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US 8,118,058 B2Granted
Variable frequency and amplitude dither for electronically controlled valves
AssigneeEnfield Technologies, LLC
InventorsDaniel S. Cook, Roger Edwin Howe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is disclosed that includes allowing both frequency and amplitude of a periodic waveform to be adjusted. The method also includes creating the periodic waveform having the frequency and the amplitude. The periodic waveform is coupled to at least one control signal. The at least one control signal is provided to an output suitable for coupling to an actuator of an electronically controlled device. An apparatus and computer program product are disclosed.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- for each of a plurality of potential frequencies for a testing periodic waveform, adjusting, by a processor, a frequency of the testing periodic waveform to be the potential frequency and determining an associated extent of stiction of an electronically controlled device based on an output of the device when the adjusted testing periodic waveform is used;
- selecting, by the processor, one of the plurality of potential frequencies as a selected frequency based at least in part on the associated extent of stiction;
- for each of a plurality of potential amplitudes for the testing periodic waveform, adjusting, by the processor, the amplitude of the testing periodic waveform to be the potential amplitude and determining an associated extent of stiction of the electronically controlled device based on an output of the device when the adjusted testing periodic waveform is used;
- selecting, by the processor, one of the plurality of potential amplitudes as a selected amplitude based at least in part on the associated extent of stiction;
- creating an operational periodic waveform having the selected frequency and the selected amplitude;
- coupling the operational periodic waveform to at least one control signal to generate a modified control signal;
- and
- providing the modified control signal to an output circuit that is coupled to an actuator of the electronically controlled device.
5 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- electronic dither circuitry configured to create a periodic waveform having a frequency and amplitude, wherein the electronic dither circuitry is further configured to allow both the frequency and the amplitude to be adjusted;
- coupling circuitry configured to couple the periodic waveform to at least one control signal to generate a modified control signal;
- feedback sensor circuitry configured to determine an output of an electronically controlled device;
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one computer-readable medium storing program instructions, execution of the program instructions causing the apparatus to perform at least the following:
- for each of a plurality of potential frequencies for a given periodic waveform, adjusting a frequency of the given periodic waveform to be the potential frequency and determining an associated extent of stiction of the electronically controlled device based on the output of the device when the adjusted periodic waveform is used,
- selecting one of the plurality of potential frequencies as a selected frequency based at least in part on the associated extent of stiction,
- for each of a plurality of potential amplitudes for the given periodic waveform, adjusting the amplitude of the given periodic waveform to be the potential amplitude and determining an associated extent of stiction of the electronically controlled device based on the output of the device when the adjusted periodic waveform is used, and
- selecting one of the plurality of potential amplitudes as a selected amplitude based at least in part on the associated extent of stiction;
- and
- output circuitry configured to couple the modified control signal to an actuator of the electronically controlled device.
9 more elements
A non-transitory computer program product comprising program instructions embodied on a tangible computer-readable medium, execution of the program instructions resulting in operations comprising:
- for each of a plurality of potential frequencies for a testing periodic waveform, adjusting a frequency of the testing periodic waveform to be the potential frequency and determining an associated extent of stiction of an electronically controlled device based on an output of the device when the adjusted testing periodic waveform is used;
- selecting one of the plurality of potential frequencies as a selected frequency based at least in part on the associated extent of stiction;
- for each of a plurality of potential amplitudes for the testing periodic waveform, adjusting an amplitude of the testing periodic waveform to be the potential amplitude and determining an associated extent of stiction of the electronically controlled device based on the output of the device when the adjusted testing periodic waveform is used;
- selecting one of the plurality of potential amplitudes as a selected amplitude based at least in part on the associated extent of stiction;
- creating an operational periodic waveform having the selected frequency and the selected amplitude;
- coupling the operational periodic waveform to at least one control signal to generate a modified control signal;
- and
- providing the modified control signal to an output circuit that is coupled to an actuator of the electronically controlled device.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.