Devices and methods for diagnosis of electronic based products

• US 9,513,628 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Crepet, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Toan
• Application Number:
  US14/024,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/02 Electric testing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0254 based on a quantitative model, e.g. mathematical relationships between inputs and outputs; functions: observer, Kalman filter, residual calculation, Neural Networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A device for diagnostic of an electronic based product includes a plurality of sensors for monitoring parameters associated with product. Each sensor generates at least one of an analog signal and a digital signal upon monitoring of a parameter. The device further includes a plurality of converters for converting analog signals to digital signals, a processing module for determining abnormal parameter conditions based on comparing digital signals to threshold parameter values. Each abnormal parameter condition corresponding to a parameter is determined based on comparison of a digital signal associated with the parameter and a threshold parameter value corresponding to the parameter. The device further includes a memory module configured to store information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions, and a communication interface to provide the information to external devices for diagnosis of the product.

Claims

1. A device for diagnosis of an electronic component of an industrial plant, the device comprising:

a plurality of sensors coupled with the electronic component for monitoring a plurality of parameters associated with the electronic component, each sensor configured to generate at least one of an analogue signal and a digital signal upon monitoring of a parameter;

a plurality of converters coupled to the plurality of sensors for converting analogue signals generated from the plurality of sensors to digital signals;

a processing module coupled with the plurality of converters for determining abnormal parameter conditions based at least on comparing the digital signals to threshold parameter values, each abnormal parameter condition corresponding to a parameter being determined based on comparison of a digital signal associated with the parameter and a threshold parameter value corresponding to the parameter;

a memory module coupled with the processing module, the memory configured to store information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions and timestamp information associated with each of the abnormal parameter conditions; and

a communication interface configured to provide the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions to at least one external device for diagnosis of one or more faults in the electronic component,

wherein the device is integrated in a hosting module of the electronic component, and

wherein the processing module is configured to determine the abnormal parameter conditions associated with the plurality of parameters by;

(i) computing a time duration associated with at least one parameter, (ii) counting a number of occurrences of at least one parameter, and (iii) computing a mathematical modeling associated with a parameter based on at least one of the time duration associated with the parameter, the number of occurrences of the parameter and historical information associated with the parameter.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processing system comprising one or more logic modules for controlling the plurality of sensors and the plurality of converters.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the processing module is configured in the processing system.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a processing system is at least one of an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a System on Chip (SOC), a micro-controller, a Digital Signal Procession (DSP), an Electrically Programmable Logic Device (EPLC), Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD) and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) system.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosting module is at least one of a circuit board of the electronic component, a backplane of the electronic component, a Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the electronic component and an Input/Output (I/O) module of the electronic component, partially or completely ensured by one or more parts of the electronic component, a single board of the electronic component, a main board of the electronic component and a daughter board of the electronic component.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters comprises:

a voltage difference between 0 Volt and ground potential;

an ambient temperature where the electronic component is deployed;

accelerations, shocks and vibrations associated with components of the electronic component;

shocks and vibration on a cubicle where the electronic component is deployed;

power supply fed to the electronic component;

electro-magnetic perturbation in an ambience of the electronic component; and

opening/closing of one or more doors of the cubicle, temperature of the electronic component;

humidity in ambience of the electronic component;

pressure;

altitude;

angle of orientation from vertical and horizontal;

geo-localization;

light and brightness level;

noise level;

radiations level;

pollution level;

gas presence level in the ambience;

fumes and particles presence level in the ambience;

number of transitions and duration of ON/OFF of the power supply; and

logic inputs to monitor one or more subjects placed in proximity to the electronic component.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external device is at least one a communication device and a control station.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine the abnormal parameter condition based on at least one of a comparison of the digital signals to the threshold parameter values, the time duration associated with at least one parameter, the number of occurrences of at least one parameter, and the mathematical modelling.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a printed antenna configured to detect signals corresponding to an electro-magnetic perturbation for monitoring of an electro-magnetic perturbation parameter.

10. A method performed a device for diagnosis of an electronic component of an industrial plant, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a plurality of sensors of the device, a plurality of parameters associated with the electronic component, wherein monitoring a parameter is performed to generate at least one of an analogue signal and a digital signal associated with the parameter;

converting, by a plurality of converters of the device, analogue signals associated with the plurality of parameters to digital signals;

determining, by a processing module of the device, abnormal parameter conditions associated with the plurality of parameters based at least on comparing the digital signals to threshold parameter values, each abnormal parameter condition corresponding to a parameter being determined based at least on comparison of a digital signal associated with the parameter and a threshold parameter value corresponding to the parameter;

storing, by a memory module of the device, information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions corresponding to the plurality of parameters for diagnosis of one or more faults in the electronic component,

storing, by the memory module of the device, timestamp information associated with each abnormal parameter condition;

computing, by the processing module, a time duration associated with at least one parameter;

counting, by the processing module, a number of occurrences of at least one parameter; and

computing, by the processing module, a mathematical modeling associated with a parameter based on at least one of the time duration associated with the parameter, the number of occurrence of the parameter and historical information associated with the parameter,

wherein the determination of the abnormal parameter conditions associated with the plurality of parameters is based on at least one of computing a time duration, counting a number of occurrences, and computing a mathematical modeling, and

wherein the device is integrated as part of a hosting module of the electronic component.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions to at least one external device for at least one of the diagnosis of the one or more faults in the electronic component, storage, archiving and displays of the information.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising at least one of:

facilitating scheduling of preventative maintenance of the electronic component based on the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions;

notifying a diagnosis of a fault in the electronic component based on the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions; and

facilitating authentication of a claim made for replacement of the electronic component under a warranty agreement based on the information associated with the abnormal parameter conditions.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of parameters comprises:

a voltage difference between 0 Volt and ground potential;

an ambient temperature where the electronic component is deployed;

accelerations, shocks and vibrations associated with components of the electronic component;

shocks and vibration on a cubicle where the electronic component is deployed;

power supply fed to the electronic component;

electro-magnetic perturbation in an ambience of the electronic component; and

opening/closing of one or more doors of the cubicle;

temperature of the electronic component;

humidity in ambience of the electronic component;

pressure;

altitude;

angle of orientation from vertical and horizontal;

geo-localization;

light and brightness level;

noise level;

radiations level;

pollution level;

gas presence level in the ambience;

fumes and particles presence level in the ambience;

number of transitions and duration of ON/OFF of the power supply; and

logic inputs to monitor one or more subjects placed in proximity to the electronic component.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the hosting module is one of a circuit board of the electronic component, a backplane of the electronic component, a Central Processing Unit (CPU) of the electronic component and an Input/Output (I/O) module of the electronic component.