METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROGRAMMING AN ELECTRIC MACHINE

• US 20160223999A1
• Filed: 04/12/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
• Inventors: SONG, WEI, Golm, Norman C. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US15/096,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20160223999A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/106 for selecting a programme, variable or parameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23099 Switches on panel, connected to serial port
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33287 Program panel to program, enter data for diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34291 Programmable interface, pic, plc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36152 Panel
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power

Abstract

A system and method of programming first and second electric motor controllers are described. The system includes a first electric motor having a first electric motor controller, a first programming module configured to be removably coupled to the first electric motor controller, a second electric motor having a second electric motor controller, a second programming module configured to be removably coupled to the second electric motor controller, and a remote host computer device communicatively coupled to the first programming module and to the second programming module. The remote host computer device is configured to simultaneously transmit a first programming signal to the first motor controller via the first programming module and a second programming signal to the second motor controller via the second programming module.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first electric motor comprising a first electric motor controller;

a first programming module configured to be removably coupled to said first electric motor controller;

a second electric motor comprising a second electric motor controller;

a second programming module configured to be removably coupled to said second electric motor controller; and

a remote host computer device communicatively coupled to said first programming module and to said second programming module, said remote host computer device configured to simultaneously transmit a first programming signal to said first motor controller via said first programming module and a second programming signal to said second motor controller via said second programming module.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first programming signal is different than said second programming signal.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first programming module, said second programming module, and said remote host computer device each comprise a wireless communication device that enables wireless communication between said remote host computer device and each of said first and second programming modules.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said wireless communication devices enable independent movement of said first and second electric motors during reception of said first and second programming signals.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first programming module comprises:

a plurality of terminals biased to extend at least partially from an exterior of said first programming module; and

a processing device electrically coupled to said plurality of terminals and configured to provide a programming signal to said first electric motor controller via at least one of said plurality of terminals.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said first programming module comprises at least one of a direct current (DC) power source and an interface circuit, said interface circuit coupled between said plurality of terminals and said processing device.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said interface circuit is configured to:

receive a signal from at least one of said plurality of terminals;

condition the signal; and

provide the conditioned signal to said processing device.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said interface circuit is configured to:

receive a signal from said processing device;

condition the signal; and

provide the conditioned signal to at least one of said plurality of terminals.

9. A method for programming a first electric motor controller and a second electric motor controller, said method comprising:

removably coupling a first programming module to the first electric motor controller;

removably coupling a second programming module to the second electric motor controller;

communicatively coupling a remote host computer device to the first programming module and to the second programming module; and

simultaneously transmitting, by the remote host computer device, a first programming signal to the first motor controller via the first programming module and a second programming signal to the second motor controller via the second programming module.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first programming signal is different than the second programming signal.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first programming module, the second programming module, and the remote host computer device each comprise a wireless communication device that enables wireless communication between the remote host computer device and each of the first and second programming modules.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the wireless communication devices enable independent movement of the first and second electric motors during reception of the first and second programming signals.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first and second programming signals each include programming data for each of the respective first and second motor controllers.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising removing the first programming module from the first motor controller after the first motor controller receives the first programming signal.

15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising removing the second programming module from the second motor controller after the second motor controller receives the second programming signal.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein removably coupling the first programming module to the first motor controller comprises aligning a biased connector extending from the first programming module with an input/output connector of the first motor controller.