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EP0220900A2
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Method and apparatus for testing sensor-signal processors
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1986-10-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-10-17
Abstract
Abstract Testing and protection apparatus for a signal processor which applies during testing a test signal obtained by applying to a reference ramp signal a certain dynamic compensation having a transfer function equal to the inverse of the transfer function of the signal processor. This test signal which is applied in place of the sensor signal should match the reference signal. When the response to the test signal is multiplexed back to the tester along with response signals from microcomputers, variable time skewing of the returned test signal is eliminated by feeding the reference signal through a processing path parallel to that of the test signal and then comparing those two signals in the tester. The reference signal is also used in the microcomputer to continually generate a dummy actuation signal which provides a continuous check on microcomputer operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert William Crew
- 👤 Gilbert William Remley
- 👤 William Dempsey Ghrist Iii
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 09:17
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C17/00; G05; G05B; G05B23/00; G05B23/02; G05B23/0205; G05B23/0218; G05B23/0256; G05B9/00; G05B9/02; G05B9/03; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of testing sensor-signal processing apparatus which processes sensor signals, the testing being done by using a test signal in place of a sensor signal, said method characterized by the steps of: generating a dynamic reference signal; producing a test signal by applying to the dynamic reference signal, a certain dynamic compensation defined by the inverse of a non-linear transfer function of the processing apparatus; removing the sensor signal from the processing apparatus and applying in its place the test signal; and comparing the compensated signal generated by the processing means with said dynamic reference signal, whereby the method applies dynamic compensation defined by a predetermined non-linear transfer function to the sensor signal to generate a compensated signal and produces a digital output signal having a first level when the magnitude of the compensated signal is less than a set point value and a second level when it equals or exceeds the set point value.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of testing sensor-signal processing apparatus which processes sensor signals, the testing being done by using a test signal in place of a sensor signal, said method characterized by the steps of: generating a dynamic reference signal; producing a test signal by applying to the dynamic reference signal, a certain dynamic compensation defined by the inverse of a non-linear transfer function of the processing apparatus; removing the sensor signal from the processing apparatus and applying in its place the test signal; and comparing the compensated signal generated by the processing means with said dynamic reference signal, whereby the method applies dynamic compensation defined by a predetermined non-linear transfer function to the sensor signal to generate a compensated signal and produces a digital output signal having a first level when the magnitude of the compensated signal is less than a set point value and a second level when it equals or exceeds the set point value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating a dynamic reference signal comprises generating a ramp signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2 including monitoring said output signal for transfer from said second level to said first level when said reference signal reaches a value corresponding to said set point value of the compensated signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
184 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said signal processing apparatus includes a microprocessor for digitally processing said sensor signal in a first processing channel to generate said compensated signal and said output signal, wherein said dynamic reference signal and said test signal are generated in digital form in a second microprocessor independent of said first microprocessor and converted to analog signals, and wherein said analog test signal is applied to said first microprocessor in place of the sensor signal for processing in said first processing channel to generate a digital compensated signal, said method including the steps of applying said analog reference signal to said first microprocessor, processing the same to generate a regenerated digital reference signal in a second processing channel within the first microprocessor and multiplexing the digital compensated signal generated in the first processing channel of the first microprocessor and the regenerated digital reference signal from the second processing channel to the second microprocessor, and wherein said comparison step comprises comparing in said second microprocessor the digital compensated signal and the regenerated digital reference signal received back from the first microprocessor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
143 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said step of generating a dynamic reference signal in the second microprocessor comprises repetitively digitally generating a ramp signal, and converting the same to an analog signal, wherein said analog ramp signal is continuously applied to the first microprocessor, wherein processing of said ramp signal in the second channel of the first microprocessor includes generating a digital reference output signal having a first signal level when the ramp signal is less than a predetermined value and a second signal level when it equals or exceeds the predetermined value, and including the steps of applying the digital reference output signal to the second microprocessor, and monitoring in the second microprocessor the level of said digital reference output signal for a change in signal level within a preset time of when the ramp signal reaches a selected test value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
141 words
Testing and protection apparatus for a signal processor which has a known transfer function and receives sensor signals and is tested by applying a conditioned test signal during test in lieu of a regular sensor signal, said test apparatus characterized by: a test unit having means for generating a dynamic reference signal and applying to said reference signal a certain dynamic compensation characterized by a non-linear transfer function which is the inverse of said transfer function of the signal processing apparatus to generate a test signal; means for applying the test signal to the signal processing apparatus in place of the sensor signal; and means for returning the compensated signal generated by the signal processor in response to the test signal to the test unit, said test unit including means for comparing the test generated compensated signal with said reference signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
141 words
Testing and protection apparatus for a signal processor which has a known transfer function and receives sensor signals and is tested by applying a conditioned test signal during test in lieu of a regular sensor signal, said test apparatus characterized by: a test unit having means for generating a dynamic reference signal and applying to said reference signal a certain dynamic compensation characterized by a non-linear transfer function which is the inverse of said transfer function of the signal processing apparatus to generate a test signal; means for applying the test signal to the signal processing apparatus in place of the sensor signal; and means for returning the compensated signal generated by the signal processor in response to the test signal to the test unit, said test unit including means for comparing the test generated compensated signal with said reference signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
The apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said test unit generates a ramp reference signal and wherein said signal processor generates a digital output signal having a first level when the compensated signal generated in response to the ramp signal has a magnitude less than a predetermined value and having a second level otherwise, and said apparatus including a real-time response line for transmitting the digital output signal to the test unit, said test unit including means for determining that said output signal changes levels within a preselected time of said ramp signal reaching a preset value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
192 words
Testing and protection apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said test unit includes: a first signal processor to which said sensor signal is applied and including a first microprocessor programmed to convert the analog sensor signal to a digital sensor signal in a first processing channel; said test unit including a second microprocessor programmed to generate said dynamic reference signal and to generate said test signal; means for converting said test signal and dynamic reference signal generated in said second microprocessor to analog signals; means for applying the analog test signal to said first microprocessor in place of said sensor signal to generate in said first processing channel a digital, compensated test signal and for applying said analog reference signal to said first microprocessor to generate in a second processing channel a regenerated digital reference signal; and a multiplexer for multiplexing said digital compensated test signal and said digital regenerated reference signal to said second microprocessor of said test unit, said second microprocessor being programmed to compare said digital compensated test signal with said digital regenerated reference signal and to generate an alarm signal when they differ by more than pre-established limits.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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