US6792360B2 — Harmonic activity locator

Claim 1

Independent Claim 125 words

A method of differentiating between vibration measurements indicative of the presence of a component defect in a machine and vibration measurements unrelated to the component defect, the method comprising: receiving a frequency spectrum associated with said machine; estimating a component defect fundamental frequency and harmonic frequencies and associated amplitudes; estimating a value K indicative of the total energy associated with said fundamental and harmonic frequencies; estimating a value R indicative of the total energy associated with said spectrum; deriving a value I HAL based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and determining based at least in part on I HAL and the fundamental frequency of the component defect whether the vibrations of the machine are produced by the component defect.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 125 words

A method of differentiating between vibration measurements indicative of the presence of a component defect in a machine and vibration measurements unrelated to the component defect, the method comprising: receiving a frequency spectrum associated with said machine; estimating a component defect fundamental frequency and harmonic frequencies and associated amplitudes; estimating a value K indicative of the total energy associated with said fundamental and harmonic frequencies; estimating a value R indicative of the total energy associated with said spectrum; deriving a value I HAL based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and determining based at least in part on I HAL and the fundamental frequency of the component defect whether the vibrations of the machine are produced by the component defect.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating a value R comprises obtaining a sum Q comprising the sum of all of the amplitudes corresponding to the spectral lines in said spectrum.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 2 , wherein estimating a value R further comprises dividing Q by the total number of spectral lines P in said spectrum.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 3 , wherein deriving I HAL comprises dividing K by R.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 3 , wherein deriving I HAL comprises dividing K by the difference between K and R.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating a component defect fundamental frequency comprises interpolating values associated with contiguous spectral lines.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 6 , wherein interpolating values comprises selecting a triplet of spectral lines, wherein an amplitude of a middle line of said triplet of spectral lines is greater than an amplitude of other spectral lines of said triplet of spectral lines.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating a value K comprises obtaining a sum M comprising the sum of all of the amplitudes associated with the fundamental and harmonic frequencies of said component defect.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 8 , wherein estimating a value K further comprises dividing M by the number of harmonics N, including the fundamental frequency, associated with the component defect.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a frequency spectrum comprises receiving data indicative of amplitudes and frequencies of vibrations of said machine.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving I HAL comprises dividing K by R.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving I HAL comprises dividing K by the difference between K and R.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 84 words

A method of evaluating a frequency domain spectrum of vibration data comprising: defining a first fundamental frequency; defining a series of harmonics of said first fundamental frequency; summing a first set of amplitudes associated with said first fundamental frequency and at least some of said harmonics to produce a value K; summing a second set of amplitudes to produce a value R; calculating a value indicative of the presence of a component defect based at least in part on said first and second sums.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 84 words

A method of evaluating a frequency domain spectrum of vibration data comprising: defining a first fundamental frequency; defining a series of harmonics of said first fundamental frequency; summing a first set of amplitudes associated with said first fundamental frequency and at least some of said harmonics to produce a value K; summing a second set of amplitudes to produce a value R; calculating a value indicative of the presence of a component defect based at least in part on said first and second sums.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 13 , further comprising defining a second fundamental frequency, and repeating said harmonic defining, summing, and calculating acts using said second fundamental frequency.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 14 , further comprising repeatedly defining a series of additional fundamental frequencies and repeating said harmonic defining, summing, and calculating acts using each of said additional fundamental frequencies so as to produce a corresponding series of values.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein defining each of said fundamental frequencies comprises searching for a spectral line triplet within at least one search band in said frequency domain spectrum, said spectral line triplet having a central spectral line amplitude larger than the amplitude of either spectral line adjacent to said central spectral line amplitude.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 16 , further comprising searching within a plurality of search bands.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 17 , further comprising performing an exhaustive search throughout said frequency domain spectrum for said spectral line triplets.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 13 , further comprising comparing said value to a threshold.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 13 , wherein defining a first fundamental frequency comprises interpolating an amplitude between a pair of spectral lines of said frequency domain spectrum.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method of claim 13 , wherein defining a first fundamental frequency comprises searching for a spectral line triplet within a search band in said frequency domain spectrum, said spectral line triplet having a central spectral line amplitude larger than the amplitude of either spectral line adjacent to said central spectral line amplitude.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 95 words

A method of identifying the presence of a component defect in a machine subject to vibrations, the method comprising: estimating from frequency domain vibration data a value R indicative of the spectral energy of said vibrations; estimating from said frequency domain vibration data a value K indicative of harmonically related spectral energy associated with said component defect; deriving a harmonic activity index based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and determining the presence of said component defect based at least in part on the value of said harmonic activity index.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 95 words

A method of identifying the presence of a component defect in a machine subject to vibrations, the method comprising: estimating from frequency domain vibration data a value R indicative of the spectral energy of said vibrations; estimating from said frequency domain vibration data a value K indicative of harmonically related spectral energy associated with said component defect; deriving a harmonic activity index based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and determining the presence of said component defect based at least in part on the value of said harmonic activity index.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 22 , wherein estimating R comprises evaluating the total number of spectral lines of said frequency domain vibration data.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 23 , wherein estimating R comprises dividing a sum of all the amplitudes of said spectral lines by said total number of spectral lines.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 24 , wherein estimating K comprises adding amplitudes of a plurality of spectral lines that are harmonically related, and wherein estimating K further comprises dividing the result of said adding by the number of spectral lines in said plurality of spectral lines that are harmonically related.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 25 , wherein deriving said index comprises evaluating a ratio that is based at least in part on dividing K by R.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 26 , further comprising issuing a warning if the index is greater than 2.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 25 , wherein deriving said index comprises evaluating a ratio that is based at least in part on dividing K by the difference between R and K.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 22 , wherein estimating K comprises adding amplitudes of a plurality of spectral lines that are harmonically related.

Claim 33

Independent Claim 135 words

A system for identifying the presence of a component defect in a machine subject to vibrations, the system comprising: a data storage module that receives and stores data indicative of amplitudes of vibrations of said machine at selected frequencies; a data analyzer module, in communication with said data storage module, that derives a harmonic activity index, wherein said data analyzer comprises computer instructions operative for: estimating from said data a value R indicative of the spectral energy of said vibrations; estimating from said data a value K indicative of the spectral energy associated with said component defect; deriving said harmonic activity index based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and determining the presence of said component defect based at least in part on the value of said harmonic activity index.

Claim 34

Independent Claim 135 words

A system for identifying the presence of a component defect in a machine subject to vibrations, the system comprising: a data storage module that receives and stores data indicative of amplitudes of vibrations of said machine at selected frequencies; a data analyzer module, in communication with said data storage module, that derives a harmonic activity index, wherein said data analyzer comprises computer instructions operative for: estimating from said data a value R indicative of the spectral energy of said vibrations; estimating from said data a value K indicative of the spectral energy associated with said component defect; deriving said harmonic activity index based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and determining the presence of said component defect based at least in part on the value of said harmonic activity index.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system of claim 30 , wherein said computer instructions for deriving said index comprises computer instructions for dividing K by R.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 30 , wherein said computer instructions for deriving said index comprises computer instructions for dividing K by a difference between R and K.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 34 words

The system of claim 30 , wherein estimating K is based at least in part on adding a plurality of amplitudes corresponding to a harmonic series of a fundamental frequency of said component defect.

Claim 38

Independent Claim 140 words

A system for identifying the presence of a component defect in a machine subject to vibrations, the method comprising: means for receiving data indicative of amplitudes and corresponding frequencies of vibrations of said machine; means for estimating from said data a value R indicative of the spectral energy of said vibrations; means for estimating from said data a value K indicative of the spectral energy associated with said component defect, wherein estimating K is based at least in part on adding a plurality of amplitudes corresponding to a harmonic series of the fundamental frequency of said component defect means for deriving a harmonic activity index based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and means for determining the presence of said component defect based at least in part on the value of said harmonic activity index.

Claim 39

Independent Claim 140 words

A system for identifying the presence of a component defect in a machine subject to vibrations, the method comprising: means for receiving data indicative of amplitudes and corresponding frequencies of vibrations of said machine; means for estimating from said data a value R indicative of the spectral energy of said vibrations; means for estimating from said data a value K indicative of the spectral energy associated with said component defect, wherein estimating K is based at least in part on adding a plurality of amplitudes corresponding to a harmonic series of the fundamental frequency of said component defect means for deriving a harmonic activity index based at least in part on the estimated values K and R; and means for determining the presence of said component defect based at least in part on the value of said harmonic activity index.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-09-14	2008-03-15	2008-09-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-09-14	2012-03-15	2012-09-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-09-14	2016-03-15	2016-09-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Harmonic activity locator

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