Reprogrammable smart actuator or refrigerated cabinet with web server
An actuator includes a motor, a drive member coupled to the motor and structured to transfer movement from the motor to an external mechanism, and a control chip configured to host a web server, connect with a wireless communication network and provide access to the web server via the wireless communication network, and control the motor using reprogrammable control logic. The reprogrammable control logic is adjustable by a user via the web server and the wireless communication network.
1 . An actuator, comprising:
a motor;
a drive member coupled to the motor and structured to transfer movement from the motor to an external mechanism; and
a control chip coupled to the motor and configured to:
host a web server, wherein the web server provides a web page;
provide access to the web page via a wireless communication network; and
control the motor using reprogrammable control logic, wherein the reprogrammable control logic is adjustable by a user via the web page.
2 . The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the web page is configured to provide a dashboard showing visualizations relating to operation of the actuator.
3 . The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the web page provides an option to change a setpoint for the reprogrammable control logic.
4 . The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a housing containing the motor and the control chip, wherein the web server enables a user device to access the web page via the wireless communication network without requiring an Internet connection.
5 . The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the control chip comprises an input pin configured to receive a signal from a sensor.
6 . The actuator of claim 5 , wherein the reprogrammable control logic causes the control chip to control the motor as a function of the signal from the sensor.
7 . A system comprising:
a personal computing device; and
an actuator comprising:
a motor;
a drive member coupled to the motor and structured to transfer movement from the motor to an external mechanism; and
a control chip coupled to the motor and configured to:
host a web page;
provide the personal computing device with direct access to the web page via a wireless communication network; and
control the motor using reprogrammable control logic, wherein the reprogrammable control logic is reprogrammable via user inputs to the web page via the personal computing device.
8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a supervisory controller of a building management system, wherein the supervisory controller is communicable with the control chip via the wireless communication network and is configured to provide a parameter used by the reprogrammable control logic.
9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a cloud-based computing resource, wherein the supervisory controller and the personal computing device are communicable with the cloud-based computing resource.
10 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a fan, wherein the control chip is configured to control a speed of the fan.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the actuator further comprises a housing containing the motor and the control chip.
12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the personal computing device stores a plurality of selectable control modules and allows a user to reprogram the control chip by selecting a subset of the selectable control modules for the control chip to execute.
13 . A refrigerated cabinet, comprising:
a refrigeration circuit; and
a thermostat coupled to the refrigeration circuit and comprising a control chip configured to:
host a web server, wherein the web server provides a web page;
provide access to the web page via a wireless communication network;
control operation of the refrigeration circuit using reprogrammable control logic; and
provide information relating to the operation of the refrigeration circuit on the web page.
14 . The refrigerated cabinet of claim 13 , wherein the web server is configured to provide the information as a dashboard on the web page.
15 . The refrigerated cabinet of claim 13 , wherein the reprogrammable control logic is reprogrammable via the web server and the wireless communication network based on user inputs to the web page via a personal computing device communicating with the web server without requiring an Internet connection.
16 . The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 , wherein the reprogrammable control logic is reprogrammable by activating a subset of a plurality of selectable control modules and deselecting a remainder of the selectable control modules.
17 . The refrigerated cabinet of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of selectable control modules define a plurality of different control logic comprising temperature feedback control logic, temperature alarm logic, defrost logic, and fault detection logic.
18 . The refrigerated cabinet of claim 13 , comprising a case defining a volume cooled by the refrigeration circuit, wherein the thermostat is positioned in the case.
19 . The refrigerated cabinet of claim 18 , wherein the case is a refrigerated display case.
20 . The refrigerated cabinet of claim 18 , wherein the case defines walls of a walk-in freezer and the control chip is configured to operate at temperatures at least as low as −40 C.