Patent ID: 7698245

Claim:
A method for validating data for a machine arrangement using a data collection and analysis system including a controller operatively connected to the machine arrangement and configured to output data related to operation of the machine arrangement, and further including a processing arrangement having a processor and a memory, the processing arrangement being programmed with an algorithm including a plurality of rules for determining validity of the data output from the controller, the method comprising: generating data indicative of operation of the machine arrangement; capturing the generated data, the captured data including a plurality of registers, each of the registers being filled at predetermined time intervals with data related to operation of the machine arrangement, thereby generating a data set indicative of the machine arrangement operation over time and having a plurality of data entries for each register, each of the entries being associated with a certain time during the machine arrangement operation; executing the algorithm from the processing arrangement using at least some of the captured data to determine validity of the data captured, the algorithm including at least one of the following steps: applying a first rule to at least two of the data entries in a single register to determine if the data in the single register violate the first rule, or applying a second rule to data entries associated with the same time of the machine arrangement operation for at least two different registers to determine if the data in the at least two registers violate the second rule; and indicating that at least some of the data in the data set is invalid when at least one of the rules is violated.