Diagnositc tool for an energy convesion appliance
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring an energy conversion appliance of a kind which involves a combustion process and which, in normal use, performs two or more operational events in a pre-determined sequence, each said event having a different acoustic signature, said method comprising providing a sound receiving transducer and positioning said transducer to receive sound signals emitted by the appliance during two or more operational events, one of said operational events comprising a fluid flow event which is related to the process of combustion and a second of said operational events comprising operation of a mechanical or electromechanical device, providing output means associated with said sound receiving transducer, said output means being responsive to the sound emitted by the appliance, and employing a monitoring means to compare said received sound signals with pre-established data.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A diagnostic tool for an energy conversion appliance, which may be a heating, ventilating or air conditioning appliance, includes a sound receiving transducer (1) coupled to output elements (5) to identify, discriminate and log the acoustic signatures of a sequence of events within an operating sequence of an appliance. Individual event occurrences are identified by comparison of a received acoustic signature with stored data to determine whether an event occurrence has occurred in a proper manner and at a correct position in the sequence of a plurality of event occurrences.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A method of monitoring an energy conversion appliance of a kind which involves a combustion process and which, in normal use, performs two or more operational events in a pre-determined sequence, each said event having a different acoustic signature, said method comprising providing a sound receiving transducer and positioning said transducer to receive sound signals emitted by the appliance during two or more operational events, one of said operational events comprising a fluid flow event which is related to the process of combustion and a second of said operational events comprising operation of a mechanical or electromechanical device, providing output means associated with said sound receiving transducer, said output means being responsive to the sound emitted by the appliance, and employing a monitoring means to compare said received sound signals with pre-established data.
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20. (canceled)
- 22. A diagnostic tool for an energy conversion appliance of a kind which involves a combustion process and which, in normal use, performs two or more operational events in a pre-determined sequence and each said event having a different acoustic signature, one of said operational events comprising a fluid flow event which is related to the process of combustion and a second of said operational events comprising operation of a mechanical or electromechanical device, said diagnostic tool comprising a sound receiving transducer coupled to output and monitoring means to identify, discriminate and log the acoustic signatures of said operational events within the operating sequence of the appliance, said monitoring means being operable to compare said received acoustic signatures with pre-established data.
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29. (canceled)
Specification