US3790279A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Oil contamination monitor with digital signal processing
Assignee: Environment One Corp
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Filing: 1971-09-28
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1991-09-28
Abstract
Abstract The circuit for digitally processing the analog signals from an oil contamination monitor includes analog to digital converters, digital accumulators for accumulating the thus converted signals over a predetermined period of time and digital comparators, preferably dividers for forming ratios of the thus accumulated digital signals to produce a comparison output. When a single analog signal corresponding to the light scattering effect a reference material and the oil to be monitored have upon light is to be processed, gate means first separates the analog signal corresponding to only the light scattering effect of the oil and a second analog signal corresponding only to the light scattering effect of the reference material; and when a single analog electrical signal corresponding to the light attenuation effect the reference material and oil have upon light is to be processed, gate means separates the single signal into a first analog signal corresponding only to the light attenuation effect of the oil and a second analog signal corresponding only to the light attenuation affect of the reference material. Each of the thus separated analog signals is processed by an analog to digital converter whose output is accumulated over a predetermined period of time and fed to a respective one of two digital dividers, with the first digital having an output corresponding to the ratio of the light scattering effect of the oil and the light scattering effect of the reference, and the second digital divider having an output corresponding to the light transmission effect of the oil and the light transmission effect of the reference material. The ratio output of the first digital divider is fed directly to the digital analyzer while the ratio output of the second digital divider, corresponding to light transmission, is first fed to a digital subtractor where it is subtracted from a predetermined higher digital standard corresponding to complete light transmission so as to produce an attenuation ratio output that is fed directly to the digital analyzer. The digital analyzer may give representative values to the amount of contamination within the oil or the chemical breakdown or the like of the oil, or have warning lights as to excessive contamination or oil breakdown.
Inventors
- 👤 G Skala
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 04:14
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/26; G01N33/28; G01N33/2888; G01N21/00; G01N21/17; G01N21/47; G01N21/49; G01N21/53
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
367 words
An oil monitor to be operatively connected within the closed oil circuit of a power plant, comprising: a receptacle for receiving the oil as it passes through the closed circuit; a standard light conducting reference means for affecting light as to attenuation and scattering in a manner correlated to the effect substantially clean and unused oil has upon light; light source means and light responsive transducer means for passing light through, and receiving scattered and attenuated light from both the oil within said receptacle and said reference means for producing a first analog electrical signal having alternating pulses correlated to the light scattering effect the oil had upon the light and the light scattering effect the reference means had upon the light, and a second analog electrical signal having alternating pulses corresponding to the light attenuation effect the oil had upon the light and the light attenuation effect the reference had upon the light; gate means for separating said first analog electrical signal into an oil scattering analog electrical signal and a separate reference scattering analog electrical signal; and gate means for separating said second analog electrical signal into an oil attenuation analog electrical signal and a separate reference attenuation analog electrical signal; means for converting each of said oil scattering analog electrical signal, reference scattering analog electrical signal, oil attenuation analog electrical signal, and reference attenuation analog electrical signal respectively from their analog form to a digital oil scattering electrical signal, a digital reference scattering electrical signal, a digital oil attenuation electrical signal, and a digital reference attenuation electrical signal; separate digital accumulators respectively receiving each of said digital electrical signals and having periodic accumulated digital output signals; first means receiving the accumulated digital reference scattering electrical signal and the accumulated digital oil scattering electrical signal, and having an electrical output correlated to the ratio of said accumulated digital oil scattering electrical signal to said accumulated digital reference scattering electrical signal; and separate second means receiving the accumulated digital oil attenuation electrical signal and the accumulated digital reference attenuation electrical signal, and having an electrical output correlated to the ratio of said accumulated digital oil attenuation electrical signal to said accumulated digital reference attenuation electrical signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
367 words
An oil monitor to be operatively connected within the closed oil circuit of a power plant, comprising: a receptacle for receiving the oil as it passes through the closed circuit; a standard light conducting reference means for affecting light as to attenuation and scattering in a manner correlated to the effect substantially clean and unused oil has upon light; light source means and light responsive transducer means for passing light through, and receiving scattered and attenuated light from both the oil within said receptacle and said reference means for producing a first analog electrical signal having alternating pulses correlated to the light scattering effect the oil had upon the light and the light scattering effect the reference means had upon the light, and a second analog electrical signal having alternating pulses corresponding to the light attenuation effect the oil had upon the light and the light attenuation effect the reference had upon the light; gate means for separating said first analog electrical signal into an oil scattering analog electrical signal and a separate reference scattering analog electrical signal; and gate means for separating said second analog electrical signal into an oil attenuation analog electrical signal and a separate reference attenuation analog electrical signal; means for converting each of said oil scattering analog electrical signal, reference scattering analog electrical signal, oil attenuation analog electrical signal, and reference attenuation analog electrical signal respectively from their analog form to a digital oil scattering electrical signal, a digital reference scattering electrical signal, a digital oil attenuation electrical signal, and a digital reference attenuation electrical signal; separate digital accumulators respectively receiving each of said digital electrical signals and having periodic accumulated digital output signals; first means receiving the accumulated digital reference scattering electrical signal and the accumulated digital oil scattering electrical signal, and having an electrical output correlated to the ratio of said accumulated digital oil scattering electrical signal to said accumulated digital reference scattering electrical signal; and separate second means receiving the accumulated digital oil attenuation electrical signal and the accumulated digital reference attenuation electrical signal, and having an electrical output correlated to the ratio of said accumulated digital oil attenuation electrical signal to said accumulated digital reference attenuation electrical signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An oil monitor according to claim 1, including a power plant requiring oil lubrication, and means for circulating lubricating oil in a closed circuit through said power plant and said receptacle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The oil monitor of claim 1, including third means receiving the output of said second means and producing a digital output of the difference between a predetermined digital standard corresponding to complete transmission of light from said light source means to said light responsive transducer means and the output of said second means, which third means output will increase with increased attenuation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
An oil monitor according to claim 1, including a prime mover requiring operating oil and having a rotary output; a transmission having an input drivingly connected to said prime mover output, a rotary power output, and requiring operating oil; means, including a pump, circulating oil in a closed circuit through said receptacle and at least one of said prime mover and transmission.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
182 words
An electrical circuit for processing an analog electrical signal from a fluid contamination monitor, wherein thE signal alternates between an electrical pulse corresponding to the effect the fluid to be monitored has upon a beam of light and an electrical pulse correlated to the effect a reference material has upon a corresponding beam of light, comprising: gate means for separating the reference and fluid electrical signals into a first analog electrical signal containing only the electrical pulses correlated to the effect the fluid has upon the beam of light and a separate second analog electrical signal containing only the electrical pulses correlated to the effect the reference material has upon a corresponding beam of light; first analog to digital converter means receiving said first electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding digital output; second analog to digital converter means receiving said second electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding digital output; and digital divider means in circuit with said analog to digital converters for producing an output corresponding to the ratio of said first and second digital outputs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
182 words
An electrical circuit for processing an analog electrical signal from a fluid contamination monitor, wherein thE signal alternates between an electrical pulse corresponding to the effect the fluid to be monitored has upon a beam of light and an electrical pulse correlated to the effect a reference material has upon a corresponding beam of light, comprising: gate means for separating the reference and fluid electrical signals into a first analog electrical signal containing only the electrical pulses correlated to the effect the fluid has upon the beam of light and a separate second analog electrical signal containing only the electrical pulses correlated to the effect the reference material has upon a corresponding beam of light; first analog to digital converter means receiving said first electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding digital output; second analog to digital converter means receiving said second electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding digital output; and digital divider means in circuit with said analog to digital converters for producing an output corresponding to the ratio of said first and second digital outputs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
The circuit of claim 5, including digital signal accumulator means in circuit to receive the digital output from said first analog to digital converter means for producing an accumulator output connected to the input of said digital divider means and corresponding to the accumulated signals over a predetermined period of time; and second digital signal accumulator means in circuit to receive the digital output from said second analog to digital converter means for producing an accumulator output connected to the input of said digital divider means and corresponding to the accumulated converter outputs over a predetermined period of time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
The circuit of claim 5 as a first processing circuit for handling signals corresponding to the scattering effect the fluid and reference material have upon light; and further including in combinations a parallel second processing circuit for handling an analog electrical signal from the fluid contamination monitor corresponding alternately to the attenuation effect the reference material and fluid have upon the beam of light, which second processing circuit is identical to said first processing circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
The processing circuits of claim 7, including digital subtractor means having an input connected to the output of the digital divider means of said second processing circuit for producing a digital attenuation output corresponding to the difference between a digital standard of complete light transmission and the output of the digital divider means of said second processing circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
134 words
An electrical circuit for processing the signals to be received from a fluid contamination monitor, wherein a first analog electrical signal is correlated to the effect the fluid has upon a beam of light and a second analog electrical signal is correlated to the effect a reference material has on a corresponding beam of light, comprising: first analog to digital converter means for receiving the first analog electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding first digital output; and second analog to digital converter means for receiving the second analog electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding second digital output; and digital divider means producing a ratio of the first and second outputs as a single comparison digital electrical output, which would correspond to the condition of the fluid being monitored.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
134 words
An electrical circuit for processing the signals to be received from a fluid contamination monitor, wherein a first analog electrical signal is correlated to the effect the fluid has upon a beam of light and a second analog electrical signal is correlated to the effect a reference material has on a corresponding beam of light, comprising: first analog to digital converter means for receiving the first analog electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding first digital output; and second analog to digital converter means for receiving the second analog electrical signal as an input and producing a corresponding second digital output; and digital divider means producing a ratio of the first and second outputs as a single comparison digital electrical output, which would correspond to the condition of the fluid being monitored.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The circuit of claim 9, including separate digital accumulator means respectively accumulating the first and second digital outputs of said first and second analog to digital converters over a predetermined period of time and producing corresponding periodic accumulated outputs to be fed as inputs to said digital divider means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
The circuit of claim 9, as a first processing circuit for handling the first and second analog electrical signals corresponding respectively to the scattering effect fluid and reference material have upon light; and Further including in combination a parallel second processing circuit for handling third and fourth analog electrical signals from the fluid contamination monitor corresponding respectively to the attenuation effect fluid and reference material have upon light; said second processing circuit being identical to said first processing circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
The processing circuit combination of claim 11, including separate digital accumulator means respectively accumulating the first and second digital outputs of said first and second analog to digital converters over a predetermined period of time and producing corresponding periodic accumulated outputs to be fed as inputs to said digital divider means separately for each of said first and second processing circuits.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
The processing circuit combination of claim 12, including digital subtractor means having an input connected to the output of the digital divider means of said second processing circuit for producing a digital attenuation output corresponding to the difference between a digital standard of complete light transmission and the output of the digital divider means of said second processing circuit; and digital analyzer means directly receiving the output of said first processing circuit digital divider means and said second processing circuit digital subtractor means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
87 words
The processing circuit combination of claim 13, in combination with an optical oil monitor having means for holding oil and reference material, light source means for passing beams of light through the reference material and the oil, and light responsive means for receiving the light that has passed through the oil and receiving the light that has passed through the reference material for respectively producing the first, second, third and fourth analog electrical signals to be processed by said first processing circuit and said second processing circuit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The processing circuit combination of claim 14, including prime mover means requiring oil circulation, and means for circulating oil in a closed circuit through said prime mover means and said means for holding oil of said optical oil monitor.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of monitoring oil contamination, comprising the steps of: circulating operating oil to a power plant in a closed circuit, passing light through the oil in the closed circuit and a reference material; producing a first analog electrical signal correlated to the attenuation effect the reference material has upon the light; producing a second analog electrical signal correlated to the attenuation effect the oil has upon the light; producing a third analog electrical signal correlated to the scattering effect the reference material has upon the light; producing a fourth analog electrical signal correlated to the scattering effect the oil has upon the light; converting each of said first, second, third and fourth analog electrical signals into corresponding separate first, second, third and fourth digital electrical signals; separately accumulating each of said first, second, third and fourth digital electrical signals over a predetermined period of time; dividing the thus accumulated oil scattering digital signals by the thus accumulated reference scattering digital signals; and dividing the thus accumulated oil attenuation digital signals by the thus accumulated reference attenuation digital signals.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of monitoring oil contamination, comprising the steps of: circulating operating oil to a power plant in a closed circuit, passing light through the oil in the closed circuit and a reference material; producing a first analog electrical signal correlated to the attenuation effect the reference material has upon the light; producing a second analog electrical signal correlated to the attenuation effect the oil has upon the light; producing a third analog electrical signal correlated to the scattering effect the reference material has upon the light; producing a fourth analog electrical signal correlated to the scattering effect the oil has upon the light; converting each of said first, second, third and fourth analog electrical signals into corresponding separate first, second, third and fourth digital electrical signals; separately accumulating each of said first, second, third and fourth digital electrical signals over a predetermined period of time; dividing the thus accumulated oil scattering digital signals by the thus accumulated reference scattering digital signals; and dividing the thus accumulated oil attenuation digital signals by the thus accumulated reference attenuation digital signals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 16, including the step of subtracting the ratio of oil attenuation to reference attenuation accumulated signals from a substantially larger standard digital signal corresponding to complete transmission of light.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |