SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE AUTOMATIC VALIDATION OF MOTOR CONTROL FIRMWARE OF AN EMBEDDED SYSTEM

European Patent EP3076540B1Granted On April 2020

2

P R O B L E M S T A T E M E N T

• Electric motor control embedded systems are widely used in

automotive, consumer electronic devices etc.

• It is required to validate the motor along with the embedded

system which implements control functionalities like:

position control, stall & obstacle/obstruction detection, hard

end, stop end, anti-pinch, bounce back, calibration, safety

controls, fault diagnosis, sensor-less position detection,

functional requirements, memory controls, speed control etc.

• Employing simulated motors using a combination of real time

hardware and intelligent software, does not allow us to

expose the embedded systems to the real word plant

dynamics, imperfections etc.; also the real motor is not under

the scope of validation here.

• Existing solutions when using real motor for testing the

embedded systems, does not provide precise and automated

control of the load effects.

3

Architecture

REAL TIME SIMULATOR HARDWARE

Processor Card

Mathematical Model

I/O Cards

Embedded system with firmware (DUT)

Motor control

Motor (DUT)

CouplerElectromagnetic Brake

Sensor Feedback

Optical Encoder Pulses

Brake Control Signal

Debug port interface

Protocol simulation

Button press simulation

Encoder

4

W O R K I N G

Electromagnetic brake can be energized by the

simulator, while the motor is in motion, to create

loading effect or to stop the motor under test. This

allows the test engineer to validate how embedded

system under test behaves in such situations.

Invention comprises the real motor which is

connected to the motor control embedded system,

shaft from the motor is extended to an

electromagnetic brake and an optical encoder using

couplers. A real time hardware simulator along with

intelligent software models comprise the brain of the

test system.

An encoder provides motor position and motion

information to the simulator independently, allowing it

to validate various functionalities, when coupled with

the brake control.

An intelligent software model running in real time

inside the simulator, controls, the simulated protocol

information, switch presses etc. to the embedded

system, controls the brakes and decodes the motor

position from encoder pulses. Software models can

thus validate all the functionalities of the DUT

explained in slide number 3 in an automated manner.

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R E L A T E D S E R V I C E O F F E R I N G S F R O M T A T A E L X S I

Setting up real time HILS system for

the validation of motor control embedded systems like:

• Gym Equipments like treadmill, Electric wheel chair.

• Elevators, Lift.

• Engineering tools like: Drilling machine (all types),

Screw tighter, Construction Equipments.

• Industrial applications like: Belt driver, Mixing

machines.

• Main highlight of the invention is its capability in

validating the control algorithm used for controlling

different type of motors:

• DC Motors: Shunt motor, Separately exited motor,

Series motor, Permanent magnet DC motor,

Compounded motor.

• AC Motors: Induction motor, Synchronous motor.

• Other Motors: Stepper motor, Brushless DC motor,

Hysteresis motor, Reluctance motor, Universal motor.

• Method is applicable to systems using either: Sensor for

position detection, example: hall sensor or Sensor less

positioning using back EMF.

• Automotive: Seat, Trunk, Sunroof,

Electric vehicle motor, Power window,

Power mirror, Engine starter motor.

• Consumer electronics like: Grinder,

Mixer, Blender, Recliner, Water

pumping motor, Electric fan, Air

conditioner, Hair dryer, Shoe polishing

machine, Washing machine, Floor

cleaning machine.

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Confidentiality Notice

This document and all information contained herein is the sole property of Tata Elxsi Ltd. No intellectual property rights are granted by the delivery of this document or the disclosure of its content.

This document shall not be reproduced or disclosed to a third party without the express written consent of Tata Elxsi Ltd. This document and its content shall not be used for any purpose other than that for which it is supplied.

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