Driving Controls and Diagnostic Methods for Communicating Motors

• US 20150134118A1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Broker, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,494,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0208 characterized by the configuration of the monitoring system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

In exemplary embodiments, driving controls and diagnostic methods are disclosed for communicating motors. In an exemplary embodiment, a method generally includes generating a signal for sending to a communicating motor using transmitting hardware in a driving control, detecting the generated signal before it is transmitted to the communicating motor using a transmit sense circuit in the driving control, and analyzing the detected signal to verify whether the transmitting hardware in the driving control is operational.

Claims

1. A driving control for a communicating motor, the driving control comprising:

a controller;

a transmit circuit coupled to the controller;

an output for coupling to a communicating motor, the transmit circuit coupled to the output;

a first node coupled between the transmit circuit and the output; and

a transmit sense circuit coupled between the first node and the controller;

wherein the transmit circuit is configured to provide a signal to the output for transmitting to the communicating motor, the transmit sense circuit is configured to detect the signal provided to the output by the transmit circuit, and the controller is configured to analyze the signal detected by the transmit sense circuit to determine whether the transmit circuit is operational.

2. The driving control of claim 1, further comprising:

a receive circuit coupled to the controller;

an input for coupling to the communicating motor, the receive circuit coupled to the input;

a second node coupled between the receive circuit and the input; and

a receive drive circuit coupled between the second node and the controller;

wherein the receive circuit is configured to provide a receive signal to the controller based on communication signals received at the input from the communicating motor, the receive drive circuit is configured to provide a test signal to the receive circuit, and the controller is configured to analyze the receive signal provided by the receive circuit in response to the test signal to determine whether the receive circuit is operational.

3. The driving control of claim 1, further comprising a current sense coupled between the node and the controller for checking a connection from the driving control to the communicating motor.

4. The driving control of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive a power supply sense signal from the communicating motor indicating whether the power supply to the communicating motor is working properly.

5. The driving control of claim 1, further comprising an indicator coupled to the controller, wherein the indicator is configured to provide diagnostic information to a user.

6. The driving control of claim 5, wherein the indicator is one of a display, a user menu, a seven segment display, an LED, and an LCD.

7. The driving control of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive communicating motor advanced diagnostic information detected by an electronic motor control of the communicating motor.

8. A driving control for a communicating motor, the driving control comprising:

a controller;

a receive circuit coupled to the controller;

an input for coupling to a communicating motor, the receive circuit coupled to the input;

a node coupled between the receive circuit and the input; and

a receive drive circuit coupled between the node and the controller;

wherein the receive circuit is configured to provide a receive signal to the controller based on communication signals received at the input from the communicating motor, the receive drive circuit is configured to provide a test signal to the receive circuit, and the controller is configured to analyze the receive signal provided by the receive circuit in response to the test signal to determine whether the receive circuit is operational.

9. The driving control of claim 8, wherein:

the controller is configured to receive a power supply sense signal from the communicating motor indicating whether the power supply to the communicating motor is working properly; and

/or

the controller is configured to receive communicating motor advanced diagnostic information detected by an electronic motor control of the communicating motor.

10. The driving control of claim 8, further comprising an indicator coupled to the controller, wherein the indicator is configured to provide diagnostic information to a user.

11. The driving control of claim 10, wherein the indicator is one of a display, a user menu, a seven segment display, an LED, and an LCD.

12. A diagnostic method for a communicating motor, the method comprising:

generating a signal for sending to a communicating motor using transmitting hardware in a driving control;

detecting the generated signal before it is transmitted to the communicating motor using a transmit sense circuit in the driving control; and

analyzing the detected signal to verify whether the transmitting hardware in the driving control is operational.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a test signal using a receive drive circuit in the driving control;

applying the test signal to receiving hardware in the driving control; and

analyzing a receive signal generated by the receive circuit in response to applying the test signal to the receive circuit, to verify whether the receiving hardware in the driving control is operational.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sensing a current between the transmitting hardware and an output of the driving control for checking a connection from the driving control to the communicating motor; and

/or

sensing a power supply current provided to the communicating motor by a power supply; and

/or

receiving communicating motor advanced diagnostic information detected by an electronic motor control of the communicating motor.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising indicating diagnostic information to a user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein indicating includes using one of a display, a user menu, a seven segment display, an LED, and an LCD.

17. A diagnostic method for a communicating motor, the method comprising:

generating a test signal using a receive drive circuit in a driving control coupled to a communicating motor;

applying the test signal to receiving hardware in the driving control; and

analyzing a receive signal generated by the receive circuit in response to applying the test signal to the receive circuit, to verify whether the receiving hardware in the driving control is operational.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sensing a power supply current provided to the communicating motor by a power supply; and

/or

receiving communicating motor advanced diagnostic information detected by an electronic motor control of the communicating motor.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising indicating diagnostic information to a user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein indicating includes using one of a display, a user menu, a seven segment display, an LED, and an LCD.