US 2017/0248497 A1 · Apparatus for Capturing Data Related to an Event Indicating Abnormal Function of a Machine

Abstract

Sensors monitor parameters of a machine and generate sensor signals that are transmitted to a plurality of signal analyzers. A microprocessor in each signal analyzer analyzes a sensor signal and generates an event signal when the sensor signal meets predetermined criteria indicating that the machine is operating abnormally. A circular buffer is connected to receive and record data corresponding to a sensor signal. When the signal analyzer generates an event signal and a capture trigger is created, the data from the circular buffer is transmitted and stored in the nonvolatile memory. Both pre-event data and post-event data are stored in the nonvolatile memory in a selected ratio of pre-event and post-event data. Data lines connect each signal analyzer in a group of signal analyzers, and data corresponding to each signal analyzer in the group is stored into the nonvolatile memory when an event signal is created by a signal analyzer in the group. The signal analyzers may communicate with an external computer that may receive the event signals, analyze the event signals, issue capture signals and control the amount of pre-event data and post-event data that is stored in the nonvolatile memory.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for monitoring machinery comprising:

one or a plurality of sensors connected to monitor one or more parameters of a machine and to generate sensor signals corresponding to the monitored parameters;
one or a plurality of signal analyzers connected to receive one or more sensor signals from the one or the plurality of sensors, each of the signal analyzers including a microprocessor for analyzing the one or the plurality of sensor signals and for generating an event signal when the one or more of the sensor signals meets defined criteria indicating that the machine is operating abnormally;
one or a plurality of memory managers connected to receive one or a plurality of sensor signals from the one or plurality of sensors;
a first memory connected to and controlled by one of the memory managers for continuously recording data corresponding to the one or more sensor signals, and
a second memory connected to the first memory and being controlled by one of the memory managers to record data from the first memory into the second memory in response to a capture trigger.

2 more elements

A method for monitoring machinery comprising the steps of:

connecting one or a plurality of sensors to a machine;
monitoring one or more parameters of the machine and generating sensor signals that correspond to the monitored parameters with the sensors;
receiving one or more sensor signals from the one or plurality of sensors using one or more signal analyzers;
analyzing the sensor signals using a microprocessor of the one or more signal analyzers and generating an event signal when one or more of the sensor signals meets defined criteria indicated that the machine is operating abnormally;
receiving one or a plurality of sensor signals from the one or plurality of sensors at one or a plurality of connected memory managers;
continuously recording data corresponding to the one or more sensor signals with a first memory connected to and controlled by one of the memory managers;
generating a capture signal in response to the event signal, and
recording data from the first memory to a second memory connected to the first memory and controlled by one of the memory managers in response to the capture trigger.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for Capturing Data Related to an Event Indicating Abnormal Function of a Machine

Life of this patent

Apparatus for Capturing Data Related to an Event Indicating Abnormal Function of a Machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20