Method for programming an electric motor and electric motor

Abstract

 The invention relates to a method for programming an electric motor comprising an integrated programmable digital control unit and a programming interface and an electric motor programmable by the method. The method is comprising the steps of connecting a control unit programming device to the interface, establishing a transmission channel between the motor and the programming device and transmitting program information data from the programming device to the motor and storing the program information data in the motor, wherein said connection between the motor and the programming device is a wireless remote connection.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a method for programming an electric motor comprising an integrated programmable digital control unit and a programming interface and an electric motor programmable by the method. The method is comprising the steps of connecting a control unit programming device to the interface, establishing a transmission channel between the motor and the programming device and transmitting program information data from the programming device to the motor and storing the program information data in the motor.

[0002] In order to make adjustments of drive specific parameters to be made just one time (or seldom) in an electric motor with integrated digital control and without a permanent bus access to an external control unit, which is usual for electric motors for low cost purposes, an interface is necessary that is accessible from outside a device wherein the motor is implemented.

[0003] According to prior art the connection leading outwards and being required for programming is made by means of a connector for personal computer (PC) connection.

[0004] In EP 0776 082 B1 and US 4,763,017 electric motors having a system including an interface to control the motor are enclosed. The system is comprising optical transmission lines for transmitting data between control units and the motor.

[0005] A disadvantage of the existing programming methods is that the connectors must be sealed to be tightly closed, according to industrial standard IP 65, which leads to huge costs and space requirements. When the electric motor is built in a device (installed situation) the connector often is no longer or at least hardly accessible. The possibility for optimizing adjustments or programming after installing the motor is to be foreseen separately at extra costs. Parameters of replacement motors can only be adjusted with a PC connected to the motor via the connector at the end customer.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for programming an electric motor and an electric motor which overcome the problems associated with the related art, in particular which can be used for programming the motor or be programmed while the motor is being built in, in a device where the motor is difficult to be accessed.

[0007] This object is attained by the method for programming an electric motor according to claim 1.

[0008] Further advantageous features of the invention are defined in the depending claims.

[0009] The inventive method for programming an electric motor comprising an integrated programmable digital control unit and a programming interface is comprising the steps of connecting a control unit programming device to the interface and establishing a transmission channel between the motor and the programming device. After that program information data is transmitted from the programming device to the motor and the program information data is stored in the motor, e.g. in a data storage device of the motor. According to the invention, said connection between the motor and the programming device is a wireless remote connection.

[0010] By applying the inventive method programming data can easily be transmitted to the electronic motor without having to connect a connector to the motor. Using a wireless remote connection results in the possibility to transfer data to the motor even when it is built in, in a device (target application) in a kind that it cannot be reached without disassembling the device. The inventive method is easily realised, as the different steps of the method can be performed using well-known elements.

[0011] Preferably, said remote connection uses optical rays, preferably infrared rays, to transmit the program information data from the programming device to the motor. By implementing the remote connection using optical rays the operation and/or programming of the motor is possible also without PC and/or PC connection by means of an infrared remote control.

[0012] According to the invention, the object concerning an electric motor is achieved by an electric motor comprising an integrated programmable digital control unit and a programming interface, wherein said programming interface is comprising means to receive program information data from a wireless remote programming device. By using the inventive electric motor there is only minimal constructive effort in the target application to achieve the advantages of the inventive method. The only restriction is that the means to receive program information must not be positioned in a way that it is shielded from being reached by a wireless remote programming device, e.g. it has to be visible if an infrared remote control is used as the wireless remote programming device. The inventive electric motor is very cost effective in fabrication as the elements to produce wireless remote connections are mass production parts.

[0013] Preferably, said means to receive program information data are comprising an optical sensor, preferably an infrared sensor. To establish a wireless remote connection the usage of an optical sensor is the most common and most secure way for transferring data. And therefore it is the most appropriate way to achieve the advantages provided by the inventive method.

[0014] It is very advantageous if the inventive motor is comprising a window, preferably a sealed window through which said means to receive program information data can receive said program information data. The window can be positioned in a wall of a case of the motor. With this preferred embodiment of the invention an IP 65 degree of protection is easily realizable.

[0015] In another embodiment of the invention, said means to receive program information data are fixed outside the motor. If the means to receive program information data are fixed outside the motor, they can be positioned in a place where they can be reached by, for example, infrared rays. Preferably, this embodiment is used if the motor is positioned in a place in a device, where optical rays could not reach the means to receive program information of the motor, if they were positioned nearby the motor.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the invention, a system by which the steps of the inventive method can be carried out, is provided. The inventive system is comprising an electric motor according to the invention and a remote programming device, preferably an infrared remote control or a personal computer being prepared to communicate remotely, preferably via an infrared interface or a bluetooth interface with the inventive motor.

[0017] The different features of the preferred embodiments of the invention may be used in combination together with the invention as set forth in the independent claims or just each single preferred embodiment together with the invention as set forth in the independent claims.

[0018] The embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0019] In fig. 1 a system according to the invention, comprising an inventive electric motor 1 and a remote control 10 is shown. The electric motor 1, e.g. a brushless DC motor, is provided with an integrated digital control circuit 2 which is programmable and with a programming interface 3 for specifying operating parameters, connected to the control circuit. The control circuit can be provided with a data storage, wherein the programming data can be stored. The interface 3 includes an optical sensor having contact to the outside via a sealed window 4, which is built into the wall of a case of the motor. The connection is made in an optical manner via the window that can easily be sealed and also be cleaned. Alternatively, the optical sensor can be fixed outside the motor, preferably at a place where it can be reached easily and will not be polluted. The operation is done by means of a PC or with an infrared remote control 10. The programming interface 3, for example an optical sensor, is visible from a point where the optical remote control 10 is used. In the figure thereto an infrared beam 11, which is emitted from the remote control 10, reaches the optical sensor being part of the programming interface 3. The programming data is transmitted from the remote control 10 to the programming interface 3 of the motor 1 by using the infrared rays of the infrared beam building the wireless remote connection 11. The infrared remote control 10 as a programming device is connected to the interface 3 and a transmission channel is established via the infrared beam between the programming device and the motor 1. The transmitted data is stored for example in a data storage being part of the control unit 2.

Claims

1. A method for programming an electric motor 1 comprising an integrated programmable digital control unit 2 and a programming interface, comprising the steps of

- connecting a control unit programming device 10 to the interface;

- establishing a transmission channel between the motor 1 and the programming device 10;

- transmitting program information data from the programming device 10 to the motor 1 and storing the program information data in the motor 1,

characterised in that
said connection between the motor and the programming device is a wireless remote connection 11.

2. The method according to claim 1,
characterised in that said remote connection 11 uses optical rays, preferably infrared rays to transmit the program information data.

3. An electric motor, comprising
an integrated programmable digital control unit 2 and a programming interface;
characterised in that
said programming interface is comprising means 3 to receive program information data from a wireless remote programming device 10.

4. The electric motor according to claim 3,
characterised in that said means 3 to receive program information data are comprising an optical sensor, preferably an infrared sensor.

5. The electric motor according to claim 4,
characterised in that the motor is comprising a window 4, preferably a sealed window through which said means 3 to receive program information data can receive said program information data.

6. The electric motor according to claim 4,
characterised in that said means 3 to receive program information data are fixed outside the motor 1.

7. A system by which the steps of the method according to claim 1 can be carried out, comprising
an electric motor 1 according to claim 3 and a remote programming device, preferably an infrared remote control 10 or a personal computer being prepared to communicate remotely, preferably via an infrared interface or a bluetooth interface.

Drawing