Patent Number: 059873990
Section: claims

1. A method of monitoring a source of data for determining an operating condition of a system, comprising the steps of: determining a sensor arrangement associated with monitoring a source of data for a system;  activating a first method for performing a sequential probability ratio testing procedure if the sensor arrangement includes a single sensor by inputting the data to a module for performing the sequential probability ratio testing;  activating a second method for performing a regression sequential probability ratio testing procedure if the sensor arrangement includes a pair of sensors with signals which are linearly related but not redundant by inputting the data to a module for performing the regression sequential probability ratio testing;  activating a third method for performing a bounded angle ratio test procedure if the sensor arrangement includes multiple sensors which have signals that are selected from the group consisting of non-linearly and linearly related signals relative to one another by inputting the data to a module for performing the bounded angle ratio test; and  utilizing at least one of the first, second and third methods to accumulate sensor signals and determine the operating condition of the system.  determining learned states of a normal operational condition of a system;  using the learned states of the normal operational condition as inputs to a first computer program module for generating expected values of the system by performing a bounded angle ratio test procedure for the system having at least three sensors which generate signals selected from the group consisting of a nonlinearly and linearly related signals, relative to one another; and  inputting the expected values to a second computer program module for performing a sequential probability ratio test and upon detecting a deviation from a pattern characteristic of normal operation an alarm is generated which indicates a failure in an item selected from the group consisting of said system and one of said sensors.  determining learned states of a normal operational condition of a system;  using the learned states of the normal operational condition as inputs to a first computer program module for generating expected values of the system by performing a bounded angle ratio test procedure for the system having at least three sensors which generate signals selected from the group consisting of a nonlinearly and linearly related signals, relative to one another;  inputting the expected values to a second computer program module for performing a sequential probability ratio test and upon detecting a deviation from a pattern characteristic of normal operation of one of said sensors an alarm is generated when a failure of one of said sensors occurs;  identifying a faulted sensor in the system; and  substituting the faulted sensor with an estimated signal. 2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein a MONOSPRT index is calculated in the first method. 3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein a regression based difference is determined for each of the pair of sensors. 4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein a similarity angle is calculated for each of the multiple sensor signals. 5. A method of monitoring a source of data for determining an operating condition of a system, comprising the steps of: 6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein a similarity angle is calculated for each of the at least three sensors. 7. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the signals from the at least three sensors are being processed in substantially real time. 8. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the signals from the at least three sensors are derived at least in part from off-line accumulated data. 9. A method monitoring a source of data for determining an operating condition of a system, comprising the steps of: 10. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein a similarity angle is calculated for each of the at least three sensors. 11. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the signals from the at least three sensors are being processed in substantially real time. 12. The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the signals from the at least three sensors are derived at least in part from off-line accumulated data.