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US 12,169,214 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for noninvasive determination of utilization
AssigneeElemental Machines, Inc.
InventorsAlex Nichols, Casey Peters, Lauren Lisle, John Sakalowsky, Ian Harding, Sridhar Iyengar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electromagnetic apparatus (EMA) for measuring electromagnetic properties of an electrical conductor such as a power cord is provided. Methods of using the EMA are also provided. The EMA includes a plurality of electromagnetic sensors (EMSs) disposed in an array along a length and a width of the EMA. The EMA further includes circuitry such as a microprocessor, communication circuitry, and power circuitry. The circuitry is in electrical communication with the EMSs.
Claims26
An electromagnetic apparatus (EMA) for measuring at least one electromagnetic property of an electrical conductor, the EMA comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic sensors (EMSs) disposed in an array along a length, or both the length and a width of the EMA, and
- circuitry comprising a microprocessor, communication circuitry, and power circuitry, wherein the circuitry is in electrical communication with the EMSs,
- wherein the EMA is configured for association with the electrical conductor such that at least two EMSs are offset along the length of the electrical conductor, and
- wherein the EMA comprises a guide path disposed along the length of the EMA, wherein the guide path is configured for guiding the electrical conductor along the length of the EMA, and wherein the plurality of EMSs are disposed adjacent to or within the guide path along the length of the EMA.
1 more element
A method of using an EM measurement system comprising the steps of:
- (A) calibrating the EM measurement system by employing the steps of:
- (i) associating an electromagnetic apparatus (EMA) with a power cord for supplying power to a machine to form an EM measurement system, wherein at least two EMSs are offset along the length or both the length and a width of the power cord,
- wherein the EMA is for measuring at least one electromagnetic property of the power cord, the EMA comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic sensors (EMSs) disposed in an array along a length, or both the length and a width of the EMA, and
- circuitry comprising a microprocessor, communication circuitry, and power circuitry, wherein the circuitry is in electrical communication with the EMSs,
- wherein the EMA is configured for association with the power cord such that at least two EMSs are offset along the length of the electrical conductor,
- (ii) operating the machine at a plurality of operating states (e.g. unplugged, plugged in but off, low, high, etc.) and obtaining a signal from the EMA during the plurality of set operating states,
- (iii) quantifying the signals obtained in step (ii) and associating quantified values to the operational state the signal was obtained to form a operating state reference values, and
- (iv) storing the operating state reference values,
- (B) determining a present operating state of the machine comprising the steps of:
- (i) operating the machine in a present operating state (e.g. unplugged, plugged in but off, low, high, etc.) and obtaining an operating signal from the EMA,
- (ii) quantifying the operating signal obtained in step (B)(i) to form a quantified value of the present operating state of the machine, and
- (iii) comparing the quantified value of the present operating state of the machine with the stored operating state reference values stored in step (A)(iv) to determine a present operating state of the machine,
- wherein the method further comprises a step of estimating a machine maintenance time comprising a combination of steps (B)(iv) to (B)(vi) selected from the group consisting of:
- (B)(iv) determining the length of time the machine is operated at the present operating state and recording in a computer memory the length of time,
- (B)(v) repeating steps (B)(i) to (B)(iv) a plurality of times over a given time period and then adding the operating time values stored in step (B)(iv) to determine a total length of time the machine was in operation over a given time period, and
- (B)(vi) comparing the length of time the machine was in operation over a given time period determined in step (B)(v) to a reference range to estimating a machine maintenance time,
- AND:
- (B)(iv) determining the length of time the machine is operated at the present operating state and recording in a computer memory the length of time at the present operating state,
- (B)(v) performing steps (B)(i) to (B)(iv) a plurality of times over a given time period and then comparing the operating time values stored in step (B)(iv) to determine variance of the operating time values over the given time period, and
- (B)(vi) comparing the determined variance of the operating time values over the given time period determined in step (B)(v) to a reference range to estimating a machine maintenance time.
18 more elements
A method of using an EM measurement system comprising the steps of:
- (A) calibrating the EM measurement system by employing the steps of:
- (i) associating an electromagnetic apparatus (EMA) with a power cord for supplying power to a machine to form an EM measurement system, wherein at least two EMSs are offset along the length or both the length and a width of the power cord,
- wherein the EMA is for measuring at least one electromagnetic property of the power cord, the EMA comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic sensors (EMSs) disposed in an array along a length, or both the length and a width of the EMA, and
- circuitry comprising a microprocessor, communication circuitry, and power circuitry, wherein the circuitry is in electrical communication with the EMSs,
- wherein the EMA is configured for association with the power cord such that at least two EMSs are offset along the length of the electrical conductor,
- (ii) operating the machine at a plurality of operating states (e.g. unplugged, plugged in but off, low, high, etc.) and obtaining a signal from the EMA during the plurality of set operating states,
- (iii) quantifying the signals obtained in step (ii) and associating quantified values to the operational state the signal was obtained to form a operating state reference values, and
- (iv) storing the operating state reference values,
- (B) determining a present operating state of the machine comprising the steps of:
- (i) operating the machine in a present operating state (e.g. unplugged, plugged in but off, low, high, etc.) and obtaining an operating signal from the EMA,
- (ii) quantifying the operating signal obtained in step (B)(i) to form a quantified value of the present operating state of the machine, and
- (iii) comparing the quantified value of the present operating state of the machine with the stored operating state reference values stored in step (A)(iv) to determine a present operating state of the machine, and
- (C) determining if the EMA has been moved or dislodged from the power cord after its association therewith in step (A)(i) comprising the steps of:
- (i) operating the machine in a present operating state (e.g. unplugged, plugged in but off, low, high, etc.) and obtaining an operating signal from the EMA,
- (ii) quantifying the operating signal obtained in step (B)(i) to form a quantified value of the present operating state of the machine,
- (iii) comparing the quantified value of the present operating state of the machine with the stored operating state reference values stored in step (A)(iv),
- wherein when it is determined in step (C)(iii) that the quantified value of the present operating state of the machine does not meet or fall within a predetermined range of the stored operating state reference values stored in step (A)(iv), then
- (iv) determining the EMA has been moved or dislodged from the power cord after its association therewithin step (A)(i).
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.