Patent Publication Number: US-2009239485-A1

Title: Process data transmitter with wireless capability

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The subject invention relates to industrial machinery. More particularly, the subject invention relates to collection and storage of process data from industrial machinery. 
     At least two types of data are typically collected from industrial machinery which may be situated, for example, in an electrical power plant, petro-chemical plant, or utility operation. A first type is static data, or processed trend data which often includes pressure, temperature, humidity, and/or vibration characteristics measured by sensors located at one or more points on or near the machine. This data is periodically measured and fed to a transmitter located at the machine. The transmitter converts the data to an electric current and sends the data to a process controller or plant distributed control system (DCS) via a wired connection. 
     A second type of data is dynamic data collected by machine operators during periodic walk-arounds. During these walk-arounds, the machine operators typically approach each energized machine to read gauges on the machine and/or take additional measurements by touching the machine with a mechanical probe to record temperature, vibration, and/or other parameters. The data collected by the machine operators is often recorded in a personal data assistant, in a portable data collector, or in a paper notebook. The walk-arounds may vary in frequency from more than one per day to less than one per month. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention solves the aforementioned problems by providing a data transmitter for equipment monitoring including a data input portion capable of receiving data from at least one measurement sensor and a data storage portion capable of storing data received by the data input section. An output portion is capable of outputting data as electric current via an electrical wire, and a radio transmitter is capable of outputting data as a wireless radio signal. 
     A method for collecting data from at least one piece of machinery includes receiving data from at least one measurement sensor in operable communication with the at least one piece of machinery and storing the data in a data storage portion. At least a portion of the data is output as electric current via an electrical wire, and at least a portion of the data is output as a radio signal via a radio transmitter. 
     These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic of a data transmitter; and 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of a plant layout utilizing one or more data transmitters of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Shown in  FIG. 1  is a schematic of an embodiment of a data transmitter  10 . The data transmitter  10  is capable of transmitting data both wirelessly and via a wired connection. The data transmitter  10  is operably connected to at least one sensor  12 . The sensor  12  is configured to provide data to the data transmitter  10 , for example, vibration, temperature, pressure, and/or humidity, at a rate of, for example 120 samples per second or below for normal data collection. The data may be filtered by an input filter  14 , and data from analog sensors (not shown) may, in some embodiments, be converted into digital form utilizing an analog to digital converter (ADC)  16 . If desired, the digitally-converted data is processed via a microprocessor unit (MPU)  18  to transform, for example, vibration measurements into peak-to-peak vibration data, temperature measurements into an average temperature, humidity measurements into average humidity, and/or other data. The data transmitter  10  further includes data storage capabilities, for example, flash memory  20 . Flash memory  20  may be utilized to store quantities of data processed by the MPU  18  and/or raw data from the sensors  12 . 
     Data is output from the data transmitter  10  in two ways. First, the data may be converted from digital form to analog form via a digital to analog converter (DAC)  22  and outputted to an analog input module (AIM)  24  of, for example, a distributed control system (DCS)  26  via a wired pathway  28 . The wired pathway  28  may include, for example, a 4-20 mA transmitter  30 . Second, the data may be converted from digital form to analog form by the DAC  22  and transmitted via a wireless radio  32  to a wireless communications device  34 . The wireless communications device  34  may be a personal data assistant, personal data collector, cellular phone, laptop computer, or the like. These devices, however, are merely listed as examples, and it is to be appreciated that other wireless communications devices  34  are contemplated within the present scope. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a typical facility layout including one or more machines  36  that are monitored for at least one type of process and/or environmental data. At least one data transmitter  10  is operably connected to each machine  36  from which data is to be collected. The data transmitter  10  is configured to transmit static and/or processed data collected from one or more sensors  12  which are in operable communication with the machine  36 . The sensors  12  may measure, for example, vibration, temperature, and/or humidity, which may be processed by the MPU  18  into, for example, vibration peak-to-peak, average temperature, and/or average humidity. In some embodiments, the static and/or processed data may be stored in the flash memory  20 . The static and/or processed data is transmitted from the data transmitter  10  to an AIM  24  which then provides the static and/or processed data to the plant DCS  26  via the wired pathway  28 . 
     The data transmitter  10  is additionally configured to transmit dynamic data. The dynamic data or real-time data may include, for example, dynamic waveforms, vibration spectra, pressure oscillations, and/or acoustic spectra collected by the at least one sensor  12 . This dynamic data may be additionally stored in the data transmitter  10  in flash memory  20 . Collection of this data from the data transmitter  10  is accomplished through periodic walk-arounds by a machine operator or other personnel or means. The machine operator follows a walk-around path  40 . The path shown is merely exemplary and other paths are contemplated within the current scope. When the machine operator moves within a transmission range  38  of the data transmitter  10 , the dynamic data is transmitted from the data transmitter  10  by the wireless radio  32  to the wireless communications device  34  in the operator&#39;s possession. Collection of dynamic data wirelessly via the data transmitter  10  and the wireless communications device  34  allows the dynamic data to be collected without physically touching the machine  36  with a probe or other device. In this way, walk-arounds and collection of dynamic data can be completed more quickly and more safely. For instance, a data transmitter  10  located in a hazardous area  44  may utilize an increased signal strength to extend its transmission range  38  into the walk-around path  40  located outside of the hazardous area  44 . Collection of data in this manner also reduces human error in the collection of data, for example, error which may occur when obtaining measurements via a handheld probe, or error that may occur when recording measurements in a notebook or through keyboard, touchpad or, touchscreen entry in a handheld electronic device. 
     The data transmitter  10  may be further configured to store and transmit event-triggered data. Events may occur when one or more data parameters reach or exceed a predetermined alarm level, or in other instances mown to those skilled in the art. When an event occurs, the data transmitter  10  begins collecting data at a high rate, for example, up to 100,000 samples per second and stores the data in the flash memory  20  of the data transmitter  10 . The data collection at a high rate continues until the data parameters return to levels not reaching or exceeding the alarm level. This event-triggered data is stored in the data transmitter  10  to be transmitted to the machine operator during a walk-around. If the event leads to failure of the machine  36 , the data may be collected from the data transmitter  10  during post-mortem analysis of the machine  36 . 
     In some embodiments, the wireless radio  32  may be powered by the same 4-20 mA 12/24V circuitry that powers the transmitter  30 . Use of this circuitry reduces power consumption of the wireless radio  32 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the data transmitter  10  may be programmed remotely by the wireless communications device  34 . The wireless communications device  34  may transmit signals to the data transmitter  10  which are received by the wireless radio  32  to, for example, initialize the data transmitter  10  and/or set or change data collection parameters such as frequency, or type of data to be collected, stored, processed, and/or transmitted by the data transmitter  10 . For example, remote programming may be used to establish or modify a full-scale range, a zero point, and/or an ID number of the data transmitter  10 . 
     In some embodiments, data stored in the data transmitter  10  may be protected from tampering and/or unauthorized retrieval in one or more ways. The data may be protected, for example, by an encryption such as wireless encryption protocol (WEP) and/or physical lockout of the wireless radio  32  with a tab or switch  46  on the wireless radio  32 . The switch  46  may be unlocked by the machine operator during the walk-around to allow for retrieval of the data from the data transmitter  10 . In another embodiment, data in the data transmitter  10  may be secured through the use of lock/unlock codes that are transmitted from the DCS  26  to the data transmitter  10  via the wired pathway  28 . The DCS  26  may transmit an unlock code to the data transmitter  10  to allow access to the data in the data transmitter  10  during, for example, a walk-around, and may transmit a lock code to the data transmitter  10  to secure the data transmitter  10  once a walk-around is completed. 
     While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.