METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR RECORDING OPERATING INFORMATION OF AN ELECTRONICALLY COMMUTATED MOTOR

• US 20080218112A1
• Filed: 03/09/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Regal-Beloit Corporation
• Inventors: Selking, Paul Nathanael, Beifus, Brian L., Koller, Michael R., Gurudasani, Vijay Dayaldas
• Granted Patent: US 7,675,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/490
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23193 Memory stores lifetime, different settings, configurations of controlled device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24053 Diagnostic of controlled machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24067 Processor stores variables, events and date in eeprom, for external monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/02 Providing protection against overload without automatic interruption of supply protection against faults of stepper motors H02P8/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/024 Detecting a fault condition, e.g. short circuit, locked rotor, open circuit or loss of load
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0241 the fault being an overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/06 Arrangements for speed regulation of a single motor wherein the motor speed is measured and compared with a given physical value so as to adjust the motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/34 Modelling or simulation for control purposes

Abstract

A unit for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The unit includes a system controller communicatively coupled to an ECM. The system controller includes a processing device configured to control the unit. The unit also includes a memory device communicatively coupled to the system controller. The memory device is configured to receive and store ECM operating information provided by the processing device.

Claims

1. A unit for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM), said unit comprising:

a system controller communicatively coupled to an ECM, said system controller comprising a processing device configured to control said unit; and

a memory device communicatively coupled to said system controller, said memory device configured to receive and store ECM operating information provided by said processing device.

2. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said memory device comprises a communications interface configured to allow a user to access the contents of said memory device.

3. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said memory device comprises a non-volatile memory.

4. A unit according to claim 1 further comprising a protective circuit configured to limit a voltage applied to said memory device.

5. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said processing device comprises a random access memory (RAM) configured to temporarily store the operating information.

6. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said memory device comprises at least one of an erasable programmable read-only memory and a flash memory.

7. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said processing device comprises an internal memory device.

8. A unit according to claim 1 wherein the operating information comprises at least one of production process information, scratch-pad information, a total length of time said ECM receives power, a total length of time said ECM has run, a total length of time said ECM has operated in a cutback region, a total length of time said ECM has operated with a temperature above a thermal limit setting, a total number of cycles said ECM has completed, a high operating temperature, a low operating temperature, a final operating torque level, a final operating bus voltage, a last operating speed, a last module temperature, a count of fault events, a count of reset cycles, a count of oscillator stop events, and a count of stall events.

9. A method for providing a system to record operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM), said method comprising:

configuring a processing device to collect operating data from an ECM;

configuring the processing device to identify at least one of an ECM failure and a system controller failure; and

configuring a memory device to receive and store the ECM operating data after at least one of an ECM failure, a system controller failure, and a user provided power-down instruction.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising configuring the processing device to temporarily store the operating data in a random access memory (RAM).

11. A method according to claim 9 further comprising configuring the processing device to transfer the operating data stored in the RAM to the memory device.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising configuring a protective circuit to limit voltages applied to the memory device.

13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising configuring the memory device to survive at least one of a motor failure and a motor controller failure.

14. A motor system comprising:

an electronically commutated motor (ECM);

a controller communicatively coupled to said ECM, said controller comprising a processing device configured to control operation of said ECM; and

a memory device communicatively coupled to said processing device, said memory device configured to receive and store operating information collected by said processing device.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said memory device comprises a communications interface configured to allow a user to access the contents of said memory device.

16. A system according to claim 14 further comprising a protective circuit positioned between said processing device and said memory device, said protective circuit configured to limit a voltage applied to said memory device.

17. A system according to claim 14 wherein said memory device is further configured to prevent at least one of loss of information and corruption of information stored on said memory device.

18. A system according to claim 14 wherein said processing device comprises a random access memory (RAM) configured to temporarily store the operating information.

19. A system according to claim 14 wherein said processing device comprises an internal memory device.

20. A system according to claim 14 wherein said memory device comprises at least one of an erasable programmable read-only memory and a flash memory.

21. A system according to claim 14 wherein the operating information comprises at least one of production process information, scratch-pad information, a total length of time said ECM receives power, a total length of time said ECM has run, a total length of time said ECM has operated in a cutback region, a total length of time said ECM has operated with a temperature above a thermal limit setting, a total number of cycles said ECM has completed, a high operating temperature, a low operating temperature, a final operating torque level, a final operating bus voltage, a last operating speed, a last module temperature, a count of fault events, a count of reset cycles, a count of oscillator stop events, and a count of stall events.

22. A method for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM), said method comprising:

collecting operating data from an ECM;

identifying at least one of an ECM failure and a system controller failure; and

storing the ECM operating data after identifying at least one of an ECM failure, a system controller failure, and a user provided power-down instruction.

23. A method according to claim 22 further comprising protecting the stored ECM operating data from corruption caused by at least one of an ECM failure and a system controller failure.