Patent Application
20220407398
The present description relates generally to electronic circuits, and specifically to a rotary electric machine with a programmable interface.
Rotary electric machines such as motor devices or generators are typically controlled by electronic motor drives that can provide sophisticated control of the rotary electric machine. As an example, motor drives can control operational parameters such as speed and position of rotary electric machines. Motor drives and associated logic controllers can also be configured to operate the rotary electric machine based on operational characteristics of the rotary electric machine. For example, exterior sensors can be installed to rotary electric machines to provide a measure of the operational characteristics of the motor, such as position (e.g., via encoders), speed, temperature (e.g., via environment sensors), or any of a variety of other parameters. Such sensors can be provided external to the rotary electric machine, and can thus be susceptible to damage and to errors resulting from exterior positioning. Furthermore, such sensors provide a specific type of output data format that requires the motor drive or the logic controller to be compatible with the output data format.
One example includes a rotary electric machine. The device includes at least one sensor. Each of the at least one sensor can be configured to provide a sensor signal in a first data format, the sensor signal providing an indication of a respective one of a plurality of operational characteristics of the rotary electric machine. The device also includes a programmable interface configured to receive the sensor signal from each of the at least one sensor and to translate the first data format associated with each of the at least one sensor into a second data format associated with a respective type of sensor corresponding to the respective at least one sensor and to provide at least one output signal in the second data format. Each of the at least one output signal can correspond to at least one of the operational characteristics.
Another example includes a rotary electric machine. The device includes at least one sensor. Each of the at least one sensor can be configured to provide a sensor signal providing an indication of a respective one of a plurality of operational characteristics of the rotary electric machine. The device also includes a programmable interface comprising a non-volatile memory. The programmable interface can be configured to receive the sensor signal from each of the at least one sensor and to implement an operational data monitoring algorithm configured to store the operational characteristics associated with the sensor signal of each of the at least one sensor in real time in the memory during operation of the rotary electric machine to generate a stored history of the operational characteristics of the rotary electric machine.
Another example includes a rotary electric machine. The device includes at least one heater device arranged within a machine housing associated with the rotary electric machine. The at least one heater device can be configured to provide thermal energy within the machine housing. The device also includes a programmable interface arranged integral with the machine housing. The programmable interface being configured to implement a thermal control algorithm to selectively activate and deactivate each of the at least one heater device in response to at least one predetermined condition.
Another example includes a rotary electric machine. The device includes at least one feedback sensor. Each of the at least one feedback sensor can be configured to provide a sensor signal in a first data format. The sensor signal can provide an indication of a rotation characteristic of the rotary electric machine. The device also includes a programmable interface configured to receive the sensor signal from each of the at least one feedback sensor and to translate the first data format associated with each of the at least one feedback sensor into a second data format associated with a respective type of feedback sensor and to provide at least one output signal in the second data format. Each of the at least one output signal can correspond to the respective rotation characteristic of the rotary electric machine. The programmable interface can include a programming interface port configured to receive a programming input signal that is configured to provide the second data format associated with each of the at least one feedback sensor as any of a plurality of different data formats associated with feedback sensors.
The present description relates generally to electronic circuits, and specifically to a rotary electric machine with a programmable interface. A rotary electric machine, as described herein, includes a programmable interface that can provide extended functionality of the rotary electric machine, such as implementing operational algorithms and providing dynamic data formats for one or more sensors that are manufactured as a part of the rotary electric machine. As an example, the programmable interface can also be manufactured as a part of the rotary electric machine, such that the programmable interface is fixed to (e.g., mechanically coupled to) or formed integrally with a machine housing of the rotary electric machine. The programmable interface can be configured, for example, to translate a data format associated with at least one sensor associated with the rotary electric machine from a first data format to a second data format, where the first and second data formats are different data formats of a plurality of data formats that are associated with the specific type of sensor of the respective sensor(s).
As an example, the programmable interface can include a programming interface port that enables programming (e.g., a software, firmware, or configuration settings update) of the programmable interface, via an external computer device (e.g., laptop computer, tablet computer, etc.). As described herein, the term “programming interface port” can refer to a physical plug-in port of any of a variety of data formats (e.g., ethernet), or can refer to a wireless transceiver to facilitate wireless communication (e.g., Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) with the programmable interface via the external computer device. Therefore, the signal data format of the sensor data that is output from the programmable interface can be dynamic to facilitate interpretation of any of a variety of data formats by the drive system (e.g., motor drive) or the programmable controller, regardless of the native data format that is output from the respective sensor(s) itself.
In addition, the programmable interface can implement a variety of control algorithms for operating the rotary electric machine. For example, the programmable interface can implement a thermal control algorithm to provide sufficient heat inside the rotary electric machine to protect the rotary electric machine from corrosion. As an example, the thermal control algorithm can be implemented based on temperature data received from one or more environment sensors associated with the rotary electric machine. As another example, the programmable interface can generate real-time operational characteristic data that can be saved in memory as a stored history. Therefore, the stored history can be downloaded (e.g., via the programming interface port) to facilitate troubleshooting of the operation of the rotary electric machine and statistical analysis of the rotary electric machine operation.
In the example of
The machine housing 104 can correspond to the mechanical housing that surrounds, encloses, and/or protects the operational components of the rotary electric machine 100, such as including one or more mechanically coupled enclosure boxes (e.g., junction box(es)). Therefore, as described herein, the inclusion of components of the rotary electric machine 100 as being in the machine housing 104 describes that the components are housed within the machine housing 104 and/or associated junction box(es) or other enclosures thereon. In the example of
The I/O ports 106 can include input ports that are each coupled to one of the sensor(s) 108 to receive a sensor signal associated with each of the sensor(s) 108 that corresponds to the operational characteristic of rotary electric machine 100 as measured by the respective sensor(s) 108. Therefore, each of the input ports can be associated with a respective sensor, and can thus correspond to a sensor channel. For example, the operational characteristic that is monitored by the respective sensor(s) 108 can include any of a variety of parameters, such as voltage, current, speed, position, temperature, power phase, control angle, phase angle, vibration amplitude, coolant flow rate, or any of a variety of other rotary electric machine operational characteristics. For example, a given one of the sensor(s) 108 can correspond to a feedback sensor that is implemented to monitor position and/or rotation characteristics of the rotary electric machine 100, such as position angle and/or rotation speed, to provide drive control of the rotary electric machine 100 (e.g., via a motor drive) in a feedback manner. As an example, each of the sensor(s) 108 can be configured to provide a respective data signal in a first data format that can correspond to a native data format associated with the respective sensor 108 to provide the respective monitored operational characteristic to the programmable interface 102 via a respective input port of the I/O ports 106. As another example, as described in greater detail herein, the sensor(s) 108 can include redundant sensors 108 that can monitor the same rotary electric machine operational characteristics.
The I/O ports 106 also includes output ports that can electrically couple to output signal lines to provide communicative coupling of the programmable interface 102 to an associated control system. Therefore, each of the output ports of the I/O ports 106 can correspond to a sensor channel, and can thus be associated with a respective sensor that is electrically coupled to one of the input ports of the I/O ports. As described herein, the term “associated control system” refers to one or more external control devices, such as a computer system, an associated drive system (e.g., a motor drive or generator controller), and/or an associated logic controller (e.g., programmable logic controller (PLC)). As described herein, the term “output signal line” refers to one or more conductors that form a wire or cable, or a wireless channel, on which a single respective output signal propagates on a respective sensor channel. As described herein, the output ports can provide output signals that correspond to the monitored operational characteristics of the respective sensor(s) 108. As described herein, the programmable interface 102 can be configured to implement a sensor data translation layer to translate the first data format into a second data format for the signal output from each of the sensor(s) 108. As an example, the second data format can correspond to a different data format relative to the first data format, and can be associated with one of a plurality of different data formats associated with the type of sensor of the respective one of the sensor(s) 108.
As described herein, the term “data format” refers to an electrical or logical communication interface in which data provided from a signal is interpreted. The electrical or logical communication interface can thus correspond to a wire, a set of wires, or a cable that propagates an information-carrying signal (e.g., analog, digital, coded, etc.) that communicates the operational characteristic for which the respective sensor(s) 108 provides an indication. As described herein, the terms “first data format”, “second data format”, and “third data format” refer to a data format associated with a sensor type of each respective one sensor of the sensor(s) 108. Therefore, a “first data format” for one sensor of the sensor(s) 108 can be different from a “first data format” for another sensor of the sensor(s) 108, such as based on the one sensor and the other sensor of the sensor(s) 108 being different types of sensors. Similarly, a “second data format” for one sensor of the sensor(s) 108 can be different from a “second data format” for another sensor of the sensor(s) 108, such as based on the one sensor and the other sensor of the sensor(s) 108 being different types of sensors. Therefore, the terms “first data format”, “second data format”, and “third data format” can refer to different data formats for a given sensor type of each of the sensor(s) 108.
As described herein, the sensor data translation layer can be configured to interpret the sensor data provided by the sensor signal in the first data format. In response, the sensor data translation layer can reformat the same sensor data into the second data format and provide the sensor data as an output signal in the second data format from one of the outputs, such that the information provided in the second data format is approximately identical to the information provided in the first data format. However, the approximately identical data is provided in the second data format which can be different from the first data format. Therefore, the sensor data translation layer preserves the information that is provided in the first data format by the sensor signal, and provides the identical information in the second data format or the same first data format (e.g., thus mimicking the first data signal) in the output signal. Therefore, the data that is provided on a sensor channel to one of the input ports of the I/O ports 106 in the first data format can be provided on a respective sensor channel of one of the output ports of the I/O ports 106 in the second data format, which can be a different data coding scheme and/or a different physical or wireless connection arrangement. As another example, the programmable interface 102 is not limited to providing a single output signal in response to a respective sensor signal on a 1:1 basis, but can instead provide multiple output signals (e.g., the same or similar) from a given one sensor signal or can provide one output signal from multiple sensor signals.
As an example, one of the sensor(s) 108 can be a resolver-type position sensor. The resolver-type position sensor can provide an output signal corresponding to a first data signal in a data format that is specific to the resolver-type position sensor data format. The programmable interface 102 can be configured to receive the first data signal as an input (e.g., via an input port of the I/O ports 106). The programmable interface 102 can be configured to interpret the position data from the resolver-type position sensor in the first data format, and to implement a sensor data translation layer. The sensor data translation layer can thus convert the first data format (e.g., resolver-type position sensor data format) into a data format associated with a position sensor of a different type of data format. As another example, the sensor data translation layer can provide the second data format to be the same as the first data format, such that the first data format is mimicked by the second data format.
For example, the sensor data translation layer implemented by the programmable interface 102 can convert the first data format corresponding to a resolver-type position sensor data format into a second data format corresponding to any of a variety of other types of position sensor data formats, such as a quadrature encoder position sensor data format, a SIN/COS position sensor data format, or a BISS-C position sensor data format. The programmable interface 102 can thus provide an output signal from an output port of the I/O ports 106 to provide the position data associated with the rotary electric machine 100 in the second data format. Accordingly, the output signal can be provided on an output signal line to the associated control system (not shown in the example of
As an example, one of the input ports of the I/O ports 106 can correspond to a programming interface port. The programming interface port can facilitate communicative coupling of an external computer device (e.g., a laptop or tablet device) to the programmable interface 102 to provide updates (e.g., software, firmware, or configuration settings updates). For example, the updates can include changing the second data format of the output signal(s) provided from the I/O ports 106 for the sensor(s) 108. With reference to the example above regarding the resolver-type position sensor, in a first example, the programmable interface 102 can be communicatively coupled to a first drive system that is programmed to interpret position data in a quadrature encoder position data format. Therefore, the programmable interface 102 implements the sensor data translation layer to convert the first data format (e.g., resolver-type position sensor data format) into the second data format (e.g., quadrature encoder position sensor data format). However, further by example, at a later time, the programmable interface 102 can be disconnected from first drive system and communicatively coupled instead to a second drive system that is configured to interpret the SIN/COS position sensor data format. Therefore, an external computer device can be coupled to the programming interface port of the I/O ports 106 to provide an update of the programmable interface 102 to change the sensor data translation layer to instead be configured to convert the first data format (e.g., resolver-type position sensor data format) into a new second data format (e.g., SIN/COS position sensor data format).
In addition to the sensor data translation layer, the programmable interface 102 can also be programmed to implement any of a variety of other types of algorithms. As an example described in greater detail herein, the programmable interface 102 can implement an operational data monitoring algorithm that can correspond to collecting the operational characteristic data from each of the sensor(s) 108 in real-time and generating a stored history of the operation of the rotary electric machine 102. As yet another example described in greater detail herein, the programmable interface 102 can be configured to implement a thermal control algorithm to provide thermal control via the heater(s) 110 to the internal portions of the machine housing 104.
As a result of the sensor data translation layer, the programmable interface 102 can be adapted to provide sensor data to any associated control system in a manner that is agnostic to the data format that is interpreted by the associated control system. Such operation of the programmable interface 102 can provides for a significant improvement over installation of typical motor control systems which requires installation of an associated control system that is compatible with the native sensor data format(s) of the sensor(s) of the respective rotary electric machine. Instead, by installing the rotary electric machine 100, connection of an output signal line to an associated control system and providing an update (e.g., a software, firmware, or configuration settings update) of the programmable interface 102 is all that is required to couple the programmable interface 102, and therefore the rotary electric machine 100, to any associated control systems that can interpret sensor data in any data format(s). Accordingly, any associated control system can be implemented to control the rotary electric machine, even if it is agnostic of the native data formats of the sensor(s) 108. Additionally, the inclusion of the sensor(s) 108 internal to the rotary electric machine 100 provides a significant improvement over installation of typical motor control systems in which sensor(s) are installed external to the rotary electric machine, thereby increasing the chances for damage or errors in the sensor data.
The motor control system 200 also includes an associated control system 204. As described herein, the associated control system 204 refers to at least one of a drive system device, a computer, and a logic controller for operating the rotary electric machine 200. As a first example, the control of the rotary electric machine 200 can reside entirely within a drive system, entirely within a logic controller, or can be distributed between a drive system and a logic controller. In the example of
In the example of
The motor control system 200 also includes an external computer 206 that can correspond to a laptop, tablet, desktop, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, or any other type of computer system. The external computer 206 is demonstrated as providing a programming signal PRG to the rotary electric machine 202. As an example, as described above, one of the input ports of the programmable interface (e.g., the I/O ports 106) can correspond to a programming interface port. The external computer 206 can thus interface with the programming interface port to provide updates of the programmable interface. For example, the updates can include changing the second data format of the output signal(s) SD provided from the programmable interface (e.g., from the I/O ports 106) and/or designating different outputs (e.g., of the I/O ports 106) on which to provide the output signal(s) SD for reconfiguring the sensor channels to the associated control system 204. Therefore, if the associated control system 204 is programmed to accept a specific data format, the update provided via the programming signal PRG can change the data format of the output signal(s) SD provided from the rotary electric machine 202, which can be different from the native data format of the sensor(s) (e.g., the sensor(s) 108) in the rotary electric machine 202 to match the data format interpreted by the associated control system 204 (e.g., from a different output port of the programmable interface).
The programmable interface 300 includes at least one power supply 302 (pluralized hereinafter) and a processor 304. The power supplies 302 can correspond to any of a variety of ways to provide operational power to the programmable interface 300. As an example, the power supplies 302 can include or can correspond to a power input port that is configured to receive operational power, such as a DC voltage, directly. As another example, the power supplies 302 can include a step-down transformer that is configured to receive AC power (e.g., single-phase or three-phase) that provides operational power for the rotary electric machine 100, such as the power MPWR. The step-down transformer can thus provide a lower amplitude AC voltage that can subsequently be converted by an AC-DC converter to a DC voltage. For example, the power supplies 302 can include a DC power supply (e.g., 5-50 VDC), an AC power supply (e.g., 90-260 VAC), and/or an input from the motor bus bars (e.g., corresponding to the power MPWR). The processor 304 can correspond to one or more processing elements (e.g., chip(s), FPGA(s), etc.) that can operate based on the DC voltage to provide the processing functions associated with the programmable interface 300.
The programmable interface 300 also includes an I/O interface 306, a programming interface port 308, and a memory 310. The I/O interface 306 can correspond to a portion of the I/O ports 106 in the example of
The I/O interface 306 also includes output ports that can electrically couple to output signal lines to provide communicative coupling of the programmable interface 300 to an associated control system. The output ports of the I/O interface 306 can thus provide output signals that correspond to the monitored operational characteristics of the respective sensor(s). The processor 304 can be programmed (e.g., via a software, firmware, or configuration settings update) to implement the sensor data translation layer described herein. Therefore, the sensor data translation layer can translate the first data format of each of the signal(s) input to the I/O interface 306 into a second data format for each of the output signal(s) provided from the I/O interface 306. Accordingly, an associated control system can interpret the output signal(s) provided from the I/O interface 306 in the predetermined data format associated with the associated control system.
The programming interface port 308 can facilitate communicative coupling of an external computer device (e.g., a laptop or tablet device) to the programmable interface 300 to provide updates, such as to support the sensor data translation layer. For example, the updates can include changing the second data format of the output signal(s) provided from the I/O interface 306 for the sensor(s). Therefore, an external computer device can be coupled to the programming interface port 308 to provide an update of the programmable interface 300 to change the sensor data translation layer to instead be configured to convert the first data format into any of a variety of second data formats, similar to as described above.
The memory 310 can include any of a variety of memory structures (e.g., random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, cache memory for the processor 304, or any other types of non-volatile memory). As an example, the memory 310 can store the sensor data translation layer, such that the processor 304 can access the sensor data translation layer from the memory 310. As another example, the processor 304 can implement an operational data monitoring algorithm. The operational data monitoring algorithm can correspond to collecting the operational characteristic data from each of the sensor(s) in real-time. The operational characteristic data can thus be aggregated to generate a stored history of the operation of the rotary electric machine. As an example, the stored history can be stored in the memory 310, and can thus be accessible via the programming interface port 308. As a result, the stored history can be used to troubleshoot the rotary electric machine and/or to generate a statistical analysis of operation of the rotary electric machine.
The processor 400 is demonstrated as including a sensor data translation layer 402. The sensor data translation layer 402 can be configured, for each of the sensor(s) of the rotary electric machine, to translate the data format of the signals output from the respective sensor and corresponding to an operational characteristic associated with the respective sensor from a first data format to a second data format. As described above, each of the input ports of the programmable interface receives a sensor signal associated with a given one of the sensor(s) of the rotary electric machine. The sensor signal can have a first data format that can correspond to a native data format associated with the respective sensor. The sensor data translation layer 402 can thus translate the first data format into a second data format, such that the programmable interface can provide an output signal in the second data format for each of the sensor(s), as described above in the example of
The rotary electric machine 500 also includes a plurality N of sensors 504, where N is a positive integer greater than zero. Each of the sensors 504 can be configured to monitor a respective operational characteristic of the rotary electric machine 500, such as speed, position, temperature, power phase, control angle, phase angle, or any of a variety of other rotary electric machine operational characteristics. As an example, more than one of the sensors 504 can monitor the same operational characteristic (e.g., temperature associated with different portions of the rotary electric machine 500). As an example, each of the sensors 504 can be substantially enclosed within or mechanically coupled to a machine housing associated with the rotary electric machine 500. In the example of
The programmable interface 502 includes an I/O interface 506 that includes a plurality N of input ports 508 and a respective plurality N of output ports 510. As an example, the input ports 508 and the output ports 510 can include a variety of different physical connection types to accommodate a variety of different data formats. Each of the input ports 508 corresponds to a respective sensor channel and receives a respective one of the first data signals SD. As described above in the example of
Upon translating the first data format of each of the sensor signals SD1_1 through SDN_1 into the second data format, the programmable interface 502 can provide a respective plurality of output signals SD1_2 through SDN_2 on the respective output ports 510, with each of the output signals SD1_2 through SDN_2 being provided with the second data format. Each of the output signals SD1_2 through SDN_2 can be provided on a separate respective output signal line on a respective sensor channel to an associated control system, such as designated by the sensor data translation layer (e.g., based on configuration settings). Therefore, the associated control system can interpret the operational characteristic of rotary electric machine 500 as provided by the respective sensors 504 in the second data format on a respective output signal line.
In the example of
Referring back to the example of
The rotary electric machine 600 is demonstrated as including a plurality X of environment sensors 604, where X is a positive integer greater than zero. As an example, the environment sensors 604 can be distributed throughout the interior of the machine housing of the rotary electric machine 600 to provide individual measurements of environmental conditions inside the rotary electric machine (e.g., inside the machine housing). For example, the environmental conditions can correspond to internal temperature and/or relative humidity of the rotary electric machine 600. Each of the environment sensors 604 is demonstrated as providing a sensor signal TD to the programmable interface 602, wherein the sensor signals are more specifically demonstrated as signals TD1 through TDx. As an example, each of the environment sensors 604 can correspond to sensors 504 in the example of
In addition, the programmable interface 602 can be configured to monitor the environmental data associated with each of the sensor signals TD. As an example, the thermal control algorithm 404 can evaluate the monitored environmental data provided by the sensor signals TD along with any of a variety of other conditions of the rotary electric machine 600. For example, the other conditions can include the presence or absence of operational power to the rotary electric machine 600, operational status of the rotary electric machine 600, location of the environment sensors 604, ambient dew point, or any of a variety of other factors. The thermal control algorithm 404 can compare the environment data provided by the sensor signals TD individually, or can aggregate the environment data provided by the sensor signals TD based on a statistical analysis (e.g., average, weighted average, etc.). As another example, the thermal control algorithm 404 can only monitor a subset (e.g., proper subset) of the environment data associated with the sensor signals TD. As yet another example, the programmable interface 602 can be configured to identify failed environment sensors 604 and can adjust the thermal control algorithm 404 to implement readings from only the operational sensors.
In the example of
As an example, the programmable interface 602 can also be configured to monitor the power that is provided to activate the heater device(s) 606. For example, the power to the heater device(s) 606 can be monitored via a sensor (e.g., one of the sensor(s) 108) as a monitored operational characteristic of the rotary electric machine 600. The programmable interface 602 can thus mitigate electromagnetic interference (EMI) based on the monitored AC voltage. For example, in response to identifying a request for activation of the heater device(s) 606, such as based on the identifying that the temperature(s) provided by the environment sensors 604 via the sensor signals TD decreases less than the predetermined temperature threshold, the thermal control algorithm 404 can delay providing the activation signal ACT until the monitored AC voltage exhibits a zero-crossing. In response to detecting the zero-crossing of the AC voltage, the programmable interface 602 provides the activation signal ACT. As a result, the AC current through the heater device(s) 606 can increase more gradually, as opposed to exhibiting a large inrush current based on the AC voltage being at or near a peak amplitude. Accordingly, the activation of the heater device(s) 606 can be performed in a manner that mitigates spurious EMI.
As another example, the thermal control algorithm 404 can be implemented to control the operation of the heater device(s) 606 based on the operational status of the rotary electric machine 600. For example, the programmable interface 602 can determine whether the rotary electric machine 600 is activated (e.g., via being provided operational power). In response to determining that the rotary electric machine 600 is powered and/or rotating, the thermal control algorithm 404 can deactivate the heater device(s) 606 automatically, given that the heater device(s) 606 are likely unnecessary during operation of the rotary electric machine 600. Therefore, the thermal control algorithm 404 can alleviate potential operator error that can result from a user forgetting to manually deactivate the heater device(s) 606, such as can occur in a typical rotary electric machine control environment, thereby mitigating the possibility of damaging the rotary electric machine 600.
Referring back to the example of
As an example, the stored history can be stored in the memory, and can thus be accessible via the programming interface port via an external computer device, as described herein. Therefore, a user can view the stored history as a static file in a variety of different data formats (e.g., Portable Document Format (PDF)) that can be saved on the external computer device and/or transmitted form the external computer device over a network. The static file can thus correspond to a history of the operational characteristics of the rotary electric machine up to a time of download of the stored history onto the external computer device. As another example, the stored history can be accessed and monitored in real time from the programming interface port via the external computer device. Therefore, the user can monitor the operational characteristics in real time as the rotary electric device operates on the external computer device via the programming interface port. As a result, in either example, the stored history can be used to troubleshoot the rotary electric machine and/or to generate a statistical analysis of operation of the rotary electric machine.
The processor 400 further includes one or more programmable operational features algorithms 408. The programmable operational features algorithms can correspond to one or more algorithms for controlling the rotary electric machine based on the processing capability of the processor 400. As an example, the processor 400 can provide additional control schemes for redundant sensor(s). For example, the programmable interface can provide the output signal associated with one of the redundant sensors, and in response to the processor 400 detecting failure of the respective sensor, can switch to providing the output signal from a different one of the redundant sensors. The processor 400 can thus also post a fault indication associated with the failed sensor(s). As another example, the processor 400 can be configured to provide the rotary electric machine operational characteristic data in a given one of the output signals as a statistical combination of multiple redundant sensors. For example, a given one of the output signals can be provided as an average (e.g., flat or weighted) of the output signals of multiple redundant sensors, or as part of a voting scheme, such as based on an average or combination of similar amplitude readings while excepting anomalous readings. As yet another example, the processor 400 can exhibit more local control of functions that are traditionally performed in an associated control system. Given the ability of the processor 400 to be programmed in any of a variety of ways to exhibit control schemes of the rotary electric machine, the programmable operational features algorithm(s) 408 can be any of a variety of control algorithms for operating the rotary electric machine.
What have been described above are example embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the embodiments, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the embodiments are possible. Accordingly, the embodiments are intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of this application, including the appended claims. Additionally, where the disclosure or claims recite “a,” “an,” “a first,” or “another” element, or the equivalent thereof, it should be interpreted to include one or more than one such element, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. As used herein, the term “includes” means includes but not limited to, and the term “including” means including but not limited to. The term “based on” means based at least in part on.
