Apparatus and method for the remote monitoring of machine condition

Claim 1

A system for monitoring the condition of rotating machinery, comprising: a plurality of stationary machines, each of said machines comprising a rotating shaft supported on bearings; a plurality of vibration transducers, at least one of which is associated with each of said plurality of stationary machines, and which are configured to produce analog output signals indicative of bearing vibrations; a plurality of signal conditioning circuits, at least one of which is associated with each of said plurality of stationary machines, wherein each signal conditioning circuit is configured to condition and digitize said analog output signals from at least one of said plurality of vibration transducers so as to produce a plurality of streams of digital vibration data; a plurality of satellite transmitters, at least one of which is associated with each of said plurality of stationary machines, wherein said satellite transmitters are configured to independently transmit said streams of digital vibration data over a first communication link comprising a satellite communication link; a satellite hub station remote from said plurality of stationary machines configured to receive all of said streams of digital vibration data over said first communication link, said satellite hub station comprising a memory for storing said streams of digital vibration data and additionally comprising a first modem for either continuously or periodically transmitting one or more of said streams of digital data over a second communication link separate from said first communication link; and a control room remote from both said plurality of stationary machines and said satellite hub station said control room comprising a second modem configured to receive either continuously or periodically said one or more of said streams of digital data from said second communication link separate from said first communication link, said control room additionally comprising a vibration data analysis system, whereby the condition of said machines may be monitored at said control room remote from said stationary machines.

Claim 2

A system for monitoring the condition of rotating machinery, comprising: a plurality of stationary machines, each of said machines comprising a rotating shaft supported on bearings; a plurality of vibration transducers, at least one of which is associated with each of said plurality of stationary machines, and which are configured to produce analog output signals indicative of bearing vibrations; a plurality of signal conditioning circuits, at least one of which is associated with each of said plurality of stationary machines, wherein each signal conditioning circuit is configured to condition and digitize said analog output signals from at least one of said plurality of vibration transducers so as to produce a plurality of streams of digital vibration data; a plurality of satellite transmitters, at least one of which is associated with each of said plurality of stationary machines, wherein said satellite transmitters are configured to independently transmit said streams of digital vibration data over a first communication link comprising a satellite communication link; a satellite hub station remote from said plurality of stationary machines configured to receive all of said streams of digital vibration data over said first communication link, said satellite hub station comprising a memory for storing said streams of digital vibration data and additionally comprising a first modem for either continuously or periodically transmitting one or more of said streams of digital data over a second communication link separate from said first communication link; and a control room remote from both said plurality of stationary machines and said satellite hub station said control room comprising a second modem configured to receive either continuously or periodically said one or more of said streams of digital data from said second communication link separate from said first communication link, said control room additionally comprising a vibration data analysis system, whereby the condition of said machines may be monitored at said control room remote from said stationary machines.

Claim 3

A method of monitoring the condition of a stationary rotating machine, comprising the steps of: coupling a vibration transducer to said rotating machine; conditioning an analog output signal from said vibration transducer to produce a second analog signal indicative of the condition of said rotating machine; periodically sampling said second analog signal with an analog to digital converter to produce a set of digital samples of said second analog signal; storing at least one of said set of digital samples; transmitting said at least one of said set of digital samples via satellite to a satellite hub station remote from said rotating machine; receiving and storing said at least one of said set of digital samples at said satellite hub station; and transmitting said at least one of said digital samples from said satellite hub station to a control room remote from both said rotating machine and said satellite hub station.

Claim 4

A method of monitoring the condition of a stationary rotating machine, comprising the steps of: coupling a vibration transducer to said rotating machine; conditioning an analog output signal from said vibration transducer to produce a second analog signal indicative of the condition of said rotating machine; periodically sampling said second analog signal with an analog to digital converter to produce a set of digital samples of said second analog signal; storing at least one of said set of digital samples; transmitting said at least one of said set of digital samples via satellite to a satellite hub station remote from said rotating machine; receiving and storing said at least one of said set of digital samples at said satellite hub station; and transmitting said at least one of said digital samples from said satellite hub station to a control room remote from both said rotating machine and said satellite hub station.