Advanced self-calibrating, self-repairing data acquisition system

• US 6,462,684 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Government As Represented By The Director National Security Agency
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Angel, Lucena R., Medelius, Pedro J., Perotti, Jose M., Eckhoff, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tokar, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mai, Lam T.
• Application Number:
  US10/095,344
• Time in Patent Office: 217 Days
• Field of Search: 341/120, 341/121, 341/126, 341/155
• US Class Current: 341/120
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/004 Reconfigurable analogue/digital or digital/analogue converters H03M1/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/0678 using additional components or elements, e.g. dummy components
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/1076 Detection or location of converter hardware failure, e.g. power supply failure, open or short circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/1225 using time-division multiplexing

Abstract

An improved self-calibrating and self-repairing Data Acquisition System (DAS) for use in inaccessible areas, such as onboard spacecraft, and capable of autonomously performing required system health checks, failure detection. When required, self-repair is implemented utilizing a “spare parts/tool box” system. The available number of spare components primarily depends upon each component'"'"'s predicted reliability which may be determined using Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) analysis. Failing or degrading components are electronically removed and disabled to reduce power consumption, before being electronically replaced with spare components.

Claims

1. A Data Acquisition System (DAS) having a number of components, and capable of self-calibration and self-repair, comprising;

a number of spare-part components and a number of operational components all housed within said DAS;

the spare part components of the DAS being interchangeable with operational components of the DAS;

the number of said spare-part components being pre-selected to electronically replace those operational components statistically predicted by reliability parameters more likely than not to fail or degrade during operation of the DAS; and

the spare part components being further disposed to automatically, autonomously and electronically replace those operational components upon their failure and/or degradation;

thereby assuring continuous operation of said DAS.

2. A self-calibrating and self-repairing Data Acquisition System (DAS), comprising:

an analog input signal section;

a signal conditioner and analog output signal section;

a sample-and-hold and data conversion section;

a digital signal and control path section;

a number of operational components;

with at least some of said analog input signal section, said signal conditioner and analog output signal section, and said sample-and-hold and/or data conversion sections having a number of spare part components housed within said DAS;

the number of said spare-part components being pre-selected to electronically replace those operational components statistically predicted by reliability parameters more likely than not to fail or degrade during operation of the DAS;

the spare-part components being interchangeably disposed with the number of operational components in each section, with the spare-part components further disposed so as to automatically and autonomously electronically replace the operational components upon their failure and/or degradation;

said analog input signal section being further connected to said signal conditioner and analog output signal section through internal circuits;

said signal conditioner and analog output signal section connected to said sample-and-hold and data conversion section through internal data circuits;

said sample-and-hold and data conversion section connected to said digital signal control path section through internal data circuits;

thereby assuring continuous operation of all DAS sections upon failure and/or degradation of any operational component.

3. The DAS system of claim 2, wherein the number of said spare-part components being pre-selected to electronically replace those operational components are statistically predicted by quantification of reliability parameters utilizing Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) guidelines.

4. The DAS system of claim 3, wherein said analog input signal section further comprises a plurality of analog signal inputs, said plurality of analog signal inputs comprising a first external bus;

said external bus connected to a matrix of analog switches.

5. The DAS system of claim 4, wherein said analog input signal section further comprises at least one supplemental signal input, a calibration circuit and a controller, with said supplemental signal input being connected to calibration circuits, and to said matrix of analog switches;

with said controller being disposed to determine whether said DAS is operating within parameters;

with said controller further being connected to said calibration circuits and said matrix of analog switches; and

with said controller further being disposed to connect spare data lines of said spare-part components to said DAS when the operative components of the analog input section fail.

6. The DAS system of claim 5, wherein said analog input section further comprises:

a first internal bus including a plurality of lines, the matrix of analog switches connecting the first external bus and the supplemental signal input to said first internal bus;

wherein said plurality of lines is determined by the plurality of analog signal inputs and said number of spare parts specified for said analog input signal section.

7. The DAS system of claim 6, wherein the signal conditioner and output analog signal section further comprises:

at least one signal conditioner module, with said first internal bus further being connected to said module.

8. The DAS system of claim 7, further includes a second internal analog signal bus, wherein said signal conditioner module receives raw data from said first internal bus, with said module converting the raw data to conditioned data;

and said second internal analog signal bus further disposed to transmit said conditioned data.

9. The DAS system of claim 8, wherein said second internal analog signal bus further includes a plurality of lines, with the number of lines determined by said plurality of analog signal inputs and said spare parts specified for said analog input signal section.

10. The DAS system of claim 9, wherein said signal conditioner and output signal section further include an output signal switch matrix, with said second internal analog signal bus connecting to said output signal switch matrix;

said output signal switch matrix controlled by said system;

said controller further disposed to select, configure and monitor said module; and

said controller further disposed to replace failed said module with said spare part.

11. The DAS system of claim 10, wherein said sample and hold and data conversion section further comprises a conditioned data matrix, with said second internal analog signal bus further connecting to said sample-and-hold and data conversion section through a second external bus line;

wherein said section receives data from said second internal bus line through said conditioned data matrix.

12. The DAS system of claim 11, wherein said conditioned data matrix further comprises a plurality of primary and a plurality of spare-part signal conditioners.

13. The DAS system of claim 12, wherein said sample and hold and data conversion section further comprises a plurality of output lines connected to said conditioned data matrix, with said conditioned data matrix sequentially routing said outputs to said sample and hold and data conversion section disposed to connect to a third internal analog bus for transmitting said conditioned data from said sample-and-hold and data conversion section to said digital signal and control path section via a digital switch matrix.

14. The DAS system of claim 13, wherein said sample-and-hold and data conversion section further comprises at least one analog-to-digital converter connected to said digital switch matrix through the third internal bus;

with the third internal bus disposed to transmit data to said analog-to-digital converter for converting said data from analog to digital format.

15. The DAS system of claim 14, wherein said digital signal and control path section further comprises at least one programmable digital switch matrix including a programmable digital switch matrix section;

the programmable digital switch matrix disposed to operate in conjunction with at least one processor, wherein the data is transmitted from said analog-to-digital converter to said programmable digital switch matrix and said processor through a digital bus.

16. The DAS system of claim 15, wherein said digital signal and control path section further comprises an external communication assembly, including a communication port disposed to transmit data from the programmable digital switch matrix and the processor through a communication bus;

with the communications port being disposed to transmit data using the communication assembly.

17. The DAS system of claim 16, wherein said communication assembly further comprises serial communication, wireless communication, and optical communication members.

18. The DAS system of claim 17, wherein said digital signal and control path section further comprises a control bus connected to both said programmable digital switch matrix and said processor;

wherein said control bus is further connected to said DAS system.

19. The DAS system of claim 18, wherein said digital signal and control path section further comprises firmware disposed to control output lines and perform signal processing.

20. The DAS system of claim 19, further comprising a power management section having at least one supply monitoring circuit connected to at least one current monitoring circuit and a power supply dedicated controller;

with said power supply dedicated controller connected to said analog signal input section and said digital signal section; and

said power management section further comprising a sensor excitation section connected to said power supply dedicated controller and connected to said analog signal input section and further connected to said digital signal section.

21. The DAS system of claim 20, wherein said power management section further comprises noise monitoring and filtering apparatus for controlling operation of said DAS system.

22. The DAS system of claim 21, wherein said supply monitoring circuit further comprises over voltage and under voltage monitoring apparatus for preventing power loss during operation;

with the monitoring apparatus disposed to enable and disable said power supply based upon bus health status.

23. The DAS system of claim 20, wherein said current monitoring circuit further comprises over-current detection apparatus for detecting malfunctions in said DAS system.

24. The DAS system of claim 23, wherein said power supply dedicated controller further comprises an independent assessment apparatus for monitoring parameters in said DAS system.

25. A method for self-calibrating and self-repair of a Data Acquisition System (DAS) comprising the steps of:

(i) determining the number of spare-part components pre-selected to electronically replace those operational components statistically predicted by reliability parameters more likely than not to fail or degrade during operation of the DAS;

(ii) providing said DAS with electronic access to said statistically predicted number of spare part components; and

(iii) automatically, autonomously and electronically replacing those failing or degrading operational components with said spare part components;

(iv) thereby assuring continuous operation of the DAS system.

26. The method of self-calibrating and self-repairing a Data Acquisition System (DAS) comprising the steps of:

(i) determining the number of spare-part components pre-selected to electronically replace those operational components statistically predicted by reliability parameters more likely than not to fail or degrade during operation of the DAS;

(ii) positioning said predetermined number of spare-part components in said DAS;

(iii) automatically, autonomously and electronically replacing failing or degrading operational components with said spare part components;

(iv) continuously operating said DAS during failure and electronic replacement of the operational components with the spare-part components;

(v) connecting an analog input signal section to a signal conditioner and analog output signal section, a sample-and-hold and data conversion section and a digital signal and control path section;

(vi) transmitting a plurality of analog signals to a matrix of analog switches;

(vii) transmitting at least one supplemental analog signal to said matrix;

(viii) verifying calibration of said analog signals with calibration circuits and a controller;

(ix) connecting said analog signals to an internal bus;

(x) transmitting raw data from said analog signals to said internal bus;

(xi) transmitting said raw data to at least one conditioner module of said signal conditioner and analog output signal section;

(xii) converting said raw data to conditioned data in said conditioner module;

(xiii) transmitting said conditioned data from said conditioner module through a second internal analog signal bus to an output signal switch matrix;

(xiv) transmitting said conditioned data from said conditioner modules through said second internal analog signal bus and a conditioned data matrix to said sample-and-hold and data conversion section;

(xv) sampling said conditioned data in at least one channel of said sample-and-hold and data conversion section;

(xvi) holding said data at specific intervals in at least one channel of said sample-and-hold and data conversion section; and

(xvii) sequentially transmitting output signals from said sample-and-hold and data conversion section through a third internal analog bus to said digital signal and control path section, via a digitizing switch matrix, and a digital bus.