Title of Invention

HAND-HELD CONTROLLER FOR A PROGRAMMABLE ELECTONIC CONTROL UNIT

Abstract

Operating values of an electronic operating systm,e.g., 'power switch or motor drive, are parameterized with a hand-held control device with a display device for displaying operating parameters via transmission arrangement, to a data store of the hand-held control device following connection of the latter to the operating system (2). A microprocessor circuit (25) in the hand-held control device facilitates the detection of altered operating parameters and the transfer of those altered parameters back to the control unit of the operating system.

Full Text

The invention relates to a hand-held controller for the parameterization of operating characteristic values of an item of electrical operating equipment, such as a circuit-breaker or motor drive, which has a programmable electronic control unit having a memory circuit for storing the operating characteristic values. The present application is for a Patent of Addition to Patent Application No. 489/CAL/97 filed on 19" March 1997. A hand-held controller of this type has been disclosed by US 4 272 316 A1, The hand-held controller in this case has the form of a matrix arrangement of plug-In openings for programming pins. As a result, the function of the hand-held controller is restricted to setting a release characteristic curve. The invention is based on the object of providing a hand-held controller which has extended functions and can be used not only for circuit-breakers but also for other devices, such as motor control units that are equiped with programmable electronic trip units. According to the present invention, this object is achieved by the fact that the hand-held controller has a keypad for creating altered performance characteristics and for storing inese altered performance characteristics in the electronic data memory, and the altered performance characteristics can be transmitted back out of the electronic data memory to the control unit of the eiectnc device over the transmission means. By the use of hand-held controller according to the invention, upon connection to me relevant operating equipment, for example circuit- beaker or motor controller, the operational parameters and it appropriate, the status ana diagnostic values which are currently stored or programmed in the control unit are indicated to the .. user. These parameters are read into the electronic data memory of the hand-held controller and are then available there for processing. It is then possible to alter the parameters either during the existing connection to the control unit of the operating equipment or after disconnection from the operating equipment. The fact that the operating characteristic values are stored in the hand-held controller means that it is possible, in particular, to provide a plurality of items of operating equipment, for example a plurality of circuit-breakers in a low-voltage switching installation, with identical operating characteristic values. The area of application of the hand-held control- ler can additionally be extended in an advantageous manner by virtue of the fact that an alterable program memory for storing an application program which is matched to the operating characteristic values to be processed is additionally contained. In this way, it is possible to load the hand-held controller with an appli- cation program which is matched, to different circuit- breakers or motor control units and processes the dis- play, the interrogation and the alteration of the operat- ing characteristic values in a specific way. In order to facilitate application of the aforementioned different application programs for the hand-held controller, it is possible to provide an internal operating system for the microprocessor circuit with a test routine for the presence of an application program, stored in the memory circuit of the control unit, for the purpose of transmission to the program memory. This test routine may proceed automatically as soon as the hand-held controller is connected to the relevant operating equipment and the hand-held controller- is activated. Accordingly, a method for the parameterization of operating characteristic values of an item of electrical operating equipment using a hand-held controller having the configuration explained above, the operating equip- ment comprising an electronic control unit having a memory circuit for the operating characteristic values, can have the following method steps: connection of the hand-held controller to the oper- ating equipment, read-out and display of operating characteristic values, which are stored in the memory circuit of the control unit, by means of the display device, storage of the data which corresponds to the operat- ing characteristic values read out at a selectable address in the data memory of the hand-held control- ler, changing of at least one operating characteristic value by entering at least one command on the hand- held controller, transmission of the changed operating characteristic value to the control unit and acknowledgement to the hand-held controller that transmission has been completed, and disconnection of the hand-held controller from the operating equipment. A modified method according to the invention likewise serves for the parameterization of operating characteristic values of an item of electrical operating equipment using a hand-held controller which additionally contains an alterable program memory for storing an application program which is matched to the operating characteristic values to be processed. In this case, the following method steps are provided: connection of the hand-held controller to the oper- ating equipment, read-out and display of operating characteristic values, which are stored in the memory circuit of the control unit, by means of the display device, storage, of the data which corresponds to the operat- ing characteristic values read out at a selectable address in the data memory of the hand-held control- ler, disconnection of the hand-held controller from the operating equipment, alteration of the operating characteristic values, if appropriate using the previously transmitted application program, and renewed connection of the hand-held controller to the same or an identical item of operating equipment and transmission of the changed operating character- istic values to the electronic control unit of the operating equipment. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. Figure 1 diagrammatically shows part of a low- voltage switching installation with four circuit-breakers indicated, and also a hand-held controller. Figure 2 shows an enlarged illustration of the hand-held controller according to Figure 1. Figure 3 illustrates a block diagram of the hand- held controller according to Figure 2. Figure 1 shows two panels of a low-voltage switching installation 1 each having two low-voltage circuit-breakers 2 arranged one above the other. Each of the low-voltage circuit-breakers 2 contains an electronic control unit 3 in the form of an electronic release. The control unit 3 contains, in a known manner, a memory circuit for storing the operating characteristic values of each circuit-breaker 2. These include, in particular, the rated current and release characteristic values which depend on this, as well as a release characteristic curve referring to the rated current. For data transmission purposes, each of the control units 3 is provided with a bidirectional connecting socket 4, which can be connected to a hand-held controller 6 by means of a connection lead 5. Details of the hand-held controller 6 will now be explained with reference to Figure 2. The hand-held controller 6 has dimensions which are suitaible for unhampered use and are based on other known hand-held controllers. A display device 10, which may be a two-line LCD display, for example, is arranged at the top of a control area 7 on the front side. Below the display device 10 on the control area 7 is a keypad 11, which comprises an upper row of function keys 12, 13, 14 and 15 and a switch 16 for switching the hand-held controller 6 on and off. Underneath the said row of function keys are direction keys 17, 18, 19 and 20, which are provided with arrows, as well as an enter key 21. The connection line 5 mentioned with reference to Figure 1 joins the hand- held controller 6 at the top end. Before the method of control is discussed in more detail, the structure of the hand-held controller 6 will be explained first with reference to the block diagram shown in Figure 3. A microprocessor unit 25 has a random access memory 26, a read-only memory 27 and a writable and erasable program memory 30. Furthermore, the hand- held controller 6 contains a second data memory 31 as well as the aforementioned display device 10 and the keypad 11, which is indicated in a simplified manner. Furthermore, the hand-held controller 6 is provided with a power supply device which comprises a battery 32 as well as a storage capacitor 34 which can be charged via a diode 3 3 and has a large capacitance. By this means, the additional data memory 31 is buffered even when the battery 32 is removed. The hand-held controller 6 is connected via the already mentioned connection lead 5 to the control unit 3, in which a microprocessor 3 5 and a memory circuit 3 6 are indicated. After the hand-held controller 6 has been con- nected to an item of operating equipment 2 for instance in the manner according to Figure 1 and after the hand- held controller 6 has been switched on by means of the switch 16, the user can firstly select a desired menu by actuating the ar row keys 17, 18, 19 and 20. If the item of operating equipment is a circuit-breaker, as shown by Figure 1, it is possible, in particular, to provide a menu for the protective functions of the circuit-breaker 2. In this case, the display device 10 can display to the user not only numerical values for operating characteris- tic values, for example a release current of 1200 A according to Figure 2, but also indications regarding the mode which the hand-held controller 6 is in and how the values displayed can be altered. An altered value is confirmed by actuation of the enter key 21 after the set value has been increased or reduced by means of the arrow keys 18 or 20, respectively. The function keys 12, 13, 14 and 15 that have been mentioned can optionally be assigned group functions. In addition, one of the func- tion keys can be connected as a reset key (RESET). The respective data to be processed are located not just in the random access memory 26 of the micropro- cessor unit 25 but are also available in the additional data memory 31, where they are preserved when the connec- tion between the circuit-breaker 2 and the hand-held controller 6 is interrupted. In this way, a data record transmitted from the control unit 3 can be processed in the hand-held controller 6, that is to say the various operating characteristic values can be altered and stored in the altered form. The hand-held controller 6 can then be connected to the same item of operating equipment 2 or one of the other items of operating equipment 2 shown, in order to transmit the altered operating characteristic values to the control units 3 . The method of operation described makes it considerably easier to carry out adaptations required for operational reasons in larger switching or machine installations. Figure 1 furthermore indicates that the hand-held controller 6 can be connected to a portable minicomputer 40 by means of a connection lead 37. Since the said minicomputer has a full screen, it is possible in this way to display not just individual operating characteris- tic values, but rather, in a clear, for example tabular form, all the operating characteristic values and, if appropriate, status or diagnostic values transmitted from the control unit 3 to the hand-held controller 6. It is likewise possible, by means of a matched application program, to process the operating characteristic values by means of the minicomputer 40, it being possible, on account of the larger screen, to display characteristic curves pictorially. The altered record of operating characteristic values can subsequently be transmitted back to the hand-held controller 6 via the connection lead 37. Although it is possible, as indicated in Figure 1, to connect the minicomputer 40 directly to one of the control units 3 of an item of operating equipment 2 by means of a connection lead 41, it is recommendable to carry out the depicted processing of the operating characteristic values outside the switching installation by means of the connection of the hand-held controller 6 and minicomputer 40 in an office, for example. WE CLAIM: 1. A hand-held controller for connecting to a control unit provided in an electronic device, the control unit being designed as a trip unit and comprising a programmable memory circuit for storing performance characteristics, the hand-held controller comprising: a hand-held sized housing ; a dispiay device arranged in the housing and configured so dispiay the performance characteristics received from the control unit via a transmission arrangement; sn electronic data memory arranged in the housing, the electronic data memory ; a microprocessor circuit arranged in the housing and configured to store the performance characteristics in the electronic data memory; and a keypad arranged in the housing and configured to alter the performance characteristics and to store the altered performance characteristics In the electronic data memory, the microprocessor circuit transmitting the aitered performance characteristics from the electronic data memory to the control unit via the transmission arrangement. 2, The hand-held controller as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a variable program memory arranged in the housing and configured to store an application program, the application program adapted for processing the performance characteristics. 3. The hand-held controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the microprocessor circuit runs an operating system which has a test routine, the test routine determining a presence of the application program in the programmable memory circuit of the control unit, and wherein the application program is transmitted to the variable program memory as a function of the determination by the test program. 4. The hand-held controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a circuit breaker and a motor drive, 5. The hand-held controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the performance characteristics stored in the electronic data memory comprises at least one of a rated current, tripping characteristics and a tripping characteristic curve. Operating values of an electronic operating systm,e.g., 'power switch or motor drive, are parameterized with a hand-held control device with a display device for displaying operating parameters via transmission arrangement, to a data store of the hand-held control device following connection of the latter to the operating system (2). A microprocessor circuit (25) in the hand- held control device facilitates the detection of altered operating parameters and the transfer of those altered parameters back to the control unit of the operating system.

Documents:

344-KOL-2003-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-abstract.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-claims.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-correspondence.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-description (complete).pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-drawings.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-examination report.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-form 1.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-form 18.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-form 2.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-form 3.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-form 5.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-gpa.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-priority document.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-specification.pdf

344-kol-2003-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf