Patent ID: 7774166

Claim:
An apparatus for analyzing the condition of a machine having a rotating shaft, comprising: a plurality of inputs for receiving measurement data from sensors for surveying measuring points of the machine, said measurement data being dependent on rotation of said shaft; data processing means for processing condition data dependent on said measurement data, said data processing means comprising: means for performing a plurality of condition monitoring functions (F 1 , F 2 , Fn); a first data processing device ( 50 A) and a second data processing device ( 50 B), said second data processing device being a Field Programmable Gate Array circuit coupled to said plurality of inputs; and at least one memory ( 60 ) having a plurality of memory segments ( 70 , 90 , 110 , 120 ) for storing program code, said program code including first program code means ( 80 ), stored on at least one ( 70 ) of said memory segments, for execution by said first data processing device ( 50 A); wherein said first data processing device ( 50 A) operates to execute said first program code means ( 80 ); wherein said first program code means, when executed on said first data processing device ( 50 A) causes the first data processing device to control the operation of the Field Programmable Gate Array circuit ( 50 B) so as to determine which of said plurality of condition monitoring functions (F 1 , F 2 , Fn) are to be executed by the Field Programmable Gate Array circuit 50 B; wherein said at least one memory ( 60 ) further comprises: second program code means ( 100 ), stored on one ( 90 ) of said memory segments, which when run on said Field Programmable Gate Array circuit ( 50 B) causes the condition analysis apparatus to execute a first condition monitoring function (F 1 , F 2 , Fn); and third program code means, stored on one ( 120 ) of said memory segments, which when run on said Field Programmable Gate Array circuit ( 50 B) causes the condition analysis apparatus to execute a second condition monitoring function (F 1 , F 2 , Fn); and wherein said apparatus is adapted to allow parallel processing of said second program code means and said third program code means on said Field Programmable Gate Array circuit ( 50 B) so as to achieve simultaneous execution of at least two condition monitoring functions.