Device and method for controlling an electromechanical actuator

Abstract

Electromechanical actuation systems and related methods of operation are provided. A method of controlling an electromechanical actuator in response to an input command signal at an input terminal involves determining a commanded actuation state value based on a characteristic of the input command signal, generating a driver command signal based on the commanded actuation state value and an actuator type associated with the electromechanical actuator, and operating driver circuitry in accordance with the driver command signal to provide an output signal at an output terminal coupled to the electromechanical actuator.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the subject matter described herein generally relate to medical devices, and more specifically, the embodiments of the subject matter relate to scalable actuator control modules with improved reliability and reduced size, suitable for portable electronic devices such as fluid infusion devices. Background Technology

[0002] Infusion pump devices and systems used to deliver or dispense medications such as insulin or other prescribed drugs to patients are relatively well-known in the medical field. A typical infusion pump comprises a pump drive system that typically includes a small motor and a drive assembly that converts the motion of the rotary motor into translational displacement of a plunger (or plug) within a reservoir, delivering the medication from the reservoir to the user's body via a fluid path created between the reservoir and the user's body. The use of infusion pump therapy has been increasing, particularly for delivering insulin to diabetic patients.

[0003] Different infusion pump units may have different form factors, constraints, or otherwise utilize different technologies, resulting in a variation in the type of actuator best suited for the drive system from one type of infusion pump unit to the next. Typically, this also necessitates the use of different controllers designed or otherwise configured for use with a specific type of actuator. Alternatively, common types of microcontrollers or similar processing modules can be utilized across different units and actuators by programming to support the specific type of actuator deployed with them; however, this typically requires a sufficient number of general-purpose input / output terminals to support different potential types of actuators, which in turn increases the size of the microcontroller package. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an actuator control module that is scalable to be used with different types of actuators without the disadvantages associated with existing methods. Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Electromechanical actuation devices, systems, and methods are provided for use with medical devices or systems such as infusion devices or infusion systems. Embodiments of an electromechanical actuator driver module include a terminal for receiving an input command signal, command logic coupled to the terminal for converting the input command signal into an actuation command, and decoding logic coupled to the command logic for generating a driver command for a selected type of electromechanical actuator based on the actuation command.

[0005] In another embodiment, an apparatus for a driver module is provided, comprising: an input terminal receiving an input command signal having a duty cycle; a plurality of output terminals coupled to an electromechanical actuator; a driver circuit system coupled to the plurality of output terminals; duty cycle measurement logic coupled to the input terminal to measure the duty cycle to obtain a command actuation state value; and duty cycle decoding logic coupled to the duty cycle measurement logic and the driver circuit system to convert the command actuation state value into a driver command for the electromechanical actuator and provide the driver command to the driver circuit system, wherein the driver circuit system provides output signals at the plurality of output terminals according to the driver command.

[0006] In another embodiment, a method is provided for controlling an electromechanical actuator in response to an input command signal at an input terminal. The method involves: determining a command actuation state value based on characteristics of the input command signal; generating a driver command signal based on the command actuation state value and an actuator type associated with the electromechanical actuator; and operating a driver circuitry system according to the driver command signal to provide an output signal at an output terminal coupled to the electromechanical actuator.

[0007] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, a series of concepts further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0008] A more thorough understanding of the subject matter can be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in conjunction with the following figures, wherein similar reference numerals refer to similar elements throughout the figures, which are shown for the sake of brevity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0009] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of the infusion system is described;

[0010] Figure 2 This is a block diagram of an exemplary control system suitable for use with a fluid delivery device in one or more embodiments;

[0011] Figure 3 In one or more embodiments, it is suitable for use in Figure 2 A block diagram of an exemplary electromechanical actuator driver module used in an infusion device in a control system;

[0012] Figures 4A-4BAn electromechanical actuator driver module (such as...) is described according to one or more exemplary embodiments. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an electromechanical actuator driver module;

[0013] Figure 5 In one or more exemplary embodiments, it is adapted to be in Figure 4A A schematic diagram of the driver command module used in the electromechanical actuator driver module; and

[0014] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an exemplary control process suitable for implementation by an electromechanical actuator driver module in one or more exemplary embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The following detailed descriptions are merely illustrative in nature and are not intended to limit the scope of this subject matter or the embodiments of this application, or the application and use of such embodiments. As used herein, the word "exemplary" means "used as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described herein as exemplary is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments. Furthermore, it is not intended to be bound by any representations or implications present in the foregoing technical fields, background art, summary of the invention, or the following detailed descriptions.

[0016] While the subject matter described herein can be implemented in any electronic device containing electromechanical actuators, exemplary embodiments of the subject matter described herein are implemented in conjunction with medical devices such as portable electronic medical devices. Although many different applications are possible, the following description focuses on embodiments incorporating a fluid infusion device (or infusion pump) as part of an infusion system deployment. That is, the subject matter described herein is not limited to infusion devices (or any particular configuration or implementation thereof) and can be implemented in an equivalent manner in the context of multiple daily injection (MDI) treatment protocols or other medical devices such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, injection pens (e.g., smart injection pens), etc. For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques relating to the operation of the infusion system, the operation of the insulin pump and / or infusion device, and other functional aspects of the system (and the separate operating components of the system) may not be described in detail herein. Examples of infusion pumps may fall into, but are not limited to, the types described in the following U.S. Patents: No. 4,562,751; No. 4,685,903; No. 5,080,653; No. 5,505,709; No. 5,097,122; No. 6,485,465; No. 6,554,798; No. 6,558,320; No. 6,558,351; No. 6,641,533; No. 6,659,980; No. 6,752,787; No. 6,817,990; No. 6,932,584; and No. 7,621,893; each of these U.S. Patents is incorporated herein by reference.

[0017] Generally, fluid infusion devices include a motor or other actuation arrangement operable to displace a plunger (or stopper) or other delivery mechanism to deliver a dose of fluid, such as insulin, from a reservoir located within the fluid infusion device to the patient's body. Dosage commands governing the actuation can be generated automatically according to a delivery control scheme associated with a particular operating mode, and can be generated in a manner influenced by current (or recent) measurements of the user's physiological condition. For example, in a closed-loop operating mode, the dosage command may be generated based on the difference between a current (or recent) measurement of interstitial fluid glucose levels in the user's body and a target (or reference) glucose value. In this respect, the infusion rate may vary with the difference between the current and target measurements. For illustrative purposes, this document describes the subject matter in the context of insulin, used to regulate the user's (or patient's) glucose levels; however, it should be understood that many other fluids can be administered by infusion, and the subject matter described herein is not necessarily limited to use with insulin.

[0018] The following text mainly focuses on Figure 3-5As described in more detail in the context of the present invention, the exemplary embodiments described herein employ scalable electromechanical actuation modules capable of supporting any number of different types of electromechanical actuators. In this respect, the electromechanical actuation modules can be deployed across different types or configurations of fluid delivery devices using different types of electromechanical actuators (e.g., brushless DC (BLDC) motors, brushed DC (BDC) motors, stepper motors, shape-memory alloy actuators, etc.). The electromechanical actuation module includes separate input terminals for receiving input command signals and a command logic circuitry system that maps or otherwise converts the input command signals into command actuation. The electromechanical actuation module also includes decoding logic coupled to the command logic circuitry system, which generates corresponding driver commands for implementing command actuation of a specific type of actuator of the electromechanical actuation module. The driver commands are provided to the driver circuitry system of the electromechanical actuation module, which in turn generates corresponding output voltage signals that are applied or otherwise provided to the appropriate input of the electromechanical actuator. In this regard, the driver command generated by the decoding logic and the corresponding output voltage signal for a given commanded actuation state will vary depending on the type of actuator to be supported.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the input command signal is implemented as a pulse-width modulation (PWM) voltage signal with a variable duty cycle. The command logic circuitry measures the width (or duration) of the duty cycle, thereby converting the duty cycle into a discrete digital representation provided to the decoding logic. In an exemplary embodiment, the electromechanical actuation module includes additional safety logic that disables additional actuation when the input command signal remains constant, for example, by providing a command-driven actuation state value that causes the driver circuitry to ground or otherwise provides a high impedance at the input of the electromechanical actuator. This eliminates the need for a dedicated enable signal for the electromechanical actuation module while also preventing runaway situations that could occur if an abnormal condition causes the input command signal to become static.

[0020] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of an infusion system 100 is depicted, which includes, but is not limited to, a fluid infusion device (or infusion pump) 102, a sensing arrangement 104, a command and control device (CCD) 106, and a computer 108. The components of the infusion system 100 can be implemented using different platforms, designs, and configurations, and Figure 1 The embodiments shown are not exhaustive or limiting. In practice, such as Figure 1 As shown, the infusion device 102 and sensing arrangement 104 are fixed at a desired location on the user's (or patient's) body. In this respect, Figure 1The infusion device 102 and sensing arrangement 104 are provided as representative, non-limiting examples only. Elements of the infusion system 100 may be similar to those described in U.S. Patent No. 8,674,288, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0021] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiments, the infusion device 102 is designed as a portable medical device suitable for infusing fluids, liquids, gels, or other medications into a user's body. In an exemplary embodiment, the infused fluid is insulin, although many other fluids can be administered by infusion, such as, but not limited to, HIV medications, medications for treating pulmonary hypertension, iron chelating agents, analgesics, anticancer therapies, drugs, vitamins, hormones, etc. In some embodiments, the fluid may comprise nutritional supplements, dyes, tracking media, saline media, hydration media, etc.

[0022] Sensing arrangement 104 typically refers to a component of infusion system 100 configured to sense, detect, measure, or otherwise quantify a user's condition, and may include sensors, monitors, etc., for providing data indicating the condition sensed, detected, measured, or otherwise monitored by the sensing arrangement. In this regard, sensing arrangement 104 may include electronics and enzymes that are responsive to the user's biological condition (such as blood glucose levels), and provide data indicating blood glucose levels to infusion device 102, CCD 106, and / or computer 108. For example, infusion device 102, CCD 106, and / or computer 108 may include displays for presenting information or data (e.g., the user's current glucose level, a curve or graph of the user's glucose level over time, device status indicators, alarm messages, etc.) to the user based on sensor data received from sensing arrangement 104. In other embodiments, the infusion device 102, CCD 106, and / or computer 108 may include electronics and software configured to analyze sensor data and operate the infusion device 102 to deliver fluid to a user's body based on the sensor data and / or pre-programmed delivery routines. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the infusion device 102, sensing arrangement 104, CCD 106, and / or computer 108 include transmitter, receiver, and / or other transceiver electronics that allow communication with other components of the infusion system 100, such that the sensing arrangement 104 can transmit sensor data or monitor data to one or more of the infusion device 102, CCD 106, and / or computer 108.

[0023] Still referencing Figure 1In various embodiments, the sensing arrangement 104 may be fixed to the user's body or embedded in the user's body at a location remote from where the infusion device 102 is fixed to the user's body. In various other embodiments, the sensing arrangement 104 may be incorporated into the infusion device 102. In other embodiments, the sensing arrangement 104 may be separate and spaced from the infusion device 102 and may be, for example, part of a CCD 106. In such embodiments, the sensing arrangement 104 may be configured to receive biological samples, analytes, etc., to measure the user's condition.

[0024] In some embodiments, the CCD 106 and / or computer 108 may include electronics and other components configured to perform processing, deliver stored routines, and control the infusion device 102 in a manner influenced by sensor data measured by and / or received from the sensing arrangement 104. By incorporating control functions into the CCD 106 and / or computer 108, the infusion device 102 can be made with simplified electronics. However, in other embodiments, the infusion device 102 may include all control functions and may operate without the CCD 106 and / or computer 108. In various embodiments, the CCD 106 may be a portable electronic device. Additionally, in various embodiments, the infusion device 102 and / or sensing arrangement 104 may be configured to transmit data to the CCD 106 and / or computer 108 for display or processing by the CCD 106 and / or computer 108.

[0025] In some embodiments, CCD 106 and / or computer 108 may provide information to the user to facilitate subsequent use of infusion device 102. For example, CCD 106 may provide information to the user to allow the user to determine the rate or dose of a drug to be administered to the user's body. In other embodiments, CCD 106 may provide information to infusion device 102 to autonomously control the rate or dose of a drug administered to the user's body. In some embodiments, sensing arrangement 104 may be integrated into CCD 106. Such embodiments may allow the user to monitor their condition by providing a sample of, for example, their blood to sensing arrangement 104 to assess their condition. In some embodiments, sensing arrangement 104 and CCD 106 may be used to determine glucose levels in the user's blood and / or bodily fluids without the use or requirement of wire or cable connections between infusion device 102 and sensing arrangement 104 and / or CCD 106.

[0026] In some embodiments, the sensing arrangement 104 and / or the infusion device 102 are cooperatively configured to utilize a closed-loop system to deliver fluid to a user. Examples of sensing devices and / or infusion pumps utilizing closed-loop systems can be found in, but are not limited to, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,088,608, 6,119,028, 6,589,229, 6,740,072, 6,827,702, 7,323,142, and 7,402,153, or U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 0066889, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In such embodiments, the sensing arrangement 104 is configured to sense or measure a user's condition, such as blood glucose levels. The infusion device 102 is configured to deliver fluid in response to a condition sensed by the sensing arrangement 104. Furthermore, the sensing arrangement 104 continues to sense or otherwise quantify the user's current condition, thereby allowing the infusion device 102 to continuously deliver fluid indefinitely in response to the condition currently (or recently) sensed by the sensing arrangement 104. In some embodiments, the sensing arrangement 104 and / or the infusion device 102 may be configured to utilize the closed-loop system only for a portion of the day (e.g., only when the user is asleep or awake).

[0027] Figure 2 Exemplary embodiments of a control system 200 suitable for use with an infusion device 202 (such as infusion device 102 described above) are depicted. The control system 200 is capable of controlling or otherwise regulating the physiological state of a patient's body 201 to a desired (or target) value, or otherwise maintaining the state within acceptable ranges in an automatic or autonomous manner. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the regulated state is sensed, detected, measured, or otherwise quantified by a sensing arrangement 204 (e.g., sensing arrangement 104) communicatively coupled to the infusion device 202. However, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, the state regulated by the control system 200 may be correlated with measurements obtained by the sensing arrangement 204. That is, for purposes of clarity and explanation, the subject matter may be described in the context of a glucose sensing arrangement where the sensing arrangement 204 is implemented to sense, detect, measure, or otherwise quantify the patient's glucose level being regulated by the control system 200 in the patient's body 201.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the sensing arrangement 204 includes one or more interstitial glucose sensing elements that generate or otherwise output an electrical signal (which may be alternatively referred to herein as a measurement signal) having signal characteristics that are correlated with, influenced by, or otherwise indicate a relative interstitial fluid glucose level in the patient's body 201. The output electrical signal is filtered or otherwise processed to obtain a measurement indicating the patient's interstitial fluid glucose level. In some embodiments, a blood glucose meter 230 (such as a finger stick device) is used to directly sense, detect, measure, or otherwise quantify blood glucose in the patient's body 201. In this regard, the blood glucose meter 230 outputs or otherwise provides a measured blood glucose value that can be used as a reference measurement for calibrating the sensing arrangement 204 and converting the measurement indicating the user's interstitial fluid glucose level into a corresponding calibrated blood glucose value. For illustrative purposes, the calibrated blood glucose value calculated based on the electrical signal output by one or more sensing elements of the sensing arrangement 204 may alternatively be referred to herein as a sensor glucose value, a sensed glucose value, or a variation thereof.

[0029] Despite Figure 2 As not shown, a practical embodiment of the control system 200 may include one or more additional sensing arrangements configured to sense, detect, measure, or otherwise quantify patient physical characteristics of a condition in the patient's body. For example, in addition to the glucose sensing arrangement 204, one or more auxiliary sensing arrangements may be worn, carried, or otherwise associated with the patient's body 201 to measure characteristics or conditions that may affect the patient's glucose levels or insulin sensitivity, such as a heart rate sensor (or monitor), lactate sensor, ketone sensor, accelerometer (or accelerometer), environmental sensor, etc.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, the pump control system 220 generally represents the electronics and other components of the infusion device 202 that control the operation of the fluid infusion device 202 in a manner influenced by a sensed glucose value indicative of the current glucose level in the patient's body 201, according to a desired infusion delivery sequence. For example, to support a closed-loop operating mode, the pump control system 220 maintains, receives, or otherwise acquires a target or commanded glucose value and automatically generates or otherwise determines a dose command for operating the electromechanical actuator 232 (e.g., a BLDC motor, BDC motor, stepper motor, shape-memory alloy actuator, etc.) to displace the plunger 217 and deliver insulin to the patient's body 201 based on the difference between the sensed glucose value and the target glucose value. In other operating modes, the pump control system 220 may generate or otherwise determine a dose command configured to maintain the sensed glucose value below the upper glucose limit, above the lower glucose limit, or otherwise within a desired range of glucose values. In practice, the infusion device 202 may store or otherwise maintain target values, one or more upper and / or lower glucose limits, one or more insulin delivery limits, and / or one or more other glucose thresholds in a data storage element accessible to the pump control system 220. As described in more detail, in one or more exemplary embodiments, the pump control system 220 automatically adjusts or regulates one or more parameters or other control information used to generate commands for operating the electromechanical actuator 232 in a manner that takes into account possible changes in the patient's glucose levels or insulin response due to meals, exercise, or other activities.

[0031] Still referencing Figure 2 The target glucose value and other threshold glucose values ​​utilized by the pump control system 220 can be received from external components (e.g., CCD 106 and / or computing device 108) or input by the patient via a user interface element 240 associated with the infusion device 202. In practice, one or more user interface elements 240 associated with the infusion device 202 typically include at least one input user interface element, such as a button, keypad, keyboard, knob, joystick, mouse, touch panel, touchscreen, microphone, or other audio input device. Furthermore, one or more user interface elements 240 include at least one output user interface element for providing notifications or other information to the patient, such as a display element (e.g., a light-emitting diode), a display device (e.g., a liquid crystal display), a speaker or other audio output device, haptic feedback device, etc. It should be noted that although... Figure 2One or more user interface elements 240 are depicted as separate from the infusion device 202; however, in practice, one or more user interface elements 240 may be integrated with the infusion device 202. Furthermore, in some embodiments, in addition to and / or as an alternative to integration of one or more user interface elements 240 with the infusion device 202, one or more user interface elements 240 are integrated with the sensing arrangement 204. One or more user interface elements 240 can be manipulated by the patient to operate the infusion device 202 as needed to deliver bolus injections, adjust target values ​​and / or thresholds, modify delivery control schemes or operating modes, etc.

[0032] Still referencing Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the infusion device 202 includes a brake control module 212 coupled to an electromechanical actuator driver module 214, which in turn is coupled to an electromechanical actuator 232 operable to displace a plunger 217 in a reservoir and deliver a desired amount of fluid to the patient's body 201. In this respect, the displacement of the plunger 217 results in the delivery of a fluid capable of influencing the patient's physiological state (such as insulin) to the patient's body 201 via a fluid delivery path (e.g., via the tubing of the infusion device). An electromechanical actuator driver module 214 is coupled between an energy source 218 and an electromechanical actuator 232, and an actuator control module 212 generates or otherwise provides a command signal that operates the electromechanical actuator driver module 214 to provide current (or power) from the energy source 218 to the electromechanical actuator 232, thereby displacing the plunger 217 in response to a dosage command received from the pump control system 220, the dosage command indicating the desired amount of fluid to be delivered.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, the energy source 218 is implemented as a battery housed within a delivery device 202 that provides direct current (DC) power. In this respect, the electromechanical actuator driver module 214 generally represents a combination of logic circuitry, hardware, and / or other electrical components configured to convert or otherwise transmit the DC power provided by the energy source 218 into an alternating electrical signal applied to the input of the electromechanical actuator 232 (e.g., a corresponding phase of the stator winding of a motor), which causes current to flow, resulting in the electromechanical actuator 232 displacing the plunger 217. For example, the actuator driver module 214 may generate a voltage signal applied to a phase of the stator winding of a motor, which causes current to flow through the stator winding, thereby generating a stator magnetic field and causing the rotor of the motor to rotate.

[0034] Actuator control module 212 is configured to receive or otherwise acquire a commanded dose from pump control system 220, convert the commanded dose into a commanded translational displacement of plunger 217, and command, signal, or otherwise operate electromechanical actuator driver module 214 to actuate electromechanical actuator 232 by an amount that produces a commanded translational displacement of plunger 217. For example, actuator control module 212 may determine the amount of rotor rotation required to produce the translational displacement of plunger 217, which realizes the commanded dose received from pump control system 220. Actuator control module 212 monitors the current actuation state indicated by the output of sensing arrangement 216 (e.g., the rotational position (or orientation) of the rotor relative to the motor stator indicated by rotor sensing arrangement) and provides one or more command signals to actuator driver module 214 until the desired actuation amount is achieved, thereby realizing the desired fluid delivery to the patient.

[0035] For example, using a BLDC motor as actuator 232, actuator control module 212 receives current rotor position measurement data from sensing arrangement 216 and uses a lookup table to determine the desired rotor configuration or orientation corresponding to the desired fluid delivery relative to the current rotor position. Actuator control module 212 then uses another lookup table to provide actuator driver module 214 with a PWM voltage signal having a fixed frequency, the duty cycle of which corresponds to the desired rotor position. As the measured rotor position changes, actuator control module 212 dynamically updates the duty cycle of the PWM voltage signal appropriately, thereby moving the rotor position from one state to another in a desired manner. For example, actuator control module 212 can provide a PWM voltage signal with a 10% duty cycle to move the rotor to a 30-degree orientation, and then provide a 20% duty cycle to move the rotor from a 30-degree orientation to a 60-degree orientation. Once the rotor reaches the desired position, actuator control module 212 can maintain the duty cycle at a percentage corresponding to that position to hold or otherwise maintain the rotor at that particular angular orientation.

[0036] The following text is in Figure 3-5As described in more detail in the context of the exemplary embodiment, in this embodiment, the actuator control module 212 provides an input voltage signal whose duty cycle corresponds to the rotation angle of the electromechanical actuator 232 (and the corresponding displacement of the plunger 217) to achieve a commanded rotation angle. In such embodiments, the actuator driver module 214 requires only a single input terminal to receive the input command signal from the actuator control module 212. The actuator driver module 214 includes logic configured to convert the input duty cycle into an appropriate electrical signal to be applied to the electromechanical actuator 232 to achieve a desired actuation (or commutation) state corresponding to the input duty cycle, and then apply these electrical signals to the input of the electromechanical actuator 232. For example, when the electromechanical actuator 232 is implemented as a BLDC motor, the actuator driver module 214 applies a voltage signal to commutate the corresponding phases of the stator windings in the appropriate orientation of the rotor magnetic poles relative to the stator and in the appropriate sequence, thereby providing a rotating stator magnetic field that causes the rotor to rotate in the desired direction by a commanded amount.

[0037] In some embodiments, after the actuator control module 212 operates the electromechanical actuator driver module 214 and / or the electromechanical actuator 232 to achieve a commanded rotation angle, the actuator control module 212 stops operating the electromechanical actuator driver module 214 and / or the electromechanical actuator 232 until a subsequent rotation angle command is received. As follows... Figure 3 As described in more detail in the context of -4 and 6, in order to place the electromechanical actuator 232 into an idle state, the actuator control module 212 can provide a fixed or constant input command signal (e.g., a 0% or 100% duty cycle), which in turn causes the electromechanical actuator driver module 214 to allow the input of the electromechanical actuator 232 to be grounded or otherwise enter a high-impedance state, during which the electromechanical actuator driver module 214 effectively disconnects or isolates the electromechanical actuator 232 from the power source 218.

[0038] Depending on the embodiment, the actuator control module 212 may be implemented or constructed using a general-purpose processor, microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, state machine, content-addressable memory, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array, any suitable programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the actuator control module 212 includes or otherwise accesses data storage elements or memory capable of storing programming instructions executable by the actuator control module 212, including any type of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, magnetic or optical mass storage, or any other short-term or long-term storage medium or other non-transitory computer-readable medium. When read and executed by the actuator control module 212, the computer-executable programming instructions cause the actuator control module 212 to perform or otherwise support the tasks, operations, functions, and processes described herein.

[0039] It should be understood that, for the purpose of explanation, Figure 2 This is a simplified representation of the infusion device 202 and is not intended to limit the subject matter described herein in any way. In this respect, depending on the embodiment, some features and / or functions of the sensing arrangement 204 may be implemented by or otherwise integrated into the pump control system 220, or vice versa. Similarly, in practice, features and / or functions of the actuator control module 212 may be implemented by or otherwise integrated into the pump control system 220, or vice versa. Furthermore, features and / or functions of the pump control system 220 may be implemented by control electronics located within the fluid infusion device 202, while in alternative embodiments, the pump control system 220 may be implemented by a remote computing device that is physically different from and / or separate from the infusion device 202 (e.g., CCD 106 or computing device 108).

[0040] Figure 3 An exemplary embodiment of an electromechanical actuator driver module 300 suitable for use with any number and type of electromechanical actuators is depicted. In this respect, the electromechanical actuator driver module 214 can be used as an electromechanical actuator driver module 214 in an infusion device 202 having any number and type of electromechanical actuators 232. It should be understood that, for illustrative purposes, Figure 3 This is a simplified representation of the electromechanical actuator driver module 300 and is not intended to limit the subject matter described herein in any way.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, the electromechanical actuator driver module 300 includes, but is not limited to: an input command logic circuitry system 302 (which may be alternatively referred to herein as duty cycle measurement logic) that maps or otherwise converts an input command signal at input command terminal 301 into a command actuation state; a decoding logic circuitry system 304 (which may be alternatively referred to herein as duty cycle decoding logic) coupled to the input command logic circuitry system 302 to map or otherwise convert the command actuation state into a driver command signal suitable for a particular type of electromechanical actuator being used; and a driver circuitry system 306 coupled to the decoding logic circuitry system 304 to generate an electrical output signal at one or more output terminals 307 corresponding to the input of the electromechanical actuator in response to a driver command signal from the decoding logic circuitry system 304. For example, the driver circuitry system 306 may be implemented using any type of driver or power conversion circuitry system (e.g., H-bridge, power inverter, etc.) to modulate or otherwise regulate the current between the power supply voltage input terminal 305 and one or more output terminals 307. The electromechanical actuator driver module 300 also includes additional safety logic 308 (which may be referred to herein as runaway prevention logic) coupled to the input command terminal 301 and the input command logic circuitry system 302 to disable actuation based on the input command signal, as described in more detail below.

[0042] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the logic components 302, 304, 306, and 308 of the electromechanical actuator driver module 300 are packaged or otherwise contained within a common housing or device package 320. For example, the logic components 302, 304, 306, and 308 may all be formed or otherwise disposed on a common substrate or support structure for the electromechanical actuator driver module 300, such as, for example, a printed circuit board or similar electronic substrate, lead frame, or die pad. Terminals 301, 305, and 307 generally represent input / output interfaces of the actuator driver device package 320 and can be implemented using any type of pins, pads, connectors, ports, etc. In this regard, in an exemplary embodiment where the input command signal is implemented as a voltage signal with a variable duty cycle, the actuator driver device package 320 needs to include only the signal input terminal 301 for receiving the input command signal. Furthermore, since safety logic 308 disables actuation in response to a static duty cycle, actuator driver device package 320 does not need to include additional or separate terminals for enabling input signals. Additionally, the number of output terminals 307 can be limited to the maximum number of inputs in different types of electromechanical actuators to be supported. For example, in one or more embodiments, driver circuitry 306 includes four half-H-bridge arrangements, each coupled between input voltage terminals 305 and corresponding output terminals 307, such that electromechanical actuator driver module 300 includes a total of four output terminals 307 capable of supporting bipolar stepper motors, as well as three-phase BLDC motors, three-phase BDC motors, or shape memory alloy actuation arrangements having fewer than four inputs (or actuators).

[0043] Now for reference Figures 4A-4B And continue to refer to Figure 3In an exemplary embodiment, the input command logic circuitry system 302 is configured to measure the width or duration of the duty cycle and map the corresponding percentage of electrical cycles to discrete digital values ​​provided to the decoding logic 304. The duty cycle measurement logic 302 includes an oscillator circuitry system 402 configured to generate or otherwise provide a digital clock signal with a fixed frequency (e.g., 10 MHz). In an exemplary embodiment, the frequency of the digital clock signal is greater than the frequency of the input command signal. For example, in one or more embodiments, the frequency of the digital clock signal is at least 1000 times greater than the frequency of the input command signal (e.g., a clock frequency of 10 MHz and an input command signal frequency of 10 kHz or lower). The clock signal output from the oscillator circuitry system 402 is provided to the clock input of a counter 404, which, in an exemplary embodiment, is implemented as a 12-bit state counter. A reset input of the counter 404 is connected to the input command terminal 301 such that a logic high voltage level of the input duty cycle command signal resets the value of the counter 404 at the beginning of each new cycle of the input duty cycle command signal. The output of counter 404 is coupled to the input of a data (D) flip-flop circuitry 406, which is configured to latch the output of counter 404 when the input duty cycle command signal transitions to a logic low level (e.g., by providing a logic inverted version of the input command signal to the clock input of the D flip-flop circuitry 406). Therefore, the value counted by counter 404 and the value latched by the D flip-flop circuitry 406 correspond to the duration of the duty cycle of the logic high level at input terminal 301.

[0044] The duty cycle decoding logic 304 shown includes multiple different driver command modules 412, 414, 416, and 418, each corresponding to a different type of electromechanical actuator supported by the electromechanical actuator driver module 300. In this regard, each driver command module 412, 414, 416, and 418 includes an enable input coupled to or otherwise connected to a corresponding output of a decoder 410 for selecting the specific type of electromechanical actuator to be used. For example, in the illustrated embodiment with four driver command modules 412, 414, 416, 418, the decoder 410 can be implemented as a 2-to-4-wire decoder that, in response to selection input 00, provides a logic high voltage signal at the output coupled to the stepper motor driver command module 412 and a logic low voltage signal at the output coupled to the other driver command modules 414, 416, 418; in response to selection input 01, provides a logic high voltage signal at the output coupled to the BLDC motor driver command module 414 and a logic low voltage signal at the output coupled to the other driver command modules 412, 416, 418; and so on. In some embodiments, the selection inputs to the decoder 410 are hardwired to permanently select a particular type of electromechanical actuator to be supported for a given deployment of the electromechanical actuator driver module 300. In other embodiments, the selection input to decoder 410 can be coupled to the corresponding selection input terminal of device package 320 of electromechanical actuator driver module 300 to allow a change in the selected type of electromechanical actuator coupled to output terminal 307.

[0045] The latched state count value output by the D flip-flop circuit system 406 represents the command actuation, corresponding to the measured duty cycle of the input command signal. The command actuation state count value is provided to the corresponding input of each of the driver command modules 412, 414, 416, and 418. Each of the driver command modules 412, 414, 416, and 418 includes logic, circuitry, hardware, and / or other electrical components configured to generate a driver command signal corresponding to the command actuation count value for its respective type of electromechanical actuator, as follows: Figure 5 The context is described in more detail. In this regard, the enabled driver command modules 412, 414, 416, 418 map or otherwise convert the latched command actuation state count value provided by the D flip-flop circuit system 406 into a corresponding driver command signal, which is output by the respective driver command modules 412, 414, 416, 418 and provided to the input of the driver circuit system 305.

[0046] Based on a driver command signal input to the driver circuitry 305, the driver circuitry 306 selectively enables a power supply voltage from the power supply voltage terminal 305 to be supplied to one or more output terminals 307, thereby allowing the generated current to flow to an electromechanical actuator to actuate the electromechanical actuator. For example, as described above, in an exemplary embodiment, the driver circuitry 306 includes an H-bridge arrangement 420 comprising four half-H-bridges corresponding to the four output terminals 307, wherein each half-H-bridge is operated to selectively couple its respective output terminal 307 to the power supply voltage terminal 305 or a ground (or negative) reference voltage node according to a driver command signal applied to the switch of the respective half-H-bridge.

[0047] The runaway prevention logic 308 includes a safety counter 430 with a clock input that receives a clock signal output from the oscillator circuitry 402. The reset input of the safety counter 430 is coupled to an input command terminal 301, such that a logic high level of the input duty cycle command signal resets the value of the safety counter 430 at the start of each new cycle of the input duty cycle command signal. The overflow output of the safety counter 430 is inverted and provided to the input of an AND gate 432, the inverted overflow output bit of which is logically connected to the input duty cycle command signal. The output of the AND gate 432 is provided to the set input of a set-reset (SR) flip-flop 434, the reset input of which is coupled to the overflow output of the safety counter 430 and its output is coupled to the enable input of the oscillator circuitry 402. Therefore, during normal operation, the safety counter 430 will not overflow when the input command signal varies between logic high and low voltage levels. As long as the input command signal has a logic high voltage, the output of AND gate 432 will also be a logic high voltage, thereby enabling the corresponding operation of the oscillator circuit system 402 and the duty cycle measurement logic 302. In one or more embodiments, the safety counter 430 is configured to overflow when the input command signal is constant for at least one half-cycle.

[0048] When the input command signal at input terminal 301 has a duty cycle of 0% or 100% and lasts for a sufficient period of time to cause the safety counter 308 to overflow (e.g., greater than one half-cycle), the SR flip-flop 434 is reset, thereby disabling the oscillator circuitry 402. Furthermore, the reset input of the D flip-flop circuitry 406 receives the inverted output of the SR flip-flop 434, which causes the D flip-flop circuitry 406 to reset and provide a zero command-driven actuation state value to the driver command modules 412, 414, 416, and 418. In an exemplary embodiment, the driver command modules 412, 414, 416, and 418 are configured to generate a driver command signal in response to a zero input value, which causes the driver circuitry 306 to allow output terminal 307 to ground or otherwise enter a high-impedance state. For example, in response to a zero command actuation state value, each of the driver command modules 412, 414, 416, and 418 can be configured to provide a driver command signal that causes each switching element of the H-bridge arrangement 420 to be turned on or otherwise turned off to prevent current from flowing through the H-bridge arrangement 420 and to effectively provide high impedance, thereby allowing the output terminal 307 to float when the electromechanical actuator slides to a stop. Therefore, refer to... Figure 2 When the actuator control module 212 determines that actuation is sufficient to achieve the desired dosage command, it can provide a constant logic low voltage signal (e.g., zero duty cycle) to the input terminal 301 of the electromechanical actuator driver module 214, 300 to stop further actuation of the electromechanical actuator 232 without asserting or deasserting the dedicated enable / disable signal for the electromechanical actuator 232. Furthermore, the runaway prevention logic 308 prevents any potential aberration in which the actuator control module 212 might unintentionally maintain a logic high voltage level at the input command terminal 301.

[0049] Figure 5An exemplary embodiment of a stepper motor driver command module 500 is depicted, which is adapted to function as a stepper motor driver command module 412 in the duty cycle decoding logic 304 of the electromechanical actuator driver modules 214, 300 depicted in one or more of the above embodiments. The stepper motor driver command module 500 includes a multiplexer 502 configured to selectively provide a selected 8-bit input value, from one of the 8-bit inputs, to a corresponding 8-bit output of the multiplexer 502. The multiplexer can then be coupled to corresponding switching elements of a four-and-a-half H-bridge arrangement 420 to selectively open or close the corresponding switching element according to a corresponding bit line of an active input coupled to the corresponding switching element. An enable input of the multiplexer 502 is coupled to a corresponding enable output of the decoder 410 to allow the output of the stepper motor driver command module 500 to be enabled (or otherwise disabled) when a stepper motor is in use.

[0050] The corresponding inputs of multiplexer 502 can be coupled to hardware data storage arrangement 504, which is configured to maintain fixed state values ​​representing the appropriate operation of driver circuitry 306 (e.g., switches of H-bridge arrangement 420) for implementing different commutation states of the stepper motor. For example, hardware data storage arrangement 504 can be configured to support lookup table 510 for driver command signal states (or excitation states), which can correspond to different commutation states of the stepper motor.

[0051] The selection input of multiplexer 502 is coupled to selection logic circuitry 506 (which may alternatively be referred to herein as selection line decoding circuitry), which is configured to map or otherwise transform command actuation state values ​​provided from duty cycle measurement logic 302 (e.g., the output of D flip-flop circuitry 406) to the corresponding selection input of multiplexer 502. This results in a specific set of fixed state values ​​corresponding to command actuation being provided to driver circuitry 306 to achieve command actuation of the stepper motor. In this respect, Figure 5Table 520 is included, which depicts an exemplary mapping of command actuation state values ​​to selection input values ​​(or corresponding driver command signal states) for an embodiment of the selection line decoding circuitry 506. The selection line decoding circuitry 506 compares the current command actuation state value with predetermined values ​​(or ranges) to decode or otherwise identify the appropriate selection input state and corresponding driver command signal state for implementing a commutation state corresponding to the input duty cycle. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, in response to a command actuation state value between 100 and 200, the selection line decoding circuitry 506 selects a set of values ​​provided at the first input to the multiplexer 502, which causes the driver command signal to turn off or disable the first switch of the first half-H-bridge coupled between the first motor input at the power supply voltage terminal 305 and the first output terminal 332, turn on or enable the second switch of the first half-H-bridge coupled between the first output terminal 332 and the ground reference voltage node, and turn on or enable the first switch of the second half-H-bridge coupled between the second motor input at the power supply voltage terminal 305 and the second output terminal 334. The system shuts down or disables the second switch of the second half-H-bridge coupled between the second output terminal 334 and the ground reference voltage node, opens or enables the first switch of the third half-H-bridge coupled between the power supply voltage terminal 305 and the third motor input at the third output terminal 336, shuts down or disables the second switch of the third half-H-bridge coupled between the third output terminal 336 and the ground reference voltage node, shuts down or disables the first switch of the fourth half-H-bridge coupled between the power supply voltage terminal 305 and the fourth motor input at the fourth output terminal 338, and opens or enables the second switch of the fourth half-H-bridge coupled between the fourth output terminal 338 and the ground reference voltage node. As shown, the runaway prevention logic 308, in response to the static input command signal, generates a command actuation state value of zero, causing the driver command signal output by the multiplexer 502 to ground the output terminals 332, 334, 336, and 338, thereby allowing the stepper motor to coast to a stop.

[0052] refer to Figure 5 And refer to Figure 2-5In one or more exemplary embodiments, actuator control module 212 may utilize a mapping between duty cycles (or command actuation state values) to determine the appropriate duty cycle of the input command signal provided to input terminal 301 to achieve the rotation angle of stepper motor 232, thereby achieving the desired fluid delivery dose. For example, if the desired dose corresponds to actuating stepper motor 232 through two commutation states, and sensing arrangement 216 indicates that motor 232 is in a first state (state 1), actuator control module 212 may provide an input command signal whose duty cycle results in a command actuation state value between 300 and 400, causing stepper motor driver command module 500 to advance stepper motor 232 to the next commutation state (state 2), and then increase the duty cycle to achieve a command actuation state value between 500 and 600, causing stepper motor driver command module 500 to advance stepper motor 232 to the following commutation state (state 3), thereby driving stepper motor 232 through two commutation states and delivering the desired dose. It should be understood that the same device package and package hardware used for the electromechanical actuator driver module 300 can be used with any number of different types of electromechanical actuators 232 and / or infusion devices 202 of different types or models, wherein the actuator control module 212 generates input command signals provided to the actuator driver modules 214, 300 according to the specific type of actuator 232 for a particular embodiment.

[0053] It should be noted that, Figure 5 This is a simplified representation of a driver command module for a stepper motor, provided for illustrative purposes. It should be understood that driver command modules for other types of electromechanical actuators can be implemented in an equivalent manner to achieve the desired operation of those types of electromechanical actuators. Furthermore, as will be understood in the art, although... Figure 5 Hardware-based implementations are described, but alternative embodiments may utilize software to map or otherwise convert command actuation state values ​​into driver command signals.

[0054] Figure 6 Exemplary embodiments of a control process 600 suitable for implementation by electromechanical actuator driver modules 214, 300 to control the operation of electromechanical actuator 232 are described. While the exemplary embodiments described herein use hardware to implement the control process 600, alternative embodiments may utilize any suitable combination of electronic components, logic, firmware, and / or software executed by a processing circuitry system. For illustrative purposes, the following description refers to the foregoing in conjunction with... Figure 2-5The elements mentioned. It should be understood that control process 600 may include any number of additional or alternative tasks, which need not be performed in the order shown and / or these tasks may be performed simultaneously, and / or control process 600 may be integrated into a more comprehensive program or process with additional functions not described in detail herein. Furthermore, as long as the intended overall functionality remains intact, Figure 6 One or more of the tasks shown and described in the context may be omitted from the practical embodiment of control process 600.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, control process 600 is initialized or otherwise started in response to detecting a rising edge of an input command signal asserted or otherwise provided at the input command terminal of the electromechanical actuator driver module (task 602). In response to detecting a rising edge when the input command signal transitions to a logic high level, control process 600 resets or otherwise initializes the state and safety counters before counting until a falling edge of the input command signal is detected (tasks 604, 606). For example, as described above... Figure 4B As described in the context, input command terminal 301 is connected to the reset input of status counter 404 and safety counter 430 to reset the values ​​of counters 404 and 430 to zero when the signal at input command terminal 301 transitions to a logic high voltage level.

[0056] In response to the detection of a falling edge of an input command signal, control process 600 latches or otherwise buffers the value of a state counter, and then maps or otherwise converts the latched state counter value into the corresponding driver output state (tasks 608, 610). For example, as described above, the input command signal from input command terminal 301 can be inverted before being provided to the clock input of D flip-flop arrangement 406, such that D flip-flop arrangement 406 latches the value of state counter 404 in response to a falling edge of the input command signal. The latched command-driven actuation state value is then provided to duty cycle decoding logic 304, which maps or otherwise converts the command-driven actuation state value into the corresponding driver state. For example, as described above in the context of Figures 4-5, driver command modules 412, 414, 416, 418 for a selected type of electromechanical actuator 232 (e.g., selection line decoding circuitry 506) can compare input command actuation state values ​​with predefined values ​​or thresholds corresponding to different driver output states (e.g., using lookup table 520) to identify the appropriate driver output state assigned to the command actuation state value. In this respect, compared to systems where the duty cycle of the command signal is related to or otherwise proportional to the amount (or percentage) of current (or power) delivered to the load during an electrical cycle, the embodiments described herein map the duty cycle to discrete communication states (or actuation states). Subsequently, control process 600 operates the driver circuitry of the electromechanical actuator driver module to set the voltage level at its output terminal (which is coupled to the input of the electromechanical actuator) to an appropriate value for achieving command actuation (task 612). For example, after mapping the command actuation state value to the corresponding selection input state, the selection line decoding circuit system 506 operates the selection input of the multiplexer 502 to apply the driver command signal corresponding to the command actuation to the driver circuit system 306, thereby setting the output terminal 307 of the electromechanical actuator driver module 300 to a voltage level for implementing command actuation corresponding to the duty cycle of the input command signal.

[0057] The loop defined by tasks 602, 604, 606, 608, 610, and 612 repeats throughout the operation of the electromechanical actuator 232, while the actuator control module 212 changes the duty cycle of the input command signals provided to the actuator driver modules 214 and 300 to achieve the desired actuation, thereby achieving the desired fluid delivery. In the absence of a rising or falling edge of the input command signal, the control process 600 monitors the value of the safety counter to detect or otherwise identify an overflow of the safety counter (tasks 614 and 618). In response to the overflow (or expiration) of the safety counter, the control process 600 disconnects the electromechanical actuator from the power supply and exits (task 616). For example, as described above, the reset input of the safety counter 430 is coupled to the input command terminal 301 and resets on the rising edge of each new cycle of the input command signal. Therefore, when the input command signal is maintained at a logic high or logic low voltage, the safety counter 430 will not reset and will eventually overflow. In response, additional safety logic 432, 434 disables the oscillator circuitry 402 and sets the command actuation state to zero (e.g., by resetting the D flip-flop arrangement 406). This causes the duty cycle decoding logic 304 to operate the driver circuitry 306 to disconnect the output terminal 307 from the power supply voltage. In an exemplary embodiment, the driver circuitry 306 is operated to provide a high impedance at the output terminal 307 and allow the electromechanical actuator 232 to coast to a stop. Thereafter, the control process 600 can be restarted, as described above, by changing the input command signal (e.g., task 602) at the input terminal.

[0058] Based on the topics described herein, a wide variety of electromechanical actuators can be driven using a single control signal and a common electrical hardware platform. In addition to increasing the flexibility, scalability, and / or reusability of the electromechanical actuator driver module, the size of the driver module can be reduced by decreasing the number of I / O interfaces required to input commands to a single terminal. Similarly, the package size of the control module providing the input command signal can also be reduced by decreasing the number of I / O interfaces required to output the command signal. Furthermore, the control signal used to generate the driver command can be contained within the driver module package, leaving only a single control signal (e.g., the input command signal) exposed to environmental factors (e.g., humidity, water ingress, etc.) or other external factors (e.g., electromagnetic interference, electrostatic discharge, etc.), thereby improving safety. Unintentional actuation or movement of the rotor can also be suppressed by requiring a command signal with a specific duty cycle (e.g., mapped to a specific command actuation state) at the input command terminal, preventing actuation by noise, transients, or other stray signals. The hardware-based implementation described herein also allows for more reliable performance, which reduces the software burden and makes it less prone to errors.

[0059] For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to motors and related actuation systems and controls, logic circuits, electronics, device packaging, and other functional aspects of this subject matter may not be described in detail herein. Additionally, certain terms may be used herein for illustrative purposes only and are therefore not intended to be limiting. For example, unless explicitly indicated by the context, the terms “first,” “second,” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply order or sequence. The foregoing description may also refer to elements or nodes or features “connected” or “coupled” together. As used herein, unless explicitly stated otherwise, “coupled” means that one element / node / feature is directly or indirectly and not necessarily mechanically engaged to (or directly or indirectly in communication with) another element / node / feature. Thus, although the various figures may depict direct electrical connections between components, alternative embodiments may employ intermediate circuit elements and / or components while functioning in a substantially similar manner.

[0060] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed descriptions, it should be understood that numerous variations exist. It should also be understood that the one or more exemplary embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claimed subject matter in any way. For example, the subject matter described herein is not limited to the infusion apparatus and related systems described herein. Furthermore, the foregoing detailed descriptions will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient roadmap for implementing one or more of the described embodiments. It should be understood that various changes to the function and arrangement of elements may be made without departing from the scope defined by the claims, including equivalents known or foreseeable at the time of filing this patent application. Therefore, unless there is a clear intention to the contrary, the details or other limitations of the exemplary embodiments described above should not be read into the claims.

Claims

1. An electromechanical actuator driver module (300), comprising: Terminal (301), the terminal receiving input command signals; Command logic (302, 308), the command logic being coupled to the terminal to convert the input command signal into an actuation command; as well as Decoding logic (304), which is coupled to the command logic to generate a driver command for a selected type of electromechanical actuator based on the actuation command. The decoding logic (304) includes: Multiple driver command modules (412, 414, 416, 418) generate corresponding driver commands based on the actuation command, wherein each driver command module (412, 414, 416, 418) corresponds to a different electromechanical actuator among multiple types of electromechanical actuators; as well as A logic circuit system (410) coupled to the plurality of driver command modules (412, 414, 416, 418) to enable a selected driver command module in the driver command modules (412, 414, 416, 418) corresponding to the selected type of electromechanical actuator.

2. The electromechanical actuator driver module of claim 1, wherein the command logic (302, 308) includes duty cycle measurement logic configured to measure the duty cycle of the input command signal to obtain the actuation command.

3. The electromechanical actuator driver module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuation command includes a command-driven commutation state.

4. The electromechanical actuator driver module according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a driver circuit system (306) coupled to the decoding logic (304) to receive the driver command output by the selected driver command module.

5. The electromechanical actuator driver module of claim 3, wherein each of the driver command modules (412, 414, 416, 418) is configured to drive a corresponding different electromechanical actuator among the plurality of types of electromechanical actuators selected from the group consisting of stepper motors, brushless DC (BLDC) motors, brushed DC (BDC) motors, and shape memory alloy actuators.

6. The electromechanical actuator driver module according to claim 4, further comprising an output terminal (307) for coupling to the selected type of electromechanical actuator, wherein the driver circuitry (306) generates an output signal at the output terminal (307) corresponding to the driver command output.

7. The electromechanical actuator driver module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driver command module (412, 414, 416, 418) comprises at least one module, the at least one module comprising: Table (504), the table includes multiple excitation states of electromechanical actuators of the corresponding type; A multiplexer (502) coupled to the table to output a selected excitation state from the plurality of excitation states as the driver command; as well as Selection logic circuitry (506) coupled to the selection input of the multiplexer (502) to map the actuation command to the selected excitation state among the plurality of excitation states.

8. The electromechanical actuator driver module according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising safety logic (308, 614, 616, 618) that overrides the actuation command when the input command signal is constant for at least a threshold duration.

9. A method for controlling an electromechanical actuator in response to an input command signal at an input terminal, the method comprising: The command-type actuation state value is determined based on the characteristics of the input command signal; A driver command signal is generated based on the command-driven actuation state value and the actuator type associated with the electromechanical actuator; as well as The driver circuitry operates according to the driver command signal to provide an output signal at the output terminal coupled to the electromechanical actuator. The method further includes: The actuator type is identified as an actuator type selected from a variety of actuator types associated with a driver module including the input terminal and the output terminal; as well as This enables the driver command module associated with the actuator type to generate the driver command signal based on the command actuation state value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the command-driven actuation state value comprises measuring the duty cycle of the input command signal.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising disabling the actuation of the electromechanical actuator when the input command signal is constant.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein disabling actuation comprises setting the command actuation state value to a default value, which causes the driver command signal to provide high impedance at the output terminal.

13. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the plurality of actuator types includes one or more of the following: stepper motor, brushless DC (BLDC) motor, brushed DC (BDC) motor, and shape memory alloy actuator.

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