Wireless user interface system performance monitoring

• US 8,571,486 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Gasperi, Michael L., Brandt, David D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US12/782,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20100304683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.7, 455/41.1, 455/67.11, 455/85, 455/88, 455/345, 455/557, 326/41, 326/16, 370/216, 307/104
• US Class Current: 455/67.7
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

What is disclosed is a user interface system for controlling a process, where the process is implemented in a machine system. The user interface system includes a user interface configured to receive user input to control the process of the machine system. The user interface system also includes a first transceiver coupled to the user interface and configured to provide user power to the user interface, where the first transceiver is configured to wirelessly receive input power from a second transceiver. The user interface system also includes a processing system configured to monitor a performance factor of the first transceiver, process the performance factor to determine when a power transfer problem exists between the second transceiver and the first transceiver, and transfer an alert in response to the power transfer problem.

Claims

1. A user interface system for controlling a process, wherein the process is implemented in a machine system, comprising:

a user interface configured to receive user input to control the process of the machine system;

a first transceiver coupled to the user interface and configured to provide user power to the user interface, wirelessly receive input power from a second transceiver, and wirelessly transfer communications related to the user input to the second transceiver;

the second transceiver configured to wirelessly transfer the input power to the first transceiver and wirelessly receive the communications related to the user input from the first transceiver; and

a processing system configured to monitor a performance factor of the first transceiver, process the performance factor to determine when a power transfer problem exists between the second transceiver and the first transceiver, and transfer an alert in response to the power transfer problem.

2. The user interface system of claim 1,

wherein the first transceiver is configured to induce a first current in the second transceiver by way of a first magnetic field and wirelessly transfer the communications over near-field energy of the first magnetic field;

and

wherein the second transceiver is configured to induce a second current in the first transceiver by way of a second magnetic field, wirelessly transfer the input power to the first transceiver over near-field energy of the second magnetic field, and wirelessly receive the communications from the first transceiver over the near-field energy of the first magnetic field.

3. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are not coupled by a transformer core.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the second transceiver is configured to wirelessly transfer information related to a state of the process implemented by the machine system to the first transceiver, and wherein the first transceiver is configured to transfer the information related to the state of the process implemented by the machine system to the user interface.

5. The user interface system of claim 4, wherein the user interface is configured to light an indicator based on the information related to the state of the process implemented by the machine system.

6. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver each comprise a spiral coil, and wherein the spiral coil of the first transceiver and the spiral coil the second transceiver are aligned axially.

7. The user interface system of claim 6, wherein the user interface is mounted internally to and longitudinally along the axis of the spiral coil of the first transceiver and the spiral coil of the second transceiver.

8. The user interface system of claim 1, further comprising:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) circuit coupled to the user interface and configured to receive the user power from the first transceiver and wirelessly transfer communications to control the process implemented by the machine system.

9. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the performance factor of the first transceiver comprises a voltage associated with the input power received from the second transceiver.

10. A method for providing a user interface system for controlling a process, wherein the process is implemented in a machine system, comprising:

in a user interface, receiving user input to control the process of the machine system;

in a first transceiver coupled to the user interface, providing user power to the user interface, wirelessly receiving input power from a second transceiver, and wirelessly transferring communications related to the user input to the second transceiver;

in the second transceiver, wirelessly transferring the input power to the first transceiver and wirelessly receiving the communications related to the user input from the first transceiver; and

in a processing system, monitoring a performance factor of the first transceiver, processing the performance factor to determine when a power transfer problem exists between the second transceiver and the first transceiver, and transferring an alert in response to the power transfer problem.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in the first transceiver, inducing a first current in the second transceiver by way of a first magnetic field and wirelessly transferring the communications over near-field energy of the first magnetic field; and

in the second transceiver, inducing a second current in the first transceiver by way of a second magnetic field, wirelessly transferring the input power to the first transceiver over near-field energy of the second magnetic field, and wirelessly receiving the communications from the first transceiver over the near-field energy of the first magnetic field.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are not coupled by a transformer core.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in the second transceiver, wirelessly transferring information related to a state of the process implemented by the machine system to the first transceiver; and

in the first transceiver, transferring the information related to the state of the process implemented by the machine system to the user interface.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

in the user interface, lighting an indicator based on the information related to the state of the process implemented by the machine system.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver each comprise a spiral coil, and wherein the spiral coil of the first transceiver and the spiral coil the second transceiver are aligned axially.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the user interface is mounted internally to and longitudinally along the axis of the spiral coil of the first transceiver and the spiral coil of the second transceiver.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in a radio-frequency identification (RFID) circuit coupled to the user interface, receiving the user power from the first transceiver and wirelessly transferring communications to control the process implemented by the machine system.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the performance factor of the first transceiver comprises a voltage associated with the input power received from the second transceiver.