Real-time data acquisition system
AssigneeLarson-Davis, Inc.
InventorLarry J. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A real-time, or synchronous, sensor data acquisition system acquires physical characteristics or properties associated with a structure or physical system using a plurality of sensors coupled in series to a single cable. The sensors may sense vibration, noise, temperature, acceleration, pressure, strain, force, etc. The sensors transmit data along the cable at greater than 100 dB dynamic range, with a bandwidth between about 5 to 20 KHz, and in a digital, single bit wide data stream. The sensors include modulators to code the data signals with distinct codes. A receiver has a demodulator to decode and separate the data signals.
Claims87
A real-time, sensor data acquisition system configured to acquire data from a physical system, comprising:
- a plurality of sensors, configured to be located on the structure and electrically coupled in series to a single cable, and configured to sense properties associated with the physical system and transmit data signals representing the properties along the cable;
- and
- a controller, electrically coupled to the cable, configured to receive the data signals;
- and
- the controller including a delay control counter and clock phase selector which match arrival times of the data signals transmitted from different location distances to one-half a period of a chip clock frequency.
A real-time, sensor data acquisition system configured to sense data from a structure, comprising:
- a cable;
- a plurality of sensors, configured to be located on the structure and electrically connected in series to the cable, and configured to sense physical characteristics associated with the structure and having sensor circuitry configured to transmit data signals representing the physical characteristics along the cable;
- a controller, electrically coupled to the cable, and having controller circuitry configured to receive the data signals;
- the controller including circuitry to correct intersymbol interference by summing the data signals to produce a sum, multiplying the sum by a corrective ratio to produce a correction signal, summing the correction signal to the data signals.
A real-time, sensor data acquisition system configured to sense vibration of a structure, comprising:
- a cable;
- a plurality of vibration sensors, configured to be located on the structure and electrically connected in series to the cable, and configured to sense vibration of the structure and having sensor circuitry configured to transmit data signals representing the vibration along the cable;
- a controller, electrically coupled to the cable, and having controller circuitry configured to receive the data signals;
- the control circuitry including a delay control counter and clock phase selector which match arrival times of the data signals transmitted from different location distances to one-half a period of a chip clock frequency.
A method for real-time, sensor data acquisition, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) locating a plurality of sensors at desired sensor locations;
- b) locating a single cable along the desired sensor locations;
- c) electrically connecting the plurality of sensors in series to the single cable;
- d) sensing properties of a physical system with the sensors;
- e) producing data signals representing the properties;
- f) transmitting the data signals with distinct delays along the single cable;
- g) receiving the data signals synchronously at a controller;
- and
- h) matching arrival times of the data signals to one-half a period of a chip clock frequency using a delay control counter and clock phase selector.
The method of claim wherein some of the sensors are configured to sense a different properties of the physical system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.