阅读说明：本技术 用于产生旋转位置信号的定位装置以及用于产生用于旋转变压器的激励信号的激励装置 (Positioning device for generating a rotational position signal and excitation device for generating an excitation signal for a resolver ) 是由 里斯托·泰恩 马蒂·伊斯卡纽斯 于 2020-02-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提出了一种用于产生指示旋转变压器的旋转位置的位置信号的定位装置(101)。该定位装置包括：信号接口(102),其用于从旋转变压器接收交变信号(V_cos、V_sin)；以及处理系统(103),其用于基于交变信号的位置相关的振幅和指示旋转变压器的激励信号(V_exc)的极性的极性信息来生成位置信号。处理系统被配置为识别交变信号中的一个或两个交变信号的波形上的极性指示符(诸如频率或相位变化),并基于识别出的极性指示符来确定极性信息。这样,与激励信号有关的极性信息被包括在交变信号中,并且因此不需要用于将极性信息传送到定位装置的单独的信令信道。(The invention proposes a positioning device (101) for generating a position signal indicative of a rotational position of a resolver. The positioning device includes: a signal interface (102) for receiving an alternating signal (V _ cos, V _ sin) from a resolver; and a processing system (103) for generating a position signal based on the position-dependent amplitude of the alternating signal and polarity information indicative of the polarity of the excitation signal (V _ exc) of the resolver. The processing system is configured to identify a polarity indicator (such as a frequency or phase change) on a waveform of one or both of the alternating signals, and determine polarity information based on the identified polarity indicator. In this way, the polarity information relating to the excitation signal is included in the alternating signal and therefore no separate signalling channel for communicating the polarity information to the positioning device is required.)

1. A positioning device (101) for generating a position signal indicative of a rotational position of a resolver, the positioning device comprising:

-a signal interface (102) for receiving a first alternating signal (V _ cos) and a second alternating signal (V _ sin), the amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals being dependent on the rotational position of the resolver such that the envelopes of the first and second alternating signals have a mutual phase shift, and

a processing system (103) for generating the position signal based on amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals and polarity information indicative of a polarity of an excitation signal of the resolver,

wherein the processing system is configured to:

-identifying a polarity indicator on a waveform of at least the first alternating signal, and

-determining the polarity information based on the identified polarity indicator.

2. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to identify a phase change or a frequency change of the first alternating signal and to determine the polarity information based on the identified phase change or the identified frequency change.

3. The positioning device of claim 2, wherein the processing system is configured to constitute a zero-crossing detector for identifying zero crossings of the waveform of the first alternating signal to identify the phase change or the frequency change.

4. The positioning device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to compare the waveform of the first alternating signal with a predetermined waveform pattern and, in response to a match between the waveform of the first alternating signal and the predetermined waveform pattern, determine the polarity information based on a portion of the first alternating signal that matches the predetermined waveform pattern.

5. The positioning device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the processing system is configured to identify the polarity indicator on both the waveform of the first alternating signal and the waveform of the second alternating signal.

6. Excitation device (104) for generating an excitation signal (V _ exc) for a resolver, the excitation device comprising:

a signal generator (105) for generating the excitation signal, an

A signal interface (106) for transmitting the excitation signal to the rotary transformer,

characterized in that the excitation means further comprise a modulator (107) for modulating the waveform of the excitation signal to include a polarity indicator,

the polarity indicator represents the polarity of the excitation signal when the polarity indicator is detected on a signal that is the excitation signal multiplied by a gain having an unknown sign.

7. The excitation device of claim 6, wherein the modulator is configured to modulate the waveform of the excitation signal to include a phase change or a frequency change representative of the polarity indicator such that the excitation signal has a predetermined polarity when the phase change or the frequency change occurs.

8. The excitation device of claim 6, wherein the modulator is configured to modulate the amplitude of the excitation signal such that the waveform of the excitation signal includes a predetermined waveform pattern representative of the polarity indicator.

9. A converter (108, 109) for controlling a voltage of a winding system of an electric machine, the converter comprising:

-excitation device (104, 154) according to any of claims 6 to 8 for generating an excitation signal for a resolver connected to a rotor of the electrical machine, an

-a processing system (103, 153) for generating a position signal indicative of a rotational position of the resolver based on polarity information indicative of a polarity of the excitation signal and an amplitude of an alternating signal produced by the resolver.

10. A converter (108, 109) for controlling a voltage of a winding system of an electric machine, the converter comprising a positioning device (101, 151) according to any of claims 1 to 5 for generating a position signal indicative of a rotational position of a resolver connected to a rotor of the electric machine.

11. The converter (108, 109) of claim 10, further comprising an excitation device (104, 154) according to any one of claims 6 to 8 for generating an excitation signal for the resolver.

12. The converter of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the converter is a frequency converter.

13. A method, comprising:

-receiving (301) a first and a second alternating signal from a resolver, the amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals being dependent on the rotational position of the resolver such that the envelopes of the first and second alternating signals have a mutual phase shift; and

-generating (304) a position signal indicative of a rotational position of the resolver based on amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals and polarity information indicative of a polarity of an excitation signal of the resolver,

characterized in that the method comprises:

-identifying (302) a polarity indicator on a waveform of at least the first alternating signal, and

-determining (303) the polarity information based on the identified polarity indicator.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a positioning device for generating a position signal indicative of a rotational position of a resolver (resolver). The invention further relates to an excitation device for generating an excitation signal for a resolver.

Background

An electric drive system typically comprises an electric machine for driving an actuator and an inverter for controlling the electric machine. The actuator may be, for example, a wheel or a track of a mobile machine or a tool of a stationary machine. The converter may be, for example, a frequency converter. In many cases, the electric drive system includes a resolver for detecting a rotational position of a rotor of the electric machine, and the inverter is configured to control operation of the electric machine based at least in part on the detected rotational position of the rotor. The rotary transformer may be, for example, a variable reluctance "VR" rotary transformer that receives the alternating excitation signal and generates a first alternating signal and a second alternating signal, the amplitudes of the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal being dependent on the rotational position of the rotary transformer such that the envelopes of the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal have a mutual phase shift. An advantage of a variable reluctance resolver is that no windings are required in the rotor of the resolver. However, the rotary transformer may also be a wound rotor rotary transformer that includes brushes or rotary transformers for transmitting excitation signals to the rotor windings of the rotary transformer. The transducer is configured to transmit an excitation signal to the resolver and receive the first and second alternating signals from the resolver and generate a position signal indicative of a rotational position based on amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals and a polarity of the excitation signal of the resolver.

In many electric drive systems, the electric machine is a multi-winding machine comprising two or more winding systems, each of which is supplied with a separate inverter. An electric machine may comprise, for example, two three-phase stator windings such that there is an angle of 30 electrical degrees between the respective magnetic axes of the two three-phase stator windings. In an electric drive system of the kind described above, each of these inverters requires information indicative of the rotational position of the rotor of the electric machine. Typically, a converter, such as for example a frequency converter, comprises a signal transfer interface for transmitting an excitation signal to the rotary transformer and for receiving an alternating signal from the rotary transformer, the amplitude of the alternating signal depending on the rotational position of the rotary transformer such that the envelopes of the alternating signals have a mutual phase shift. One simple approach is to use as many resolvers as there are inverters, but it would be more cost effective to use a single resolver for all inverters. Furthermore, from the point of view of product portfolio management, it is advantageous that mutually similar converters can be used for different winding systems of the electric machine.

Disclosure of Invention

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of various inventive embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the invention nor delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description of the exemplary embodiments.

According to the present invention, a new positioning device for generating a position signal indicative of the rotational position of a resolver is provided. The positioning device according to the present invention comprises:

-a signal interface for receiving a first alternating signal and a second alternating signal, the amplitudes of the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal being dependent on the rotational position of the resolver such that the envelopes of the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal have a mutual phase shift, and

-a processing system for generating the position signal based on the amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals and based on polarity information indicative of the polarity of an excitation signal of the resolver.

The processing system of the positioning apparatus is configured to:

-identifying a polarity indicator on the waveform of the first alternating signal and/or the waveform of the second alternating signal, such as for example a frequency change or a phase change, and

-determining the polarity information based on the identified polarity indicator.

Since the polarity information representing the polarity of the excitation signal is included in the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal, no separate signaling channel for communicating the polarity information to the positioning device is required.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a new excitation device for generating an excitation signal for a resolver. The excitation device according to the invention comprises:

a signal generator for generating the excitation signal,

-a signal interface for transmitting the excitation signal to the rotary transformer, an

-a modulator for modulating the waveform of the excitation signal to include a polarity indicator, the polarity indicator representing the polarity of the excitation signal when the polarity indicator is detected on a signal that is the excitation signal multiplied by a gain having an unknown sign.

According to the invention, a new converter for controlling the voltage of a winding system of an electric machine is also provided. The converter may be, for example, a frequency converter. The transducer according to the invention comprises a positioning device according to the invention and/or an excitation device according to the invention.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a new converter system comprising two or more converters according to the present invention for controlling the voltage of two or more winding systems of one or more electric machines.

In a transducer system according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, each transducer comprises a positioning device according to the present invention and an excitation device according to the present invention. In this exemplary case, one of the converters is configured to transmit an excitation signal to a resolver connected to the electric machine, and all converters are configured to receive an alternating signal from the resolver, the amplitude of which alternating signal depends on the rotational position of the resolver, such that the envelopes of the alternating signals have a mutual phase shift. Therefore, only one resolver is required. Further, the converters may be similar to each other.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a new electric drive system comprising:

one or more electric machines comprising two or more winding systems,

-a resolver for detecting a rotational position of the one or more electric machines, an

-an inverter system according to the invention for controlling said one or more electric machines.

The electric drive system may comprise, for example, an electric machine having at least two winding systems such that the directions of the respective magnetic axes of the winding systems differ from each other. An electric machine may comprise, for example, two three-phase stator windings such that there is an angle of 30 electrical degrees between the respective magnetic axes of the two three-phase stator windings. However, it is also possible that there are two or more electric machines, such that the shafts of the electric machines are directly mechanically interconnected or mechanically interconnected with gears, such that the rotational positions of the shafts are constrained to each other.

According to the present invention, a new method for generating a position signal indicative of the rotational position of a resolver is also provided. The method according to the invention comprises the following steps:

-receiving a first and a second alternating signal from a resolver, the amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals being dependent on the rotational position of the resolver such that the envelopes of the first and second alternating signals have a mutual phase shift; and

-identifying a polarity indicator on the waveform of the first alternating signal and/or the waveform of the second alternating signal, and

-determining polarity information indicative of a polarity of an excitation signal of the resolver based on the identified polarity indicator, and

-generating the position signal based on the amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals and the polarity information.

Various exemplary and non-limiting embodiments are described in the accompanying dependent claims.

The exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, both as to organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific exemplary and non-limiting embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The verbs "comprise" and "comprise" are used herein as open-ended limitations that neither exclude nor require the presence of unrecited features. The features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with each other, unless explicitly stated otherwise. In addition, it should be understood that the use of "a" or "an" (i.e., singular forms) throughout does not exclude a plurality.

Drawings

Exemplary and non-limiting embodiments and advantages thereof are described in detail herein, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 shows a schematic view of an electric drive system including a positioning device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment and an excitation device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment,

fig. 2a, 2b and 2c show exemplary waveforms of an excitation signal generated by an excitation device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment and corresponding exemplary waveforms of an alternating signal produced by a resolver, an

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for generating a position signal indicative of a rotational position of a resolver, according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment.

Detailed Description

The specific examples provided in the following description should not be construed as limiting the scope and/or applicability of the appended claims. The lists and groups of examples provided in the specification are not exhaustive unless explicitly stated otherwise.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an electric drive system 100, according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. The electric drive system comprises an electric machine 110 comprising a two winding system. In this exemplary case, the electric machine comprises two three-phase stator windings such that there is an angle of 30 electrical degrees between the respective magnetic axes of the two three-phase stator windings. The electric machine 110 may be, for example, but not necessarily, a permanent magnet synchronous machine, an electrically excited synchronous machine, an induction machine, or a synchronous reluctance machine. The electric machine 110 is arranged to drive an actuator 111. The actuator 111 may be, for example but not necessarily, a wheel, a caterpillar, a hydraulic pump, a cutter of a wood chipper machine, or some other actuator.

The electric drive system 100 comprises a resolver 112 for detecting a rotational position of a rotor of the electric machine 110. The resolver 112 may be, for example, a variable reluctance "VR" resolver. However, the rotary transformer may also be a wound rotor rotary transformer that includes brushes or a rotary transformer for transmitting excitation signals to the rotor windings of the rotary transformer. The resolver 112 receives the alternating excitation signal V _ exc and generates a first alternating signal V _ cos and a second alternating signal V _ sin, the amplitudes of which depend on the rotational position of the resolver 112, such that the envelopes of the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal have a mutual phase shift. The excitation signal V _ exc and the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin may be modeled by the following equations:

where t is time, V is the amplitude of the excitation signal V _ exc, TR is the maximum transformation ratio between the excitation winding of the resolver 112 and the output winding of the resolver 112,is the time dependent phase of the excitation signal V exc,is the phase shift caused by the loss of iron and copper in the resolver 112, and Θ is the electrical rotation angle of the rotor of the resolver 112. Frequency of the excitation signal V _ excMay be time-dependent or constant. Accordingly, the amplitude V of the excitation signal V _ exc may be constant or time-dependentAnd (4) the nature is good. In the exemplary case illustrated by means of equation 1, the abovementioned phase shift between the envelope curves of the first alternating signal V _ cos and the second alternating signal V _ sin is an electrical angle Θ of 90 degrees.

The electric drive system 100 comprises an inverter system for controlling the voltage of the two winding system of the electric machine 110. The converter system comprises a converter 108 for controlling the voltage of a first one of the winding systems and a converter 109 for controlling the voltage of a second one of the winding systems. In this exemplary case, each of these converters is a frequency converter.

The converter 108 includes: an inverter stage 115 for generating a controllable alternating voltage; a rectifier stage 113 for rectifying the alternating voltage supplied to the converter 108; and an intermediate circuit 114 between the rectifier stage 113 and the inverter stage 115. The converter 108 further comprises excitation means 104 for generating an excitation signal V _ exc for the resolver 112. The excitation device 104 comprises a signal generator 105 for generating an excitation signal V _ exc and a signal interface 106 for transmitting the excitation signal V _ exc to a resolver 112. The excitation means 104 further comprise a modulator 107 for modulating the waveform of the excitation signal V _ exc to contain a polarity indicator capable of indicating the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc when the polarity indicator is detected on a signal which is the excitation signal V _ exc multiplied by a gain having an unknown sign. The gain with unknown sign is either TRcos (Θ) or TRsin (Θ) as presented in equation 1 above.

The transducer 108 includes a positioning device 151 for generating a first position signal indicative of the rotational position of the resolver 112. The inverter stage 115 of the converter 108 comprises a control system for controlling the voltage supplied to a first of the winding systems of the electric machine 110 based on the first position signal and other control quantities such as, for example: a measured or estimated rotational speed of the electric machine 110, a measured or estimated torque generated by the electric machine 110, a reference speed, a reference torque, and/or one or more other control quantities.

Positioning device for transducer 108151 includes: a signal interface 152 for receiving the first alternating signal V _ cos and the second alternating signal V _ sin; and a processing system 153 for generating the above-mentioned first position signal based on the amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin and the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc. The polarity (i.e. sign) of the excitation signal V _ exc at a given instant is compared with the polarities of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin at that instant in order to find out whether cos (Θ) shown in equation 1 is a positive or negative value and to find out whether sin (Θ) is a positive or negative value. The phase shift shown in equation 1 may also be considered when determining the rotational position of the resolver 112 May be an empirically determined value that may be provided to the processing system 103 as a correction parameter.

The converter 109 includes an inverter stage, a rectifier stage, and an intermediate circuit between the rectifier stage and the inverter stage. The transducer 109 includes a positioning device 101 for generating a second position signal indicative of the rotational position of the resolver 112. The inverter stage of the converter 109 controls the voltage supplied to a second one of the winding systems of the electric machine 110 based on the second position signal and one or more other control quantities.

The positioning device 101 of the transducer 109 comprises a signal interface 102 for receiving the first alternating signal V _ cos and the second alternating signal V _ sin. The positioning device 101 further comprises a processing system 103 for generating the above-mentioned second position signal based on the amplitudes of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin and polarity information indicating the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc. The processing system 103 is configured to identify a polarity indicator on the waveform of the first alternating signal V _ cos and/or the waveform of the second alternating signal V _ sin. The processing system 103 is configured to determine polarity information based on the identified polarity indicator. Since the polarity information representing the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc is included in the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin, no separate signaling channel for communicating the polarity information to the positioning device 101 is required.

In the exemplary transducer system shown in fig. 1, the transducer 109 comprises an excitation means 154 comprising a signal generator 155, a modulator 157 for controlling the signal generator 155, and a signal interface 106 for transmitting the generated excitation signal. In the exemplary case shown in fig. 1, the excitation means 154 of the transducer 109 are not used, and the positioning means 151 of the transducer 108 are arranged to receive the excitation signal V _ exc directly from the excitation means 104 of the transducer 108. In the exemplary case of positioning device 151 being similar to positioning device 101, no arrangement is required that enables positioning device 151 to receive excitation signal V _ exc directly from excitation device 104. The excitation means 104 and 154 are advantageously similar to each other and the positioning means 101 and 151 are advantageously similar to each other. In this exemplary case, the transducers 108 and 109 may be similar to each other.

The processing system 103 of the positioning apparatus 101 and the processing system 153 of the positioning apparatus 151 may be implemented with one or more processor circuits, each of which may be: a programmable processor circuit equipped with appropriate software; special purpose hardware processors, such as, for example, application specific integrated circuits ("ASICs"); or a configurable hardware processor such as, for example, a field programmable gate array "FPGA". Further, the processing system 103, as well as the processing system 153, may include one or more memory devices, such as, for example, random access memory "RAM. Accordingly, modulator 107 and modulator 157 may comprise one or more processor circuits and one or more memory devices.

Fig. 2a shows an exemplary waveform of an excitation signal V _ exc generated by the excitation device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. Furthermore, fig. 2a shows corresponding exemplary waveforms of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin generated by the resolver 112 shown in fig. 1. In this exemplary case, the modulator 107 shown in fig. 1 is configured to modulate the waveform of the excitation signal V _ exc to include frequency variations such that the excitation signal V _ exc is a frequency-dependent variableThe signal V _ exc has a predetermined polarity at the time of occurrence of each frequency change. Thus, the frequency of the excitation signal V _ exc

Are variable. In the exemplary case shown in fig. 2a, the first pulse after each frequency change is positive. Fig. 2a shows two frequency changes and the first pulses after these frequency changes are denoted by reference numerals 221 and 222. In the exemplary case shown in fig. 2a, the frequency of the excitation signal V _ exc has two possible values, i.e. the signal generator 105 shown in fig. 1 is controlled according to 0101 … … frequency shift keying "FSK". More than two frequency values may also be used.

In the positioning apparatus according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 103 shown in fig. 1 is configured to identify a frequency change of the first alternating signal V _ cos and/or a frequency change of the second alternating signal V _ sin and to determine the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc based on the identified frequency change. As shown in fig. 2a, the pulses of the first alternating signal V _ cos corresponding to the pulses 221 and 222 of the excitation signal V _ exc have a negative value. Thus, the processing system 103 may determine that cos (Θ) shown in equation 1 is a negative value during the time period from t2 to t 4. As shown in fig. 2a, the pulse of the second alternating signal V _ sin corresponding to the pulse 221 of the excitation signal V _ exc is a positive value and the pulse of the second alternating signal V _ sin corresponding to the pulse 222 of the excitation signal V _ exc is a negative value. Thus, the processing system 103 may determine that sin (Θ) shown in equation 1 is a positive value during the time period from t1 to t3 and a negative value during the time period from t3 to the next instant when the amplitude of the second alternating signal V _ sin is zero.

Fig. 2b shows an exemplary waveform of an excitation signal V _ exc generated by the excitation device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. Furthermore, fig. 2b shows corresponding exemplary waveforms of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin generated by the resolver 112 shown in fig. 1. In this exemplary case, the modulator 107 shown in fig. 1 is configured to modulate the waveform of the excitation signal V _ exc to contain the phase change such that the excitation signal V _ exc has a predetermined polarity at the time of occurrence of each phase change. In the exemplary case shown in fig. 2b, the first pulse after each phase change is positive. Fig. 2b shows two phase changes and the first pulses after these phase changes are denoted with reference numerals 223 and 224. In the exemplary case shown in fig. 2b, the phase of the excitation signal V _ exc has many possible values, i.e. the signal generator 105 shown in fig. 1 is controlled according to phase shift keying "PSK".

In the positioning apparatus according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 103 shown in fig. 1 is configured to identify a phase change of the first alternating signal V _ cos and/or a phase change of the second alternating signal V _ sin and to determine the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc based on the identified phase change. As shown in fig. 2b, the pulses of the first alternating signal V _ cos corresponding to the pulses 223 and 224 of the excitation signal V _ exc have a negative value. Thus, the processing system 103 may determine that cos (Θ) shown in equation 1 is a negative value during the time period from t2 to t 4. As shown in fig. 2b, the pulse of the second alternating signal V _ sin corresponding to the pulse 223 of the excitation signal V _ exc is a positive value and the pulse of the second alternating signal V _ sin corresponding to the pulse 224 of the excitation signal V _ exc is a negative value. Thus, the processing system 103 may determine that sin (Θ) shown in equation 1 is a positive value during the time period from t1 to t3 and a negative value during the time period from t3 to the next instant when the amplitude of the second alternating signal V _ sin is zero.

In the positioning device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 103 shown in fig. 1 is configured to constitute a zero-crossing detector for identifying a zero-crossing of the waveform of the first alternating signal V _ cos and/or a zero-crossing of the waveform of the second alternating signal V _ sin for identifying the above-mentioned frequency variation or the above-mentioned phase variation.

Fig. 2c shows an exemplary waveform of an excitation signal V _ exc generated by the excitation device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. Furthermore, fig. 2c shows corresponding exemplary waveforms of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin generated by the resolver 112 shown in fig. 1. In this exemplary case, the modulator 107 shown in fig. 1 is configured to modulate the waveform of the excitation signal V _ exc to contain the predetermined waveform pattern such that the excitation signal V _ exc has a predetermined polarity at the time of occurrence of each predetermined waveform pattern. In the exemplary case shown in fig. 2c, the predetermined waveform pattern comprises a positive pulse and a subsequent negative pulse of the excitation signal V _ exc, such that the amplitude of these pulses is greater than the amplitude of the adjacent pulses of the excitation signal V _ exc. Fig. 2c shows two waveform patterns 225 and 226. In the exemplary case shown in fig. 2c, the signal generator 105 is controlled according to an amplitude modulation. The amplitudes of the positive and negative pulses constituting the predetermined waveform pattern need to be so high that the predetermined waveform pattern can be identified on the waveforms of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin also in the case where d (sin (Θ))/dt or d (cos (Θ))/dt reach their maximum absolute values.

In the positioning apparatus according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 103 shown in fig. 1 is configured to compare the waveform of the first alternating signal V _ cos and/or the waveform of the second alternating signal V _ sin with the above-mentioned predetermined waveform pattern and, in response to a match in the above-mentioned comparison, to determine the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc based on a part of the first alternating signal and/or a part of the second alternating signal matching the predetermined waveform pattern. For example, the processing system 103 may be configured to compare the amplitudes of consecutive positive pulses of V _ cos or V _ sin to each other and to compare the amplitudes of consecutive negative pulses to each other to identify a situation where the amplitude of consecutive pulses having opposite polarity is greater than the amplitude of an adjacent pulse. As shown in fig. 2c, the pulses of the first alternating signal V _ cos corresponding to the waveform patterns 225 and 226 of the excitation signal V _ exc have opposite polarity with respect to the corresponding pulses of the waveform patterns 225 and 226 of the excitation signal V _ exc. Thus, the processing system 103 may determine that cos (Θ) shown in equation 1 is a negative value during the time period from t2 to t 4. As shown in fig. 2c, the pulses of the second alternating signal V _ sin corresponding to the waveform pattern 225 of the excitation signal V _ exc have the same polarity as the corresponding pulses of the waveform pattern 225 of the excitation signal V _ exc, and the pulses of the second alternating signal V _ sin corresponding to the waveform pattern 226 of the excitation signal V _ exc have the opposite polarity with respect to the corresponding pulses of the waveform pattern 226. Thus, the processing system 103 may determine that sin (Θ) shown in equation 1 is a positive value during the time period from t1 to t3 and a negative value during the time period from t3 to the next instant when the amplitude of the second alternating signal V _ sin is zero.

In the excitation device according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the modulator 107 shown in fig. 1 is configured to receive the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin and to change the frequency of the excitation signal V _ exc at zero crossings of the envelope of the first and second alternating signals V _ cos and V _ sin. The frequency of the excitation signal V _ exc may have, for example, four possible frequency values f₁、f₂、f₃And f₄So that the frequency of the excitation signal is f1 when both cos (Θ) and sin (Θ) shown in equation 1 are positive, and f when cos (Θ) ≦ 0 and sin (Θ) > 0₂When cos (theta) > 0 and sin (theta) ≦ 0, the frequency is f₃And the frequency is f when cos (theta) ≦ 0 and sin (theta) ≦ 0₄. In this exemplary case, the frequency of the excitation signal V _ exc directly indicates the sign of cos (Θ) and sin (Θ). The frequency of the excitation signal V _ exc indirectly acts as a polarity indicator, so that the polarity of the excitation signal V _ exc is for example: polarity of the first alternating signal V _ cos-when the frequency is f₁Or f₃When the current is over; and opposite in polarity to the first alternating signal V _ cos when the frequency is f₂Or f₄Then (c) is performed. In the positioning apparatus according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 103 shown in fig. 1 is configured to identify the frequency of the first alternating signal V _ cos and/or the frequency of the second alternating signal V _ sin, wherein the identified frequencies indicate the signs of cos (Θ) and sin (Θ) and represent polarity information indicating the polarity of the excitation signal in the manner described above.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for generating a position signal indicative of a rotational position of a resolver, according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. The method comprises the acts of:

-action 301: receiving a first alternating signal and a second alternating signal from the resolver, the amplitudes of the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal being dependent on the rotational position of the resolver, such that the envelopes of the first alternating signal and the second alternating signal have a mutual phase shift,

-an action 302: identifying a polarity indicator on the waveform of the first alternating signal and/or the waveform of the second alternating signal,

-action 303: determining polarity information indicative of a polarity of an excitation signal of the resolver based on the identified polarity indicator, an

-an action 304: based on the amplitude and polarity information of the first and second alternating signals, a position signal is generated that is indicative of the rotational position of the resolver.

In a method according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, identifying the polarity indicator comprises identifying a phase change or a frequency change of the first alternating signal and/or a phase change or a frequency change of the second alternating signal. In the method according to the exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the polarity information is determined based on the identified phase change or the identified frequency change.

In a method according to an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, identifying the polarity indicator comprises comparing the waveform of the first alternating signal and/or the waveform of the second alternating signal with a predetermined waveform pattern. In the method according to this exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the polarity information is determined based on a portion of the first alternating signal and/or a portion of the second alternating signal matching the predetermined waveform pattern.

The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the scope and/or applicability of the appended claims. The lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless explicitly stated otherwise.