초록 ▼

The present invention is a component monitoring system which includes all sensor and plant component monitoring at distributed plant locations close to the sensors which are the source of the signals to be analyzed. Minimally preconditioned analog sensor signals are multiplexed and further condition

The present invention is a component monitoring system which includes all sensor and plant component monitoring at distributed plant locations close to the sensors which are the source of the signals to be analyzed. Minimally preconditioned analog sensor signals are multiplexed and further conditioned by a sensor signal preprocessor that adjusts the gain and filters the sensor signals before being applied to an analog-to-digital converter controlled by a data acquisition computer. The analog sensor signals are converted into digital samples and stored in a data memory of a digital signal processor using a direct memory access technique. The data acquisition computer also controls the selection of sensors, gain, etc., based on commands from a controller. The digital signal processor, once sufficient sensor data has been collected, performs appropriate processing using known digital signal processing techniques. This processed data is then sent to the controller for analysis to determine plant component condition. The analysis and processing routines can be changed by downloading a new routine from the controller. Once a sensor signal is processed, the controller selects the next sensor by transmitting an appropriate command to the data acquisition computer.

대표청구항 ▼

A smart sensor system, comprising: one or more sensors for a monitored component; a remote processor for processing and analyzing sensor signals from said one or more sensors; a communication link connected to said remote processor; and a component monitor connected to said communication link, locat

A smart sensor system, comprising: one or more sensors for a monitored component; a remote processor for processing and analyzing sensor signals from said one or more sensors; a communication link connected to said remote processor; and a component monitor connected to said communication link, located physically in association with the monitored component and located physically remotely with respect to said remote processor, said monitor including at least conditioning and multiplexing means for conditioning and selecting one of the sensor signals, wherein said conditioning and multiplexing means includes at least one sensor preprocessing module, each sensor preprocessing module including at least a channel selection latch for storing a channel selection signal; an input multiplexer, operatively connected to said channel selection latch, for receiving the sensor signals from said one or more sensors and for selecting one of the sensor signals as a selected sensor signal based on the channel selection signal; a gain control latch for storing a gain control value; a programmable gain control amplifier, operatively connected to said input multiplexer and said gain control latch, for amplifying the selected sensor signal based on the gain control value and for outputting an amplified signal; a frequency selection latch for storing a frequency selection value; a switching unit, operatively connected to said frequency selection latch and said programmable gain control amplifier, for receiving the amplified signal and outputting a differential signal; clock signal generating means for outputting a clock signal in dependence upon the frequency selection value; and a programmable filter, operatively connected to said switching unit, for lowpass filtering the differential signal based on the clock signal and for outputting a preprocessed sensor signal; conversion means for converting the sensor signals into digital samples; signal analysis means for processing and analyzing the digital samples; and control means for designating selection, conditioning and acquisition of sensor signals, designating a type of analysis performed on the digital samples, performing sensor signal analysis to determine and indicate pending sensor, component and component monitor failure and communicating the results of the analysis to said remote processor over said communications link.