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US 2004/0217181 A1Published application
Floating actuator control system and method
AssigneeInvensys Building Systems, Inc.
InventorMichael L. Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method of providing floating actuator control is provided. This system and method receives input command signals from an actuator controller, and effectively integrates these signals until the controller has requested a large enough movement of the actuator that the actuator can actually effectuate. At this point, the system and method drive the actuator to the commanded position. As a result, excessive mechanical wear in the actuator caused by small command signal perturbations and dither is reduced or eliminated.
Claims21
A method of controlling an actuator, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at least one of an actuator close command and an actuator open command from an external primary controller;
- accumulating information relating to a duration of the at least one of the actuator close command and the actuator open command;
- and
- delaying driving the actuator until the accumulated information exceeds a predetermined threshold.
1 more element
A method of controlling an actuator, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at least one of an actuator close command and an actuator open command from an external primary controller;
- accumulating information relating to a duration of the at least one of the actuator close command and the actuator open command;
- driving the actuator when the accumulated information exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- wherein the step of driving the actuator when the accumulated information exceeds the predetermined threshold comprises the step of setting the predetermined threshold to a time value that provides an effective control response from the actuator;
- and
- wherein the step of accumulating information relating to the duration of the at least one of the actuator close command and the actuator open command is processed a predetermined number of times per second, and wherein the step of accumulating information comprises the steps of increasing a count by an integer when one of the actuator close command and the actuator open command is received and decreasing the count by the integer when the other of the actuator close command and the actuator open command is received.
3 more elements
A method of controlling an actuator, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at least one of an actuator close command and an actuator open command from an external primary controller;
- accumulating information relating to a duration of the at least one of the actuator close command and the actuator open command;
- driving the actuator when the accumulated information exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- and
- further comprising the step of reducing the accumulated information during the step of driving.
2 more elements
A method of controlling an actuator, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at least one of an actuator close command and an actuator open command from an external primary controller;
- accumulating information relating to a duration of the at least one of the actuator close command and the actuator open command;
- driving the actuator when the accumulated information exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- and
- further comprising at least one of the steps of disabling further accumulation of information relating to the duration of the actuator close command when the actuator is stalled closed, and disabling further accumulation of information relating to the duration of the actuator open command when the actuator is stalled open.
2 more elements
A method of controlling an actuator, comprising the steps of:
- receiving at least one of an actuator close command and an actuator open command from an external primary controller;
- accumulating information relating to a duration of the at least one of the actuator close command and the actuator open command;
- driving the actuator when the accumulated information exceeds a predetermined threshold;
- and
- wherein the step of driving the actuator when the accumulated information exceeds a predetermined threshold comprises the step of driving the actuator when the accumulated information indicates that one of the actuator drive open command and the actuator drive close command has accumulate to approximately one second.
2 more elements
A floating actuator control system for use in a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:
- a damper providing a variable opening to allow fluid communication from the HVAC system to a zone;
- a primary zone temperature controller positioned to sense ambient temperature of the zone, the primary zone temperature controller generating a damper close command and a damper open command, the primary zone temperature controller allowing the damper close command and the damper open command to float when movement of the damper is not required;
- an actuator drivably coupled to the damper;
- and
- a floating actuator controller operatively coupled to the actuator, the floating actuator controller configured to receive the damper close command and the damper open command from the primary zone temperature controller;
- and
- wherein the floating actuator controller receives at least one of the damper close command and the damper open command from primary zone temperature controller, accumulates information relating to a duration of the at least one of the damper close command and the damper open command, and drives the actuator when the accumulated information exceeds a predetermined threshold.
4 more elements
A method of controlling an actuator, comprising the steps of:
- incrementing an accumulated sum each cycle that an actuator open command is present;
- decrementing the accumulated sum each cycle that an actuator close command is present;
- driving the actuator open when the accumulated sum reaches a predetermined positive valve;
- and
- driving the actuator closed when the accumulated sum reaches a predetermined negative value.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.