Communication between components of a machine

A method of monitoring operation of a machine having a plurality of parts where monitoring is required, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of transducers each arranged at a respective one of the parts of the machine to be monitored for detecting information from the respective part;
• providing for each transducer a respective, separate one of a plurality of sensor units such that each sensor unit is dedicated solely to a respective single one of the transducers;
• each sensor unit having a sensor memory and a sensor processor for controlling input of information from the transducer into the sensor memory and for controlling getting of information from the sensor memory;
• providing a central monitor unit having a visual display, manual input means, a monitor memory and a monitor processor;
• providing a communication bus to which the central monitor unit and each of the plurality of sensor units are connected for communicating information from the respective sensor memory to the central monitor unit;
• providing in each sensor unit a unique ID code;
• at installation:
• providing instructions to an operator for installation of the sensor units in a particular order such that each sensor unit installed is associated with a particular location in the order;
• causing the central monitor unit to poll each installed sensor unit after installation thereof to obtain therefrom the ID code identifying the installed sensor unit;
• and causing the central monitor unit to record the obtained ID code in association with the particular location in the order to identify the sensor unit at each location in turn;
• and after installation:
• causing the transducers to effect monitoring of the respective parts to generate data therefrom;
• communicating the data from the respective transducer to the sensor processor of its dedicated sensor unit and storing information from the sensor processor related to the data in the sensor memory of the dedicated sensor unit;
• and causing the sensor processor of each identified sensor unit to effect communication of said information from the respective sensor memory through the communication bus to the central monitor unit, independently of the other sensor units.

A method of monitoring operation of a machine having a plurality of parts where monitoring is required, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of transducers each arranged at a respective one of the parts of the machine to be monitored for detecting information from the respective part;
• providing for each transducer a respective, separate one of a plurality of sensor units such that each sensor unit is dedicated solely to a respective single one of the transducers;
• each sensor unit having a sensor memory and a sensor processor for controlling input of information from the transducer into the sensor memory and for controlling getting of information from the sensor memory;
• providing a central monitor unit having a visual display, manual input means, a monitor memory and a monitor processor;
• providing a communication bus to which the central monitor unit and each of the plurality of sensor units are connected for communicating said information from the respective sensor memory to the central monitor unit;
• providing in each sensor unit a unique ID code;
• causing the central monitor unit to poll the sensor units one at a time on the communication bus using, for addressing each sensor unit, its ID code;
• in the event that one of the sensor units fails to respond, causing the central monitor unit to transmit a signal which is instructive of any sensor unit which has not been addressed by the central monitor unit to respond and to provide its ID code such that the central monitor unit obtains the ID code of a sensor unit which has replaced a faulty sensor unit.

A monitoring apparatus for a seed planter comprising:

• a central monitor unit having a visual display, manual input means, a monitor memory and a monitor processor;
• a plurality of seed sensor units, each for detecting passage of seeds through a respective one of a plurality of seed paths of the seed planter;
• and a communication bus to which each of the plurality of seed sensor units is connected for communicating information to the central monitor unit;
• each of said seed sensor units including a transducer for disposition adjacent the seed path for generating a series of signals in response to the passage of seeds along the path, a sensor processor for receiving said series of signals from the transducer and a sensor memory;
• the plurality of seed sensor units being arranged such that each transducer of the plurality of seed sensor units is associated with its own sensor memory and its own sensor processor such that each sensor processor and the respective sensor memory is dedicated solely to a respective single transducer;
• the plurality of seed sensor units being arranged such that each sensor processor receives the series of signals from the respective transducer and controls input during a time period into the respective sensor memory of a count value relating to a number of seeds passing the transducer in the period;
• the central monitor unit being arranged to poll on the communication bus the sensor processor of each sensor unit in turn;
• and the sensor units being arranged to effect communication of said count value from the respective sensor memory through the communication bus to the central monitor unit independently of that from the other sensor units and only when polled.