Methods for controlling velocity of at least partially resonant actuators systems and systems thereof

• US 8,450,905 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Scale Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: New Scale Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Guidarelli, Thomas, Culhane, Robert L., Henderson, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROSENAU, DEREK JOHN
• Application Number:
  US12/460,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 310/316.02, 310/317, 31032301-32321, 310/328
• US Class Current: 310/317
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/0015 using only bending modes
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/0095 producing combined linear and rotary motion, e.g. multi-direction positioners
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/02 producing linear motion, e.g. actuators; Linear positioners ; Linear motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/062 Small signal circuits; Means for controlling position or derived quantities, e.g. for removing hysteresis
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/14 Drive circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/142 Small signal circuits; Means for controlling position or derived quantities, e.g. speed, torque, starting, stopping, reversing

Abstract

A method, computer readable medium, and system for controlling velocity of at least partially resonant actuator system includes obtaining at an actuator controller computing system a selected operating velocity within an operational velocity range for at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices. A width of one or more pulses of a driving signal for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices is adjusted with the actuator controller computing system based on the selected operating velocity. The driving signal with the adjusted width of the one or more pulses is provided with the actuator controller computing system to obtain the selected operating velocity at the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

Claims

1. A method for controlling velocity of an at least partially resonant actuator system, the method comprising:

obtaining at an actuator controller computing system a selected operating velocity within an operational velocity range for at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

generating with the actuator controller computing system at least two driving signals with one or more pulses;

adjusting with the actuator controller computing system a width of the one or more pulses within at least one cycle of the at least two driving signals for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected operating velocity without detecting a phase difference between the at least two driving signals; and

providing with the actuator controller computing system the at least two driving signals with the adjusted width of the one or more pulses to obtain the selected operating velocity at the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals between about fifteen percent to about fifty percent of a period of the fixed drive frequency of the at least two driving signals to stay within the operational velocity range for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals to about fifty percent of the period of the drive frequency of the at least two driving signals to substantially obtain a maximum velocity within the operational velocity range for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining at an actuator controller computing system a selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range for the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting with the actuator controller computing system a peak drive voltage of the at least two driving signals for the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected maximum velocity; and

providing with the actuator controller computing system the at least two driving signals with the adjusted drive voltage to obtain the selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the adjusting with the actuator controller computing system the peak drive voltage of the at least two driving signals further comprises adjusting the peak drive voltage of the at least two driving signals to provide the selected maximum velocity for the one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices when the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals is about fifty percent of the period of the drive frequency of the at least two driving signals.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining at the actuator controller computing system another selected operating velocity within an operational velocity range for at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting with the actuator controller computing system a width of one or more pulses of another at least two driving signals for the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected operating velocity; and

providing with the actuator controller computing system the another at least two driving signals with the adjusted width of the one or more pulses to obtain the another selected operating velocity at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices, wherein the selected operating velocity for the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices is different from the another selected operating velocity at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising:

obtaining at an actuator controller computing system a selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range for the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting with the actuator controller computing system a peak drive voltage of the another at least two driving signals for each of the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected maximum velocity; and

providing with the actuator controller computing system the another at least two driving signals with the adjusted drive voltage for each of the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices to obtain the selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining at the actuator control system a measurement of a current velocity of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

comparing with the actuator controller computing system the measurement of the current velocity of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices against the selected operating velocity; and

readjusting with the actuator controller computing system the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals at the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the comparing.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one of the at least two driving signals is shifted 90 degrees out of phase with respect to a second of the at least two driving signals.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein a fixed driving frequency of the at least two driving signals is substantially equal to a mechanical resonant frequency of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the fixed driving frequency of the at least two driving signals is at a fixed offset from the mechanical resonant frequency of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for controlling velocity of an at least partially resonant actuator system comprising machine executable code which when executed by at least one processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

obtaining a selected operating velocity within an operational velocity range for at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

generating at least two driving signals with one or more pulses;

adjusting a width of the one or more pulses within at least one cycle of the at least two driving signals for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected operating velocity without detecting a phase difference between the at least two driving signals; and

providing the at least two driving signals with the adjusted width of the one or more pulses to obtain the selected operating velocity at the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

13. The medium as set forth in claim 12 wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals between about fifteen percent to about fifty percent of a period of the fixed drive frequency of the at least two driving signals to stay within the operational velocity range for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

14. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein the adjusting further comprises adjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals to about fifty percent of the period of the drive frequency of the at least two driving signals to substantially obtain a maximum velocity within the operational velocity range for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

15. The medium as set forth in claim 12 further comprising:

obtaining a selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range for the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting a peak drive voltage of the at least two driving signals for the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected maximum velocity; and

providing the at least two driving signals with the adjusted drive voltage to obtain the selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range.

16. The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein the adjusting the peak drive voltage of the at least two driving signals to provide the selected maximum velocity for the one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices when the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals is about fifty percent of the period of the drive frequency of the at least two driving signals.

17. The medium as set forth in claim 12 further comprising:

obtaining another selected operating velocity within an operational velocity range for at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting a width of one or more pulses of another at least two driving signals for the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected operating velocity; and

providing the another at least two driving signals with the adjusted width of the one or more pulses to obtain the another selected operating velocity at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices, wherein the selected operating velocity for the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices is different from the another selected operating velocity at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

18. The medium as set forth in claim 17 further comprising:

obtaining a selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range for the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting a peak drive voltage of the another at least two driving signals for each of the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected maximum velocity; and

providing the another at least two driving signals with the adjusted drive voltage for each of the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices to obtain the selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range.

19. The medium as set forth in claim 12 further comprising:

obtaining a measurement of a current velocity of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

comparing the measurement of the current velocity of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices against the selected operating velocity; and

readjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals at the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the comparing.

20. The medium as set forth in claim 12 wherein the one of the at least two driving signals is shifted 90 degrees out of phase with respect to a second of the at least two driving signals.

21. The medium as set forth in claim 12 wherein a fixed driving frequency of the at least two driving signals is substantially equal to a mechanical resonant frequency of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

22. The medium as set forth in claim 21 wherein the fixed driving frequency of the at least two driving signals is at a fixed offset from the mechanical resonant frequency of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

23. An actuator controller computing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to the one or more processors which are configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising

obtaining a selected operating velocity within an operational velocity range for at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

generating at least two driving signals with one or more pulses;

adjusting a width of the one or more pulses within at least one cycle of the at least two driving signals for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected operating velocity without detecting a phase difference between the at least two driving signals; and

providing the at least two driving signals with the adjusted width of the one or more pulses to obtain the selected operating velocity at the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

24. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein the one or more processors is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory for the adjusting further comprises adjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals between about fifteen percent to about fifty percent of a period of the fixed drive frequency of the at least two driving signals to stay within the operational velocity range for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

25. The apparatus as set forth in claim 24 wherein the one or more processors is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory for the adjusting further comprises adjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals to about fifty percent of the period of the drive frequency of the at least two driving signals to substantially obtain a maximum velocity within the operational velocity range for the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

26. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein the one or more processors is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory further comprising:

obtaining a selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range for the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting a peak drive voltage of the at least two driving signals for the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected maximum velocity; and

providing the at least two driving signals with the adjusted drive voltage to obtain the selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range.

27. The apparatus as set forth in claim 26 wherein the one or more processors is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory wherein the adjusting the peak drive voltage of the at least two driving signals to provide the selected maximum velocity for the one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices when the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals is about fifty percent of the period of the drive frequency of the at least two driving signals.

28. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein the one or more processors is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory further comprising:

obtaining another selected operating velocity within an operational velocity range for at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting a width of one or more pulses of another at least two driving signals for the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected operating velocity; and

providing the another at least two driving signals with the adjusted width of the one or more pulses to obtain the another selected operating velocity at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices, wherein the selected operating velocity for the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices is different from the another selected operating velocity at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

29. The apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein the one or more processors is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory further comprising:

obtaining a selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range for the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

adjusting a peak drive voltage of the another at least two driving signals for each of the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the selected maximum velocity; and

providing the another at least two driving signals with the adjusted drive voltage for each of the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices and the at the at least one other of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices to obtain the selected maximum velocity for the operational velocity range.

30. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein the one or more processors is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory further comprising:

obtaining a measurement of a current velocity of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices;

comparing the measurement of the current velocity of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices against the selected operating velocity; and

readjusting the width of the one or more pulses of the at least two driving signals at the at least one of the one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices based on the comparing.

31. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein the one of the at least two driving signals is shifted 90 degrees out of phase with respect to a second of the at least two driving signals.

32. The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein fixed driving frequency of the at least two driving signals is substantially equal to a mechanical resonant frequency of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.

33. The apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein the fixed driving frequency of the at least two driving signals is at a fixed offset from the mechanical resonant frequency of the at least one of one or more at least partially resonant actuator devices.