Device for controlling electric actuators, with automatic current measurement offset compensation, and relative operation method

7) A device for controlling electric actuators, with automatic offset compensation, and including at least one power block for supplying current to a respective electric actuator;

• and a driver circuit in turn including a control stage for controlling operation of said power block, and at least one measuring block having at least a first input receiving a first signal whose value is related to the current measured in said power block, a second input receiving a second signal whose value is related to a predetermined current threshold, and an output supplying said control stage with a comparison signal having a first or a second logic level, depending on the outcome of a comparison of said first and second signal;
• said device comprising:
• control means for assigning to said first and said second signal a first and a second predetermined value respectively;
• first comparing means for checking that the initial logic level of said comparison signal satisfies a first predetermined condition;
• second comparing means for making, on the basis of the outcome of said check, a number of increases or decreases to the second value as long as the logic level of said comparison signal remains unchanged;
• storage means which, upon a switch in the logic level of the comparison signal, assigns a value related to the second value of said second signal to a current measurement offset value relative to said measuring block, and memorizes said current measurement offset value in a memory register.

A device for controlling electric actuators, with automatic offset compensation, comprising:

• at least one power block for supplying current to a respective electric actuator;
• a controller for controlling operation of said power block, wherein said controller includes a first output for supplying a threshold signal;
• a first comparator having a first input receiving a power current signal related to a current measured in said power block, a second input receiving said threshold signal from said first output of said controller, and an output supplying said controller with a comparison signal having a first or a second logic level, depending on the outcome of a comparison of said power current signal and said threshold signal;
• a disabling mechanism for disabling direct control of the power block such that said power current signal relates only to an offset when said disabling mechanism is operated;
• a second comparator for making, on the basis of said comparison signal, a number of increases or a number of decreases to the threshold signal as long as the logic level of said comparison signal remains unchanged when said disabling mechanism is operated;
• and
• a memory register which, upon a switch in the logic level of the comparison signal when said disabling mechanism is operated, stores a current measurement offset value related said threshold signal.