Vibration data collection method and apparatus
AssigneeCommtest Instruments, Ltd.
InventorNigel Leigh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a vibration data collection method and apparatus. The invention includes processes of receiving electrical vibration signals from at least one vibration sensor, digitizing the electrical vibration signals to obtain digitized vibration signals, calculating the average of the digitized vibration signals over a predetermined period, and storing the average in a storage device. The processes above are repeated to provide a history of averages. When vibration data recording is requested, the invention proceeds to check the history of averages to determine if the averages within a time period are substantially equal to one another within a tolerance. If the averages are within the tolerance, the digitized vibration signals are recorded.
Claims23
A vibration data collection method comprising the steps of:
- receiving electrical vibration signals from at least one vibration sensor;
- digitising the electrical vibration signals to obtain digitised vibration signals;
- calculating the average of the digitised vibration signals over a predetermined period;
- storing the average in a storage device;
- wherein when data recording is not requested:
- repeating the above steps of receiving, calculating and storing so as to provide a history of averages, and
- wherein when data recording is requested:
- checking the history of averages to determine if the averages within a time period are substantially equal to one another within a first tolerance;
- and
- recording the digitised vibration signals if the averages within the time period are substantially equal to one another within the first tolerance.
A vibration data collection apparatus comprising:
- at least one input to receive electrical vibration signals from one or more vibration sensors;
- an analogue-to-digital converter to convert the electrical vibration signals into digital vibration signals;
- a first averager in communication with the analogue-to-digital converter to the determine an average of the digitised vibration signals over a predetermined period;
- a storage device in communication with the first averager to store the average determined;
- and
- a processor adapted to:
- when data recording is not requested:
- store the average determined by the first averager in the storage device so as to provide a history of averages, and
- when data recording is requested:
- check the history of averages to determine if the averages within a time period are substantially equal to one another within a first tolerance;
- and
- record the digitised vibration signals if the averages within the time period are substantially equal to one another within the first tolerance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.