# US 9,520,768 B2 · Inverter control apparatus and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,768 B2 - Document ID: US9520768B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/286,682 - Filed: 2014-05-23 - Published: 2015-01-22 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-16 - Assignees: Lsis Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Lsis Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kwang Woon Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520768B2 ## CPC - H02M 1/32: Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection - H02H 7/122: for inverters, i.e. DC/AC converters - H02M 7/06: using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode - H02M 7/48: using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode - H02M 7/53875: {with analogue control of three-phase output} - H02M 1/325: {with means for allowing continuous operation despite a fault, i.e. fault tolerant converters} - H02M 1/327: {against abnormal temperatures} - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) ## Abstract An apparatus and method for controlling an operation of an inverter are provided. In the inverter control apparatus, an operation signal input unit detects a current of each phase output from an inverter. An error detecting unit detects whether there is a fault of the inverter on the basis of the current detected by the operation signal input unit. A controller controls driving of the inverter according to a type of the fault detected by the error detecting unit. A storage unit stores a kind of fault of the inverter and a corresponding fault type on the basis of the current detected in the operation signal detecting unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inverter control apparatus comprising: an operation signal input unit detecting a current of each phase output from an inverter; an error detecting unit detecting whether there is an inverter fault based on the detected current; a controller controlling driving of the inverter according to a type of the detected inverter fault; and a storage unit storing a fault state of the inverter and a corresponding fault type based on the detected current, wherein the controller classifies the detected fault into a first fault type limiting an input command value according to the detected fault, a second fault type disabling the driving of the inverter, a fault third type temporarily disabling the driving of the inverter and re-enabling the driving of the inverter according to a condition to drive the inverter, and a fourth fault type turning on/off the driving of the inverter, and wherein the controller outputs an inverter driving control signal corresponding to the detected fault type according to a preset priority. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inverter control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein; the controller turns on/off the driving of the inverter for a predetermined period or for a predetermined number of times when the fourth fault type is detected; and the controller disables the driving of the inverter when the fault is detected for the predetermined number of times or during the predetermined period. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inverter control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller prevents an input torque command value of a specific value or greater from being input or reduces a preset command value when the first fault type is detected. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inverter control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller disables the driving of the inverter when the third fault type is detected, detects whether a power state returns to a normal state, and re-enables driving of the inverter when the power state returns to the normal state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inverter control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets the second fault type to have a highest priority when the priority is determined according to the detected fault type. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inverter control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the priority according to the detected fault type is set in order of the second fault type, the third fault type, the fourth fault type, and the first fault type. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The inverter control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller controls to drive the inverter according to the detected fault type having the highest priority and ignores a detected fault type having a lower priority. ### Claim 8 An inverter control method comprising: detecting a current of each phase output from an inverter; detecting whether there is an inverter fault based on the detected current; storing a fault state of the inverter and a corresponding fault type based on the detected current; and controlling driving of the inverter according a type of the detected inverter fault; wherein controlling the driving of the inverter comprises classifying the detected fault into a first fault type limiting an input command value according to the detected fault, a second fault type disabling the driving of the inverter, a third fault type disabling the driving of the inverter and then re-enabling the driving of the inverter according to a condition to drive the inverter, and a fourth fault type turning on/off the driving of the inverter, and wherein controlling the driving of the inverter further comprises outputting an inverter driving control signal corresponding to the detected fault type according to a preset priority. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising: turning on/off the driving of the inverter for a predetermined period or for a predetermined number of times when the fourth fault type fault is detected; and disabling the driving of the inverter when the fault is detected for the predetermined number of times or during the predetermined period. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising preventing an input torque command value of a specific value or greater from being input or reducing a preset command value when the first fault type is detected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising disabling the driving of the inverter when the third fault type is detected, detecting whether a power state returns to a normal state, and re-enabling driving of the inverter when the power state returns to the normal state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, further comprising setting the second fault type to have a highest priority when the priority is determined according to the detected fault type. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising setting the priority according to the detected fault type in order of the second fault type, the third fault type, the fourth type, and the first fault type. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising controlling to drive the inverter according to the detected fault type having the highest priority and ignoring a detected fault type having a lower priority.