Methods and systems for operating a sequence of events recorder

A sequence of events recorder for recording a sequence of events in a system, said sequence of events recorder comprising:

• an input channel, configured to have one of a first state and a second state, an input channel state being further configured to change from the first state to the second state, wherein the change is based on at least one event in the sequence of events in the system;
• a memory comprising a computer-readable medium, said memory further comprising a history buffer for storing data and a snap-shot buffer for storing data;
• and
• a controller in operable communication with said input channel, said controller configured to operate said sequence of events recorder in one of a normal mode and a snap-shot mode, the snap-shot mode initiated by a first triggering event that occurs in the sequence of events, wherein during the normal mode said sequence of events recorder stores data related to the sequence of events in said history buffer, and during the snap-shot mode said sequence of events recorder freezes data related to a moment in the sequence of events that occurred prior to the first triggering event, stores data related to the sequence of events at the time of the first triggering event in said snap-shot buffer, and continues to record data related to the sequence of events in said snap-shot buffer until a second predetermined triggering event, said controller further configured to reset said sequence of events recorder to the normal mode after the second predetermined triggering event has occurred.

A power system comprising:

• at least one component;
• and
• a sequence of events recorder configured to record a sequence of events related to said at least one component, said sequence of events recorder comprising:
• an input channel, configured to have one of a first state and a second state, said input channel being further configured to change from said first state to said second state, wherein said change is based on at least one event in the sequence of events in the system;
• a memory comprising a computer-readable medium, said memory further comprising a history buffer for storing data and a snap-shot buffer for storing data;
• and
• a controller configured to operate said sequence of events recorder in one of a normal mode and a snap-shot mode, the snap-shot mode initiated by a first triggering event in the sequence of events, wherein during the normal mode said sequence of events recorder stores data related to the events in said history buffer, and during the snap-shot mode said sequence of events recorder freezes data related to a moment in the sequence of events that occurred prior to the first triggering event, stores data related to the sequence of events at the time of the first triggering event in said snap-shot buffer, and continues to record data related to the sequence of events in said snap-shot buffer until a second predetermined triggering event, said controller further configured to reset said sequence of events recorder to the normal mode after the second predetermined triggering event has occurred.