# US 2014/0156089 A1 · Device and method for controlling a fluid actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156089 A1 - Document ID: US20140156089A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/089,301 - Filed: 2013-11-25 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-22 - Assignees: Eatonc Corporation - Applicants: Eaton Corporation - Inventors: Kevin E. Alstrin; Peter Lauer; Bert W. Robb - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156089A1 ## CPC - G05D 7/0635: {by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)} - F15B 21/08: Servomotor systems incorporating electrically operated control means (F15B21/02, {F15B21/065} take precedence) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A hydraulic actuator control system for controlling the motion of a master actuator and at least one slave actuator may include an external supervisory computer for sending command signals. A hydraulic control system may be connected to the master actuator and the supervisory computer. The hydraulic control system may include a microprocessor and a master hydraulic control valve for controlling the flow of a pressurized fluid to the master actuator based on the command signals. The hydraulic actuator control system may include at least one slave actuator having at least one slave sensor connected to the microprocessor and having at least one slave control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid to the slave actuator. The slave control valve and the slave sensor may be controlled by the microprocessor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hydraulic actuator control system for controlling the motion of a master actuator and at least one slave actuator comprising: an external supervisory computer for sending command signals; a hydraulic control system connected to said master actuator and connected to said supervisory computer, said hydraulic control system including a microprocessor and a master hydraulic control valve for controlling the flow of a pressurized fluid to said master actuator based on said command signals; and at least one slave actuator having at least one slave sensor connected to said microprocessor and having at least one slave control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid to said slave actuator, where said slave control valve and said slave sensor is controlled by said microprocessor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hydraulic actuator control system of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor includes an application control algorithm that is programmable by a user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hydraulic actuator control system of claim 1, further comprising a network bus interface connected to said microprocessor and connected to said slave actuator, wherein the at least one slave actuator receives commands via said network bus interface from said microprocessor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hydraulic actuator control system of claim 1, further comprising a flow controller and a pressure controller where said microprocessor selects to use either said flow controller or said pressure controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hydraulic actuator control system of claim 1, further comprising an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter connected to said microprocessor and to at least one external sensor and configured to digitize signals from said at least one external sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hydraulic actuator control system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a local communication bus connected to said microprocessor and to at least one of said slave sensor and slave control valve, and a global communication bus connected to said microprocessor and to said supervisory controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hydraulic actuator control system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to: generate at least one slave control valve command signal in response to said command signals received from said supervisory computer; and transmit said slave control valve command signal to said slave control valve; wherein said slave control valve is configured to move in response to receiving said slave control valve command signal so as to allow pressurized fluid to enter said slave actuator to cause said actuator to move, thereby causing said slave sensor to transmit a slave control signal indicating a changed position of said slave actuator to said microprocessor, and not to said supervisory computer during operation of said supervisory computer, for use in a closed loop control algorithm executed by said microprocessor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The hydraulic actuator control system of claim 7, wherein the microprocessor is configured to: generate a second slave control valve command signal in response to said command signals received from said supervisory computer; and transmit said second slave control valve command signal to said second slave control valve; wherein said second slave control valve is configured to move in response to receiving said second slave control valve command signal so as to allow pressurized fluid to enter a second slave actuator to cause said second actuator to move, thereby causing a second slave valve sensor to transmit a second slave control signal indicating a changed position to said microprocessor, and not to said supervisory computer, for use in a second closed loop control algorithm executed by said microprocessor. ### Claim 9 A device for controlling the motion of a master actuator and at least one slave actuator comprising: a controller including a programmable microprocessor and database connected to a master hydraulic control valve, said controller in communication with said master actuator and an external supervisory computer configured to send command signals to said controller, wherein said master hydraulic control valve controls the flow of a pressurized fluid to said master actuator based on said command signals; and at least one slave actuator having at least one slave sensor in communication with said controller and having at least one slave control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid to said slave actuator, where said slave control valve and said salve sensor are controlled by said microprocessor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the microprocessor includes an application control heuristic that is programmable by a user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising a network bus interface connected to said microprocessor and to said slave actuator, wherein said at least one slave actuator selectively receives commands via the network bus interface from said microprocessor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the microprocessor is configured to: generate at least one slave control valve command signal in response to said command signals received from said external supervisory computer; and transmit said slave control valve command signal to said slave control valve; wherein said slave control valve is configured to move in response to receiving said slave control valve command signal so as to allow pressurized fluid to enter said slave actuator causing said slave actuator to move, thereby causing said slave sensor to transmit a slave control signal indicating a changed position of said slave actuator to said microprocessor, and not to said supervisory computer during operation of said supervisory computer, for use in a closed loop control algorithm executed by said microprocessor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the controller includes a flow controller and a pressure controller where the microprocessor is configured to select either said flow controller or said pressure controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, further comprising at least one external sensor in communication with an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter connected to said microprocessor and configured to digitize signals from said at least one external sensor. ### Claim 15 A method of controlling a master actuator and at least one slave actuator, comprising: generating command signals via an external supervisory computer; receiving said command signals by a controller having a microprocessor and a database, said microprocessor programmable with control algorithms; communicating, via said controller, with a master hydraulic valve for controlling the flow of a pressurized fluid to said master actuator based on said command signals; monitoring at least one slave actuator via at least one slave sensor, said at least one slave sensor communicating to said controller a slave control signal; and controlling, via the controller, at least one salve control valve for managing the flow of pressurized fluid to said slave actuator in response to said slave control signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising monitoring, via said external supervisory computer, an operational state of said controller without monitoring said at least one slave actuator or fluid therein. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said controller communicates with at least one of said slave control valve and slave sensor via a local bus interface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said controller communicates with said external supervisory computer via a global bus interface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: generating, via the microprocessor, at least one slave control valve command signal in response to the command signals received by said supervisory computer; transmitting said slave control valve command signals to said slave control valve, wherein said slave control valve moves in response to receiving said slave control valve command signal so as to allow pressurized fluid to enter said slave actuator causing said slave actuator to move; receiving a slave control signal from said slave sensor indicating a changed position of said slave actuator; and executing a closed loop control algorithm in response to said received slave control signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: generating, via the microprocessor, a second slave control valve command signal in response to the command signals received from the supervisory computer; transmitting said second slave control valve command signal to a second slave control valve, wherein said second slave control valve moves in response to receiving said second slave control valve command signal so as to allow pressurized fluid to enter a second slave actuator causing said second actuator to move; receiving a second slave control signal from a second slave valve sensor indicating a changed position of said slave actuator; and executing a second closed loop control algorithm in response to said received second slave control signal.