Portable, self-contained data collection systems and methods
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable self-contained data collection system for measuring and collecting vibration data from machines includes an accelerometer which is coupled to the analog input of a data acquisition card. The data acquisition card samples and digitizes the analog signal to produce a time domain digital signal. The data acquisition card output is coupled to a battery-powered portable computer. The battery-powered portable computer includes a database having machine identifications and associated measurement parameters. The portable computer processes the time domain digital signal according to the measurement parameters associated with a selected machine identification, and produces a frequency domain digital signal by performing a Fast Fourier Transform and other digital signal processing operations. The frequency domain signal is also analyzed in the portable computer to produce predictive maintenance information. A power supply for supplying power to the accelerometer is also included. The accelerometer power supply electrically and mechanically couples the accelerometer to the data acquisition card. It supplies power to the accelerometer when the data acquisition card is activated. The portable self-contained data collection system can be used to measure and collect vibration data from machines and to analyze this data to produce predictive maintenance information.
23 Citations
75 Claims
-
1-17. -17. cancelled
-
18. A method of collecting machinery maintenance data from machines, comprising:
-
providing a portable computer comprising a processor, memory, battery, external interface, and user interface, providing an analog machine activity sensor for collecting machinery maintenance data from one or more machines, during battery-powered operation of said portable computer, interacting with said processor using said user interface to catalog a machine into said memory by identifying said machine, and identifying machinery measurement parameters to be used with said machine, and during battery-powered operation of said portable computer, interacting with said processor using said user interface to select said catalogued machine, and collect data relating to operation of said selected, catalogued machine from said analog machine activity sensor, via said external interface, into said memory of said portable computer, using said machinery measurement parameters. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A computer system for collecting machinery maintenance data from machines, comprising:
-
a portable computer comprising a processor, memory, battery, and external interface, software in said memory for operating said processor to collect data from an analog machine activity sensor connected to said external interface, and store said data into said memory of said portable computer, and sensor power supply circuitry for generating a supply of electrical power for said analog machine activity sensor that is different from that available from said battery. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
-
57. A computer system for collecting machinery maintenance data from machines, comprising:
-
a portable computer comprising a processor, memory, battery, external interface, and user interface, said user interface having less than a full set of alphanumeric keys, software in said memory for interacting with a user via said user interface to catalog a machine into said memory by identifying said machine, and identifying machinery measurement parameters to be used with said machine, software in said memory for operating said processor to collect data from an analog machine activity sensor connected to said external interface, and store said data into said memory of said portable computer. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
-
Specification