Monitoring system
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring a plurality of data signals from a plant or apparatus, each data signal representing a parameter of the plant or apparatus, the system comprising, means for periodically examining the data signals and for providing output signals representing whether each data signal represents an acceptable or an unacceptable state of the respective parameter, and means for supplying test signals to be superimposed on selected said data signals before each periodic examination thereof such as to produce corresponding combined signals equivalent to data signals representing the unacceptable state, the selection of the data signals on which the test signals are superimposed being changed for each periodic examination of the data signals within a predetermined sequence so that the examining means produces a recognisable pattern of said output signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring data signals representing a number of parameters of a plant or apparatus, periodically superimposes test signals on to some of the data signals so as to produce combined signals representing unacceptable states of the parameters. The selection of the data signals on which the test signals are superimposed is changed at each periodic examination in a predetermined sequence, so that a pattern of acceptable and unacceptable signals is produced as an output to be compared with a reference pattern.
47 Citations
13 Claims
- 1. A system for monitoring a plurality of data signals from a plant or apparatus, each data signal representing a parameter of the plant or apparatus, the system comprising, means for periodically examining the data signals and for providing output signals representing whether each data signal represents an acceptable or an unacceptable state of the respective parameter, and means for supplying test signals to be superimposed on selected said data signals before each periodic examination thereof such as to produce corresponding combined signals equivalent to data signals representing the unacceptable state, the selection of the data signals on which the test signals are superimposed being changed for each periodic examination of the data signals within a predetermined sequence so that the examining means produces a recognisable pattern of said output signals.
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13. A method of monitoring a plurality of data signals from a plant or apparatus, each data signal representing a parameter of the plant or apparatus, the method comprising periodically examining each data signal and providing an output signal representing whether the data signal represents an acceptable or an unacceptable state of the respective parameter, and superimposing test signals on selected said data signals before each periodic examination thereof such as to produce corresponding combined signals equivalent to data signals representing the unacceptable state, the selection of the data signals on which the test signals are superimposed being changed within a predetermined sequence so that a recognisable pattern of the output signals is produced.
Specification