Device and method to configure same

• US 7,602,128 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Kling, Sören, Johansson, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luo; David S
• Application Number:
  US10/547,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20070013326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 318/66, 318/110, 318/111, 318/112, 318/113, 318/600
• US Class Current: 318/66
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/108 characterised by physical layout of switches; switches co-operating with display; use of switches in a special way
• 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 2219/36121 Tree oriented menu, go to root, scroll up down, select mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 1/04 Means for controlling progress of starting sequence in dependence upon time or upon current, speed, or other motor parameter
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 1/26 for starting an individual polyphase induction motor

Abstract

A motor controller for controlling an electric motor including a soft starter and a human-machine interface for control and configuration of the soft starter. The soft starter includes a visual display and a selector associated with the visual display. A method to configure a motor controller for controlling an electric motor, including a soft starter and a human-machine interface for control and configuration of the soft starter. A computer program and graphic user interface for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. A motor controller for controlling an electric motor comprising:

a soft starter; and

a human-machine interface for control and configuration of the soft starter, said human-machine interface comprising;

a visual display;

means for visually presenting one or more functions of the soft starter and one or more menu options in two or more positions on the visual display, and

two or more selection means associated with the visual display for selecting the one or more functions or menu options according to the position of each of the two or more functions or menu options on the visual display,

wherein the position of each of the two or more selection means on the human-machine interface corresponds to a position of the function or menu option operable by the selection means on the visual display,

wherein the two or more positions on the visual display include at least one left position and at least one right position, wherein the two or more selection means comprise a left selection button for selecting a function or option displayed in the left position of the visual display and a right selection button for selecting a function or option displayed in the right position of the display.

2. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein the two or more selection means comprise an upper selection button and a lower selection button for selecting functions or options displayed in upper and lower positions on the visual display.

3. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein the two or more positions on the visual display include at least one upper position and at least one lower position, wherein the selection means comprise means for selecting either from an option in the upper position in the display or an option in the lower position in the display.

4. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller may provide control and soft start functions to a plurality of electric motors.

5. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller may provide control and soft start functions to an AC electric motor running on one or more phases.

6. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller may provide control and soft start functions to an AC electric motor running at either of two selectable frequencies.

7. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller comprises connections for an external by pass contactor.

8. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller comprises one or more data ports capable of serial data transmission.

9. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller comprises one or more connections for a field bus.

10. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller comprises one or more memory means for processing data.

11. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller comprises one or more memory means for storing data from configuration and/or data from measurements and operations.

12. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller comprises a built-in by pass contactor.

13. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller comprises one or more connections for a data network compatible with an Ethernet standard.

14. The motor controller according to claim 1 adapted to configure and operate an electric motor to drive one of a Centrifugal Pump, a Hydraulic Pump, a Centrifugal Fan, an Axial Fan, a Compressor, a Conveyor, a Crusher, a Mixer, and a Bow Thruster.

15. The motor controller according to claim 1 adapted to configure and operate an electric motor controlled by the motor controller.

16. The motor controller according to claim 1 adapted to configure and operate an electric motor by means of a process running on one or more computers to supervise a function of a device arranged driven by at least one electric motor controlled by the motor controller.

17. The motor controller according to claim 1, further comprising:

a processor;

one or more computer readable media; and

a computer program comprised in said computer readable media and executing on said processor, wherein said computer program comprises computer code means and/or software code portions for presenting the one or more functions of said soft starter and menu options on the visual display and processing selections received by the selections means.

18. The motor controller according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one data port;

wherein the motor controller is configured to send, via said data port, a computer data signal for configuration of the motor controller, arranged to provide control and soft starting, running and soft stopping to one or more electric motors, embodied in a carrier wave, in that the signal comprises one or more configured functions and/or values for configuration data for said motor controller.

19. The computer data signal according to claim 18, further comprising:

a wireless node including a short range wireless means;

wherein said computer data signal is communicated by the short range wireless means according to a Bluetooth standard or a WLAN standard.

20. A graphical user interface of a computerised device for displaying configuration functions, menu options and parameter settings for a motor controller for control and soft starting, soft stopping of one or more electric motors according to claim 1.

21. The graphical user interface according to claim 20, further comprising a representation of the visual display of the motor controller and the selection means of the controller in a graphical user interface on a computer display screen of a computing device.

22. The graphical user interface according to claim 20, wherein the computing device may be a portable computing device comprising any from the list of:

IR or Bluetooth equipped computer, mobile phone or PDA or other mobile computing device.

23. The graphical user interface according to claim 20, wherein the configuration data values displayed are arranged to be displayed upon activation of a part of the graphical representation of the visual display or selection means of the motor controller using a computer mouse, touch screen, stylus, keypad, keyboard or other computer display selection means.

24. The motor controller according to claim 1, wherein the two or more selection means includes:

at least two selection buttons for selecting the one or more functions and menu options; and

at least one navigation button for navigating to another function.

25. A method to configure a motor controller for controlling an electric motor, including a soft starter and a human-machine interface for control and configuration of the soft starter, the method comprising:

presenting one or more functions of said soft starter and one or more menu options on a visual display of said soft starter,

selecting one of the one or more functions of said soft starter or one of the one or more menu options by activating a selection means of a plurality of selection means associated with the visual display, which selection means being the only one of the plurality that corresponds to the position of the selected function or menu option on the visual display;

wherein selecting the functions or menu options includes selecting a menu function or operation presented on the visual display by activating either an up or a down navigation selection means and selecting a menu function or operation presented on the visual display by activating either a left or a right selection means.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

selecting an increased or decreased value presented on the visual display by activating either an up or a down navigation selection means.

27. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

selecting a menu function or operation presented on the visual display by activating either an up or a down navigation selection means.

28. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

selecting one of the one or more menu options on the visual display of said soft starter, by means of operating one of a plurality of selection means associated with the visual display, which selection means being the only one of the plurality that corresponds to the position of the menu option on the visual display.

29. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

selecting a value for a function of the soft starter via the visual display of said soft starter by means of operating one of a plurality of selection means associated with the visual display, which selection means being the only one of the plurality of selection means that corresponds to the position of the function value on the visual display.

30. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

selecting an option by means of selecting a representation of a left selection button or a right selection button on a computer display screen of a computing device connected to the motor controller via a data port or field bus connection of the motor controller.

31. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

selecting an option by means of selecting a representation of a upper selection button or a lower selection button on a computer display screen of a computing device connected to the motor controller via a data port or field bus connection of the motor controller.

32. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

selecting an option by means of selecting one or more representations of a selection buttons on a computer display screen of a computing device connected to the motor controller in part via a wireless connection.

33. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

sending a data transmission using wireless communication means configured to operate according to a standard compatible issued by the Bluetooth Group.