Actuator controller for monitoring health and status of the actuator and/or other equipment

1. A device for controlling an actuator, said device comprising:

a controller mounted within an explosion-proof housing having an outer surface, said controller being adapted for controlling one or more outputs connected to the actuator for controlling an operation of the actuator;

a data input interface for receiving data from the actuator and/or from other equipment being acted on by said actuator;

a memory for storing expected parameters of said actuator;

an operator interface provided on the outer surface of the housing for accepting operator commands and/or settings for input to said controller; and

a display on the outer surface of the housing for displaying an output of said controller, wherein

said controller is adapted for comparing said data, and/or derived parameters of said data, with said expected parameters, to monitor a health and status of one or both of the actuator and the other equipment, wherein

said controller is further adapted to indicate the health and the status to the operator utilizing said display, wherein

said controller is also adapted for executing a pre-programmed dynamic step response test of the actuator for generating said data, and wherein the pre-programmed dynamic step response test is executed under a normal operating condition of the actuator without taking the actuator off-line, and wherein

said controller is also adapted to indicate actuator thrusts and respective corresponding positions that occur during the pre-programmed dynamic step response test, utilizing said display.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein: said controller is also adapted for determining an impending failure of one or both of the actuator and the other equipment based on said comparing, and

said controller is further adapted for notifying the operator or another operator of the impending failure.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a primary controller, the device further comprising:

a backup controller mounted within the explosion-proof housing; and

means for monitoring for a failure of said primary controller; wherein

said device is adapted for automatically switching from said primary controller to said backup controller upon detecting the failure of said primary controller, such that the functions of said controlling of said one or more outputs, said providing of said operator inputs, and said displaying an output are all transferred from said primary controller to said backup controller upon said automatic switching.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said health and status are indicated to a remote operator accessing said device via the Internet.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein an image, captured by a camera, of the actuator and/or other equipment is displayed to the remote operator accessing said device via the Internet.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein

said controller is adapted for serving data to a remote terminal, operated by a remote operator, said remote terminal connected to said device via a computer network and adapted to receive said served data in order to:

reproduce graphically said display on a display of the remote terminal for viewing by a remote operator of said remote terminal such that the remote operator can view said output of said controller, and

reproduce or emulate said operator interface on said remote terminal for said remote operator entering said operator commands and/or settings for input to said controller from the remote location.