Patent ID: 7117079
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: F01N,F02D,G05B,Y02T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus that performs monitoring, logging, and controlling in connection with a system, the apparatus comprising: at least one system sensor that produces sensor data corresponding to a system characteristic detected by the sensor; memory that stores data and program instructions; at least one output port that provides an output signal of the apparatus; and a microprocessor that receives the sensor data and executes the program instructions to monitor and adaptively log the sensor data received from the system sensor and to provide control data to the output port that thereby controls a device affecting the system, wherein the microprocessor performs the adaptive data logging with a differential recording scheme in which the sensor data is stored in a first memory and, upon the microprocessor detecting a fault condition, a first portion of the sensor data in the first memory is stored to a second memory according to a high resolution data storing frequency for a predetermined high resolution time interval that extends immediately before and immediately after the occurrence of the fault condition, and a second portion of the sensor data in the first memory is stored to the second memory according to a low resolution data storing frequency for a predetermined time interval outside of the high resolution time interval.