Methods and systems for synchronizing a control signal of a slave follower with a master source

• US 7,962,240 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Intelligent Platforms Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Intelligent Platforms Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Morrison, William Lindsay, Miller, Daniel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr.; Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US11/961,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 700186-187, 700/189
• US Class Current: 700/186
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/414 Structure of the control system, e.g. common controller or multiprocessor systems, interface to servo, programmable interface controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34135 Spline
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42186 Master slave, motion proportional to axis
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50231 Synchronize engage, disengage groups of axis as function of position of simulate

Abstract

A method for synchronizing a slave follower with a master source is provided. The method includes defining a relationship between the master source and the slave follower, inputting a first position of the master source, and inputting a first position of the slave follower. The method also includes defining a second position where the slave follower synchronizes with the master source, and fitting a curve between the first position of the slave follower the second position. The curve is fit based on the relationship between the master source and the slave follower, the first position of the slave follower, the first position of the master source, and the second position. The curve is fit to synchronize the slave follower and the master source without exceeding pre-determined boundaries of the slave follower.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for synchronizing a slave follower with a master source, said method comprising:

defining a relationship between the master source and the slave follower;

inputting a first position of the master source;

inputting a first position of the slave follower;

defining a second position where the slave follower synchronizes with the master source; and

fitting a curve between the first position of the slave follower and the second position using a processor, the curve fit based on the relationship between the master source and the slave follower, the first position of the slave follower, the first position of the master source, and the second position, the curve fit to synchronize the slave follower and the master source without exceeding pre-determined boundaries of the slave follower, wherein fitting the curve further comprises using a quintic-hermite spline.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising synchronizing the slave follower with the master source without at least one of placing constraints on the master source and removing constraints from the slave follower.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising adjusting the curve to account for a constraint on the slave follower by applying the quintic-hermite spline to fit a plurality of points within the curve.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising adjusting the curve to account for a constraint on the slave follower by:

operating the slave follower off the curve;

operating the slave follower within the constraint while the slave follower is operated off the curve; and

generating a new curve to urge the slave follower onto the curve.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising synchronizing the slave follower with the master profile without creating jerk in the slave follower.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising synchronizing a slave motor with a master motor.

7. A system comprising:

a master source;

a slave follower; and

a processor configured to synchronize the slave follower with the master source by;

defining a relationship between the master source and the slave follower;

inputting a first position of the master source;

inputting a first position of the slave follower;

defining a second position where the slave follower synchronizes with the master source; and

fitting a curve between the first position of the slave follower the second position, the curve fit based on the relationship between the master source and the slave follower, the first position of the slave follower, the first position of the master source, and the second position, the curve fit to synchronize the slave follower and the master source without exceeding pre-determined boundaries of the slave follower, wherein the processor is further configured to apply a quintic-hermite spline to fit the curve.

8. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to synchronize the slave follower with the master source without at least one of placing constraints on the master source and removing constraints from the slave follower.

9. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the curve to account for a constraint on the slave follower by applying the quintic-hermite spline to fit a plurality of points within the curve.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9 wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the curve to account for a constraint on the slave follower by:

operating the slave follower off the curve;

operating the slave follower within the constraint while the slave follower is operated off the curve; and

generating a new curve to urge the slave follower onto the curve.

11. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured synchronize the slave follower with the master profile without creating jerk in the slave follower.

12. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the slave follower and the master source are motors.

13. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, said computer program comprising at least one code segment configured to instruct a computer to synchronize a slave follower with a master source by:

defining a relationship between the master source and the slave follower;

inputting a first position of the master source;

inputting a first position of the slave follower;

defining a second position where the slave follower synchronizes with the master source; and

fitting a curve between the first position of the slave follower the second position, the curve fit based on the relationship between the master source and the slave follower, the first position of the slave follower, the first position of the master source, and the second position, the curve fit to synchronize the slave follower and the master source without exceeding pre-determined boundaries of the slave follower, wherein the computer program further comprises at least one code segment configured to instruct the computer to apply a quintic-hermite spline to fit the curve.

14. A computer program in accordance with claim 13 wherein the computer program further comprises at least one code segment configured to instruct the computer to synchronize the slave follower with the master source without at least one of placing constraints on the master source and removing constraints from the slave follower.

15. A computer program in accordance with claim 13 wherein the computer program further comprises at least one code segment configured to instruct the computer to adjust the curve to account for a constraint on the slave follower by applying the quintic-hermite spline to fit a plurality of points within the curve.

16. A computer program in accordance with claim 13 wherein the computer program further comprises at least one code segment configured to instruct the computer to adjust the curve to account for a constraint on the slave follower by:

operating the slave follower off the curve;

operating the slave follower within the constraint while the slave follower is operated off the curve; and

generating a new curve to urge the slave follower onto the curve.

17. A computer program in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises at least one code segment configured to instruct the computer to synchronize the slave follower with the master profile without creating jerk in the slave follower.