Error diagnostics and prognostics in motor drives

• US 9,207,671 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hersh, Murray E., Oestreich, Todd M., Nagel, Gerry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leykin, Rita
• Application Number:
  US13/650,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20140103848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 318/490, 714/26, 714/46, 706/52, 702/185, 702/183, 701/33.7, 701/33.8, 701/33.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0278 Qualitative, e.g. if-then rules; Fuzzy logic; Lookup tables; Symptomatic search; FMEA

Abstract

An automation network that utilizes motor drives to diagnose faults, and provide potential solutions to a user. The fault status and/or diagnostic remedies may be displayed via a user display integrated with (e.g., in a single cabinet with) the motor drives and/or coupled to (e.g., in an external device separate from) the motor drives. As such, a logic process or other algorithm may be executed by the motor drive to determine a potential set of solutions for any given fault, based on, for example, determined errors and likelihood of causes for presentation to a user. In this manner, motor drives may allow for user corrective actions to be communicated to a user.

Claims

1. A motor drive, comprising:

a controller configured to generate a control or communication signal for transmission to a component of an automation system coupled to the motor drive; and

an interface configured to receive from the component an operational condition signal indicative of a fault in the component, wherein the controller comprises a processor configured to;

analyze the operational control signal;

access at least one rule comprising input information of a type of fault of the component;

determine a likelihood of a solution to remedy the fault causing the operational control signal utilizing the at least one rule; and

generate a weighted likelihood ranking value to be displayed on a display, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is related to the likelihood of the solution to correct the fault, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is generated utilizing weight information of the at least one rule.

2. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate a correction action signal indicative of the solution to correct the at least one fault.

3. The motor drive of claim 2, comprising the display, wherein the controller is configured to determine a correction action based on the correction action signal to be provided on the display.

4. The motor drive of claim 3, comprising a housing enclosing the interface, the controller, and the display.

5. The motor drive of claim 2, wherein the interface is configured to transmit the correction action signal to a device external to the motor drive, wherein the device comprises a display, wherein the controller is configured cause an indication of the correction action signal to be provided on the display.

6. The motor drive of claim 2, wherein the controller comprises a storage element configured to store first information relating to the input information associated with the type of fault of the component.

7. The motor drive of claim 6, wherein the storage element is configured to store second information relating to a condition associated with the fault of the component.

8. The motor drive of claim 7, wherein the storage element is configured to store third information relating to the weight information.

9. The motor drive of claim 8, wherein the storage element is configured to store fourth information relating to a corrective action associated with the fault of the component.

10. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the likelihood of at least one second fault causing the control signal.

11. The motor drive of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to generate a correction action signal indicative of a first and a second solution to correct the at least one fault.

12. The motor drive of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to determine an order for display of the first and the second solution to correct the at least one fault.

13. The motor drive of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine a likelihood of at least one fault causing the operational control signal based on an application of fuzzy logic principles.

14. A motor drive, comprising:

a controller configured to receive an operational condition signal indicative of a fault in the motor drive, wherein the controller comprises;

a processor configured to;

select at least one rule from a set of rules applicable to the fault;

determine a likelihood of a solution to remedy the fault based on information stored in conjunction with the at least one rule; and

generate a weighted likelihood ranking value to be displayed on a monitor, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is related to the likelihood of the solution to remedy the fault, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is generated utilizing weight information of the at least one rule; and

storage configured to store the set of rules.

15. The motor drive of claim 14, comprising at least one user input configured to receive inputs from a user related to alteration of one or more rules of the set of rules.

16. The motor drive of claim 14, comprising at least one user input configured to receive inputs from a user related to the addition of a new rule to the set of rules.

17. The motor drive of claim 14, comprising a network interface configured to receive signals from a user or from a manufacturer of the motor drive related to alteration or addition of one or more rules of the set of rules.

18. The motor drive of claim 14, comprising an interface configured to be coupled to a portable storage element to receive information related to alteration or addition of one or more rules of the set of rules.

19. The motor drive of claim 14, comprising a network interface configured to transmit an indication of the weighted likelihood ranking value to the monitor as external to the motor drive.

20. The motor drive of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to determine a likelihood of the solution based on an application of fuzzy logic principles.

21. The motor drive of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive a second operational condition signal indicative of a fault in a motor, wherein the processor is configured to select at least one second rule from a set of rules applicable to the fault in the motor and determine a likelihood of a solution to remedy the fault in the motor based on information stored in conjunction with the at least one second rule.

22. A motor drive, comprising:

a controller configured to generate a control or communication signal for transmission to a motor of an automation system coupled to the motor drive;

an interface configured to receive an operational condition signal indicative of a fault in motor;

wherein the controller comprises a processor configured to;

analyze the operational control signal;

access at least one rule comprising input information of a type of fault of the component;

determine a likelihood at least one fault causing the control signal utilizing the at least one rule;

determine a likelihood of a solution to remedy the fault based on the likelihood of the at least one fault causing the control signal utilizing the at least one rule; and

generate a weighted likelihood ranking value, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is related to the likelihood of the solution to remedy the fault, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is generated utilizing weight information of the at least one rule; and

a display, wherein the controller is configured cause an indication of the solution to be provided on the display in conjunction with the weighted likelihood ranking value.

23. The motor drive of claim 22, wherein the indication of the solution comprises a graph, a table, or a chart.

24. The motor drive of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to determine a likelihood of a second solution to remedy the fault based on the likelihood of at least one second fault causing the control signal indication.

25. The motor drive of claim 24, wherein the indication of the solution comprises a ranked list comprising an ordered preference of the first solution and the second solution.

26. The motor drive of claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to determine the indication of the solution based on an application of fuzzy logic principles.

27. A motor drive, comprising:

a controller configured to generate a control or communication signal for transmission to a component of an automation system coupled to the motor drive and receive an operational condition signal indicative of a condition of the component or of the motor drive, wherein the controller comprises a processor configured to;

analyze the operational control signal;

access at least one rule comprising input information of a type of fault of the component;

determine a likelihood of a solution to remedy a fault causing the operational control signal utilizing the at least one rule; and

generate a weighted likelihood ranking value to be displayed on a display, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is related to a likelihood of the solution to correct the fault, wherein the weighted likelihood ranking value is generated utilizing weight information of the at least one rule.

28. The motor drive of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm signal indicative of a likelihood of the fault.

29. The motor drive of claim 27, wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm signal indicative of a preventive solution related to a likelihood of the fault.