage for analog signal processing; and
- an analog-to-digital converter (112) configured to convert analog signals to digital signals for processing by the motor controller, wherein the power management module (102), protection module (104), diagnostic module (106), gate driver (108), voltage reference (110), and analog-to-digital converter (112) are integrated into a single module to provide compact packaging, reduced susceptibility to noise and interference, and simplified design for motor control applications.
2. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power management module (102) includes at least one voltage regulator configured to supply stable voltage levels to the components of the motor driver (100).
3. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protection module (104) includes circuitry for detecting and mitigating faults selected from the group consisting of short circuits, overvoltage conditions, and overheating.
4. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic module (106) is configured to monitor parameters selected from the group consisting of temperature, current, voltage, and switching device status.
5. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gate driver (108) is configured to drive insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) or metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) in the motor controller.
6. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage reference (110) provides a precision voltage output in the range of 1.2V to 5V for stable operation of the analog-to-digital converter (112).
7. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analog-to-digital converter (112) has a resolution of at least 10 bits to ensure accurate signal conversion for motor control applications.
8. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor driver (100) is configured for use in an electric vehicle motor controller to enable efficient power delivery and control.
9. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor driver (100) comprises a conditioning circuit (114) configured to filter and amplify input signals from sensors associated with the motor controller.
10. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor driver (100) is implemented as a single integrated circuit chip to enhance compactness and reduce design complexity.
11. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor driver (100) comprises electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding to minimize noise interference in high-power motor control applications.
12. The integrated motor driver (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor driver (100) comprises a microcontroller interface (116) configured to communicate digital signals from the analog-to-digital converter (112) to a microcontroller for further processing.