Data manipulation method and system for a self-balancing rotatable apparatus

• US 20030101519A1
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Gayme, Dennice F., Stalsberg, Kevin J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,775,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/159
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/26 Imbalance; Noise level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/48 Preventing or reducing imbalance or noise
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2109 Balancing for drum, e.g., washing machine or arm-type structure, etc., centrifuge, etc.

Abstract

A method and system for dynamically balancing a rotating system or rotating device, such that sensor measurements and responses to control actions can be compiled utilizing one or more sensors associated with the rotating system is disclosed. The rotating system or rotating device may be represented utilizing sensor measurements and responses to control actions through an associated control model, such that the control model and the sensor measurements are determinative of future control actions. The rotating system may be perturbed utilizing a control action while improving a balance condition associated with the rotating system. Sensor data may be measured from one or more sensors associated with the rotating system. One or more responses thereof may be determined based on the control action. The sensor data may be manipulated in order to remove measurements and responses thereof that do not well represent the rotating system. The sensor data may then be weighted to emphasize and de-emphasize select sensors. The rotating system may thereafter be modeled utilizing manipulated and weighted sensor data in order to determine one or more subsequent control actions for driving the rotating system toward a balanced state. The rotating system may be, for example, a washing appliance, such as a clothes washing machine that requires balancing.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically balancing a rotating system, wherein said rotating system includes sensors whose measurements and responses to control actions are utilized to represent said rotating system through a control model, such that said control model and said sensor measurements are determinative of future control actions, said method comprising the steps of:

perturbing said rotating system utilizing a control action while improving a balance condition associated with said rotating system;

compiling sensor measurements and responses to control actions utilizing at least one sensor associated with said rotating system; and

manipulating said sensor measurements and said responses to control actions to thereby improve a dynamic balance control performance of said rotating system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of compiling sensor measurements and responses to control actions further comprises the step of:

measuring sensor data from at least one sensor associated with said rotating system; and

determining at least one response thereof based on said control action.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of manipulating said sensor measurement and response data, further comprises the steps of:

modifying sensor data collected from said at least one sensor in order to remove measurements and responses thereof that do not well represent said rotating system; and

weighting said sensor data in order to emphasize and de-emphasize select sensors.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

modeling said rotating system utilizing manipulated and weighted sensor data in order to determine at least one subsequent control action for driving said rotating system toward a balanced state.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

zeroing at least one measurement from said at least one sensor, if said measurement falls below at least one multiple of a measurement noise-floor.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

zeroing a response to a control action that falls below at least one multiple of a sensor measurement accuracy.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

weighting said at least one response such that responses having a greater effect on a balanced state of said rotating system are preferred over responses having a lesser effect on said balanced state, such that a weighted response has an increased impact on a control model the further a respective absolute sensor measurement data is from a balance threshold.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

weighting said at least one response such that select sensors associated with said rotating system are emphasized at varying operational conditions of said rotating system.

9. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

weighting said at least one response such that select sensors associated with said rotating system are de-emphasized at varying operational conditions of said rotating system.

10. A method for dynamically balancing a rotating system facilitated by sensor measurement data manipulation, wherein sensor measurements and responses to control actions are utilized to represent said rotating system through an associated control model, such that said control model and said sensor measurements are determinative of future control actions, thereby permitting said rotating system to be dynamically balanced, said method comprising the steps of:

perturbing said rotating system utilizing a control action while improving a balance condition associated with said rotating system;

measuring sensor data from at least one sensor associated with said rotating system;

determining at least one response thereof based on said control action;

manipulating sensor data collected from said at least one sensor in order to remove measurements and responses thereof that do not well represent said rotating system;

weighting said sensor data in order emphasize and de-emphasize select sensors; and

modeling said rotating system utilizing manipulated and weighted sensor data in order to determine at least one subsequent control action for driving said rotating system towards a balanced state.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

zeroing said at least one measurement from said at least one sensor, if said measurement falls below at least one multiple of a measurement noise-floor.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

zeroing a responses to a control action that falls below at least one multiple of a sensor measurement accuracy.

13. A system for dynamically balancing a rotating device, wherein said rotating device includes sensors whose measurements and responses to control actions are utilized to represent said rotating device through a control model, such that said control model and said sensor measurements are determinative of future control actions, said system comprising:

said rotating device perturbed utilizing a control action while improving a balance condition associated with said rotating device;

sensor measurements and responses to control actions compiled utilizing at least one sensor associated with said rotating device; and

said sensor measurements and said responses to control actions manipulated to thereby improve a dynamic balance control performance of said rotating device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein:

sensor data is measured from at least one sensor associated with said rotating device; and

at least one response thereof is determined based on said control action.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein:

sensor data collected from said at least one sensor is modified in order to remove measurements and responses thereof that do not well represent said rotating device; and

said sensor data is weighted in order to emphasize and de-emphasize select sensors.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said rotating device is modeled utilizing manipulated and weighted sensor data in order to determine at least one subsequent control action for driving said rotating device toward a balanced state.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one measurement from said at least one sensor is zeroed, if said measurement falls below at least one multiple of a measurement noise-floor.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein a response to a control action that falls below at least one multiple of a sensor measurement accuracy is zeroed.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least one response is weighted such that responses having a greater effect on a balanced state of said rotating device are preferred over responses having a lesser effect on said balanced state, such that a weighted response has an increased impact on a control model the further respective absolute sensor measurement data is from a balance threshold.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least one response is weighted such that select sensors associated with said rotating device are emphasized at varying operational conditions of said rotating device.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein said at least one response is weighted such that select sensors associated with said rotating device are de-emphasized at varying operational conditions of said rotating device.

22. A system for dynamically balancing a rotating device facilitated by sensor measurement data manipulation, wherein sensor measurements and responses to control actions are utilized to represent said rotating device through an associated control model, such that said control model and said sensor measurements are determinative of future control actions, thereby permitting said rotating device to be dynamically balanced, said system comprising:

a control action that perturbs said rotating device while improving a balance condition associated with said rotating device;

sensor data measured from at least one sensor associated with said rotating device;

at least one response thereof is determined based on said control action;

wherein sensor data collected from said at least one sensor is manipulated in order to remove measurements and responses thereof that do not well represent said rotating device;

said sensor data weighted in order emphasize and de-emphasize select sensors; and

said rotating device modeled utilizing manipulated and weighted sensor data in order to determine at least one subsequent control action for driving said rotating device towards a balanced state.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said at least one measurement from said at least one sensor is zeroed, if said measurement falls below at least one multiple of a measurement noise-floor.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein a response to a control action that falls below at least one multiple of a sensor measurement accuracy is zeroed.