Method, System, and Computer Program Product for Calibrating an Actuator

A method for calibrating an actuator, comprising:

• (i) controlling, with at least one processor, an electronically commutated motor to drive an actuator member of the actuator away from a mechanical stop until a reference sensor is triggered by the actuator member;
• (ii) storing, with the at least one processor, in a memory, a position of the electronically commutated motor at which the actuator member of the actuator triggered the reference sensor;
• (iii) controlling, with the at least one processor, the electronically commutated motor to drive the actuator member a current search distance from the stored position toward the mechanical stop;
• (iv) controlling, with the at least one processor, the electronically commutated motor to drive the actuator member from an end of the current search distance toward the reference sensor until the reference sensor is triggered by the actuator member;
• (v) in response to triggering the reference sensor with the actuator member, comparing, with the at least one processor, a current position of the electronically commutated motor at which the reference sensor is triggered by the actuator member to the stored position of the electronically commutated motor;
• and
• (vi) one of:
• (a) in response to determining that the current position of the electronically commutated motor is different than the stored position of the electronically commutated motor, determining, with the at least one processor, that the actuator member encountered the mechanical stop, decreasing the current search distance a current incremental amount, and repeating steps (iii) (vi);
• and
• (b) in response to determining that the current position of the electronically commutated motor is the same as the stored position of the electronically commutated motor, determining, with the at least one processor, whether the actuator member encountered the mechanical stop for the current search distance plus the current incremental amount and one of:
• (1) in response to determining that the actuator member did not encounter the mechanical stop at the current search distance plus the current incremental amount, increasing, with the at least one processor, the current search distance by the current incremental amount and repeating steps (iii)-(vi);
• and
• (2) in response to determining that the actuator member encountered the mechanical stop at the current search distance plus the current incremental amount, determining, with the at least one processor, based on the current search distance and the current search distance plus the current incremental amount, a distance for accurately positioning the actuator member relative to the mechanical stop.

A system, comprising:

• at least one processor coupled to a memory and configured to:
• control an electronically commutated motor to drive an actuator member of an actuator away from a mechanical stop until a reference sensor is triggered by the actuator member;
• determine a position of the electronically commutated motor at which the actuator member of the actuator triggered the reference sensor;
• control the electronically commutated motor to repeatedly reciprocate the actuator member varying search distances from the position toward the mechanical stop and back to triggering the reference sensor until two reciprocated search distances from the position, which are at least a portion of a commutation step of the electronically commutated motor apart, are detected;
• and
• determine, based on the two reciprocated search distances, a distance for accurately positioning the actuator member relative to the mechanical stop.

A system, comprising:

• at least one processor coupled to a memory and configured to:
• (i) control an electronically commutated motor to drive an actuator member of an actuator away from a mechanical stop until a reference sensor is triggered by the actuator member;
• (ii) store, in a memory, a position of the electronically commutated motor at which the actuator member of the actuator triggered the reference sensor;
• (iii) control the electronically commutated motor to drive the actuator member a current search distance from the stored position toward the mechanical stop;
• (iv) control the electronically commutated motor to drive the actuator member from an end of the current search distance toward the reference sensor until the reference sensor is triggered by the actuator member;
• (v) in response to triggering the reference sensor with the actuator member, compare a current position of the electronically commutated motor at which the reference sensor is triggered by the actuator member to the stored position of the electronically commutated motor;
• and
• (vi) one of:
• (a) in response to determining that the current position of the electronically commutated motor is different than the stored position of the electronically commutated motor, determine that the actuator member encountered the mechanical stop, decreasing the current search distance a current incremental amount, and repeating steps (iii)-(vi);
• and
• (b) in response to determining that the current position of the electronically commutated motor is the same as the stored position of the electronically commutated motor, determine whether the actuator member encountered the mechanical stop for the current search distance plus the current incremental amount and one of:
• (1) in response to determining that the actuator member did not encounter the mechanical stop at the current search distance plus the current incremental amount, increase the current search distance by the current incremental amount and repeating steps (iii) (vi);
• and
• (2) in response to determining that the actuator member encountered the mechanical stop at the current search distance plus the current incremental amount, determine, based on the current search distance and the current search distance plus the current incremental amount, a distance for accurately positioning the actuator member relative to the mechanical stop.