Patent ID: 7143001

Claim:
A method for use with an accelerometer that monitors movement of a machine component and generates acceleration values that include at least some noise associated therewith, the method for tracking machine component velocity via the acceleration values, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining acceleration values from the accelerometer during machine operation; (b) analyzing the acceleration values to distinguish noise signals from non-noise signals wherein a noise signal is an acceleration value attributable to noise, wherein the step of analyzing the acceleration values to identify noise signals includes, while the component is stationary, obtaining a series of acceleration values, using the signal series to identify a current acceleration variance and comparing at least a derivative of the current acceleration variance with acceleration values acquired subsequent to the signal series to determine if signals acquired subsequent to the signal series are attributable to noise; (c) using the non-noise signals to identify a component velocity value; (d) outputting at least the component velocity value; and (e) performing a secondary function to identify component velocity when noise signals are identified.