Distributed processing system for component lifetime prediction
First Claim
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1. A lifetime-prediction system for responding to a request from a remote interrogating agent to provide, to said remote interrogating agent, a predicted remaining-lifetime of a system component, said lifetime-prediction system comprisinga measuring element in local communication with said system component for generating a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by said system component, a local processor in local communication with said measuring element for generating a predicted remaining-lifetime on the basis of at least said measured-variable signal, the local processor comprising means for evaluating a cumulative stress, the means for evaluating said cumulative stress comprising, means for evaluating an extent to which said measured-variable signal exceeds a stress threshold, means for evaluating an exposure time during which said measured-variable signal exceeds said stress threshold, and, means for evaluating said cumulative stress on the basis of said extent and said exposure time, and, a network interface in communication with said local processor for enabling communication of said predicted remaining-lifetime between said local processor and said remote interrogating agent.
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Abstract
A lifetime-prediction system generates an estimate of the remaining lifetime of a system component on the basis of the amount of time and the extent to which a measured-variable signal generated by the system component exceeds a stress threshold. The accumulation of measured-variable signals and the estimation of the remaining lifetime are performed locally to the system component, thereby reducing data traffic between the system component and a centralized processor and ensuring portability of the system component.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A lifetime-prediction system for responding to a request from a remote interrogating agent to provide, to said remote interrogating agent, a predicted remaining-lifetime of a system component, said lifetime-prediction system comprising
a measuring element in local communication with said system component for generating a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by said system component, a local processor in local communication with said measuring element for generating a predicted remaining-lifetime on the basis of at least said measured-variable signal, the local processor comprising means for evaluating a cumulative stress, the means for evaluating said cumulative stress comprising, means for evaluating an extent to which said measured-variable signal exceeds a stress threshold, means for evaluating an exposure time during which said measured-variable signal exceeds said stress threshold, and, means for evaluating said cumulative stress on the basis of said extent and said exposure time, and, a network interface in communication with said local processor for enabling communication of said predicted remaining-lifetime between said local processor and said remote interrogating agent.
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15. A lifetime-prediction system for responding to a request from a remote interrogating agent to provide, to said remote interrogating agent, an output signal indicative of a predicted remaining-lifetime of a system component, said lifetime-prediction system comprising
a measuring element in local communication with said system component for monitoring a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by said system component, a local processor in local communication with said measuring element for generating a predicted remaining-lifetime on the basis of at least said measured-variable signal, said local processor having means for measuring a time interval during which said measured-variable signal is in excess of a stress-threshold, means for evaluating a first extent to which said measured-variable signal has exceeded said stress threshold, means for evaluating, on the basis of said measured-variable signal and said time interval, a stress rate experienced by said system component, means for evaluating a second extent to which said first extent exceeds a maximum allowable accumulated stress, and means for generating a predicted remaining-lifetime for said system component on the basis of a ratio of said second extent and said stress rate, and a network interface in communication with said local processor for enabling communication between said local processor and said remote interrogating agent, thereby enabling communication of said predicted remaining-lifetime to said interrogating agent.
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16. A method for providing, in response to a request from a remote interrogating agent, an output signal indicative of a remaining-lifetime predication of a system component, said method comprising the steps of
monitoring, using a local communication channel, a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by said system component, generating an output signal representative of a remaining-lifetime prediction on the basis of at least said measured-variable signal, further comprising evaluating, on the basis of at least said measured-variable signal, a cumulative stress experienced by said system component, wherein said evaluating a cumulative stress further comprises, evaluating an extent to which said measured-variable signal exceeds a threshold, evaluating an accumulated exposure time during which said measured-variable signal exceeds said stress threshold, and, evaluating said cumulative stress on the basis of said extent and said accumulated exposure time, and transmitting said output signal through a network interface to said remote interrogating agent.
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30. A method for responding to a request from a remote interrogating a gent to provide, to said remote interrogating agent, an output signal indicative of a remaining-lifetime prediction of a system component, said method comprising the steps of
monitoring, across a local communication channel, a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by said system component, generating a remaining-lifetime prediction on the basis of at least said measured-variable signal, said generating step including the steps of measuring a time interval during which said measured-variable signal is in excess of a stress threshold, evaluating a first extent to which said measured-variable signal has exceeded a stress threshold, evaluating, on the basis of said measured-variable signal and said time interval, a stress rate experienced by said system component, evaluating a second extent to which said first extent exceeds a maximum allowable accumulated stress, and generating an output signal representative of a remaining lifetime prediction for said system component on the basis of a ratio of said second extent and said stress rate, and transmitting said output signal through a network interface to said remote interrogating agent.
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31. A method for computing a remaining-lifetime predication of a system component, said method comprising,
monitoring a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by the system component, the measured-variable signal provided by a measurement element in communication with the system component, evaluating an extent to which said measured-variable signal exceeds a threshold, evaluating an accumulated exposure time during which said measured-variable signal exceeds said threshold, and, evaluating a cumulative stress on the basis of said extent and said accumulated exposure time.
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32. A method for computing a remaining-lifetime prediction of a system component, said method comprising
monitoring a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by said system component, the measured-variable signal provided by a measurement element in communication with the system component, measuring a time interval during which said measured-variable signal is in excess of a stress threshold, evaluating a first extent to which said measured-variable signal has exceeded a stress threshold, evaluating, on the basis of said measured-variable signal and said time interval, a stress rate experienced by said system components, evaluating a second extent to which said first extent exceeds a maximum allowable accumulated stress, computing the remaining lifetime prediction for said system component on the basis of a ratio of said second extent and said stress rate.
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33. A lifetime-prediction system for a system component, said lifetime-prediction system comprising
a measuring element for monitoring a measured-variable signal indicative of stress experienced by said system component, the measured-variable signal provided by a measurement element in communication with the system component, means for measuring a time interval during which said measured-variable signal is in excess of a stress-threshold, means for evaluating a first extent to which said measured-variable signal has exceeded said stress threshold, means for evaluating, on the basis of said measured-variable signal and said time interval, a stress rate experienced by said system component, means for evaluating a second extent to which said first extent exceeds a maximum allowable accumulated stress, and, means for generating a predicted remaining-lifetime for said system component on the basis of a ratio of said second extent and said stress rate.
Specification
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Current AssigneeSchneider Electric Systems USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
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Original AssigneeGraeme G. Wood
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InventorsWood, Graeme G.
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Primary Examiner(s)Bui, Bryan
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Application NumberUS09/298,120Time in Patent Office1,187 DaysField of Search702/57-58, 702/81-82, 702/182-193, 702/500, 399/8, 399/9, 340/500, 340/505, 340/511US Class Current702/184CPC Class CodesG01R 31/2642 Testing semiconductor opera...G01R 31/2836 Fault-finding or characteri...
