JP2017191092A - Rotation detector and electrically-driven power steering device using the rotation detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rotation detector which can reduce the gap of timing of detecting a rotational angle signal to be sent to a controller and a rotation number signal, and an electrically-driven power steering device using the rotation detector.SOLUTION: A rotation detector 1 has sensor elements 601 and 602 detecting rotations of a motor unit 10. A circuit unit 610 has a rotational angle operation unit 614 for operating a rotational angle θm of the motor unit 10 based on the detected value of the sensor element 601. A rotation number operating unit 615 calculates the number of rotations (TC) of the motor unit 10 based on the detected value of the sensor element 601. A communication unit 619 sends, to a first microcomputer 51, output signals including a rotational angle signal related to the rotational angle θm and a rotation number signal related to the number of rotations (TC). Since the output signals include the rotation angle signal and the rotation number signal, the rotation angle signal and the rotation number signal can be sent to the microcomputer 51 by one communication, whereby the gap of detection timings can be reduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

  The present invention relates to a rotation detection device and an electric power steering device using the rotation detection device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, devices that generate rotation angle information of a motor based on a detection value of a magnetic detection element are known. For example, in the electric power steering electronic control unit of Patent Document 1, the rotation angle information of the electric motor is generated based on the signal output from the first magnetic detection element and the signal output from the second magnetic detection element. The steering position is calculated from the generated rotation angle information.

JP-A-2015-116964

In patent document 1, the information of two magnetic detection elements is output to the control circuit part separately. Therefore, there is a possibility that the steering position calculated from the rotation angle information may be shifted from the actual steering position due to a shift in detection timing or signal output timing.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a rotation detection device capable of reducing a shift in detection timing of detection values related to a rotation angle signal and a rotation frequency signal transmitted to a control unit, Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus using the same.

The rotation detection device of the present invention includes a sensor unit (61, 62, 261, 262, 361, 362, 461, 462, 561, 562) and a control unit (51, 52, 53).
The sensor unit includes sensor elements (601 to 608) and circuit units (610 to 612, 620 to 623).
The sensor element detects the rotation of the detection target (10). The circuit unit generates and outputs an output signal based on the detection value of the sensor element.
A control part acquires the output signal from a sensor part, and performs the calculation based on an output signal.
The circuit unit includes a rotation angle calculation unit (614, 624, 616, 626), a rotation number calculation unit (615, 625, 617, 627), and a communication unit (619, 629). The rotation angle calculation unit calculates a rotation angle to be detected based on the detection value of the sensor element. The rotation number calculation unit counts the number of rotations to be detected based on the detection value of the sensor element. The communication unit transmits an output signal, which is a series of signals including a rotation angle signal that is a signal related to the rotation angle and a rotation frequency signal that is a signal related to the rotation frequency, to the control unit.

  In the present invention, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal are included in a series of output signals and are transmitted from the communication unit to the control unit. Therefore, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal are transmitted to the control unit in one communication. Is possible. Thereby, the shift | offset | difference of the detection timing of the detected value concerning a rotation angle signal and a rotation frequency signal can be reduced.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a steering system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a driving apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the drive device by a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is the IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. 1 is a side view of a first substrate according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of a second substrate according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view explaining the internal structure of the rotation detection apparatus by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart explaining communication with the sensor part and microcomputer by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart explaining communication with the sensor part and microcomputer by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view explaining the internal structure of the rotation detection apparatus by 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart explaining communication with the sensor part and microcomputer by 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the rotation information calculation process by 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the communication frame of the output signal by 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the abnormality detection process by 6th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 7th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 8th Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 9th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the abnormality detection process by 9th Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view explaining the internal structure of the rotation detection apparatus by 10th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the 1st substrate by an 11th embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 11th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the rotation detection apparatus by 11th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the board | substrate by 12th Embodiment of this invention. It is a time chart explaining communication with the sensor part by a reference example, and a microcomputer. It is a side view which shows the rotation detector by a reference example.

Hereinafter, a rotation detection device according to the present invention and an electric power steering device using the rotation detection device will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, in a plurality of embodiments, the same numerals are given to the substantially same composition, and explanation is omitted.
(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the rotation detection device 1 is provided in a driving device 800 of an electric power steering device 108 for assisting a steering operation by a driver. In the driving device 800, the motor unit 10 and the controller unit 20 related to driving control of the motor unit 10 are integrally formed. In FIG. 1, the controller unit 20 is described as “ECU”.

  FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a steering system 100 including an electric power steering device 108. The steering system 100 includes a steering wheel 101 as a steering member, a steering shaft 102, a pinion gear 104, a rack shaft 105, wheels 106, an electric power steering device 108, and the like.

The steering wheel 101 is connected to the steering shaft 102. The steering shaft 102 is provided with a torque sensor 103 that detects steering torque. The torque sensor 103 has a torsion bar (not shown). The torsion bar connects the upper side and the lower side of the steering shaft 102 coaxially. Here, the steering wheel 101 side is the upper side, and the pinion gear 104 side is the lower side.
A pinion gear 104 is provided at the tip of the steering shaft 102, and the pinion gear 104 meshes with the rack shaft 105. A pair of wheels 106 are provided at both ends of the rack shaft 105 via tie rods or the like.

  When the driver rotates the steering wheel 101, the steering shaft 102 connected to the steering wheel 101 rotates. The rotational motion of the steering shaft 102 is converted into a linear motion of the rack shaft 105 by the pinion gear 104, and the pair of wheels 106 are steered at an angle corresponding to the amount of displacement of the rack shaft 105.

  The electric power steering device 108 includes a drive device 800, a reduction gear 109 as a power transmission unit, a torque sensor 103, and the like. The electric power steering device 108 generates auxiliary torque for assisting steering of the steering wheel 101 based on a steering torque acquired from the torque sensor 103 or a signal such as a vehicle speed acquired from a CAN (Controller Area Network) (not shown). It is output from the motor unit 10 and transmitted to the steering shaft 102 via the reduction gear 109. That is, the electric power steering device 108 of the present embodiment is a so-called “column assist” that assists the rotation of the steering shaft 102 with the torque generated by the motor unit 10, but assists the driving of the rack shaft 105. The so-called “rack assist” may be used. In other words, in this embodiment, the steering shaft 102 is a driving target, but the rack shaft 105 may be a driving target.

Next, the electrical configuration of the electric power steering apparatus 108 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, the substrate wirings on the substrates 21 and 22 are indicated by thin lines, and some of the wirings are omitted in order to avoid complexity.
The motor unit 10 is a three-phase brushless motor and has two sets of windings 11 and 12 wound around a stator (not shown). The first winding set 11 includes a U1 coil 111, a V1 coil 112, and a W1 coil 113. The second winding set 12 includes a U2 coil 121, a V2 coil 122, and a W2 coil 123. Here, currents flowing through the respective phases of the first winding set 11 are referred to as phase currents Iu1, Iv1, Iw1, and currents flowing through the respective phases of the second winding set 12 are referred to as phase currents Iu2, Iv2, Iw2.

A first inverter 30 is connected to the first winding set 11, and electric power is supplied from the first battery 39 via the first inverter 30.
The first inverter 30 converts the electric power of the first winding set 11, and six switching elements 301 to 306 are bridge-connected. Hereinafter, the “switching element” is referred to as “SW element”. The SW elements 301 to 306 of this embodiment are MOSFETs, but may be IGBTs, thyristors, or the like. The same applies to the SW elements 401 to 406 described later and the relays 32, 33, 42, 43, and the like.

  SW elements 301 to 303 are arranged on the high potential side, and SW elements 304 to 306 are arranged on the low potential side. One end of the U1 coil 111 is connected to a connection point between the U-phase SW elements 301 and 304 that form a pair. One end of the V1 coil 112 is connected to a connection point between the paired V-phase SW elements 302 and 305. One end of the W1 coil 113 is connected to a connection point between the paired W-phase SW elements 303 and 306.

  A first current sensor 31 for detecting phase currents Iu1, Iv1, and Iw1 is provided on the low potential side of the SW elements 304 to 306. The first current sensor 31 includes current detection elements 311 to 313 provided in each phase. The current detection elements 311 to 313 of the present embodiment are shunt resistors, but may be Hall elements or the like. The same applies to current detection elements 411 to 413 described later.

The first power supply relay 32 is provided between the first battery 39 and the first inverter 30, and conducts or cuts off the current between the first battery 39 and the first inverter 30.
The first reverse connection protection relay 33 is provided between the first power supply relay 32 and the first inverter 30. The first reverse connection protection relay 33 is connected so that the direction of the parasitic diode is opposite to that of the first power supply relay 32. This prevents a reverse current from flowing when the first battery 39 is connected in the reverse direction.

  The first choke coil 35 is provided on the first battery 39 side of the first power supply relay 32. The first capacitor 36 is connected in parallel with the first inverter 30. The choke coil 35 and the capacitor 36 constitute a filter circuit, and reduce noise transmitted from other devices sharing the battery 39, and reduce noise transmitted from the driving device 800 to other devices sharing the battery 39. Further, the capacitor 36 assists power supply to the first inverter 30 by storing electric charge.

A second inverter 40 is connected to the second winding set 12, and power is supplied from the second battery 49 via the second inverter 40.
The second inverter 40 converts the power of the second winding set 12, and six SW elements 401 to 406 are bridge-connected.
SW elements 401 to 403 are disposed on the high potential side, and SW elements 404 to 406 are disposed on the low potential side. One end of the U2 coil 121 is connected to a connection point between the U-phase SW elements 401 and 404 that form a pair. One end of the V2 coil 122 is connected to a connection point between the paired V-phase SW elements 402 and 405. One end of the W2 coil 123 is connected to a connection point between the W-phase SW elements 403 and 406 that form a pair.
A second current sensor 41 is provided on the low potential side of the SW elements 404 to 406. The second current sensor 41 includes current detection elements 411 to 413 provided in each phase.

Between the 2nd battery 49 and the 2nd inverter 40, the 2nd choke coil 45, the 2nd power supply relay 42, and the 2nd reverse connection protection relay 43 are provided from the 2nd battery 49 side. The second capacitor 46 is connected in parallel with the second inverter 40.
The details of the second power supply relay 42, the second reverse connection protection relay 43, the second choke coil 45, and the second capacitor 46 are as follows: the first power supply relay 32, the first reverse connection protection relay 33, the first choke coil 35, and Since it is the same as that of the first capacitor 36, description thereof is omitted. If the power relays 32 and 42 are mechanical relays, the reverse connection protection relays 33 and 43 can be omitted.

The first motor control unit 501 controls energization of the first winding set 11 and includes a first microcomputer 51 and a first integrated circuit 56. In the figure, the integrated circuit is referred to as “ASIC”.
The first microcomputer 51 includes the SW elements 301 to 306 of the first inverter 30 and the relay 32 based on the detection values of the first sensor unit 61, the first current sensor 31, and the torque sensor 103 (see FIG. 1). A control signal for controlling the on / off operation of 33 is generated.
Each process in the first microcomputer 51 may be a software process by a CPU executing a program stored in advance in a substantial memory device such as a ROM, or a hardware process by a dedicated electronic circuit. Also good. The same applies to the second microcomputer 52.

  The first integrated circuit 56 includes a pre-driver, a signal amplifier, a regulator, and the like. The pre-driver generates a gate signal based on the control signal. The generated gate signal is output to the gates of the SW elements 301 to 306. Thereby, the on / off operation of the SW elements 301 to 306 is controlled. The signal amplifying unit amplifies the detection value of the first current sensor 31 and outputs the amplified value to the first microcomputer 51. The regulator is a stabilization circuit that stabilizes the voltage supplied to the first microcomputer 51 and the like.

The second motor control unit 502 controls energization of the second winding set 12 and includes a second microcomputer 52 and a second integrated circuit 57.
The second microcomputer 52 includes the SW elements 401 to 406 of the second inverter 40 and the relay 42 based on the detection values of the second sensor unit 62, the second current sensor 41, and the torque sensor 103 (see FIG. 1). A control signal for controlling the on / off operation of 43 is generated.

  The second integrated circuit 57 includes a pre-driver, a signal amplifier, a regulator, and the like. The pre-driver generates a gate signal based on the control signal. The generated gate signal is output to the gates of the SW elements 401 to 406. Thereby, the on / off operation of the SW elements 401 to 406 is controlled. The signal amplifying unit amplifies the detection value of the second current sensor 41 and outputs the amplified value to the second microcomputer 52. The regulator is a stabilization circuit that stabilizes the voltage supplied to the second microcomputer 52 and the like.

  The rotation detection device 1 includes a first sensor unit 61, a second sensor unit 62, and the like. The sensor units 61 and 62 are sealed in one sensor package 65. In the figure, the first sensor unit 61 is referred to as “sensor 1”, and the second sensor unit 62 is referred to as “sensor 2”. Details of the rotation detection device 1 will be described later.

  Hereinafter, the first winding set 11 and the first inverter 30 and the first motor control unit 501 provided corresponding to the first winding set 11 will be referred to as a first system 901 as appropriate. The second winding set 12 and the second inverter 40 and the second motor control unit 502 provided corresponding to the second winding set 12 are defined as a second system 902. In the figure, in order to avoid complication, the sensor units 61 and 62 are not included in the systems 901 and 902, but the first sensor unit 61 is included in the first system 901 and the second sensor unit 62 is the second sensor unit 902. It may be considered that it is included in the system 902.

  In the present embodiment, circuit components such as the first inverter 30 and the first motor control unit 501 are provided corresponding to the first winding set 11, and circuit components such as the second inverter 40 and the second motor control unit 502 are provided. Is provided corresponding to the second winding set 12. Therefore, in addition to the case where an abnormality occurs in a part of the circuit components such as the inverters 30 and 40, even if an abnormality occurs in one of the first motor control unit 501 or the second motor control unit 502, the motor unit 10 is driven. Can continue. That is, in the driving device 800 of this embodiment, the circuit configuration including not only the inverters 30 and 40 but also the motor control units 501 and 502 is a “redundant configuration”.

In the present embodiment, a first battery 39 and a second battery 49 are provided, and the batteries are also redundantly configured. Note that the voltages of the batteries 39 and 49 may be different. When the voltages of the batteries 39 and 49 are different, for example, a converter for converting the voltage to at least one of the first battery 39 and the first inverter 30 and between the second battery 49 and the second inverter 40 May be provided as appropriate.
Fuses 38 and 48 are provided on the positive side of the batteries 39 and 49, respectively. In FIG. 9 and the like, the description of the fuses 38 and 48 is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406 as drive components, current detection elements 311 to 313, 411 to 413, relays 32, 33, 42, and 43, choke coil 35 , 45 and capacitors 36, 46 are mounted on the first substrate 21. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, microcomputers 51 and 52 and integrated circuits 56 and 57 that are control components are mounted on the second substrate 22. The drive component is an electronic component in which a relatively large current equivalent to the motor current flowing in the coils 111 to 113 and 121 to 123 flows, and the control component can also be regarded as a component in which the motor current does not flow.
A sensor package 65 is mounted on the first substrate 21.

  White triangles in the circuit diagram indicate connection points between the terminals and the substrates 21 and 22. In the present embodiment, the power supply terminals 751 and 761, the ground terminals 752 and 762, and the internal signal terminal 717 are connected to the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22, respectively. On the other hand, the torque signal terminals 771 and 781 and the vehicle signal terminals 772 and 782 are connected to the second substrate 22 and are not connected to the first substrate 21.

  In FIG. 2, the power supply terminals are “power supply 1”, “power supply 2”, the ground terminals are “GND1” and “GND2”, the torque signal terminals are “trq1” and “trq2”, the vehicle signal terminals are “CAN1”, “ CAN2 ”. In addition, in the circuit diagram of FIG. 2 and the like, it is supplemented that the fact that the line indicating the connection relationship between the terminal and the substrate is branched does not mean that the actual terminal is branched.

  The structure of the driving device 800 is shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 4, the motor unit 10 includes a stator, a rotor, a shaft 15, and the like around which winding sets 11 and 12 (see FIG. 2) are wound. The stator is fixed inside the motor case 17. The rotor is provided to be rotatable relative to the stator. A shaft 15 is fixed to the axial center of the rotor. As a result, the shaft 15 and the rotor rotate together.

An output end (not shown) connected to the reduction gear 109 (see FIG. 1) is provided at the end of the shaft 15 opposite to the controller 20. As a result, torque generated by the rotation of the rotor and the shaft 15 is transmitted to the steering shaft 102 via the reduction gear 109. In the present specification, appropriately rotating the rotor and the shaft 15 is simply referred to as “the motor unit 10 rotates”.
A magnet 16 that rotates integrally with the shaft 15 is provided at the end of the shaft 15 on the controller unit 20 side. Here, a virtual line that passes through the center of the magnet 16 and extends the axis of the shaft 15 is defined as a rotation center line Ac.

The motor case 17 has a cylindrical portion 171 and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. A stator, a rotor, a shaft 15 and the like are accommodated inside the motor case 17 in the radial direction.
The frame member 18 is provided on the controller 20 side of the stator and rotor, and is fixed to the inner side in the radial direction of the motor case 17 by, for example, press fitting. In the present embodiment, the motor case 17 and the frame member 18 form an outline of the motor unit 10. The shaft 15 is inserted into the frame member 18, and the magnet 16 is exposed to the controller unit 20 side.

  Substrate fixing portions 185 and 186 are erected on the end surface 181 of the frame member 18 on the controller portion 20 side. The first substrate 21 is placed on the first substrate fixing portion 185 and fixed by screws 195. The second substrate fixing part 186 is formed so that the height from the end surface 181 is higher than that of the first substrate fixing part 185. The second substrate fixing part 186 is inserted through a hole (not shown) of the first substrate 21. The second substrate 22 is placed on the second substrate fixing portion 186 and fixed by screws 196. The substrates 21 and 22 and the frame member 18 may be fixed by means other than screws.

  The coils 111 to 113 of each phase of the first winding set 11 and the coils 121 to 123 of each phase of the second winding set 12 are connected to motor wires (not shown). The motor wire is inserted into a motor wire insertion hole (not shown) formed in the frame member 18, taken out to the controller unit 20 side, and connected to the first substrate 21.

  A controller unit 20 is provided on one side of the motor unit 10 in the axial direction. The controller unit 20 is provided so as to fit within a motor silhouette, which is a projection region in which the motor case 17 is projected in the axial direction. Hereinafter, the axial direction and the radial direction of the motor unit 10 are referred to as “axial direction” and “radial direction” as the driving device 800, and are simply referred to as “axial direction” and “radial direction”.

The controller unit 20 includes substrates 21 and 22 on which various electronic components are mounted, a connector unit 70, and the like.
The first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are provided substantially horizontally with respect to the end surface 181 of the frame member 18. In the present embodiment, the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are arranged in this order from the motor unit 10 side. Here, the surface of the first substrate 21 on the motor unit 10 side is the first surface 211, the surface opposite to the motor unit 10 is the second surface 212, and the surface of the second substrate 22 on the motor unit 10 side is the first surface. A surface opposite to the motor unit 10 is a second surface 222 (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first surface 211 of the first substrate 21 includes SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406, current detection elements 311 to 313, 411 to 413, a sensor package 65, and the like. Implemented.
Choke coils 35 and 45, capacitors 36 and 46, and the like are mounted on the second surface 212 of the first substrate 21.
In FIG. 4, the SW elements 301, 302, 401, and 402 are shown as appearing. In the structure diagram, the current detection elements 311 to 313, 411 to 413, the choke coils 35 and 45, and the like are not shown.

The SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406 are provided on the frame member 18 so as to be able to radiate heat. Thereby, the heat of the SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406 is radiated from the motor case 17 to the outside of the driving device 800 via the frame member 18.
Here, “provided that heat can be dissipated” is not limited to the SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406 being in direct contact with the frame member 18, but is in contact with each other via a heat dissipation member such as a heat dissipation gel. Including the state. In FIG. 4, since the heat dissipation member is omitted, the SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406 are separated from the frame member 18. In addition, components other than the SW element such as the current detection elements 311 to 313 and 411 to 413 may be regarded as the heat generating elements and may be provided in the frame member 18 so as to be able to radiate heat.

  In the present embodiment, the frame member 18 functions as a heat sink. In other words, the frame member 18 has a function as an outline of the motor unit 10 and a function as a heat sink. Thereby, compared with the case where a heat sink is separately provided, the number of parts can be reduced and the physique can be reduced in size. Further, by using the frame member 18 as a heat sink, the heat transfer path to the atmosphere can be shortened and heat can be radiated with high efficiency.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, integrated circuits 56 and 57 are mounted on the first surface 221 of the second substrate 22, and microcomputers 51 and 52 are mounted on the second surface 222.
In other words, in the present embodiment, the drive component that is energized with the motor current is mounted on the first substrate 21, and the control component is mounted on the second substrate 22. In other words, the first substrate 21 is the power substrate, the second substrate 22 is the control substrate, and the power unit and the control unit are separated by separating the substrates. Thereby, since the large current which can become a noise source does not flow through the second substrate 22 which is the control substrate, the influence of noise in the control component is reduced.
Spring terminals 26 are provided on the substrates 21 and 22.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the connector unit 70 includes a cover portion 71, power feeding connectors 75 and 76, and signal connectors 77 and 78.
The cover portion 71 is formed in a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape, and includes a cylindrical portion 711 and a connector forming portion 715. The distal end portion 712 of the cylindrical portion 711 is inserted into a groove portion 172 formed in the cylindrical portion 171 of the motor case 17 and fixed with an adhesive or the like.

  Power supply connectors 75 and 76 and signal connectors 77 and 78 are formed on the opposite side of the connector forming portion 715 from the motor portion 10. Connectors 75-78 are disposed within the motor silhouette. In the connectors 75 to 78 of the present embodiment, the front opening is opened on the side opposite to the motor unit 10, and a harness or the like is inserted in the axial direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the first power supply connector 75 is used to connect the first battery 39 and the ground. The first power supply connector 75 is provided with a first power supply terminal 751 and a first ground terminal 752. The second power supply connector 76 is used to connect the second battery 49 and the ground. The second power supply connector 76 is provided with a second power supply terminal 761 and a second ground terminal 762.

The first signal connector 77 and the second signal connector 78 are used for connection with the torque sensor 103 and a CAN (Controller Area Network) not shown.
The first signal connector 77 is provided with a first torque signal terminal 771 used for inputting a signal from the torque sensor 103 and a first vehicle signal terminal 772 used for inputting a signal from CAN. The second signal connector 78 is provided with a second torque signal terminal 781 used for inputting a signal from the torque sensor 103 and a second vehicle signal terminal 782 used for inputting a signal from CAN.
By providing a plurality of openings for the power supply connectors 75 and 76 and the signal connectors 77 and 78, the motor unit 10 can continue to be driven even when a part of the connected wires is disconnected or disconnected. is there.

  The internal signal terminal 717 is provided on the motor part 10 side of the connector forming part 715 of the cover part 71. The internal signal terminal 717 is connected to the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 and is used for signal transmission between the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22. The internal signal terminal 717 is provided separately from the terminals 751, 752, 761, 762, 771, 772, 781, 782 of the connectors 75 to 78, and the driving devices such as the batteries 39, 49, the torque sensor 103, and CAN 800 is not connected to the outside. In the present embodiment, the internal signal terminal 717 is used to transmit the detection value of the rotation detection device 1 to electronic components such as the microcomputers 51 and 52 mounted on the second substrate 22. The internal signal terminal 717 is used to transmit a command signal from the microcomputers 51 and 52 to an electronic component mounted on the first substrate 21.

  In addition, the number of terminals, arrangement, allocation, and the like in the first power supply connector 75 can be changed as appropriate. The same applies to the second power supply connector 76 and the signal connectors 77 and 78. Further, the internal signal terminal 717 may be formed at any location as long as it does not interfere with each terminal of the connectors 75 to 78, and the number is not limited to the illustrated number.

  Each terminal 751, 752, 761, 762, 771, 772, 781, 782, 717 is inserted into a spring terminal 26 provided on the substrates 21, 22. The spring terminal 26 comes into contact with the terminal while being elastically deformed by inserting the terminal. Accordingly, the terminals 751, 752, 761, 762, 771, 772, 781, 782, and 717 are electrically connected to the substrates 21 and 22.

In the present embodiment, the terminals 751, 752, 761, 762, and 717 connected to the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are in the overlapping region where the two substrates overlap when projected in the axial direction. It extends through the substrate 22 and extends to the first substrate 21 side. Further, the terminals 751, 752, 761, 762, and 717 are connected to the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 by being inserted through the spring terminals 26 provided on the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22, respectively. The
Thereby, an increase in wiring space due to redundancy can be prevented.
In addition, the terminals can be shortened by forming the terminals substantially straight and penetrating the plurality of substrates 21 and 22. Thereby, the impedance of wiring can be reduced.

Hereinafter, the rotation detection device 1 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7 to 9, the rotation detection device 1 detects rotation of the motor unit 10, and includes a first sensor unit 61, a second sensor unit 62, and The first microcomputer 51 and the second microcomputer 52 are provided. In the present embodiment, the first microcomputer 51 and the second microcomputer 52 correspond to a “control unit”.
The first sensor unit 61 and the second sensor unit 62 are provided in one sensor package 65. Mounting the sensor portions 61 and 62 in one package can reduce the mounting area.

As shown in FIG. 9, the first sensor unit 61 includes a sensor element 601 and a circuit unit 610, and the sensor element 601 and the circuit unit 610 are configured as one chip 641. In other words, the sensor element 601 is built in the chip 641 constituting the circuit unit 610.
The second sensor unit 62 includes a sensor element 602 and a circuit unit 620, and the sensor element 602 and the circuit unit 620 are configured as one chip 642. In other words, the sensor element 602 is incorporated in the chip 642 constituting the circuit unit 620.
The sensor elements 601 and 602 are, for example, MR elements such as GMR, AMR, and TMR, or Hall elements.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7A, the sensor package 65 is mounted on the first surface 211 of the first substrate 21. By mounting on the first surface 211, the distance to the magnet 16 can be set short, so that the detection accuracy increases. Further, the thickness and diameter of the magnet 16 can be reduced. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7B, the sensor package 65 may be mounted on the second surface 212 of the first substrate 21. By mounting on the second surface 212, the first surface 211 can be effectively utilized, such as mounting a heat generating element other than the SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406 on the first surface 211 so as to be able to dissipate heat. Can do. In FIG. 7, mounting components other than the sensor package 65 of the rotation detection device 1 are omitted. The same applies to FIGS. 27, 28, and 31 described later.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the sensor package 65 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and sensor terminals 67 are provided on both sides. The sensor terminals 67 include command terminals 671 and 673, output terminals 672 and 674, power supply terminals 675 and 677, and ground terminals 676 and 678.
Electric power is supplied to the sensor package 65 from the batteries 39 and 49 via the constant voltage sources 37 and 47 and the power supply terminals 675 and 677. In the present embodiment, electric power is supplied from the first battery 39 to the first sensor unit 61 via the constant voltage source 37 and the power supply terminal 675, and the constant voltage source 47 and Power is supplied from the second battery 49 via the power supply terminal 677 and the like. Note that power may be supplied to the first sensor unit 61 and the second sensor unit 62 from one battery. When the power is supplied to the sensor units 61 and 62 from one battery, a constant voltage source may be shared or provided for each of the sensor units 61 and 62. The same applies to later-described embodiments.

The constant voltage sources 37 and 47 are regulators or the like that have low power consumption enough to drive the sensor units 61 and 62 (for example, about several mA). The constant voltage sources 37 and 47 are provided separately from the regulators of the integrated circuits 56 and 57, and can supply power to the sensor package 65 even when the driving device 800 is stopped.
The ground terminals 676 and 678 are connected to the ground.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the chip 641 constituting the first sensor unit 61 and the chip 642 constituting the second sensor unit 62 are both mounted on a lead frame 66 built in the sensor package 65. The chips 641 and 642 and the sensor terminal 67 are connected by a wire or the like. The sensor terminal 67 is connected to the wiring pattern of the first substrate 21. Thereby, the sensor parts 61 and 62 and the 1st board | substrate 21 are connected.

The sensor elements 601 and 602 are magnetic detection elements that detect a change in the magnetic field accompanying the rotation of the magnet 16 that rotates integrally with the shaft 15. The sensor elements 601 and 602 of this embodiment are Hall elements. In the present embodiment, the motor unit 10, more specifically, the magnet 16 that rotates integrally with the shaft 15 of the motor unit 10 corresponds to the “detection target”.
The sensor elements 601 and 602 are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the intersection between the rotation center line Ac and the first substrate 21. Hereinafter, the point symmetry with respect to the intersection of the rotation center line Ac and the first substrate 21 is simply referred to as “point symmetry with respect to the rotation center line Ac”. By making the sensor elements 601 and 602 point-symmetric with respect to the rotation center line Ac, it is possible to reduce detection errors between the elements.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the circuit unit 610 includes a rotation angle calculation unit 614, a rotation number calculation unit 615, and a communication unit 619. The circuit unit 620 includes a rotation angle calculation unit 624, a rotation number calculation unit 625, and a communication unit 629.
In the circuit units 610 and 620, the configuration in which the last one digit of the three-digit number is the same is substantially the same, and therefore, the circuit unit 610 will be mainly described below.

The rotation angle calculation unit 614 calculates the rotation angle θm of the motor unit 10 based on the detection value of the sensor element 601. The detection value of the sensor element 601 is a value subjected to processing such as AD conversion as necessary. The same applies to the value used for the calculation of the number of rotations TC. The value calculated by the rotation angle calculation unit 614 is not limited to the rotation angle θm itself, and may be any value that allows the first microcomputer 51 to calculate the rotation angle θm. Including such a case, hereinafter, it is simply referred to as “calculation of the rotation angle θm”. The same applies to the calculation of the rotation number TC in the rotation number calculation unit 615.
In the present embodiment, the rotation angle θm is a mechanical angle, but may be an electrical angle.

  The rotation number calculation unit 615 calculates the rotation number TC of the motor unit 10 based on the detection value of the sensor element 601. The number of rotations TC can be calculated based on the count value, for example, by dividing one rotation of the motor unit 10 into three or more areas and counting up or down according to the rotation direction each time the area changes. The count value itself is also included in the concept of “the number of rotations TC”.

The rotation number calculation unit 615 can determine the rotation direction by dividing one rotation of the motor unit 10 into three or more areas and counting. If the number of areas per rotation is 5 or more, the rotation direction can be determined even when skipping occurs. Further, the rotation number TC may be calculated from the rotation angle θm.
The “number of rotations” in this specification is not a so-called rotation number (rotation speed) expressed in unit rpm or the like but a value indicating “how many times the rotor has rotated”. Further, in this specification, the so-called “rotation speed” expressed in unit rpm or the like is referred to as “rotation speed”.

  The communication unit 619 generates an output signal including a rotation angle signal related to the rotation angle θm and a rotation frequency signal related to the rotation frequency TC, and outputs the output signal to the first signal by digital communication such as SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication. Output to the microcomputer 51. In the present embodiment, a command from the first microcomputer 51 is input to the first sensor unit 61 from the communication line 691 and the command terminal 671. When receiving a command from the first microcomputer 51, the first sensor unit 61 outputs an output signal to the first microcomputer 51 via the output terminal 672 and the communication line 692. The communication frame of the output signal includes a run counter signal, a CRC signal as an error detection signal, and the like, in addition to information related to the rotation angle θm and information related to the number of rotations TC. In FIG. 10 and the like, the description of the run counter signal is omitted. The error detection signal may be other than a CRC signal, such as a checksum signal.

The communication unit 619 of the second sensor unit 62 is calculated by the rotation angle signal related to the rotation angle θm calculated by the rotation angle calculation unit 624 based on the detection value of the sensor element 602 and the rotation number calculation unit 625. An output signal including the rotation number signal related to the rotation number TC is generated and output to the second microcomputer 52. In the present embodiment, a command from the second microcomputer 52 is input to the second sensor unit 62 from the communication line 693 and the command terminal 673. When receiving the command from the second microcomputer 52, the second sensor unit 62 outputs an output signal to the second microcomputer 52 via the output terminal 674 and the communication line 694.
In the present embodiment, since both the microcomputers 51 and 52 are mounted on the second substrate 22, the communication lines 691 to 694 are configured by the substrate wirings on the substrates 21 and 22 and the internal signal terminal 717. .

The first microcomputer 51 calculates the rotation angle θm of the motor unit 10 based on the rotation angle signal included in the output signal acquired from the first sensor unit 61. The calculated rotation angle θm is used for drive control of the motor unit 10.
Further, the first microcomputer 51 calculates the steering angle θs of the steering shaft 102 based on the rotation angle signal included in the output signal acquired from the first sensor unit 61 and the rotation frequency signal. Since the steering shaft 102 is connected to the motor unit 10 via the reduction gear 109, the steering angle θs can be calculated based on the rotation angle θm, the number of rotations TC, and the gear ratio of the reduction gear 109. The second microcomputer 52 performs the same calculation based on the output signal acquired from the second sensor unit 62.

The neutral position, which is the position of the steering wheel 101 when a vehicle (not shown) on which the electric power steering device 108 is mounted, goes straight, can be learned, for example, by moving straight ahead at a constant speed for a fixed time. The learned neutral position is stored in the microcomputers 51 and 52. In the present embodiment, the microcomputers 51 and 52 calculate the steering angle θs based on the rotation angle θm, the number of rotations TC, and the gear ratio of the reduction gear 109 with the neutral position as a reference. By performing the steering angle calculation based on the rotation angle θm and the like by the microcomputers 51 and 52, the steering sensor can be omitted.
In the present embodiment, the steering angle θs is the lower rotation angle of the steering shaft 102. Since the lower side of the steering shaft 102 is connected to the motor unit 10 via the reduction gear 89, the steering angle θs can be calculated based on the rotation angle θm, the number of rotations TC, and the gear ratio of the reduction gear 89. It is. Further, since the rotation angle on the upper side of the steering shaft 102 can be calculated by conversion based on the twist amount of the torsion bar, the rotation angle on the upper side of the steering shaft 102 may be used as the steering angle θs.

Communication between the sensor units 61 and 62 and the microcomputers 51 and 52 will be described with reference to FIG. 10, (a) is a calculation process of the rotation angle θm in the sensor unit, (b) is a calculation process of the number of rotations TC in the sensor unit, and (c) is an output signal transmitted from the sensor unit 61 to the first microcomputer 51. , (D) is a command signal transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 to the sensor unit 61, and (e) shows arithmetic processing in the microcomputer.
In addition, since the communication between the 1st sensor part 61 and the 1st microcomputer 51 and the communication between the 2nd sensor part 62 and the 2nd microcomputer 52 are substantially the same, here the 1st sensor Communication between the unit 61 and the first microcomputer 51 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 10A, the rotation angle θm is updated at the update cycle DRT_sa. Each pulse in FIG. 10A indicates a calculation period related to data update of the rotation angle θm in the rotation angle calculation unit 614. In the first half period Px1 of each pulse, the detection value of the sensor element 601 is digitally converted. In the period Px2 following the period Px1, the rotation angle calculation unit 614 calculates the rotation angle θm, and data relating to the rotation angle θm is obtained. Update. In FIG. 10A, it is assumed that the data related to the rotation angle θm is updated as 1A, 2A,. In FIG. 10A, the periods Px1 and Px2 are shown for the calculation period of the data 1A, but the same applies to the calculation periods of other data.

As shown in FIG. 10B, the number of rotations TC is updated at the update cycle DRT_sb. Each pulse in FIG. 10B indicates a calculation period related to data update of the rotation number TC in the rotation number calculation unit 615. In Py1 of the first half period of each pulse, the detection value of the sensor element 601 is digitally converted. In a period Py2 following the period Py1, the rotation number calculation unit 615 calculates the rotation number TC, and the data related to the rotation number TC is obtained. Update. In FIG. 10B, it is assumed that data regarding the number of rotations TC is updated as 1B, 2B,. In FIG. 10B, the periods Py1 and Py2 are shown for the calculation period of the data 1B, but the same applies to the calculation periods of other data.
Hereinafter, n is an arbitrary natural number, “nA” means the data related to the rotation angle θm and the rotation angle signal based on the data, and “nB” means the data related to the rotation frequency TC and the rotation frequency signal based on the data. Shall mean.
The same applies to FIGS. 11, 15, and 30.

  As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, in this embodiment, the update cycle DRT_sa of the rotation angle θm and the update cycle DRT_sb of the number of rotations TC are equal and compared with the calculation cycle DRT_m in the first microcomputer 51. Short.

As shown in FIGS. 10C and 10D, at time x11, the first microcomputer 51 sends a command signal com1 for requesting transmission of an output signal to the first sensor unit 61 at the next command transmission timing. Send. In addition, the communication unit 619 transmits an output signal Sd10 based on a command signal com0 (not shown) immediately before the command signal com1 to the first microcomputer 51 at time x11 which is a timing at which the command signal com1 is received.
The output signal Sd10 includes a signal related to the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC based on the latest data, and a CRC signal. Specifically, the output signal Sd10 includes a rotation angle signal based on the data 1A, a rotation frequency signal based on the data 1B, and a CRC signal that is a cyclic redundancy check signal calculated based on the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal. included.

  The first microcomputer 51 starts calculation of the rotation angle θm and the steering angle θs based on the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal included in the output signal Sd10 at time x12. The description of [1A, 1B] in FIG. 10 means that the data 1A, 1B are used for the calculation of the rotation angle θm and the steering angle θs. Note that the steering angle θs does not necessarily have to be calculated every time. For example, the steering angle θs may be calculated at a rate of once every predetermined number of times.

Further, when the command signal com2 is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x13, the first sensor unit 61 includes a rotation angle signal based on the data 4A, a rotation frequency signal based on the data 4B, and a CRC signal. The output signal Sd11 is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51. The first microcomputer 51 starts calculating the rotation angle θm and the steering angle θs based on the signal included in the output signal Sd11 at time x14.
When the command signal com3 is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x15, the first sensor unit 61 outputs an output signal including a rotation angle signal based on the data 8A, a rotation frequency signal based on the data 8B, and a CRC signal. Sd12 is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the update periods DRT_sa and DRT_sb may be different. Specifically, the update cycle DRT_sb of the number of rotations TC may be longer than the update cycle DRT_sa of the rotation angle θm. The update cycle DRT_sa of the rotation angle θm needs to be sufficiently shorter than the calculation cycle DRT_m of the first microcomputer 51. On the other hand, if the rotation number TC is detected without skipping each quadrant obtained by dividing one rotation of the motor unit 10 into three, reverse rotation can be detected, and the rotation number is not erroneously detected. For this reason, the update cycle DRT_sb of the number of rotations TC may be appropriately set to a length that does not skip reading according to the set rotation speed of the motor unit 10. The set rotation speed may be the maximum rotation speed of the motor unit 10 or a predetermined rotation speed that requires counting of the number of rotations TC.

  In the example of FIG. 11, the processes at times x21 and x22 are the same as the processes at times x11 and x12 in FIG. 10, and the first sensor unit 61 receives the rotation angle signal based on the data 1A and the An output signal Sd21 including a rotation number signal based on the data 1B is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51. The first microcomputer 51 starts calculating the rotation angle θm and the steering angle θs based on the output signal Sd21 at time x22.

When the command signal com2 is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x23, the first sensor unit 61 outputs the output signal Sd22 including the rotation angle signal based on the data 4A and the rotation frequency signal based on the data 3B to the first microcomputer. 51. The first microcomputer 51 starts calculation of the rotation angle θm and the steering angle θs based on the output signal Sd22 at time x24.
When the command signal com3 is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x25, the first sensor unit 61 receives the output signal Sd23 including the rotation angle signal based on the data 8A and the rotation number signal based on the data 4B. 1 is transmitted to the microcomputer 51.

  Here, communication according to the reference example is shown in FIG. In the reference example, the sensor unit that detects the rotation angle and the sensor unit that detects the number of rotations are provided in separate chips, and the rotation angle signal and the rotation number signal are transmitted as separate signals. Here, it is assumed that signals from each chip are alternately transmitted according to chip selection in SPI communication. The update cycles DRT_sa and DRT_sb are the same as those in FIG.

At time x91, an output signal Sd91 is transmitted based on a command signal com0c (not shown) immediately before the command signal com1c. The output signal Sd91 includes a rotation angle signal based on the data 1A. On the other hand, the rotation signal is not included in the output signal Sd91.
At time x92, the rotation angle θm and the steering angle θs are based on the data 1A included in the output signal Sd91 and the data −1B included in the output signal Sd90 (not shown) transmitted at the timing when the command signal com0c is transmitted. Is calculated.

At time x93, when the command signal com2c is transmitted, an output signal Sd92 including a rotation number signal based on the data 3B is transmitted. At time x94, when the command signal com3c is transmitted, an output signal Sd93 including a rotation angle signal based on the data 8A is transmitted.
At time x95, the rotation angle θm and the steering angle θs are calculated using the rotation frequency signal based on the data 8A included in the output signal Sd93 and the rotation frequency signal based on the data 3B included in the output signal Sd92.

  In the reference example, since the sensor unit used for detecting the rotation angle θm and the sensor unit used for detecting the rotation number TC are separate, the rotation angle signal and the rotation number signal are separately transmitted to the microcomputer. Therefore, for example, the deviation width Tdc between the detection timing of the rotation angle signal and the detection timing of the rotation frequency signal used for the calculation at time x95 is longer than the command period of the microcomputer. As in the reference example, when the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC with a large detection timing shift are used, the steering angle θs may not be accurately calculated.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the rotation angle calculation unit 614 and the rotation number calculation unit 615 are configured as one chip 641, and the rotation angle signal and the rotation number signal are output as a series of output signals from the communication unit 619 to the first microcomputer 51. Sending.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, if the update timing of the data related to the rotation angle θm and the data related to the number of rotations TC are the same, the first microcomputer 51 determines the rotation angle based on the detected value detected at the same time. θm, the number of rotations TC, and the steering angle θs can be calculated.
As shown in FIG. 11, even if the update periods DRT_sa and DRT_sb are different, the detection timing deviation Td can be obtained by transmitting the same output signal including the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal to the microcomputer 51. Compared with the case of transmitting as separate signals as in the reference example, the detection timing shift can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal are included in a series of output signals and transmitted to the first microcomputer 51 via one communication line 692. Thereby, compared with the case where a rotation angle signal and a rotation frequency signal are transmitted to a microcomputer using separate communication lines, the number of communication lines can be reduced.

  The driving device 800 of this embodiment is provided in the electric power steering device 108. The electric power steering device 108 is a device that controls the “turn” function, which is one of the basic functions of the vehicle. Therefore, the redundant configuration allows the steering assist even if some abnormality occurs. We are trying to continue. On the other hand, the drive device 800 is required to be downsized from the viewpoint of expanding the living space and improving fuel efficiency.

  In the present embodiment, by providing a plurality of circuit units 610 and 620, the calculation function of the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC is made redundant, and even if one of the abnormality occurs, the electric power steering The operation of the device 108 can be continued. Further, by integrating the circuit units 610 and 620 as one chip, the rotation detection device 1 can be downsized, which contributes to downsizing of the driving device 800.

As described above, the rotation detection device 1 according to the present embodiment includes the sensor units 61 and 62 and the microcomputers 51 and 52.
The first sensor unit 61 includes a sensor element 601 and a circuit unit 610. The second sensor unit 62 includes a sensor element 602 and a circuit unit 620.
The sensor elements 601 and 602 detect the rotation of the motor unit 10. The circuit units 610 and 620 generate and output output signals based on the detection values of the sensor elements 601 and 602.
The microcomputers 51 and 52 acquire output signals from the sensor units 61 and 62 and perform calculations based on the output signals.

  The circuit unit 610 includes a rotation angle calculation unit 614, a rotation number calculation unit 615, and a communication unit 619. The rotation angle calculation unit 614 calculates the rotation angle θm of the motor unit 10 based on the detection value of the sensor element 601. The number-of-rotations calculation unit 615 counts the number of rotations TC of the motor unit 10 based on the detection value of the sensor element 601. The communication unit 619 transmits an output signal that is a series of signals including a rotation angle signal that is a signal related to the rotation angle θm and a rotation frequency signal that is a signal related to the rotation frequency TC to the first microcomputer 51.

  The circuit unit 620 includes a rotation angle calculation unit 624, a rotation number calculation unit 625, and a communication unit 629. The rotation angle calculation unit 624 calculates the rotation angle θm of the motor unit 10 based on the detection value of the sensor element 602. The rotation number calculation unit 625 counts the rotation number TC of the motor unit 10 based on the detection value of the sensor element 602. The communication unit 629 transmits an output signal, which is a series of signals including a rotation angle signal that is a signal related to the rotation angle θm and a rotation frequency signal that is a signal related to the rotation frequency TC, to the second microcomputer 52.

  Since the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal are included in the series of output signals, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal can be transmitted to the microcomputers 51 and 52 by one communication. Thereby, a shift in detection timing between the detection value related to the rotation angle θm and the detection value related to the rotation number TC can be reduced. In addition, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal can be transmitted from the communication unit 619 to the first microcomputer 51 through one communication line 692. Similarly, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal can be transmitted from the communication unit 629 to the second microcomputer 52 through one communication line 694. Thereby, compared with the case where a communication line is provided for every rotation angle signal and rotation frequency signal, the number of communication lines can be reduced.

  The rotation angle calculation unit 614 and the rotation number calculation unit 615 calculate the rotation angle θm or the rotation number TC based on the detection value of the same sensor element 601. The rotation angle calculation unit 624 and the rotation number calculation unit 625 calculate the rotation angle θm or the rotation number TC based on the detection value of the same sensor element 602. By using a common sensor element for calculation of the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC, the number of sensors can be reduced.

  Constant voltage sources 37 and 47 are provided in the power supply path from the batteries 39 and 49 to the sensor units 61 and 62. By providing the constant voltage sources 37 and 47 between the batteries 39 and 49 and the sensor units 61 and 62, it is not necessary to change the withstand voltage design of the sensor units 61 and 62 regardless of the voltages of the batteries 39 and 49.

  The rotation detection device 1 is provided with a plurality of sensor units 61 and 62. The first sensor unit 61 includes a sensor element 601 and a circuit unit 610. The second sensor unit 62 includes a sensor element 602 and a circuit unit 620. All the sensor units 61 and 62 are provided in one package 65.

By providing a plurality of sensor units 61 and 62, the detection of the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC of the motor unit 10 can be continued in the other sensor unit even when an abnormality occurs in one of the sensor units.
In addition, as in the reference example shown in FIG. 31, compared with the case where the packages 656 and 657 related to the calculation of the rotation angle θm and the packages 658 and 659 related to the calculation of the rotation number TC are separately provided, the mounting area is reduced. Can be suppressed. Thereby, for example, a mounting region for elements that require heat dissipation to the frame member 18 such as the SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406 can be secured on the surface of the first substrate 21 on the first surface 211 side. In addition, since the sensor elements 601 and 602 can be disposed close to the rotation center line Ac, the magnet 16 can be reduced in size, and deterioration in detection accuracy can be prevented. In particular, by arranging the sensor elements 601 and 602 in point symmetry with respect to the rotation center line Ac, detection errors between elements can be reduced.

  There are a plurality of combinations of the sensor units 561 and 562 and the microcomputers 51 and 52 that acquire output signals from the sensor units 561 and 562. Specifically, two combinations of a combination of the first sensor unit 561 and the first microcomputer 51 and a combination of the second sensor unit 562 and the second microcomputer 52 are provided. Thereby, even if an abnormality occurs in one system, the calculation can be continued in the other system.

The electric power steering device 108 includes the motor unit 10, the rotation detection device 1, and microcomputers 51 and 52. The motor unit 10 outputs auxiliary torque that assists steering by the driver. The microcomputers 51 and 52 control the motor unit 10 using a signal included in the output signal. The sensor elements 601 and 602 detect the rotation of the motor unit 10 as a detection target.
Further, the microcomputers 51 and 52 calculate the steering angle θs based on the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC.

  Thus, for example, a steering sensor that detects the steering angle θs by providing a gear or the like on the steering shaft 102 can be omitted. Further, by transmitting the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal to the microcomputers 51 and 52 by one communication, the detection timing shift between the detection value related to the rotation angle θm and the detection value related to the rotation frequency TC is suppressed. Therefore, the steering angle θs can be calculated appropriately.

(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. In the present embodiment, the rotation detection device 2 is different from the above-described embodiment, and other configurations are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted. In FIG. 12 and FIGS. 14 and 23 described later, the description of the batteries 39 and 49 is omitted.
As shown in FIG. 12, the rotation detection device 2 of the present embodiment includes a first sensor unit 261, a second sensor unit 262, a first microcomputer 51, and a second microcomputer 52.

The first sensor unit 261 includes a sensor element 603 for a rotation angle, a sensor element 604 for the number of rotations, and a circuit unit 610. The sensor elements 603 and 604 and the circuit unit 610 are provided on one chip 641.
The second sensor unit 262 includes a sensor element 605 for a rotation angle, a sensor element 606 for the number of rotations, and a circuit unit 620. The sensor elements 605 and 606 and the circuit unit 620 are provided on one chip 642. Chips 641 and 642 are provided in one sensor package 65. The same applies to the third to sixth embodiments.

Similar to the sensor elements 601 and 602 of the first embodiment, the sensor elements 603 to 606 are magnetic detection elements such as Hall elements that detect a magnetic flux that changes due to the rotation of the magnet 16.
The communication between the sensor units 261 and 262 and the microcomputers 51 and 52 is the same as that in the above embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, sensor elements 603 and 605 for calculating the rotation angle θm and sensor elements 604 and 606 for calculating the number of rotations TC are separately provided. This makes it possible to select an optimum element for calculating the rotation angle θm or the number of rotations TC. For example, the sensor elements 603 and 605 for calculating the rotation angle θm use those having high detection accuracy, and the sensor elements 604 and 606 for calculating the number of rotations TC use elements that consume less power. is there.

The arrangement of the sensor elements is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the sensor elements 603 and 605 for calculating the rotation angle θm are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the rotation center line Ac. The sensor elements 604 and 606 for calculating the number of rotations TC are arranged symmetrically with respect to the rotation center line Ac.

  In FIG. 13A, the sensor elements 603 and 605 for calculating the rotation angle θm are arranged inside, and the sensor elements 604 and 606 for calculating the number of rotations TC are arranged outside. That is, by arranging the sensor elements 603 and 605 for calculating the rotation angle θm that require higher detection accuracy, the sensor elements 603 and 605 are arranged on the inner side to reduce the detection error. In addition, since the detection accuracy is not required for the calculation of the number of rotations TC compared to the rotation angle θm, the rotation number TC is arranged outside.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13B, the sensor elements 603 and 604 and the sensor elements 605 and 606 may be arranged side by side with respect to the rotation center line Ac. At this time, the sensor elements 603 and 605 for detecting the rotation angle θm are arranged point-symmetrically, and the sensor elements 604 and 606 for detecting the number of rotations TC are arranged point-symmetrically.

The rotation angle calculation unit 614 calculates the rotation angle θm based on the detection value of the sensor element 603, and the rotation number calculation unit 615 calculates the rotation number TC based on the detection value of the sensor element 604.
The rotation angle calculation unit 624 calculates the rotation angle θm based on the detection value of the sensor element 605, and the rotation number calculation unit 625 calculates the rotation number TC based on the detection value of the sensor element 606. In other words, the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC are calculated based on detection values of different sensor elements.

By separately providing sensor elements 603 and 605 used for calculating the rotation angle θm and sensor elements 604 and 606 used for calculating the number of rotations TC, it is possible to select a sensor element that meets each requirement.
In the present embodiment, the sensor elements 603 and 605 for calculating the rotation angle θm correspond to “first sensor elements”, and the sensor elements 604 and 606 for calculating the number of rotations TC correspond to “second sensor elements”. .
In addition, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

(Third embodiment)
A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 14, the rotation detection device 3 of this embodiment includes a first sensor unit 361, a second sensor unit 362, a first microcomputer 51, and a second microcomputer 52.
The circuit unit 611 of the first sensor unit 361 includes a self-diagnosis unit 618 in addition to the components of the circuit unit 610 of the first embodiment. The circuit unit 621 of the second sensor unit 362 includes a self-diagnosis unit 628 in addition to the components of the circuit unit 621 of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the sensor element 601 and the circuit unit 611 are provided on one chip 641, and the sensor element 602 and the circuit unit 621 are provided on one chip 642. As in the second embodiment, a sensor element may be provided separately for the rotation angle θm calculation and the rotation number TC calculation.

The self-diagnosis unit 618 monitors a power supply abnormality such as a sky fault or a ground fault in the sensor element 601, the rotation angle calculation unit 614, and the rotation number calculation unit 615.
The self-diagnosis unit 628 monitors a power supply abnormality such as a power fault or a ground fault in the sensor element 602, the rotation angle calculation unit 624, and the rotation number calculation unit 625.
Self-monitoring results in the self-diagnosis units 618 and 628 are included in the output signal as status signals and transmitted to the microcomputers 51 and 52.

  Communication between the first microcomputer 51 and the first sensor unit 361 will be described with reference to FIG. Since the communication timing and the like are the same as those in FIG. 11, here, the description will focus on the point that the output signal transmitted from the first sensor unit 361 is changed in accordance with a command from the first microcomputer 51. As in the above embodiment, the communication between the second microcomputer 52 and the second sensor unit 362 is substantially the same as the communication between the first microcomputer 51 and the first sensor unit 361. Now, communication between the first microcomputer 51 and the first sensor unit 361 will be described as an example.

In the present embodiment, the first sensor unit 361 changes the type of signal included in the output signal according to the type of command transmitted from the first microcomputer 51.
When the command signal com_a is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x31, the communication unit 619 receives the rotation angle signal, the rotation frequency signal, the status signal, and the time signal at time x32 that is the timing at which the next command is received. The output signal Sd_a including the CRC signal is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51. Note that the command transmitted at the output timing of the output signal Sd_a may be an instruction to output any signal, and the type is not limited. The same applies to commands related to the transmission timing of other output signals.

When the command signal com_b is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x32, the communication unit 619 transmits the rotation angle signal, the rotation frequency signal, and the CRC signal at time x33, which is the timing at which the next command is received. The output signal Sd_b including is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51.
When the command signal com_c is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x33, the communication unit 619 receives the rotation angle signal, the status signal, and the CRC signal at time x34, which is the timing at which the next command is received. The included output signal Sd_c is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51.
When the command signal com_d is transmitted from the first microcomputer 51 at time x34, the communication unit 619 outputs an output signal including a rotation angle signal and a CRC signal at time x35, which is the timing at which the next command is received. Sd_d is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51.

In the example of FIG. 15, for the sake of explanation, a command signal from the first microcomputer 51 is transmitted in the order of com_a, com_b, com_c, and com_d, and output signals from the first sensor unit 361 are Sd_a, Sd_b, Sd_c, and Sd_d. However, the transmission order is not limited to this order, and the transmission order may be different. Further, for example, the first microcomputer 51 transmits the command signals com_a, com_b, and com_c according to each transmission cycle so as to acquire the rotation frequency signal at the rotation frequency transmission cycle and acquire the status signal at the status transmission cycle. At other timings, a command signal com_d for acquiring a rotation angle signal may be transmitted. The number-of-rotations transmission cycle and the status transmission cycle may be the same or different. If the rotation frequency transmission cycle and the status transmission cycle are equal, the command signals com_b and com_c may not be used. Further, not only in the predetermined cycle, when the first microcomputer 51 needs to acquire the rotation number TC or the self-monitoring result in the first sensor unit 361 in the first microcomputer 51, the command signal com_d is appropriately changed, Any of the command signals com_a, com_b, and com_c may be transmitted.
In the first microcomputer 51, an operation according to the acquired signal is performed. Although FIG. 15E describes that the calculation periods are equal, the calculation periods may be different depending on the calculation to be performed.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the self-diagnosis unit 618 is provided has been described as an example. However, even in the case where the self-diagnosis unit is not provided as in the first embodiment, the signal included in the output signal depends on the type of command. The type can be changed. That is, when the self-diagnosis unit 618 is not provided, the output signal Sd_b including the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal is transmitted according to the command signal com_b, and the output signal Sd_d including the rotation angle signal according to the command signal com_d. And so on.

  The first microcomputer 51 transmits a command signal instructing the type of signal included in the output signal and the transmission timing to the communication unit 619. The communication unit 619 changes the type of signal included in the output signal according to the received command signal. Thereby, the communication part 619 can transmit the signal according to the request | requirement of the 1st microcomputer 51 appropriately.

The circuit unit 611 includes a self-diagnosis unit 618 that determines an abnormality in the circuit unit 611. The communication unit 619 includes a status signal related to the abnormality determination result in the self-diagnosis unit 618 in the output signal and transmits the output signal to the first microcomputer 51. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the first microcomputer 51 from performing an operation using an abnormal signal.
Here, the first microcomputer 51 and the first sensor unit 361 have been described, but the same applies to the second microcomputer 52 and the second sensor unit 362. The same applies to later-described embodiments.
In addition, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

(Fourth embodiment)
A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 16, the rotation detection device 4 of this embodiment includes a first sensor unit 461, a second sensor unit 462, a first microcomputer 51, and a second microcomputer 52. The first sensor unit 461 includes sensor elements 601 and 607 and a circuit unit 612, and is configured by one chip 641. The second sensor unit 462 includes sensor elements 602 and 608 and a circuit unit 622 and is configured by one chip 642.

  The circuit unit 612 of the first sensor unit 461 includes a sensor element 607, a rotation angle calculation unit 616, and a rotation number calculation unit 617 in addition to the components of the circuit unit 611 of the fourth embodiment. Here, the sensor element 601, the rotation angle calculation unit 614, and the rotation number calculation unit 615 are referred to as a rotation information calculation circuit 951, and the sensor element 607, the rotation angle calculation unit 616, and the rotation number calculation unit 617 are referred to as a rotation information calculation circuit 952. That is, the first sensor unit 461 includes two sets of rotation information calculation circuits 951 and 952.

  The circuit unit 622 of the second sensor unit 462 includes a sensor element 608, a rotation angle calculation unit 626, and a rotation number calculation unit 627 in addition to the components of the circuit unit 612 of the fourth embodiment. Similarly, for the second sensor unit 462, the sensor element 602, the rotation angle calculation unit 624, and the rotation number calculation unit 625 serve as the rotation information calculation circuit 953, and the sensor element 608, the rotation angle calculation unit 626, and the rotation number calculation unit 627 rotate. The information operation circuit 954 is assumed. That is, the second sensor unit 462 has two sets of rotation information calculation circuits 953 and 954. As a supplement, for example, a set of rotation information calculation circuits is provided in each of the sensor units 61 and 62 in the first embodiment or the like.

  The self-diagnosis unit 618 monitors the rotation angle θm by monitoring the operation abnormality of the IC internal circuit of the first sensor unit 461 in addition to the power supply abnormality such as a power fault or a ground fault. For example, the rotation information calculation circuits 951 and 952 correspond to methods for detecting abnormalities in the rotation angle θm due to abnormalities in the output of the sensor elements 601 and 607 in the first sensor unit 461 and abnormalities in the arithmetic circuit. For example, the values are compared to detect an intermediate abnormality such as an offset abnormality. The communication unit 619 includes the self-diagnosis result in the self-diagnosis unit 618 in the output signal as a status signal, and transmits it to the first microcomputer 51.

  The self-diagnosis unit 628 monitors the rotation angle θm by monitoring the operation abnormality of the IC internal circuit of the second sensor unit 462 in addition to the power supply abnormality such as a power fault or a ground fault. For example, the rotation information calculation circuits 953 and 954 correspond to methods for detecting an abnormality in the rotation angle θm due to an abnormality in the output of the sensor elements 602 and 608 in the second sensor unit 462 and an abnormality in the calculation circuit. For example, the values are compared to detect an intermediate abnormality such as an offset abnormality. The communication unit 629 includes the self-diagnosis result in the self-diagnosis unit 628 as a status signal in the output signal and transmits it to the second microcomputer 52.

Instead of comparing the corresponding values of the rotation information calculation circuits 951 and 952 in the self-diagnosis unit 618, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal of each rotation information calculation circuit are transmitted to the first microcomputer 51. In this way, the corresponding values may be compared on the first microcomputer 51 side to perform abnormality monitoring. Similarly, instead of comparing the corresponding values of the rotation information calculation circuits 953 and 954 by the self-diagnosis unit 628, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal of each rotation information calculation circuit are transmitted to the second microcomputer 52. The corresponding values may be compared on the second microcomputer 52 side to monitor the abnormality.
Further, the self-diagnosis method in the self-diagnosis units 618 and 628 is not limited to the above-described method, and any method may be used.

  Also, in the present embodiment, as in the second embodiment, a sensor element may be provided separately for the rotation angle θm calculation and the rotation number TC calculation. In this case, the number of elements of the sensor units 461 and 462 is four each, and the entire rotation detection device is eight.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of rotation information calculation circuits 951 and 952 are provided for one communication unit 619. A plurality of rotation information calculation circuits 953 and 954 are provided for one communication unit 629. The rotation information calculation circuit 951 includes a sensor element 601, a rotation angle calculation unit 614, and a rotation number calculation unit 615. The rotation information calculation circuit 952 includes a sensor element 607, a rotation angle calculation unit 616, and a rotation number calculation unit 617.
Thereby, it is possible to appropriately detect an abnormal operation of the IC internal circuit of the sensor units 461 and 462.
In addition, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

(Fifth embodiment)
A fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, rotation information calculation processing in the sensor units 61 and 62 will be described. Here, although it demonstrates based on the structure of 1st Embodiment, structures other than 1st Embodiment may be sufficient. The same applies to the sixth embodiment.
The electric power steering device 108 is assumed to be stopped when the start switch is off. At this time, power supply to the microcomputers 51 and 52 is not performed, and the microcomputers 51 and 52 do not perform various calculations or communication. The start switch of the present embodiment is an ignition switch. Hereinafter, the ignition switch is referred to as “IG” as appropriate.

  In the present embodiment, electric power is directly supplied to the sensor package 65 from the batteries 39 and 49 even when the electric power steering device 108 is stopped. Specifically, even when the electric power steering device 108 is stopped, the first sensor unit 61 is directly supplied with electric power from the first battery 39, and the second sensor unit 62 is directly supplied from the second battery 49. Electric power is supplied. Thereby, even when the electric power steering apparatus 108 is stopped, the calculation in the sensor units 61 and 62 can be continued.

  Here, calculation of the steering angle θs will be described. As described above, the steering angle θs is calculated based on the rotation angle θm, the number of rotations TC, and the gear ratio of the reduction gear 109. When the steering wheel 101 is steered by the driver while the electric power steering device 108 is stopped, the steering shaft 102 rotates and the motor unit 10 rotates via the reduction gear 109. If the number of rotations TC is not counted, the steering angle θs cannot be calculated until the relearning of the neutral position is completed, and becomes unstable. The calculation of the rudder angle θs requires information on what rotation angle θm the rotation position of the motor unit 10 is, and an instantaneous value at the time of restart may be used for the rotation angle θm. Therefore, it is not necessary to continue the operation while stopped.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, by directly supplying power from the batteries 39 and 49 to the sensor units 61 and 62, at least the calculation of the number of rotations TC is continued even when the electric power steering device 108 is stopped. The calculation of the rotation angle θm may or may not be continued, but it is preferable not to continue the calculation in terms of power consumption.

  Since the microcomputers 51 and 52 are stopped, the sensor units 61 and 62 do not communicate with the microcomputers 51 and 52, and internally hold the counted number of rotations TC. Then, after the electric power steering device 108 is restarted, an output signal including a rotation angle signal and a rotation frequency signal is transmitted to the microcomputers 51 and 52 in accordance with a command signal from the microcomputers 51 and 52. Thereby, the microcomputers 51 and 52 can appropriately calculate the steering angle θs even at the time of restart without re-learning the neutral position.

  The rotation information calculation processing in this embodiment will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, although described as processing in the first sensor unit 61, similar processing is performed in the second sensor unit 62. In the description of the flowchart, “step” in step S101 is omitted, and is simply referred to as “S”. The same applies to the other steps.

  In the first S101, the first sensor unit 61 determines whether or not the electric power steering device 108 is operating. In the figure, the electric power steering apparatus is described as “EPS”. For example, when a clock signal, a command signal, or the like from the first microcomputer 51 is not transmitted over a predetermined period, it can be determined that the electric power steering device 108 is stopped. When it is determined that the electric power steering device 108 is stopped (S101: NO), the process proceeds to S104. When it is determined that the electric power steering device 108 is operating (S101: YES), the process proceeds to S102.

In S102, the first sensor unit 61 calculates the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC.
In S <b> 103, the first sensor unit 61 transmits an output signal in response to a command from the first microcomputer 51. The first microcomputer 51 uses the signals included in the acquired output signal to calculate the rotation angle θm, the steering angle θs, and the like.

  When it is determined that the electric power steering device 108 is stopped (S101: NO), it is determined whether or not the motor unit 10 is stopped in S104. Whether or not the motor unit 10 is stopped is regarded as the motor unit 10 being stopped, for example, when the rotational speed of the motor unit 10 is smaller than the determination threshold. For example, when the rotation angle θm is not calculated, or when the amount of change in the output value from the sensor element (for example, a difference value or a differential value from the previous value) is smaller than the determination threshold, the motor unit 10 is stopped. It is considered. Further, for example, when one rotation of the motor unit 10 is divided into three or more regions and counted, the motor unit 10 is considered to be stopped when the same count value is continued for a predetermined period. When it is determined that the motor unit 10 is operating (S104: NO), the process proceeds to S105. When it is determined that the motor unit 10 is stopped (S104: YES), the process proceeds to S106.

In S105, the rotation number calculation unit 615 calculates the rotation number TC at the first frequency f1. The first frequency f1 is set to such an extent that skipping does not occur when the motor unit 10 is driven. When the process proceeds to S105, the number of rotations TC may be calculated at the first frequency f1 for a predetermined period.
In S106, the rotation number calculation unit 615 calculates the rotation number TC at the second frequency f2. The second frequency f2 is assumed to be lower than the first frequency f1. That is, f1> f2. Since the number of rotations TC does not change while the motor unit 10 is stopped, power consumption can be suppressed by reducing the calculation frequency of the number of rotations TC, for example, intermittent operation.

  Moreover, skipping of reading can be prevented by setting the calculation frequency of the number of rotations TC during the operation of the electric power steering device 108 to the first frequency f1 or more. In addition, during the operation of the electric power steering device 108, the rotation angle θm is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51, so that the first microcomputer 51 can calculate the number of rotations TC based on the rotation angle θm. Therefore, the calculation frequency of the number of rotations TC during the operation of the electric power steering apparatus 108 may be smaller than the first frequency f1.

  In S107, which proceeds from S105 or S106, the first sensor unit 61 keeps the number of rotations TC inside the sensor. Note that it is not necessary to hold all the calculated values, and it is only necessary to hold the latest values. The rotation number signal related to the rotation number TC is transmitted to the first microcomputer 51 together with the rotation angle signal related to the rotation angle θm when the electric power steering device 108 is restarted.

  In the present embodiment, the update frequency of the rotation number TC in the rotation number calculation units 615 and 625 is changed according to whether or not the motor unit 10 is operating. More specifically, when the motor unit 10 is stopped, the update frequency of the number of rotations TC is reduced as compared with that during operation. Thereby, it is possible to reduce power consumption particularly when the electric power steering device 108 is stopped.

In the present embodiment, electric power is supplied from the battery 39 to the sensor units 61 and 62 even when the electric power steering apparatus 108 that is a system including the motor unit 10 is stopped. Thereby, even when the electric power steering device 108 is stopped, the power supply to the rotation detection device 1 is continued, and the calculation of the number of rotations TC can be continued. Even when the electric power steering device 108 is stopped, the calculation of the number of rotations TC is continued, so that the steering angle is not re-learned even when the electric power steering device 108 is restarted. θs can be appropriately calculated.
In addition, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

(Sixth embodiment)
A sixth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 18, the rotation detection device 5 of this embodiment includes a first sensor unit 561, a second sensor unit 562, a first microcomputer 51, and a second microcomputer 52. The first sensor unit 561 includes sensor elements 601 and 607 and a circuit unit 613 and is configured by one chip 641. The second sensor unit 562 includes sensor elements 602 and 608 and a circuit unit 623 and is configured by one chip 642.

The sensor terminal 68 is provided on the package 65. The sensor terminals 68 include power supply terminals 675, 677, 681, 682, ground terminals 676, 678, and communication terminals 685, 686.
The power supply terminal 675 is connected to the first battery 39 via the constant voltage source 371.
The power supply terminal 681 is connected to the first battery 39 via the constant voltage source 372. The constant voltage source 372 is connected to the first battery 39 via the power relay 32, the reverse connection protection relay 33, and the diode 373. The constant voltage source 372 is connected to the first battery 39 via the switch 379 and the diode 374. The diodes 373 and 374 are arranged in a direction that allows energization from the first battery 39 side to the constant voltage source 372 side and prohibits reverse energization.

The power supply terminal 677 is connected to the second battery 49 via the constant voltage source 471.
The power supply terminal 682 is connected to the second battery 49 via the constant voltage source 472. The constant voltage source 472 is connected to the second battery 49 via the power relays 42 and 43 and the diode 473. The constant voltage source 472 is connected to the first battery 39 via the switch 479 and the diode 474. The diodes 473 and 484 are arranged in such a direction as to allow energization from the second battery 49 side to the constant voltage source 472 side and prohibit reverse energization.
The switches 379 and 479 are turned on and off in synchronization with the IG. One of the switches 379 and 479 may be the IG itself.

  The constant voltage sources 371, 372, 471, and 472 are regulators and the like that have low power consumption enough to drive the sensor units 61 and 62 (for example, about several mA), like the constant voltage sources 37 and 47 of the above embodiment. Thus, it is possible to supply power to the sensor package 65 even when the driving device 800 is stopped. The constant voltage sources 371, 372, 471, 472 may be the same or different. In the figure, the constant voltage sources 371, 372, 471, and 472 are referred to as “constant voltage sources 1 to 4”. In FIG. 18, the power supply relay and the reverse connection protection relay are described in one block.

In the present embodiment, the first sensor unit 561 is connected to the first microcomputer 51 via the communication terminal 685 and the communication line 695, and the second sensor unit 562 is connected to the first sensor unit 561 via the communication terminal 686 and the communication line 696. 2 Connected to the microcomputer 52. In other words, in the present embodiment, the communication terminal 685 is shared for transmission / reception of commands from the microcomputer side and transmission / reception of output signals from the sensor unit side.
In the fourth embodiment, etc., a plurality of constant voltage sources and power supply terminals may be provided for one sensor unit. Further, a communication terminal may be provided instead of the command terminal and the output terminal.

  The circuit unit 613 of the first sensor unit 561 includes a sensor element 607 and a rotation angle calculation unit 616 in addition to the components of the circuit unit 611 of the fourth embodiment. In other words, the circuit unit 613 omits the rotation number calculation unit 617 in the circuit unit 612 of the fifth embodiment. In addition, the rotation information calculation circuit 956 can be said to have the rotation number calculation unit 617 omitted from the rotation information calculation circuit 952 of the fifth embodiment.

  The circuit unit 623 of the second sensor unit 562 includes a sensor element 608 and a rotation angle calculation unit 626 in addition to the components of the circuit unit 612 of the fourth embodiment. In other words, the circuit unit 623 omits the rotation number calculation unit 627 in the circuit unit 622 of the fifth embodiment. In addition, the rotation information calculation circuit 957 can be said to have the rotation number calculation unit 627 omitted from the rotation information calculation circuit 954 of the fifth embodiment.

  Hereinafter, the sensor element 601 of the first sensor unit 561 is “p1”, the subscript “p1” is added to the value based on the detection value of the sensor element 601, the sensor element 607 is “q1”, and the sensor element 607 is detected. The subscript “q1” is added to the value based on the value. In addition, the sensor element 602 of the second sensor unit 562 is set to “p2”, the value based on the detection value of the sensor element 602 is attached with the subscript “p2”, the sensor element 608 is set to “q2”, and the sensor element 608 is detected. The subscript “q2” is added to the value based on the value. The value detected by the first sensor unit 561 is attached with a subscript “1”, and the value detected by the second sensor unit 562 is attached with a subscript “2”. In addition, when it is not necessary to distinguish the sensor element and rotation detection part which were used for calculation, a subscript is abbreviate | omitted suitably.

  The sensor elements 601, 602, 607, and 608 may be the same type or different types. For example, by using different types of sensor elements 601 and 607 as GMR elements and sensor elements 602 and 608 as Hall elements, and using different types of two sensor elements of the same sensor unit, different information on the detection means Can increase the robustness of redundancy.

In the present embodiment, power is constantly supplied from the first battery 39 to the sensor element 601, the rotation number calculation unit 615, and the self-diagnosis unit 618 of the first sensor unit 561 via the power supply terminal 675. The sensor element 607, the rotation angle calculation units 614 and 616, and the communication unit 619 are supplied with power from the first battery 39 when the relays 32 and 33 or the switch 379 are turned on, and the relays 32 and 33 and the switch 379 are turned off. When the power is on, power is not supplied and the operation stops.
In addition, the sensor element 602, the rotation number calculation unit 625, and the self-diagnosis unit 628 of the second sensor unit 562 are constantly supplied with power from the second battery 49 via the power supply terminal 677. The sensor element 608, the rotation angle calculation units 624 and 626, and the communication unit 629 are supplied with power from the second battery 49 when the relays 42 and 43 or the switch 479 are turned on, and the relays 42 and 43 and the switch 479 are turned off. When the power is on, power is not supplied and the operation stops.

A communication frame for explaining an output signal of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 19A, a communication frame of an output signal in one communication includes a run counter signal, a signal related to the rotation angle θm_pk, a signal related to the rotation angle θm_qk, a signal related to the number of rotations TC_pk, and a status signal. And CRC signals are included. The number of bits, signal order, etc. can be set as appropriate.
Further, when the rotation number TC_p1 is calculated based on the sensor element 607 and the rotation number TC_q2 is calculated based on the sensor element 608 as in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. In the communication frame of the output signal in the communication, the run counter signal, the signal related to the rotation angle θm_pk, the signal related to the rotation angle θm_qk, the signal related to the rotation number TC_pk, the signal related to the rotation number TC_qk, the status signal, and the CRC signal Is included. The subscript “k” following p or q is “1” in the case of an output signal from the first sensor unit 561 and “2” in the case of an output signal from the second sensor unit 562.

  Returning to FIG. 18, in this embodiment, the microcomputers 51 and 52 are configured to be able to transmit and receive information to and from each other. Therefore, each of the microcomputers 51 and 52 includes information related to the rotation angle θm based on the detection values of the four sensor elements 601, 602, 607, and 608 and the number of rotations based on the detection values of the two sensor elements 601 and 602. Information related to TC can be used. Specifically, in the microcomputers 51 and 52, the rotation angle θm_p1 based on the detection value of the sensor element 601, the number of rotations TC_p1, the rotation angle θm_q1 based on the detection value of the sensor element 607, the rotation angle θm_p2 based on the detection value of the sensor element 602, The number of rotations TC_p2 and the rotation angles θ and _q2 based on the detection value of the sensor element 608 can be used.

In the first microcomputer 51, information related to the rotation angle and the number of rotations included in the output signal directly acquired from the first sensor unit 561, and the second sensor unit 652 acquired from the second microcomputer 52 through communication. The abnormality determination is performed based on the information related to the rotation angle and the number of rotations included in the output signal.
In the second microcomputer 52, information on the rotation angle and the number of rotations included in the output signal directly acquired from the second sensor unit 562, and the first sensor unit 651 acquired from the first microcomputer 51 by communication. The abnormality determination is performed based on the information related to the rotation angle and the number of rotations included in the output signal.

  The abnormality detection process will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. This process is performed at a predetermined cycle, for example, during a period in which the IG is turned on. Since the abnormality determination process in the microcomputers 51 and 52 is substantially the same, the process in the first microcomputer 51 will be mainly described below. Note that. The second microcomputer 52 uses the output signal of the second sensor unit 562 instead of the output signal of the first sensor unit 561, and obtains the first acquired from the first microcomputer 51 as a signal acquired by inter-microcomputer communication. An output signal from the sensor unit 561 is used.

In the first S201, the first microcomputer 51 acquires an output signal from the first sensor unit 561. Further, the first microcomputer 51 acquires an output signal from the second sensor unit 562 from the second microcomputer 52 through communication between microcomputers.
In S202, the first microcomputer 51 detects an abnormality in the first sensor unit 561 provided correspondingly. The first microcomputer 51 detects an abnormality of the first sensor unit 561 by at least one of the following (i) to (iv). When an abnormality is detected, the abnormal part is specified by (v).

(I) If the run counter is not updated based on the run counter signal, it is determined that a communication interruption abnormality has occurred.
(Ii) Based on the status signal, the abnormality determination is performed according to the abnormality detection result by the self-diagnosis function of the first sensor unit 651.
(Iii) Based on the CRC signal, the presence or absence of data corruption in the output signal is determined.
(Iv) An abnormality is determined by comparing the rotation angle θm_p1 with the number of rotations TC_p1. When the rotation angle θm_p1 is compared with the number of rotations TC_p1, it is appropriately converted so that the comparison is possible. For example, based on the integrated value of the amount of change in the rotation number θm_p1, a rotation number conversion value that can be compared with the rotation number TC_p1 can be calculated. Note that the comparison of the converted values is included in the concept of “comparison between rotation angle signal and rotation frequency signal”.
In this embodiment, the abnormality determination result by comparing the rotation angles θm_p1 and θm_q1 is included in the status signal. However, the rotation angles θm_p1 and θm_q1 may be compared on the first microcomputer 51 side.

  When an abnormality is detected, (v) the abnormal part is identified by comparison with a value based on an output signal from the second sensor unit 562 acquired from the second microcomputer 51 through communication between the microcomputers. When an abnormal location is specified, the abnormality history information is stored in a storage unit (not shown) and the abnormality history is retained.

When abnormality of the 1st sensor part 561 is detected (S202: YES), it shifts to S204. When the abnormality of the first sensor unit 561 is not detected (S202: NO), the process proceeds to S203, and the first microcomputer 51 performs normal control of the motor unit 10 based on the value acquired from the first sensor unit 561. Control the drive. Here, the value used for the control is a value based on the detection value of the sensor element having no abnormality history while the switches 379 and 479 are kept on. In addition, the detection values of the sensor elements that have returned to normal may be used for control regardless of whether the switches 379 and 479 are on or off.
In S204, the first microcomputer 51 holds the value before the abnormality detection.

In S205, the first microcomputer 51 determines whether or not the abnormality of the first sensor unit 561 has been confirmed. In this embodiment, when an abnormality continues for a predetermined time, the abnormality is determined. If the abnormality is being detected and the abnormality of the first sensor unit 561 has not been determined (S205: NO), the process proceeds to S206. When abnormality of the 1st sensor part 561 is decided (S205: YES), it shifts to S207.
In S206, the first microcomputer 51 continues the drive control of the motor unit 10 using the hold value before the abnormality detection. In addition, when an abnormal location is specified, control may be performed using a normal value instead of the hold value.

  In S207, the first microcomputer 51 determines whether an abnormal location has been identified. When it is determined that the abnormal part cannot be identified (S204: NO), the process proceeds to S209. When the abnormal part can be identified (S204: YES), the process proceeds to S208.

In S208, the first microcomputer 51 continues the control using the normal value. The “normal value” here is a detection value of a sensor element having no abnormality detection history. Alternatively, a detected value of a sensor element that has returned to normal without being abnormally determined although abnormality is temporarily detected may be set as a normal value.
In addition, when abnormality of the 1st sensor part 561 is confirmed, the process using S207 and S208 may be abbreviate | omitted and control using the 1st system | strain 901 may be stopped even if it is a case where an abnormal location is identifiable.
In S209, the first microcomputer 51 stops the control using the first system 901. If the second sensor unit 562 is normal, control using the second system 902 is continued by the second microcomputer 52.

  In S210, which proceeds from S203, S206, or S208, the first microcomputer 51 determines whether or not the IG is turned off. In the present embodiment, the microcomputers 51 and 52 can continue the computation for a while after the IG is turned off, and are turned off after a predetermined end process or the like is finished. When it is determined that the IG is not turned off (S210: NO), the process of S211 is not performed. When it is determined that the IG is turned off (S210: YES), the process proceeds to S211 and the abnormality history information is deleted. Thereby, when the IG is turned on again, an abnormality is temporarily detected, and the sensor element that has returned to normal is treated as a normal sensor element. If the memory storing the abnormality history information is a volatile memory, the processes of S210 and S211 can be omitted.

In the present embodiment, it is possible to determine whether the output signal is abnormal based on a run counter signal, a status signal, a CRC signal, and the like included in the output signal.
Further, abnormality monitoring is possible by comparing the rotation angles θm_p1, θm_q1, and the number of rotations TC_p1. Since these values are values output in the same communication frame, an error due to a time lag is small. Since the rotation angle θm_p1 and the rotation number TC_p1 are values based on the detection value of the same sensor element 601, for example, when the rotation number conversion value based on the rotation angle θm_p1 and the rotation number TC_p1 are different, the rotation based on the rotation angle θm_q1 Abnormality can be identified by comparison with the frequency conversion value.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the microcomputers 51 and 52 can acquire the detection values of the two sensor units 561 and 562 through communication between microcomputers. In this embodiment, the sensor units 561 and 562 are provided with a total of four sensor elements. Since there are three or more sensor elements, an abnormal location can be specified by the majority decision theory or the like.

In the present embodiment, the output signal includes a run counter signal, a status signal, and a CRC signal that is an error detection signal. The status signal is a signal based on a diagnosis result by the self-diagnosis units 618 and 628.
The microcomputers 51 and 52 monitor the abnormality of the sensor units 561 and 562 based on the run counter signal, the status signal, and the CRC signal. Thereby, the microcomputers 51 and 52 can appropriately monitor the abnormality of the sensor units 561 and 562.

  The microcomputers 51 and 52 monitor the abnormality of the sensor units 561 and 562 by comparing the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal. In the present embodiment, the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal are output in the same frame. Therefore, by comparing the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal included in the same output signal, information with less time lag can be obtained. Based on this, abnormalities can be monitored appropriately.

The microcomputer 51 determines the abnormality of the sensor unit 561 when the abnormality continues for a predetermined time after the abnormality of the sensor unit 561 is detected. The microcomputer 52 determines the abnormality of the sensor unit 562 when the abnormality continues for a predetermined time after the abnormality of the sensor unit 562 is detected. As a result, erroneous determination can be avoided and an abnormality can be determined appropriately.
The microcomputers 51 and 52 hold the value based on the output signal at the normal time, and continue the calculation using the value held at the normal time from the abnormality detection to the abnormality confirmation. Thereby, it is possible to continue the calculation without using the value in which the abnormality has occurred.

When abnormality of the 1st sensor part 561 is decided, the calculation in the 1st microcomputer 51 which acquires an output signal from the 1st sensor part 561 is stopped. When the abnormality of the second sensor unit 562 is confirmed, the calculation in the second microcomputer 52 that acquires the output signal from the second sensor unit 562 is stopped. Thereby, the calculation using the value which is abnormal can be avoided.
When the abnormal part can be identified, the microcomputers 51 and 52 may continue the calculation using a normal signal. Thereby, a calculation can be continued appropriately according to an abnormal location.

  When the abnormalities of the sensor units 561 and 562 are detected, the microcomputers 51 and 52 hold the abnormality detection history while the switches 379 and 479 are turned on. When the ignition switch is turned on after being turned off, the abnormality detection history is deleted. As a result, while the ignition switch is kept on, the calculation can be continued without using information with an abnormality detection history.

A first sensor unit 561 that transmits an output signal to a first microcomputer 51 that is one control unit is a self-system sensor unit, and a second sensor unit that transmits an output signal to a second microcomputer that is another control unit 562 is a sensor unit of another system.
The first microcomputer 51 is based on the value included in the output signal acquired from the first sensor unit 561 and the value included in the output signal related to the second sensor unit 562 acquired by communication from the second microcomputer 52. Identify the abnormal part.
When the second sensor unit 562 is the own system sensor unit and the first sensor unit 561 is the other system sensor unit, the second microcomputer 52 includes a value included in the output signal acquired from the second sensor unit 562, and the first microcomputer. On the basis of the value included in the output signal related to the first sensor unit 561 acquired from the communication 51, it is identified as an abnormal location.
Thereby, an abnormal location can be specified appropriately.

(Seventh embodiment)
A seventh embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 21, in the rotation detection device 6 of the present embodiment, one microcomputer 53 is provided for the two sensor units 561 and 562. FIG. 21 shows an example in which the sensor units 561 and 562 of the seventh embodiment are used as the sensor unit, but sensor units of other embodiments may be used. The same applies to the eighth embodiment.
Even if comprised in this way, there exists an effect similar to the said embodiment.
In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 53 corresponds to a “control unit”.

(Eighth embodiment)
FIG. 22 shows an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 22, information from the external device 900 is input to the controller unit 20 of the present embodiment. The external device 900 of this embodiment is a steering sensor that detects the rotation angle of the steering shaft 102. The external device 900 may be another sensor that can calculate the steering angle θs (for example, a torque sensor that can detect the steering angle).

The microcomputers 51 and 52 include a steering angle θs1 calculated based on the detection value of the first sensor unit 61, a steering angle θs2 calculated based on the detection value of the second sensor unit 62, and the detection value of the external device 900. By comparing the steering angle θs3 calculated based on the above, abnormality detection and abnormality location identification are performed. In this embodiment, since the information of the external device 900 having different detection means is used for detecting the abnormality of the sensor units 61 and 62 and specifying the abnormal part, redundancy robustness can be improved.
Even if comprised in this way, there exists an effect similar to the said embodiment.

(Ninth embodiment)
A ninth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 23, the rotation detection device 7 of the present embodiment includes one sensor unit 561 and one microcomputer 51. The sensor terminal 69 is the same as the sensor terminal 67 except that the terminals 675, 674, 677, and 678 are omitted. Although FIG. 23 shows an example in which the sensor unit 561 of the sixth embodiment is used as the sensor unit, a sensor unit other than the sixth embodiment may be used.
The abnormality detection process of this embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. This process is performed at a predetermined cycle, for example, during a period in which the IG is turned on.

In the first S301, the microcomputer 51 acquires an output signal from the sensor unit 561.
In S <b> 302, the microcomputer 51 detects an abnormality of the sensor unit 561. Here, abnormality detection is performed according to (i) to (iv) shown in the sixth embodiment. In the present embodiment, since there are two sensor elements 601 and 607, the abnormal part cannot be specified.
If an abnormality of the sensor unit 561 is detected (S302: YES), the process proceeds to S304. If no abnormality of the sensor unit 561 is detected (S302: YES), the process proceeds to S303.
The process of S303 is the same as the process of S203 in FIG.

In S304, when the abnormality of the sensor unit 561 is detected (S302: YES), the microcomputer 51 holds the value before the abnormality detection.
In S305, the microcomputer 51 determines whether or not the abnormality of the sensor unit 561 has been confirmed. In this embodiment, when an abnormality continues for a predetermined period, the abnormality is determined. When the abnormality of the sensor unit 561 is confirmed (S305: YES), the process proceeds to S307. If the abnormality is being detected and the abnormality of the sensor unit 561 has not been determined (S305: NO), the process proceeds to S306.

In S306, the microcomputer 51 continues the drive control of the motor unit 10 using the hold value before abnormality detection.
In S307, the microcomputer 51 stops the drive control of the motor unit 10.
Even if the sensor unit and the microcomputer are one set as in the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

(10th Embodiment)
A tenth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram corresponding to FIG. In the tenth to twelfth embodiments, the description of the microcomputer is omitted.
In the rotation detection device 1 and the like of the above embodiment, the sensor element 601 and the circuit unit 610 are configured by one chip 641, and the sensor element 602 and the circuit unit 620 are configured by one chip 642.

  In the rotation detection device 8 of the present embodiment, the chip 643 including the circuit unit 610 and the chip 644 including the sensor element 601 are divided into different chips. Further, the chip 645 including the circuit portion 620 and the chip 646 including the sensor element 602 are divided into different chips. In FIG. 25, illustration of sensor elements and circuit units included in each chip is omitted. Further, the circuit units 611 and 612 may be used instead of the circuit unit 610, or the circuit units 621 and 622 may be used instead of the circuit unit 620. Moreover, it is good also as each two sensor elements like 2nd Embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 25A, the chip 643 including the circuit unit 610 is provided on the lead frame 66. The chip 644 including the sensor element 601 is provided on the upper surface of the chip 643. Here, the “upper surface” of the chip means a surface opposite to the lead frame 66 of the chip.
The chip 645 including the circuit unit 620 is provided on the lead frame 66. A chip 646 including the sensor element 602 is provided on the upper surface of the chip 645.
By disposing the chips 644 and 646 including the sensor elements on the chips 643 and 645 including the circuit unit, the mounting area of the lead frame 66 can be reduced, and the rotation detecting device 5 can be downsized. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 25B, chips 644 and 646 including the sensor element may be disposed on the rotation center line Ac side, and chips 643 and 645 including the circuit unit may be disposed outside. Thereby, since the sensor elements 601 and 602 can be disposed close to the rotation center line Ac, the detection accuracy is increased. The chips 644 and 646 are arranged so as to be point-symmetric with respect to the rotation center line Ac.
In addition, about a control structure etc., you may combine with the thing of any embodiment.
Even if comprised in this way, there exists an effect similar to the said embodiment.

(Eleventh embodiment)
An eleventh embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.
In the above embodiment, the two sensor units 61 and 62 are provided in one package 65. In the rotation detection device 9 of the present embodiment, the first sensor unit 61 is provided in the first package 661, and the second sensor unit 62 is provided in the second package 662. That is, in this embodiment, the packages 661 and 662 are provided for each of the sensor units 61 and 62. The configuration of the sensor unit and the like may be those described in the embodiments other than the first embodiment. The same applies to the twelfth embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, the first package 661 is mounted on the first surface 211 of the first substrate 21, and the second package 662 is mounted on the second surface 212 of the first substrate 21. By mounting the packages 661 and 662 as the sensor units 61 and 62 on both surfaces of the first substrate 21, the mounting area of the rotation detection device 9 on the first substrate 21 can be reduced. The sensor elements 601 and 602 of the sensor units 61 and 62 are both disposed on the rotation center line Ac. Thereby, detection accuracy can be improved.
The packages 661 and 662 may be mounted on the first surface 211 of the first substrate 21 as shown in FIG. 28A, or the second of the first substrate 21 as shown in FIG. It may be mounted on the surface 212.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of sets of sensor units 61 and 62 are provided, and packages 661 and 662 are provided for each of the sensor units 61 and 62. By providing the packages 661 and 662 for each of the sensor units 61 and 62, the degree of freedom of arrangement of the rotation detection device 1 is increased. In addition, simultaneous failure of a plurality of systems due to package failure can be prevented, and even when an abnormality occurs in one package, the rotation angle θm and the number of rotations TC can be calculated by each configuration included in the other package. Can continue.
In addition, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

(Twelfth embodiment)
A twelfth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In FIG. 29, description of some components, such as a spring terminal, was abbreviate | omitted.
In the above embodiment, the SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406, the capacitors 36 and 46, the rotation detection device 1 and the like are mounted on the first substrate 21, and the microcomputers 51 and 52 and the integrated circuit are mounted on the second substrate 22. 56, 57, etc. are mounted.

As shown in FIG. 29, in this embodiment, the SW elements 301 to 306, the capacitors 36 and 46, the integrated circuits 56 and 57, and the rotation detection device 9 are mounted on one substrate 23. The rotation detection device 9 includes sensor units 61 and 62 and microcomputers 51 and 52.
The SW elements 301 to 306 and 401 to 406, the integrated circuits 56 and 57, the package 661, and the like are mounted on the first surface 231 that is the surface of the substrate 23 on the motor unit 10 side. The capacitors 36 and 46, the microcomputers 51 and 52, the package 662, and the like are mounted on the second surface 232 that is the surface opposite to the motor unit 10 of the substrate 23.

FIG. 30 shows an example in which packages 661 and 662 are provided for each of the sensor units 61 and 62 and are mounted on both surfaces of the substrate 23. However, the packages 661 and 662 may be mounted on either surface. . The sensor units 61 and 62 may be a single package. When the sensor units 61 and 62 are formed as one package, it is desirable from the viewpoint of detection accuracy that the rotation detection device 6 is mounted on the first surface 231 of the substrate 23.
By mounting components related to control of the driving device 800 on one substrate 23, the number of components can be reduced. Further, the physique in the axial direction can be reduced as compared with the case where a plurality of substrates are stacked in the axial direction.
Even if comprised in this way, there exists an effect similar to the said embodiment.

(Other embodiments)
In the above embodiment, the rotation detection device is provided with two sensor units. In other embodiments, the number of sensor units may be one, or may be three or more.
In the above embodiment, one or two rotation information calculation circuits are provided in one sensor unit. In another embodiment, three or more sets of rotation information calculation circuits may be provided in one sensor unit.
In the above embodiment, one or two sensor elements are provided for one circuit unit. In another embodiment, three or more sensor elements may be provided for one circuit unit.

In the above embodiment, SPI communication is exemplified as a communication method between the control unit and the sensor unit. In another embodiment, the communication method between the control unit and the sensor unit is not limited to SPI communication, but includes a rotation angle signal and a rotation frequency signal such as SENT (Single Edge Nibble Transmission) communication in a series of signals. As long as it is possible, any method may be used.
In the fifth embodiment, the calculation frequency of the number of rotations is changed according to whether or not the motor is stopped. In another embodiment, the number of rotations may be calculated at a predetermined frequency regardless of the state of the motor or the electric power steering device.

In the above embodiment, the detection target is a motor unit. In another embodiment, the detection target is not limited to a motor, but may be a device other than a motor that requires rotation detection.
In the above embodiment, the motor unit is a three-phase brushless motor. In other embodiments, the motor unit is not limited to a three-phase brushless motor, and may be any motor. The motor unit is not limited to a motor (electric motor) but may be a generator, or a so-called motor generator having both functions of an electric motor and a generator.

  In the first embodiment and the like, the drive component and the sensor package of the rotation detection device are mounted on the first substrate, and the control component is mounted on the second substrate. In another embodiment, at least a part of the control component may be mounted on the first substrate, or at least a part of the drive component may be mounted on the second substrate. For example, the driving component and the control component according to the first system may be mounted on the first substrate, and the driving component and the control component according to the second system may be mounted on the second substrate. By dividing the board for each system, even when an abnormality occurs on one board, the drive of the electric power steering device can be continued by using the drive parts and control parts mounted on the other board. . In the case where a plurality of substrates are provided, a heat sink may be provided between the substrates, and at least a part of components that need to be radiated may be radiated to the heat sink.

In the above embodiment, the drive device is applied to an electric power steering device. In another embodiment, the drive device may be applied to a device other than the electric power steering device.
As mentioned above, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment at all, In the range which does not deviate from the meaning of invention, it can implement with a various form.

1 to 9: Rotation detection device 10: Motor unit (detection target)
51, 52, 53... Microcomputer (control unit)
61, 62, 261, 262, 461, 462, 561, 562... Sensor part 601 to 608... Sensor element 610 to 613, 620 to 623... Circuit part 614, 624, 616, 626. Rotation angle calculation unit 615, 625, 617, 627 ... Number of rotations calculation unit 619, 629 ... Communication unit

Claims (22)

Sensor elements (601 to 608) for detecting the rotation of the detection target (10) and sensors (610 to 613 and 620 to 623) for generating and outputting an output signal based on the detection value of the sensor element Parts (61, 62, 261, 262, 461, 462, 561, 562),
A control unit (51, 52, 53) for obtaining the output signal from the sensor unit and performing a calculation based on the output signal;
With
The circuit portion is
A rotation angle calculation unit (614, 624, 616, 626) for calculating the rotation angle of the detection target based on the detection value of the sensor element;
A rotation number calculation unit (615, 625, 617, 627) for counting the number of rotations of the detection target based on the detection value of the sensor element;
And a communication unit (619, 629) that transmits to the control unit a rotation angle signal that is a signal related to the rotation angle and a series of signals including the rotation frequency signal related to the rotation frequency. Rotation detection device. The control unit transmits a command signal instructing the type and transmission timing of a signal included in the output signal to the communication unit,
The rotation detection device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit changes a type of a signal included in the output signal according to the received command signal.   The rotation detection device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation number calculation unit changes an update frequency of the rotation number in the rotation number calculation unit according to whether or not the detection target is operating. The rotation angle calculation unit calculates the rotation angle based on a detection value of the first sensor element (603, 605),
The rotation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotation frequency calculation unit calculates the rotation frequency based on a detection value of the second sensor element (604, 606).   The rotation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rotation angle calculation unit and the rotation number calculation unit perform a calculation based on a detection value of the same sensor element (601, 602, 607, 608). Detection device.   A rotation information calculation circuit including the sensor elements (601, 602, 607, 608), the rotation angle calculation unit (614, 616, 624, 626), and the rotation number calculation unit (616, 617, 626, 627). The rotation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a plurality of (951 to 954) are provided for one communication unit.   The rotation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein electric power is supplied to the sensor unit from the battery (39) even when the system (108) including the detection target is stopped.   The rotation detection device according to claim 7, wherein a constant voltage source (37, 371, 372, 47, 471, 472) is provided in a power supply path from the battery to the sensor unit. The sensor unit is plural,
All the said sensor parts are rotation detection apparatuses as described in any one of Claims 1-8 provided in one package (65). A plurality of the sensor units are provided,
The rotation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a package (661, 662) is provided for each sensor unit.   The rotation according to claim 1, wherein the circuit unit (611, 612, 613, 621, 622, 623) has a self-diagnosis unit (618, 628) that determines an abnormality in the circuit unit. Detection device. The output signal includes a run counter signal, a status signal based on a diagnosis result by the self-diagnosis unit, and an error detection signal.
The rotation detection device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit monitors an abnormality of the sensor unit based on the run counter signal, the status signal, and the error detection signal included in the output signal.   The rotation detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the control unit monitors an abnormality of the sensor unit by comparing the rotation angle signal and the rotation frequency signal.   The rotation detection device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the control unit determines the abnormality of the sensor unit when the abnormality continues for a predetermined time after the abnormality of the sensor unit is detected.   The rotation detection according to claim 14, wherein the control unit holds a value based on the output signal at a normal time, and continues calculation using the value held at the normal time from an abnormality detection to an abnormality confirmation. apparatus.   The rotation detection device according to claim 14 or 15, wherein when an abnormality of the sensor unit is determined, the calculation in the control unit that acquires the output signal from the sensor unit is stopped.   The rotation detection device according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the control unit continues the calculation using a normal signal when an abnormal part can be identified. When an abnormality of the sensor unit is detected, the control unit holds an abnormality detection history while the switches (379, 479) are turned on,
The rotation detection device according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein when the power switch is turned on again after being turned off, the abnormality detection history is deleted.   The rotation detection device according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of combinations of the sensor unit and the control unit that acquires the output signal from the sensor unit. When the sensor unit that transmits the output signal to one of the control units is the own system sensor unit, and the sensor unit that transmits the output signal to the other control unit is the other system sensor unit,
The control unit includes a value included in the output signal acquired from the own system sensor unit, and a value included in the output signal related to the other system sensor unit acquired through communication from another control unit. The rotation detection device according to claim 19, wherein an abnormal part is specified based on the above. A motor unit (10) for outputting an assist torque for assisting steering by a driver;
The rotation detection device (1-9) according to any one of claims 1 to 20,
The control unit for controlling the motor unit using a signal included in the output signal;
An electric power steering apparatus comprising:
The sensor element is an electric power steering device that detects rotation of the motor unit as the detection target.   The electric power steering apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the control unit calculates a steering angle based on the rotation angle and the number of rotations.

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