Dynamic transducer with digital output and method for use

A portable digital transducer for collecting dynamic measurement data associated with one or more machines or processes, the portable digital transducer having a dynamic analog sensor for generating an analog sensor signal based on measurements of dynamic characteristics of the one or more machines or processes, an analog signal processing circuit for preprocessing the analog sensor signal before conversion into a digital signal, an analog-to-digital conversion circuit for oversampling the analog sensor signal at a sampling rate to generate oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a decimation processor programmed to derive at least two synchronized datasets from the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the at least two synchronized datasets comprising a first dataset resulting from filtering and nonselective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a second dataset resulting from filtering and selective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the portable digital transducer further comprising:

• a memory device for storing the at least two synchronized datasets until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to an external device;
• a digital signal processing circuit controlling the portable digital transducer in collecting the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data and storing the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device in multiple data groups with information associating each data group;
• a communications interface for transferring configuration settings from an external device to the memory device and for transferring the at least two synchronized datasets from the memory device to an external device;
• a power source for powering the portable digital transducer to collect and store the dynamic digital measurement data, and maintain the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to the external device;
• and
• a portable housing in which the dynamic analog sensor, analog signal processing circuit, analog-to-digital conversion circuit, decimation processor, digital signal processing circuit, memory device, communications interface, and power source are disposed, the portable housing configured for cable-free data collection, wherein
• the memory device stores skip-processing configuration settings indicating a first set of time durations and a second set of time durations that all occur within an extended period of time, wherein dynamic digital measurement data is to be collected during the first set of time durations, and no dynamic measurement data is to be collected during the second set of time durations;
• and
• the digital signal processing circuit loads from the memory device the skip-processing configuration settings and controls the portable digital transducer to collect the dynamic measurement data during the first set of time durations and not collect dynamic measurement data during the second set of time durations.

A portable digital transducer for collecting dynamic measurement data associated with one or more machines or processes, the portable digital transducer having a dynamic analog sensor for generating an analog sensor signal based on measurements of dynamic characteristics of the one or more machines or processes, an analog signal processing circuit for preprocessing the analog sensor signal before conversion into a digital signal, an analog-to-digital conversion circuit for oversampling the analog sensor signal at a sampling rate to generate oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a decimation processor programmed to derive at least two synchronized datasets from the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the at least two synchronized datasets comprising a first dataset resulting from filtering and nonselective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a second dataset resulting from filtering and selective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, an the portable digital transducer comprising:

• a memory device for storing the at least two synchronized datasets until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to an external device;
• a digital signal processing circuit controlling the portable digital transducer in collecting the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data and storing the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device in multiple data groups with information associating each data group;
• a communications interface for transferring configuration settings from an external device to the memory device and for transferring the at least two synchronized datasets from the memory device to an external device;
• a power source for powering the portable digital transducer to collect and store the dynamic digital measurement data, and maintain the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to the external device;
• a portable housing in which the dynamic analog sensor, analog signal processing circuit, analog-to-digital conversion circuit, decimation processor, digital signal processing circuit, memory device, communications interface, and power source are disposed, the portable housing configured for cable-free data collection;
• and
• an attachment detection sensor for generating an attachment signal indicating that the housing has been attached to a surface on the machine or a surface associated with the process, the attachment detection sensor selected from the group consisting of a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, a conductive sensor, a Hall effect sensor, a vibration sensor, a magnetic sensor, a temperature sensor, and an optical sensor, wherein the digital signal processing circuit controls the digital transducer to begin a data collection process or generate a prompt for an operator only after the attachment signal has been generated.

A portable digital transducer for collecting dynamic measurement data associated with one or more machines or processes, the portable digital transducer having a dynamic analog sensor for generating an analog sensor signal based on measurements of dynamic characteristics of the one or more machines or processes, an analog signal processing circuit for preprocessing the analog sensor signal before conversion into a digital signal, an analog-to-digital conversion circuit for oversampling the analog sensor signal at a sampling rate to generate oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a decimation processor programmed to derive at least two synchronized datasets from the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the at least two synchronized datasets comprising a first dataset resulting from filtering and nonselective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a second dataset resulting from filtering and selective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the portable digital transducer further comprising:

• a memory device for storing the at least two synchronized datasets until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to an external device;
• a digital signal processing circuit controlling the portable digital transducer in collecting the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data and storing the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device in multiple data groups with information associating each data group;
• a communications interface for transferring configuration settings from an external device to the memory device and for transferring the at least two synchronized datasets from the memory device to an external device;
• a power source for powering the portable digital transducer to collect and store the dynamic digital measurement data, and maintain the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to the external device;
• a portable housing in which the dynamic analog sensor, analog signal processing circuit, analog-to-digital conversion circuit, decimation processor, digital signal processing circuit, memory device, communications interface, and power source are disposed, the portable housing configured for cable-free data collection;
• and
• a location determination circuit for reading identification information from an identifier device disposed at a measurement location, the identification information uniquely identifying the measurement location at which the identifier device is disposed, wherein
• the digital signal processing circuit uses the identification information to load from the memory device configuration settings uniquely associated with the measurement location identified by the identification information.

A portable digital transducer for collecting dynamic measurement data associated with one or more machines or processes, the portable digital transducer having a dynamic analog sensor for generating an analog sensor signal based on measurements of dynamic characteristics of the one or more machines or processes, an analog signal processing circuit for preprocessing the analog sensor signal before conversion into a digital signal, an analog-to-digital conversion circuit for oversampling the analog sensor signal at a sampling rate to generate oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a decimation processor programmed to derive at least two synchronized datasets from the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the at least two synchronized datasets comprising a first dataset resulting from filtering and nonselective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a second dataset resulting from filtering and selective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the portable digital transducer comprising:

• a memory device for storing the at least two synchronized datasets until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to an external device;
• a digital signal processing circuit controlling the portable digital transducer in collecting the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data and storing the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device in multiple data groups with information associating each data group;
• a communications interface for transferring configuration settings from an external device to the memory device and for transferring the at least two synchronized datasets from the memory device to an external device;
• a power source for powering the portable digital transducer to collect and store the dynamic digital measurement data, and maintain the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to the external device;
• and
• a portable housing in which the dynamic analog sensor, analog signal processing circuit, analog-to-digital conversion circuit, decimation processor, digital signal processing circuit, memory device, communications interface, and power source are disposed, the portable housing configured for cable-free data collection, wherein
• the memory device stores leave-in-place configuration settings associated with at least one leave-in-place measurement location, the leave-in-place configuration settings indicating data collection time durations at which dynamic measurement data is to be collected while the portable digital transducer is left in place at the at least one leave-in-place measurement location for an extended period of time;
• and
• the digital signal processing circuit loads from the memory device the leave-in-place configuration settings and controls the portable digital transducer to collect the dynamic measurement data at the data collection time durations and not collect dynamic measurement data during periods of time between the data collection time durations.

A portable digital transducer for collecting dynamic measurement data associated with one or more machines or processes, the portable digital transducer having a dynamic analog sensor for generating an analog sensor signal based on measurements of dynamic characteristics of the one or more machines or processes, an analog signal processing circuit for preprocessing the analog sensor signal before conversion into a digital signal, an analog-to-digital conversion circuit for oversampling the analog sensor signal at a sampling rate to generate oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a decimation processor programmed to derive at least two synchronized datasets from the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the at least two synchronized datasets comprising a first dataset resulting from filtering and nonselective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, and a second dataset resulting from filtering and selective decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data, the portable digital transducer comprising:

• a memory device for storing the at least two synchronized datasets until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to an external device;
• a digital signal processing circuit controlling the portable digital transducer in collecting the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data and storing the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device in multiple data groups with information associating each data group;
• a communications interface for transferring configuration settings from an external device to the memory device and for transferring the at least two synchronized datasets from the memory device to an external device;
• a power source for powering the portable digital transducer to collect and store the dynamic digital measurement data, and maintain the at least two synchronized datasets in the memory device until the at least two synchronized datasets are transferred to the external device;
• and
• a portable housing in which the dynamic analog sensor, analog signal processing circuit, analog-to-digital conversion circuit, decimation processor, digital signal processing circuit, memory device, communications interface, and power source are disposed, the portable housing configured for cable-free data collection,
• wherein the communications interface transfers the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data from the memory device to an external device prior to any processing or decimation of the oversampled dynamic digital measurement data.