Patent ID: 8346501

Claim:
An industrial roll, comprising: a substantially cylindrical metallic core having an outer surface; a polymeric cover circumferentially overlying the core outer surface; and a sensing system comprising: a plurality of sensors embedded in the cover, the sensors configured to detect an operating parameter of the roll and provide signals representative of the operating parameter, wherein one of the plurality of sensors is a tracking sensor and the remaining sensors are non-tracking sensors; and a processor operatively associated with the plurality of sensors that processes signals provided by the plurality of sensors; wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged at a substantially equal radial distance from the core outer surface, such that they define a circle when viewed from an end of the roll; and wherein each of the non-tracking sensors is further arranged at a substantially equal first angular distance from its immediate non-tracking sensor neighbors, two endmost non-tracking sensors defining an angular gap; wherein the tracking sensor is disposed in the angular gap, such that a second angular distance defined by the tracking sensor and either of the endmost sensors differs from the first angular distance; wherein the sensing system is configured to differentiate between the tracking sensor and the non-tracking sensor signals when one of the non-tracking sensors fails as the roll rotates.