Motor drive with integrated server module

A motor drive comprising:

• a motor drive module integrated in the motor drive, the motor drive module comprising:
• drive control circuitry that generates control signals in operation;
• and
• a plurality of solid state switches that are switched in operation via a pulse width modulated control regime in response to the control signals generated by the drive control circuitry to control current and voltage to an electric motor;
• and
• a server module integrated in the motor drive with the motor drive module such that the server module is in communication with the motor drive module in operation, the server module in operation storing at least one user-viewable page and communicating the stored at least one user-viewable page from the motor drive via a network communications medium for receipt by a remote monitoring and/or control terminal;
• wherein the drive control circuitry further comprises at least one interface configured to communicate with a separate programmable controller, but the motor drive is configured for stand-alone operation for control of the electric motor;
• wherein the server module in operation stores executable programs in the motor drive, enables execution of the stored executable programs by the remote monitoring and/or control terminal via the motor drive, and enables at least one of the executable programs to be transferred to the motor drive from the remote monitoring and/or control terminal;
• and
• wherein the integration of the server module and the drive module enables components of both the server module and the drive module to be configured together in a single operation and/or upgraded together in a single coordinated operation.

A method of operating a motor drive including a drive module comprising drive control circuitry that generates control signals and a plurality of solid state switches controlled in response to the control signals generated by the drive control circuitry to regulate current and voltage applied to a motor, and including a server module that is integrated in the motor drive with the drive module, the method comprising:

• via the server module that is integrated in the motor drive with the drive module that comprises the drive control circuitry and the plurality of solid state switches controlled to regulate current and voltage applied to the motor:
• storing a web page in a memory of the motor drive accessible by the server module;
• accessing the stored web page;
• sending the stored web page from the server module onto an internet-type communications medium for receipt by a terminal;
• receiving a communication arriving from the terminal at the server module via the internet-type communications medium;
• storing executable programs in the motor drive, enabling execution of the stored executable programs by the terminal via the motor drive, and enabling at least one of the executable programs to be transferred to the motor drive from the terminal;
• and
• through the integration of the server module and the drive module, enabling components of both the server module and the drive module to be configured together in a single operation and/or upgraded together in a single coordinated operation;
• and
• switching conductive states of the plurality of solid state switches of the drive module to control power flow to the motor;
• wherein the drive control circuitry further comprises at least one interface configured to communicate with a separate programmable controller, but the motor drive is configured for stand-alone operation for control of the electric motor.