DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DIAGNOSIS OF ELECTRONIC BASED PRODUCTS

• US 20140074433A1
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: CREPET, Gilles
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/02 Electric testing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0254 based on a quantitative model, e.g. mathematical relationships between inputs and outputs; functions: observer, Kalman filter, residual calculation, Neural Networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A device for diagnostic of an electronic based product includes a plurality of sensors for monitoring parameters associated with product. Each sensor generates at least one of an analogue signal and a digital signal upon monitoring of a parameter. The device further includes a plurality of converters for converting analogue signals to digital signals, a processing module for determining abnormal parameter conditions based on comparing digital signals to threshold parameter values. Each abnormal parameter condition corresponding to a parameter is determined based on comparison of a digital signal associated with the parameter and a threshold parameter value corresponding to the parameter. The device further includes a memory module configured to store information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions, and a communication interface to provide the information to external devices for diagnosis of the product.

Claims

1. A device for diagnosis of an electronic based product, the device comprising:

a plurality of sensors coupled with the electronic based product for monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with the electronic based product, each sensor configured to generate at least one of an analogue signal and a digital signal upon monitoring of a parameter;

a plurality of converters coupled to the plurality of sensors for converting analogue signals generated from the plurality of sensors to digital signals;

a processing module coupled with the plurality of converters for determining abnormal parameter conditions based at least on comparing the digital signals to threshold parameter values, each abnormal parameter condition corresponding to a parameter being determined based on comparison of a digital signal associated with the parameter and a threshold parameter value corresponding to the parameter;

a memory module coupled with the processing module, the memory configured to store information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions;

the memory module being configured to store a timestamp information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions; and

a communication interface configured to provide the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions to at least one external device for diagnosis of one or more faults in the electronic based product,

the device being configured in a hosting module of the electronic based product.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processing system comprising one or more logic modules for controlling the plurality of sensors and the plurality of converters.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a processing system is at least one of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a System on Chip (SOC), a micro-controller, a Digital Signal Procession (DSP), an Electrically Programmable Logic Device (EPLC), Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD) and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) system.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing module is configured in the processing system.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosting module is at least one of a circuit board of the electronic based product, a backplane of the electronic based product, a Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the electronic based product and an Input/Output (I/O) module of the electronic based product, partially or completely ensured by one or more parts of the electronic based product, a single board of the electronic based product, a main board of the electronic based product and a daughter board of the electronic based product.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory module is configured to store a timestamp information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters comprises:

a voltage difference between 0 Volt and ground potential;

an ambient temperature where the electronic based product is deployed;

accelerations, shocks and vibrations associated with components of the electronic based product;

shocks and vibration on a cubicle where the electronic based product is deployed;

power supply fed to the electronic based product;

electro-magnetic perturbation in an ambience of the electronic based product; and

opening/closing of one or more doors of the cubicle, temperature of the electronic based product;

humidity in ambience of the electronic based product;

pressure;

altitude;

angle of orientation from vertical and horizontal;

geo-localization;

light and brightness level;

noise level;

radiations level;

pollution level;

gas presence level in the ambience;

fumes and particles presence level in the ambience;

number of transitions and duration of ON/OFF of the power supply; and

logic inputs to monitor one or more subjects placed in proximity to the electronic based product.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external device is at least one a communication device and a control station.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to:

compute a time duration associated with at least one parameter;

count a number of occurrences of at least one parameter; and

compute a mathematical modelling associated with a parameter based on at least one of the time duration associated with the parameter, the number of occurrences of the parameter and a historical information associated with the parameter.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine the abnormal parameter condition based on at least one of a comparison of the digital signals to the threshold parameter values, the time duration associated with at least one parameter, the number of occurrences of at least one parameter, and the mathematical modelling.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a printed antenna configured to detect signals corresponding to an electro-magnetic perturbation for monitoring of an electro-magnetic perturbation parameter.

12. A method performed at a device for diagnosis of an electronic based product, the method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with the electronic based product, wherein monitoring a parameter is performed to generate at least one of an analogue signal and a digital signal associated with the parameter;

converting analogue signals associated with the plurality of parameters to digital signals;

determining abnormal parameter conditions associated with the plurality of parameters based at least on comparing the digital signals to threshold parameter values, each abnormal parameter condition corresponding to a parameter being determined based at least on comparison of a digital signal associated with the parameter and a threshold parameter value corresponding to the parameter; and

storing information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions corresponding to the plurality of parameters for diagnosis of one or more faults in the electronic based product,

storing timestamp information associated with the each abnormal parameter condition;

the device being configured as part of a hosting module of the electronic based product.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

transmitting the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions to at least one external device for at least one of the diagnosis of the one or more faults in the electronic based product, storage, archiving and displays of the information.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the storing of information associated with each abnormal parameter conditions comprises storing timestamp information associated with the each abnormal parameter condition.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the determination of the abnormal parameter conditions associated with the plurality of parameters is further based on at least one of a time duration associated with at least one parameter, a number of occurrences of at least one parameter, and a mathematical modelling based on at least one of the time duration, the number of occurrences and a historical information associated with the at least one parameter.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

facilitating scheduling of preventative maintenance of the electronic based product based on the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions;

notifying a diagnosis of a fault in the electronic based product based on the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions; and

facilitating authentication of a claim made for replacement of the electronic based product under a warranty agreement based on the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the plurality of parameters comprises:

a voltage difference between 0 Volt and ground potential;

an ambient temperature where the electronic based product is deployed;

accelerations, shocks and vibrations associated with components of the electronic based product;

shocks and vibration on a cubicle where the electronic based product is deployed;

power supply fed to the electronic based product;

electro-magnetic perturbation in an ambience of the electronic based product; and

opening/closing of one or more doors of the cubicle;

temperature of the electronic based product;

humidity in ambience of the electronic based product;

pressure;

altitude;

angle of orientation from vertical and horizontal;

geo-localization;

light and brightness level;

noise level;

radiations level;

pollution level;

gas presence level in the ambience;

fumes and particles presence level in the ambience;

number of transitions and duration of ON/OFF of the power supply; and

logic inputs to monitor one or more subjects placed in proximity to the electronic based product.

18. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the hosting module is one of a circuit board of the electronic based product, a backplane of the electronic based product, a Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the electronic based product and an Input/Output (I/O) module of the electronic based product.