US 11,967,818 B1
Tiered electronic protection systems for aerial vehicles
Lizon Maharjan, Seattle, WA (US); Frederic Pierre Lacaux, Kirkland, WA (US); Dean Joseph Brestel, Shoreline, WA (US); Xiaoqi Wang, Bellevue, WA (US); Andrew Lueneburg, Seattle, WA (US); and Marc Ian Feifel, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/708,120.
Int. Cl. H02H 7/085 (2006.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64D 27/24 (2006.01); B64D 31/00 (2006.01); H02H 7/08 (2006.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01)
CPC H02H 7/0811 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 27/24 (2013.01); B64D 31/00 (2013.01); B64U 50/19 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
a plurality of propulsion mechanisms; and
a motor drive and control system associated with and configured to drive a respective one of the plurality of propulsion mechanisms, each motor drive and control system including:
a direct current (DC) portion electrically coupled to an alternating current (AC) portion, wherein the AC portion generates a three-phase signal to drive the respective one of the plurality of propulsion mechanisms;
an AC high-threshold overcurrent protection mechanism configured to monitor currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal and trigger a high-threshold overcurrent fault condition based at least in part on the monitored currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal;
an AC low-threshold overcurrent protection mechanism configured to monitor the currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal and trigger a low-threshold overcurrent fault condition based at least in part on the monitored currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal;
a first ground fault protection mechanism configured to monitor a DC positive current and a DC negative current and trigger a first ground fault condition based at least in part on the monitored DC positive current and the DC negative current;
a second ground fault protection mechanism configured to monitor the DC positive current and the currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal and trigger a second ground fault condition based at least in part on the monitored DC positive current and the currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal;
a current imbalance protection mechanism configured to monitor the currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal and trigger a current imbalance fault condition based at least in part on the monitored currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal;
a DC open protection mechanism configured to monitor a DC bus voltage and at least one of the DC positive current or the DC negative current and trigger a DC open fault condition based at least in part on the monitored DC bus voltage and the at least one of the DC positive current or the DC negative current; and
a DC overcurrent protection mechanism configured to monitor the DC positive current and trigger a DC overcurrent fault condition based at least in part on the monitored at least one of the DC positive current.
 
5. A protection mechanism for a motor drive and control system, comprising:
an alternating current (AC) high-threshold overcurrent protection mechanism configured to trigger a high-threshold overcurrent fault condition based at least in part on currents associated with each phase of a three-phase signal;
an AC low-threshold overcurrent protection mechanism configured to trigger a low-threshold overcurrent fault condition based at least in part on the currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal; and
a current imbalance protection mechanism configured to trigger a current imbalance fault condition based at least in part on the currents associated with each phase of the three-phase signal.
 
13. A protection mechanism for a motor drive and control system, comprising:
a first ground fault protection mechanism configured to trigger a first ground fault condition based at least in part on a direct current (DC) positive current and a DC negative current;
a second ground fault protection mechanism configured to trigger a second ground fault condition based at least in part on the DC positive current and currents associated with each phase of a three-phase signal;
a DC open protection mechanism configured to trigger a DC open fault condition based at least in part on a DC bus voltage and at least one of the DC positive current or the DC negative current; and
a DC overcurrent protection mechanism configured to trigger a DC overcurrent fault condition based at least in part on the DC positive current.