Test data processing system

• US 6,421,620 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Kotlow, Dominik A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilten, John S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHERRY, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US09/576,809
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 702/67, 702/56, 702/183
• US Class Current: 702/67
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/003 of rotating machines G01H1/10 takes precedence

Abstract

A processing system and method is used to process acoustic and non-acoustic test data acquired from a number of data collectors. The post-processing system and method is implemented as software and hardware capable of running on a PC. The processing system interfaces with a data acquisition (DAQ) system that acquires calibration signals and test data from the data collectors at a test facility. The processing system uses the calibration signals to determine calibration factors representing the relationship between the test data and the appropriate engineering units. The processing system processes the acoustic and non-acoustic test data, applies the appropriate calibrations factors, and plots the acoustic and non-acoustic test data as a function of time to generate run-time plots. Data values are stored and plotted against calculated baseline curves to generate envelope or baseline plots of the collected data. Data values are also transferred to a spreadsheet or document ready charts for use with reports and other applications.

Claims

1. A test data processing system, for processing test data acquired from at least one test facility having a plurality of data collectors, said test data processing system comprising:

at least one collected data processor having an input means and an output means, said input means reading a plurality of collected data, said data processor processing collected data into processed collected data files, said data processor generating baseline data, and said processed collected data being provided to said output means;

a plurality of processed peak data files in communication with said collected data processor output means, for storing peak values of said processed collected data;

a time-based plotter in communication with said collected data processor output means, for plotting said processed collected data as a function of time; and

a baseline plotter means in communication with said plurality of processed peak data files, for plotting said peak values of said processed collected data against said baseline data.

2. The test data processing system of claim 1 wherein:

said test data processing system further comprises;

calibration means in said data processor in communication to receive calibration data, said calibration means determining at least one calibration factor for each of said plurality of data collectors, said calibration factor representing a relationship between processed collected data values and engineering units;

at least one calibration file joined to said calibration means and storing said at least one calibration factor corresponding to each of said plurality of data collectors;

said plurality of data collectors receive calibration data; and

said collected data processor being responsive to said at least one calibration factor stored in said calibration files, for adjusting said processed collected data according to said at least one calibration factor.

3. The test data processing system of claim 1 further comprising a spreadsheet transfer means in said data processor, transferring said processed collected data to at least one of a spreadsheet and a document ready chart.

4. A test data processing system for processing test data acquired from at least one test facility having a plurality of sensors, said test data processing system comprising:

a plurality of collected data files to storing data from the plurality of sensors;

at least one calibration routine for receiving calibration data and for determining at least one calibration factor for each of said plurality of sensors, said calibration factor representing a relationship between processed collected data values and engineering units;

at least one calibration factor file joined to said calibration routine for storing said at least one calibration factor corresponding to each of said plurality of sensors;

at least one data processor for reading sensor data and for processing said sensor data from each said collected data file using an appropriate calibration factor from said at least one calibration factor file, wherein said data processor creates processed sensor data and generates baseline data;

a time-based plotter in communication with said data processor, for plotting said processed sensor data as a function of time;

a plurality of processed peak data files in communication with said data processor, for storing peak values of said processed sensor data; and

a baseline plotter means in communication with said plurality of processed peak data files, for plotting said peak values of said processed sensor data against said baseline data.

5. The test data processing system of claim 4 wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one non-acoustic sensor, and wherein said data processor includes a non-acoustic sensor data processor, joined to said at least one non-acoustic sensor for processing non-acoustic sensor data.

6. The test data processing system of claim 5 wherein said time-based plotter is in communication with said non-acoustic sensor data processor and creates plots of processed non-acoustic sensor data as a function of time.

7. The test data processing system of claim 5 wherein said baseline plotter is in communication with said non-acoustic sensor data processor and creates plots of peak values of processed non-acoustic transducer data against non-acoustic baseline data.

8. The test data processing system of claim 5 wherein said non-acoustic sensor data processor includes signal averaging means for removing noise related signal variations from non-acoustic sensor data.

9. The test data processing system of claim 4 wherein said plurality of sensors includes at least one acoustic transducer, and wherein said data processor further includes an acoustic transducer data processor joined to said at least one acoustic transducer, said acoustic transducer data processor processing acoustic transducer data, creating acoustic transducer peak value files and providing a broad band noise traces for each of said at least one acoustic transducer.

10. The test data processing system of claim 9 wherein said time-based plotter creates plots of said broadband noise traces for each of said at least one acoustic transducer.

11. The test data processing system of claim 9 wherein said baseline plotter creates plots of peak values of processed acoustic transducer data for each of said at least one acoustic transducer against acoustic baseline data.

12. The test data processing system of claim 4 wherein said sensor data is in 16-bit binary format.

13. The test data processing system of claim 4 wherein said test data processing system runs as software implemented on a personal computer.

14. The test data processing system of claim 13 wherein said personal computer includes a windows-based operating system.

15. The test data processing system of claim 4 further including a data acquisition system joined to said sensors for acquiring sensor data from said plurality of sensors.

16. The test data processing system of claim 15 wherein said data acquisition system includes a data acquisition board having a multiplexer coupled to said sensors.

17. The test data processing system of claim 16 wherein said data acquisition system includes:

data acquisition script files, instructing said data acquisition board, and controlling acquisition of data from said sensors; and

a raw data file within said data processor and joined to said data acquisition board for storing said data acquired from said sensors.

18. The test data processing system of claim 16 wherein said data acquisition system includes:

calibration script files, instructing said data acquisition board and controlling acquisition of calibration data from said sensors; and

at least one calibration data file within said data processor and joined to said data acquisition board for storing said calibration data.

19. The test data processing system of claim 17 wherein said data acquisition system further includes:

a demultiplexing means in said data processor receiving said raw data from said raw data file, and demultiplexing said raw data acquired by said data acquisition board; and

a plurality of individual raw data files within said data processor storing demultiplexed individual raw data from said demultiplexing means corresponding to each of said plurality of sensors.

20. The test data processing system of claim 19 wherein said data acquisition system further includes:

a converter, in communication with said individual demultiplexed raw data files converting said individual raw data files into a 16-bit binary format; and

a plurality of individual 16 bit data files, in communication with said converter storing said 16 bit binary format data for processing.