Universal sensor interface for machinery monitoring system

A sensor power and signal conditioning circuit of a machinery health monitoring module, the sensor power and signal conditioning circuit comprising:

• a sensor interface connector that is operable to connect to multiple types of sensors attached to a machine to monitor various characteristics of the machine, the sensor interface connector for receiving an analog sensor signal generated by a connected sensor;
• signal conditioning circuitry for conditioning the analog sensor signal, the signal conditioning circuitry comprising:
• a plurality of sensor signal conditioning circuits, each sensor signal conditioning circuit for accommodating a sensor signal input range that is different from one or more sensor signal input ranges accommodated by other of the sensor signal conditioning circuits;
• and
• a first software controllable switch for selecting one of the plurality of sensor signal conditioning circuits to receive the analog sensor signal generated by the connected sensor, the first software controllable switch controlled by an input range selection signal;
• sensor power supply circuitry for supplying power to the connected sensor, the sensor power control circuitry comprising:
• a plurality of individually selectable sensor power circuits, each sensor power circuit for providing power over a voltage range that is different from one or more voltage ranges provided by other of the sensor power circuits;
• and
• a second software controllable switch for selecting one of the plurality of sensor power circuits to provide power to the connected sensor, the second software controllable switch controlled by a power range selection signal;
• a configuration circuit for generating one or more of the input range selection signal and the power range selection signal based at least in part on a user selection of a sensor type of the connected sensor;
• analog-to-digital conversion circuitry for converting the analog sensor signal into a digital vibration signal;
• and
• a data analysis computer in communication with the configuration circuit, the data analysis computer including a display screen on which a list of sensor types is displayed, wherein the user selection of the sensor type of the connected sensor is provided via input from a user in selecting one of the sensor types from the list,
• wherein the configuration circuit maintains the user selection of the sensor type of the connected sensor until the user selects a different one of the sensor types from the list.