Patent ID: 7584813

Claim:
A driving device that drives a drive shaft, said driving device comprising: a motor that has power generation capability and inputs and outputs power from and to the drive shaft; a driving circuit that drives the motor; a power supply system including a secondary battery that is linked to the driving circuit via a voltage converter, a capacitor that transmits electric power to and from an electric power line connecting the voltage converter with the driving circuit, and a connection switch that is located between the electric power line and the capacitor; a drive control module that drives and controls the driving circuit, the voltage converter, and the connection switch to output a power equivalent to a preset power demand to the drive shaft; and a voltage sensor that measures an inter-terminal voltage of the capacitor, wherein in response to a request of motor regenerative control in an off state of the connection switch, said drive control module drives and controls the driving circuit to trigger regenerative control of the motor, while driving and controlling the voltage converter to make a voltage level applied to the electric power line approach to the measured inter-terminal voltage of the capacitor, said drive control module subsequently driving and controlling the connection switch and the voltage converter to turn on the connection switch and to charge the capacitor with electric power regenerated by the motor.