Actuator control device and method
View Patent ↗A device for controlling an actuator includes an input interface that receives a plurality of input signals including a setpoint command signal and a feedback signal. An output interface provides a drive signal to the actuator. First, second, and third redundant loop controllers processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate respective actuator control signals. A primary controller compares the actuator control signals to determine whether at least two are substantially similar. The device outputs the drive signal to the actuator according to an actuator control signals that has been determined by the primary controller to be substantially similar to another. Any one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swappable with a replacement loop controller such that loop controller redundancy is operatively maintained by the device in controlling the actuator while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
1. A device for controlling an actuator, comprising:
an input interface for receiving a plurality of input signals, the input signals including a setpoint command signal and a feedback signal;
an output interface for providing a drive signal to the actuator;
a primary controller;
a first redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a first actuator control signal;
a second redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a second actuator control signal; and
a third redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a third actuator control signal,
wherein the primary controller compares the first actuator control signal, the second actuator control signal, and the third actuator control signal to determine whether at least one of the actuator control signals is substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals,
wherein the device outputs the drive signal to the actuator according to the at least one of the actuator control signals that has been determined by the primary controller to be substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals, and
wherein any one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller is hot swappable with a replacement loop controller such that loop controller redundancy is operatively maintained by the device in controlling the actuator while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the drive signal to the actuator is generated by one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the device outputs the drive signal to the actuator while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the primary controller performs two-out-of-three voting using the first actuator control signal, the second actuator control signal, and the third actuator control signal to determine whether at least one of the actuator control signals is substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a valve actuator, and the device and the valve actuator together maintain normal control and actuation of a valve while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped and while the replacement loop controller is subsequently calibrated by the device.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the replacement loop controller is calibrated by the device without fully stroking the valve to calibrate the replacement loop controller after the replacement loop controller is installed in the device.
7. A device for controlling an actuator, comprising:
an input interface for receiving a plurality of input signals, the input signals including a setpoint command signal and a feedback signal;
an output interface for providing a drive signal to the actuator;
a primary controller;
a first redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a first actuator control signal;
a second redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a second actuator control signal;
a third redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a third actuator control signal; and
a memory associated with at least one of the primary controller, the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller, the memory storing calibration parameters for processing the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal;
wherein the primary controller compares the first actuator control signal, the second actuator control signal, and the third actuator control signal to determine whether at least one of the actuator control signals is substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals,
wherein the device outputs the drive signal to the actuator according to the at least one of the actuator control signals that has been determined by the primary controller to be substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals, and
wherein any one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller is hot swappable with a replacement loop controller, and the device loads the calibration parameters for processing the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal from the memory into the replacement loop controller when one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the drive signal to the actuator is generated by one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device outputs the drive signal to the actuator while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the primary controller performs two-out-of-three voting using the first actuator control signal, the second actuator control signal, and the third actuator control signal to determine whether at least one of the actuator control signals is substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals.
11. The device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator is a valve actuator, and the device and the valve actuator together maintain normal control and actuation of a valve while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped and while the replacement loop controller is subsequently calibrated.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the replacement loop controller is calibrated by the device without fully stroking the valve to calibrate the replacement loop controller after the replacement loop controller is installed in the device.
13. The device of claim 7 , wherein loop controller redundancy is operatively maintained by the device in controlling the actuator while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the calibration parameters loaded into the replacement loop controller match parameters in the one of the redundant loop controllers that is hot swapped.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the calibration parameters loaded into the replacement loop controller fully calibrate the replacement loop controller to control the actuator such that additional calibration of the replacement loop controller is unnecessary.
16. A device for controlling an actuator, comprising:
an input interface for receiving a plurality of input signals, the input signals including a setpoint command signal and a feedback signal;
an output interface for providing a drive signal to the actuator;
a first redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a first actuator control signal;
a second redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a second actuator control signal; and
a third redundant loop controller that processes the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal to generate a third actuator control signal;
a memory associated with at least one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller, the memory storing calibration parameters for processing the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal,
wherein the device outputs the drive signal to the actuator according to at least one of the actuator control signals, and
wherein any one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller is hot swappable with a replacement loop controller such that loop controller redundancy is operatively maintained by the device in controlling the actuator while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped, and the device loads the calibration parameters for processing the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal from the memory into the replacement loop controller when one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the drive signal to the actuator is generated by one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the device outputs the drive signal to the actuator while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped.
19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the actuator is a valve actuator, and the device and the valve actuator together maintain normal control and actuation of a valve while one of the redundant loop controllers is hot swapped and while the replacement loop controller is subsequently calibrated.
20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the replacement loop controller is calibrated by the device without fully stroking the valve to calibrate the replacement loop controller after the replacement loop controller is installed in the device.
21. The device of claim 16 , wherein the calibration parameters loaded into the replacement loop controller match parameters in the one of the redundant loop controllers that is hot swapped.
22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the calibration parameters loaded into the replacement loop controller fully calibrate the replacement loop controller to control the actuator such that additional calibration of the replacement loop controller is unnecessary.
23. A method for controlling a valve actuator by a valve controller, comprising the steps of:
receiving a plurality of input signals, the input signals including an setpoint command signal and a feedback signal;
generating a first actuator control signal by a first redundant loop controller based on the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal;
generating a second actuator control signal by a second redundant loop controller based on the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal;
generating a third actuator control signal by a third redundant loop controller based on the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal;
comparing the first actuator control signal, the second actuator control signal, and the third actuator control signal;
determining whether at least one of the actuator control signals is substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals;
outputting a drive signal to the valve actuator according to the at least one of the actuator control signals that is determined to be substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals;
receiving, by the valve controller, a replacement loop controller as a hot swapped replacement for one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller;
maintaining redundant control of the valve actuator by two of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller while said one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller is hot swapped; and
automatically loading stored calibration parameters for processing the setpoint command signal and the feedback signal into the replacement loop controller, wherein the calibration parameters match parameters in said one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller that is hot swapped.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the step of determining whether at least one of the actuator control signals is substantially similar to another of the actuator control signals includes two-out-of-three voting.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the valve controller and the valve actuator together maintain normal control and actuation of a valve while said one of the first redundant loop controller, the second redundant loop controller, and the third redundant loop controller is hot swapped and while the replacement loop controller is subsequently automatically calibrated.