Calibration system

• US 5,251,469 A
• Filed: 04/29/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Chan, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/692,435
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 73/1 DV, 73/1 R, 73/866.4, 73/572, 73/1 D, 367/13, 376/249
• US Class Current: 73/1.86
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/005 Testing or calibrating of detectors covered by the subgroups of G01H3/00 calibrating geophysical instruments, e.g. seismic receivers G01V13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 17/00 Monitoring; Testing measuring in general G01; Maintaining
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A calibration system includes a transducer 36 positioned proximate to a physical disturbance monitoring system sensor 20. A test signal generator 34 causes the transducer 36 to produce an acoustic signal simulating a physical disturbance proximate to the sensor 20. The output of the sensor 20 responsive to the acoustics simulation signal may be compared to a predetermined reference signal to verify the calibration of the sensor 20.

Claims

1. A test system for use with a physical disturbance monitoring system having one or more sensors for sensing a physical disturbance, comprising:

transducer means responsive to electrical stimulation signals for producing physical vibrations simulating vibrations caused by a physical disturbance, said transducer means being positioned proximate to a physical disturbance sensor; and

test signal stimulation means for providing an electrical stimulation signal to the transducer means so as to cause the transducer means to produce physical vibrations proximate to the sensor, wherein the electrical stimulation signal is derived from the output of a physical disturbance sensor.

2. The test system of claim 1 wherein the simulation test signal simulates loose parts impact noise.

3. The test system of claim 1 wherein the transducer means includes a piezoelectric crystal.

4. The test system of claim 1 further comprising a waveguide coupled to the output of the transducer means.

5. The test system of claim 1 wherein the test signal stimulation means includes a playback means for playing back a prerecorded electrical signal.

6. The test signal of claim 5 wherein the prerecorded signal is the recorded output of a physical disturbance sensor.

7. The test signal of claim 5 wherein the physical vibrations produced by the transducer means are an acoustic signal simulating acoustic noise caused by a physical disturbance.

8. The test system of claim 1 wherein the test signal stimulation means further comprises:

a mechanical device having moving parts for physically disturbing when activated, a physical disturbance sensor so as to cause the physical disturbance sensor to produce a mechanical reference sensor output signal; and

recording means for recording the output of a physical disturbance sensor when the mechanical device is activated.

9. The test system of claim 8 wherein the electrical stimulation signal of the test signal stimulation means is derived from the recorded output of the physical disturbance sensor when disturbed by the mechanical device.

10. The test system of claim 9 wherein application of the electrical stimulation signal to the transducer means by the test signal stimulation means causes the sensor proximate to the transducer means to produce a test sensor output signal;

the test system further comprising means for comparing the test sensor output signal to the mechanical reference sensor output signal and for computing a correlation factor between the two sensor output signals.

11. The test system of claim 10 wherein application of the electrical stimulation signal again to the transducer means by the test signal stimulation means causes the sensor proximate to the transducer means to produce a second test sensor output signal;

the test system further comprising means for comparing the second test sensor output signal to the mechanical reference sensor output signal using the computed correlation factor to test the sensor.

12. A test system for use with a malfunction monitoring system having one or more sensors for sensing malfunctioning equipment, comprising:

a mechanical device having moving parts for simulating when activated, an equipment malfunction in the vicinity of a malfunction sensor so as to cause the malfunction sensor to produce a mechanical malfunction reference sensor output signal;

recording means for recording the output of the malfunction sensor when the mechanical device is activated; and

transducer means responsive to electrical stimulation signals for producing acoustic noise simulating acoustic noise caused by an equipment malfunction, said transducer means being positioned proximate to a malfunction sensor;

test signal stimulation means for providing an electrical stimulation signal derived from the recorded output of the malfunction sensor when disturbed by the mechanical device, and for applying the electrical stimulation signal to the transducer means to cause the sensor in the vicinity of the transducer means to produce an acoustic test sensor output signal; and

means for comparing the acoustic test sensor output signal to the mechanical reference sensor output signal and for computing a correlation factor between the two sensor output signals;

wherein application of the electrical stimulation signal again to the transducer means by the test signal stimulation means causes the sensor proximate to the transducer means to produce a second acoustic test sensor output signal; and

wherein the comparing means further has means for correlating the second acoustic test sensor output signal to the mechanical reference sensor output signal using the computed correlation factor and for comparing the correlated second acoustic test sensor output signal and mechanical reference sensor output signal to test the sensor.