Three-Phase Brushless Motor Controller ICs with Sine Wave Drive

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation released two three-phase brushless motor controller ICs. TC78B041FNG is housed in an SSOP30 package and TC78B042FTG is in a VQFN32 package.

Applications for the motor controller ICs include home appliances such as air-conditioners and air purifiers as well as industrial equipment.

Both motor controller ICs adopt InPAC, Toshiba's original automatic phase adjustment function, to eliminate phase adjustment and achieve high-level efficiency at a wide range of motor rotation speeds. This function allows their use with motor drivers of various voltages and current capacities, and they can be used in combination with intelligent power devices at the output stages.

Block Diagram

The controllers are suited for use in home appliances including air-conditioners and air purifiers, and industrial equipment. The company has begun mass production of the motor controller ICs.

Makers of home appliances and industrial equipment are increasingly using inverters to control fan motors, to meet strong demand for improved energy efficiency and lower noise. Conventionally, to obtain high-level efficiency, it is necessary to adjust the phase of the motor voltage and motor current for individual fan motors.

Realizing high efficiency over a wide range of rotational speeds—from almost zero rpm at start-up to high speeds of several 1,000rpm requires many parts for phase adjustment. Also, achieving this high efficiency of a wide range of rotational speeds can require an MCU control system, and developing that takes time.

With the introduction of InPAC, Toshiba's original new control technology, which automatically adjusts the phase of the Hall signal and motor current, the new products drive motors with an efficiency equivalent to that of an MCU control system, over a wide range of rotation speeds. InPAC secures both a high-efficiency fan motor drive and sine wave drive that reduces noise.

Since phase adjustment is automatically performed with simple settings, the previously required development time for software and MCU adjustment is eliminated, thereby streamlining application.

Main Features

• InPAC- the company's automatic phase adjustment function secures high-level efficiency for a wide range of rotation speeds without any need for phase adjustment.
• Simple phase adjustment of the Hall signal and output current realizes high efficiency driving.
• Low noise and low vibration
• Use of a sine wave drive system with a smooth current waveform reduces noise, and generates less noise and vibration than motors with a rectangular wave drive system.
• Small package
• TC78B042FTG adopts a VQFN32 (5mm x 5mm x 1mm) package that can be mounted in limited spaces. The popular SSOP30 package is also available as TC78B041FNG.

Main Specifications

• Part Number: TC78B041FNG TC78B042FTG
• Package: SSOP30 (7.6mm×10.2mm×1.6mm) VQFN32 (5mm×5mm×1mm)
• Supply voltage (operating range): 6V to 16.5V
• Driving method: Sine-wave drive

Additional Features

• Hall element input / Hall IC input available
• Forward rotation/Reverse rotation switch
• Motor lock detection
• Number of pulses of rotation pulse signal is selectable.
• 5V regulator included
• VREF pin / VREF2 pin
• Error detection positive input (RES pin)
• Error detection negative input (RESX pin)