Vibration logging in computers

• US 20110131003A1
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Safe Innovations AS
• Original Assignee: Safe Innovations AS
• Inventors: Tusvik, Oystein
• Application Number:
  US12/935,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20110131003A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/130
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0425 Safety, monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/08 Registering or indicating the production of the machine either with or without registering working or idle time
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/187 Machine fault alarms

Abstract

The invention relates to a process and a monitoring device for monitoring an equipment unit, carried out by a processing device in the monitoring device. The process comprises reading at least one sensor signal and determining, on the basis of the at least one sensor signal, whether the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress. If the equipment device has been subjected to an unacceptable stress, a start-up lock for the equipment unit is enabled, and lock status information is stored. The step of determining whether the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress may comprise criteria that are dependent upon whether the monitoring device is operating in a low-power mode or a normal power mode. When a signal is received that indicates that the equipment unit is to be started up, it is determined whether the start-up lock has been enabled. If it has been enabled, a warning is activated. If, in addition, a non-reversible switch has not been activated, the warning is maintained and further operation of the equipment unit is prevented.

Claims

1. A process for monitoring an equipment unit, carried out by a processing device in a monitoring device, the process comprising

reading at least one sensor signal;

determining, on the basis of the at least one sensor signal, whether the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress;

if the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress, enabling a start-up lock for the equipment unit and storing lock status information in a memory.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1,

further comprising

determining whether the monitoring device is operating in a low-power mode or a normal power mode, and

wherein said step of determining whether the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress comprises criteria that are dependent upon whether the monitoring device is operating in a low-power mode or a normal power mode.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1 or 2, further comprising

receiving a signal which indicates that the equipment unit is to be started up;

determining whether said start-up lock has been enabled; and

if said start-up lock has been enabled, activating a warning.

4. A process in accordance with claim 3, further comprising

if said start-up lock has been enabled, determining whether a non-reversible switch has been activated;

and

if said non-reversible switch has not been activated, maintaining said warning and preventing further operation of the equipment unit.

5. A process in accordance with claim 4, further comprising

if said non-reversible switch has been activated, determining whether a switch for deactivating the warning has been activated;

and

if said switch for deactivating said warning has been activated, deactivating said warning.

6. A process in accordance with claim 5, further comprising

if said switch for deactivating said warning has not been activated, allowing the equipment unit to be in operation in an emergency mode.

7. A process in accordance with one of claims 1-6,

wherein said equipment unit is a computer,

wherein said monitoring device is arranged on a printed circuit board in said computer, and wherein said at least one sensor signal is provided from at least one sensor arranged in said monitoring device.

8. A process in accordance with claim 7,

wherein said at least one sensor comprises an acceleration sensor, and

wherein said step of determining whether the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress, comprises ascertaining whether said sensor signal exceeds a limit value contained within said memory.

9. A process in accordance with claim 8,

wherein said at least one sensor comprises further comprising at least one additional sensor selected from the group consisting of:

temperature sensors, humidity/moisture sensors, optical dust or dirt sensors.

10. A process in accordance with claim 2,

wherein, in the low-power mode, one set of sensor signals is used in determining whether the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress, whilst in a normal power mode another set of sensor signals is used to determine whether the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress.

11. A process in accordance with claim 10,

wherein, in the low-power mode, it is determined that the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress if an acceleration sensor signal, or a tilt sensor signal, exceeds a limit value.

12. A process in accordance with claim 11,

wherein, in a normal effect mode, it is determined that the equipment unit has been subjected to an unacceptable stress if the acceleration sensor signal exceeds the limit value, and another sensor signal, sea temperature sensor, humidity/moisture sensor optical dirt/dust sensor(s) exceeding

13. A set of processing instructions, comprising

instructions, contained within a memory, a medium or carried by a propagated signal, which, when executed by a processing device in a monitoring device, perform a process as disclosed in one of claims 1-12.

14. A monitoring device comprising

input circuits, output circuits, a processing device and a memory, connected via at least one bus, wherein the processing device is configured to execute a set of processing instructions as disclosed in claim 13, the processor instructions being contained within said memory.

15. An equipment unit, comprising a monitoring device as disclosed in claim 14.