Methods and systems for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor

• US 9,621,080 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc. (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc. (Regal Rexnord Corp.)
• Inventors: Beifus, Brian L., Selking, Paul N., Gurudasani, Vijay D., Koller, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paul, Antony M
• Application Number:
  US14/970,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 31840012, 31840021, 31840022, 31840001, 318700, 318701, 318799, 318432, 361 1, 361 2, 361 6, 361 7, 361 18, 361 19, 361 20, 361 21, 361 22, 361 23, 361 30, 361 33, 361 42, 361 43, 361 56, 361 65, 361 86, 361 87, 361 88, 361 89, 361 90, 361 911, 361 912, 361 917, 361 92, 361 939, 361111, 361117, 361118, 36167931, 368111, 368251
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23193 Memory stores lifetime, different settings, configurations of controlled device
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24053 Diagnostic of controlled machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24067 Processor stores variables, events and date in eeprom, for external monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/02 Providing protection against overload without automatic interruption of supply protection against faults of stepper motors H02P8/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/024 Detecting a fault condition, e.g. short circuit, locked rotor, open circuit or loss of load
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0241 the fault being an overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/06 Arrangements for speed regulation of a single motor wherein the motor speed is measured and compared with a given physical value so as to adjust the motor speed
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/34 Modelling or simulation for control purposes

Abstract

A unit for recording operating information of an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The unit includes a system controller communicatively coupled to an ECM. The system controller includes a processing device configured to control the unit. The unit also includes a memory device communicatively coupled to the system controller. The memory device is configured to receive and store ECM operating information provided by the processing device.

Claims

1. A unit for recording operating information of an electric motor, said unit comprising:

a motor controller communicatively coupled to an electric motor, said motor controller comprising a processing device configured to control said unit, collect operating data from an electric motor, collect motor controller information from said motor controller, and identify when a motor controller failure occurs;

a memory device communicatively coupled to said processing device, said memory device configured to receive and store (i) motor operating information in response to identifying the motor controller failure and (ii) motor controller information far use by a successive motor controller; and

a voltage protection circuit coupled to said memory device, wherein said voltage protection circuit prevents high voltage damage to said memory device.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said memory device is further configured to communicate wirelessly with said motor controller.

3. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said memory device is further communicatively coupled to a second processing device of a second motor controller and further configured to receive and store (i) second motor controller information associated with said second motor controller and (ii) second motor operating information in response to identifying a second motor controller failure associated with said second motor controller.

4. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said memory device comprises a communications interface configured to allow a user to access the contents of said memory device.

5. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said processing device comprises a random access memory (RAM) configured to temporarily store the motor operating information and motor controller information.

6. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said memory device comprises at least one of an erasable programmable read-only memory and a flash memory.

7. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the motor operating information comprises at least one of production process information, scratch-pad information, a total length of lime said electric motor receives power, a total length of time said electric motor has run, a total length of time said electric motor has operated in a cutback region, a total length of time said electric motor has operated with a temperature above a thermal limit setting, a total number of cycles said electric motor has completed, a high operating temperature, a low operating temperature, a final operating torque level, a final operating bus voltage, a last operating speed, a last module temperature, a count of fault events, a count of reset cycles, a count of oscillator stop events, and a count of stall events.

8. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said electric motor comprises an electronically commutated motor (ECM).

9. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said memory device comprises a non-volatile memory.

10. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller is integral with the electric motor.

11. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said motor controller is positioned remotely from the electric motor.

12. A unit according to claim 1 wherein said voltage protection circuit comprises one or more signal diodes that limit a terminal voltage at said memory device to a predefined voltage.

13. A unit according to claim 1, wherein said, memory device is farther configured to communicate wirelessly with said system controller.

14. A method for providing a system to record operating information of a rotating electric machine, said method comprising:

configuring a processing device to collect (i) operating data from a rotating electric machine and (ii) controller data from a system controller;

configuring the processing device to identify when a system controller failure occurs;

configuring a memory device to receive and store (i) operating data in response to identifying the controller failure, and (ii) controller data for use by a successive system controller for controlling the system upon replacement of the system controller; and

coupling a voltage protection circuit to the memory device, wherein the voltage protection prevents high voltage damage to said memory device.

15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising configuring the memory device to receive and store (i) second controller data associated with said second system controller and (ii) operating data in response to identifying a second controller failure associated with said second system controller.

16. A method according to claim 14 wherein coupling said voltage protection circuit to the memory device further comprises coupling at least one Zener diode to the memory device.

17. A motor system comprising:

an electric motor;

a motor controller coupled to said electric motor and configured to communicate with said electric motor, said motor controller comprising a processing device configured to control operation of said motor system, collect operating data from said electric motor, collect motor controller information from said motor controller, and identify when a motor controller failure occurs;

a memory device communicatively coupled to said processing device, said memory device configured to receive and store (i) motor operating information in response to identifying the motor controller failure and (ii) motor controller information for use by a successive motor controller for controlling said unit; and

a voltage protection circuit coupled to said memory device, wherein said voltage protection circuit prevents high voltage damage to said memory device.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said memory device comprises a communications interface configured to allow a user to access the contents of said memory device.

19. A system according to claim 17, wherein said voltage limiting circuit comprises a plurality of signal diodes that limit a terminal voltage at said memory device to a predefined voltage.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein the operating information comprises at least one of production process information, scratch-pad information, a total length of time said electric motor receives power, a total length of time said electric motor has run, a total length of time said electric motor has operated in a cutback region, a total length of time said electric motor has operated with a temperature above a thermal limit setting, a total number of cycles said electric motor has completed, a high operating temperature, a low operating temperature, a final operating torque level, a final operating bus voltage, a last operating speed, a last module temperature, a count of fault events, a count of reset cycles, a count of oscillator stop events, and a count of stall events.