Redundant control circuit for an exercise device

Abstract

An exercise device with a redundant monitoring and control circuit integrated within or otherwise in communication with various components of the exercised device to detect and act on real or possible improper operation of the exercise device. A redundant controller may, based on a determination of a potentially out of specification operating condition of the exercise device, transmit one or more control signals to alter (e.g., reduce or remove) power to the motor of the exercise device. The redundant controller may provide a control signal to a motor power gating device to remove power transmitted to the motor from a power source and/or enable an inhibitor line of a motor controller to disconnect main power from the motor. Controlling the motor power gating device and the inhibitor line may ensure that power is removed from the motor even when a conflicting signal is being transmitted to the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling an exercise device, the method comprising:
 receiving a sensor measurement of an aspect of the exercise device;   receiving an instruction for controlling a motor controller in electrical communication with a motor;   determining, based on either the measurement or the instruction, a malfunction of a component of the exercise device;   generating, in response to the determined malfunction, a first control signal to disconnect a power source from the motor controller; and   generating, in response to the determined malfunction, a second control signal to a power inhibit input to the motor controller, wherein activation of the power inhibit input removes a power signal to the motor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aspect of the exercise device comprises one of an output current of the motor, an input current of the motor, an output voltage of the power source, or an output power of the power source. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the motor controller transmits the power signal to the motor in response to the instruction, the motor applying a force on a cable based on the power signal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving, from a position encoder, a cable position indicator; and   generating the first control signal and the second control signal in response to the cable position indicator.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting the first control signal to a motor power gating device electrically connected between the power source and the motor controller, the motor power gating device comprising a switching element.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inputting, into a physics model, the measurement of the aspect of the exercise device to calculate a force applied by the motor, wherein determining the malfunction of the component of the exercise device is further based on the calculated force applied by the motor.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inputting, into a physics model, the measurement of the aspect of the exercise device to calculate an output energy of the motor, wherein determining the malfunction of the component of the exercise device is further based on the calculated output energy of the motor.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the malfunction of the component of the exercise device comprises:
 estimating, based on the instruction for controlling the motor controller, an expected aspect of the exercise device; and 
 comparing the measurement of the aspect of the exercise device to the expected aspect. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the malfunction of the component of the exercise device comprises:
 detecting a rate of change in the measurement of the aspect of the exercise device over a period of time; and 
 comparing the rate of change to a threshold value. 
 
     
     
         10 . A control circuit for an exercise device, the control circuit comprising:
 a motor controller in electrical communication between a power source and a motor, the motor translating a power signal from the power source to cause the motor to generate a force on a cable of the exercise device;   a power gating device in electrical communication between the power source and the motor controller, the power gating device comprising a switch to disconnect, in response to a disconnect signal, the power source from the motor controller; and   a second controller comprising a processor executing instructions that cause the processor to:
 determine, based on either a measurement associated with an output of the motor or an instruction transmitted to the motor controller from a circuit controller, a malfunction of the exercise device; and 
 generate, in response to the determined malfunction, a first control signal to the power gating device to disconnect the power source from the motor controller and a second control signal to a power inhibit input to the motor controller to inhibit a power signal to the motor from the motor controller. 
   
     
     
         11 . The control circuit of  claim 10  wherein the measurement associated with the output of the motor comprises one of an output current of the motor, an input current of the motor, an output voltage of the power source, or an output power of the power source. 
     
     
         12 . The control circuit of  claim 10  wherein the instructions further cause the processor of the second controller to:
 receive, from a position encoder, a cable position indication; and 
 generate the first control signal and the second control signal in response to the cable position indication. 
 
     
     
         13 . The control circuit of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a logic gating device electrically connected between the second controller and the power gating device, the logic gating device receiving the first control signal from the second controller.   
     
     
         14 . The control circuit of  claim 13  wherein the logic gating device is an AND logic gating device and further receives the disconnect signal from the circuit controller. 
     
     
         15 . The control circuit of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a power button switch electrically connected to the logic gating device, wherein activation of the power button switch transmits a disconnect power signal to the logic gating device.   
     
     
         16 . The control circuit of  claim 10  wherein the instructions further cause the processor of the second controller to:
 estimate, based on the instruction transmitted to the motor controller, an expected output of the motor; and 
 compare the measurement associated with the output of the motor to the expected output of the motor to determine the malfunction of the exercise device. 
 
     
     
         17 . The control circuit of  claim 10  wherein the instructions further cause the processor of the second controller to:
 detect a rate of change in the measurement associated with the output of the motor over a period of time; and 
 compare the rate of change to a threshold value to determine the malfunction of the exercise device. 
 
     
     
         18 . A controller of an exercise device executing instructions to provide second control of the exercise device, the controller:
 determining a malfunction operation of a component of the exercise device;   generating, in response to the determined malfunction operation, a first control signal to disconnect a power source from a motor controller in electrical communication with and providing a power signal to a motor; and   generating, in response to the determined malfunction operation, a second control signal to a power inhibit input to the motor controller, wherein activation of the power inhibit input removes the power signal to the motor.   
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 18  wherein determining the malfunction operation of the exercise device comprises utilizing a physics model of the exercise device to calculate a force applied by the motor. 
     
     
         20 . The controller of  claim 18  wherein determining the malfunction operation of the exercise device comprises utilizing a physics model of the exercise device to calculate an output energy of the motor.