System and method for determining sensor margins and/or diagnostic information for a sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10133702-B2
Application number	US-201514659179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2015
Priority date	Mar 16, 2015
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

Systems and techniques for determining sensing margins and/or diagnostic information associated with a sensor are presented. A statistics component generates statistical data based on sensor data associated with a sensing device. A margin component generates sensing margins for the sensing device based on the statistical data. An output component generates an indicator for a changing condition associated with the sensing device based on the sensing margins. In an aspect, a diagnostic component generates diagnostic data for the sensing device based on the statistical data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a memory that stores computer-executable components; and
a processor, operatively coupled to the memory, that executes the computer-executable components, the computer-executable components comprising:
a sensing device that receives signals representative of a target and transforms the signals to sensor data indicative of states of the target, wherein the sensor data comprises first sensor data having a first value that is less than a low threshold value and indicative of the target being in a first state and second sensor data having a second value that is greater than a high threshold value and indicative of the target being in a second state, and wherein the target is a physical object;
a statistics component configured to generate statistical data based on distributions of the sensor data, wherein the statistical data comprises a standard deviation of the distributions of the sensor data, a first mean average of a first distribution of the first sensor data, and a second mean average of a second distribution of the second sensor data;
a margin component configured to generate sensing margins for the sensing device based on the statistical data, wherein the margin component generates a first sensing margin in response to determining that the first mean average of the first distribution differs from the high threshold value by a defined multiple of the standard deviation; and
an output component that configures the sensing device according to the sensing margins.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the margin component generates a second sensing margin in response to determining that the second mean average of the second distribution differs from the low threshold value by a second defined multiple of the standard deviation.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the defined multiple is six or seven and selected in response to a defined error rate of the sensor data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the statistics component is configured to generate signal distribution data based on the distributions of the sensor data.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the margin component is configured to generate the sensing margins for the sensing device based on a characterization of the signal distribution data relative to previously determined sensing margins for the sensing device.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the margin component is configured to generate the sensing margins for the sensing device based on a statistical mean data associated with the signal distribution data relative to previously determined sensing margins for the sensing device.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the margin component is configured to generate the sensing margins for the sensing device based on standard deviation data associated with the signal distribution data relative to previously determined sensing margins for the sensing device.

8. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a diagnostic component configured to generate a warning signal that indicates at least a portion of the sensing device or at least a portion of the target requires service in response to a determination of a particular change in the signal distribution data.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the margin component is configured to generate the sensing margins for the sensing device based on noise level of the sensor data.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the margin component is configured to generate the sensing margins for the sensing device based on a signal margin to noise ratio (SMNR) of the sensor data.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the margin component is configured to generate the sensing margins for the sensing device based on noise distribution of the sensor data.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a signal detection component that receives the sensor data via a signal generated based on a transducer coupled to an analog to digital converter.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a signal detection component that receives the sensor data via a signal generated based on a photodiode.

14. A method, comprising:
generating, by a device comprising at least one processor, statistical data based on sensor data representative of distributions of states of a physical object, wherein the sensor data is received from a sensor and comprises first sensor data having a first value that is less than a low threshold, below which is indicative of the physical object being in a first state, and second sensor data having a second value that is greater than a high threshold, above which is indicative of the physical object being in a second state, and wherein the statistical data comprises a standard deviation of the sensor data, a first mean average of the first sensor data, and a second mean average of the second sensor data;
generating, by the device, operating margins for the sensor based on the statistical data, wherein the operating margins comprise a first sensing margin generated in response to determining that the first mean average of the first sensor data differs from the high threshold by a defined multiple of the standard deviation; and
facilitating, by the device, configuration of operating margin parameters of the sensor according to the operating margins.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
generating, by the device, diagnostic data associated with the sensor based on the statistical data.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating the statistical data comprises generating the statistical data based on a distribution of measurement data associated with the sensor, wherein the measurement data is indicative of a measurement of the states of the target.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first value and the second value are indicative of signal amplitudes of measurement data associated with the sensor.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operating margins further comprise a second sensing margin generated in response to determining that the second mean average of the second sensor data differs from the low threshold by a second defined multiple of the standard deviation.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the second defined multiple is six or seven and is selected in response to a defined error rate of the sensor data.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, in response to execution, cause a device comprising a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
generating signal distribution data that is indicative of a distribution of measurement data received from a sensor device, wherein the measurement data is indicative of measurements of the sensor device that characterize states of a tangible target, and wherein the signal distribution data comprises first distribution data having a first value that is less than or equal to a low threshold value indicative of the tangible target being in a first state, and second sensor data having a second value that is greater than or equal to a high threshold value indicative of the tangible target being in a second state, and wherein the signal distribution data comprises a standard deviation of the signal distribution data, a first average value of a the first data, and a second average value of the second data;
generating sensing margins data for the sensor device based on the signal distribution data, wherein the sensing margins data comprise a first sensing margin generated in response to determining that the first average value of the first data di

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Boutaud Frederic

Classifications

• G05B2219/37525

  Mean, average values, statistical derived values · CPC title

• G05B23/024 Primary

  Quantitative history assessment, e.g. mathematical relationships between available data; Functions therefor; Principal component analysis [PCA]; Partial least square [PLS]; Statistical classifiers, e.g. Bayesian networks, linear regression or correlation analysis; Neural networks · CPC title

• G06F17/18 Primary

  for evaluating statistical data {, e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis (forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04)} · CPC title