Apparatus and method for simultaneous monitoring, logging, and controlling of an industrial process

A method of operating an apparatus for data monitoring, logging, and controlling, the method comprising:

• receiving sensor data in real time from at least one system sensor that produces the sensor data corresponding to a system characteristic detected by the sensor;
• monitoring the sensor data to detect sensor data values that exceed limit values for normal operation;
• logging the sensor data in apparatus memory;
• and
• producing control data that controls a device that affects the system.

An apparatus that performs monitoring, logging, and controlling in connection with a system, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one system sensor that produces sensor data corresponding to a system characteristic detected by the sensor;
• at least one output port that provides an output signal of the apparatus;
• a timing source that provides clock timing signals;
• and
• MLC means for storing data and program instructions, and that stores the sensor data in a circular buffer to provide a running log of the data and includes a reserved memory region that stores system fault data, and for monitoring and logging the sensor data and to provide control data to the output port and thereby controlling a device affecting the system, in accordance with the clock timing signals.

An apparatus that processes sensor data for monitoring and logging in connection with a system, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one system sensor that produces sensor data corresponding to a system characteristic detected by the sensor;
• memory that stores data and program instructions;
• at least one output port that provides an output signal of the apparatus;
• a timing source that provides clock timing signals;
• and
• a microprocessor that receives the sensor data and executes the program instructions to monitor and log the sensor data received from the system sensor, in accordance with the clock timing signals, such that the sensor data is stored in the memory in accordance with an adaptive data logging scheme in which the sensor data is buffered for a predetermined interval of time and is analyzed by the microprocessor such that the buffered sensor data is stored into a separate region of the memory only if the buffered sensor data indicates that data values have changed significantly over the predetermined time interval.

An apparatus that processes sensor data for monitoring and logging in connection with a system, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one system sensor that produces sensor data corresponding to a system characteristic detected by the sensor;
• memory that stores data and program instructions;
• at least one output port that provides an output signal of the apparatus;
• a timing source that provides clock timing signals;
• and
• a microprocessor that receives the sensor data and executes the program instructions to monitor and log the sensor data received from the system sensor, in accordance with the clock timing signals, such that the sensor data is stored in the memory in accordance with a differential recording scheme in which the sensor data is stored in a circular buffer memory and, upon the microprocessor detecting a fault condition, a first portion of the sensor data in the circular buffer is stored to a non-circular buffer according to a high resolution data storing frequency for a predetermined high resolution time interval that extends immediately before and immediately after the occurrence of the fault condition, and a second portion of the sensor data in the circular buffer is stored to the non-circular buffer according to a low resolution data storing frequency for a predetermined time interval outside of the high resolution time interval.