Rotational Data Encoding for Tachometer Noise Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional tachometer systems face challenges in accurately processing rotational data from mechanical elements due to noise susceptibility and reduced performance, leading to potential false failure alerts and maintenance issues.

Innovation Solution

A system that captures rotational frequency and phase data from mechanical elements as analog signals and encodes them into digital data packets for transmission over digital networks, improving accuracy and adaptability, and reducing noise and false alerts by synchronizing data between distributed sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If analog signals are used to transmit rotational data from tachometer to central processing unit, then the system can transmit rotational speed measurements, but the processing performance is reduced and the signal is susceptible to noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal qualityVSAvoidprocessing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the analog signal transmission system with a digital communication system. The encoder component converts rotational position measurements into digital data packets that are transmitted via digital communication protocols (such as CAN bus, Ethernet, or wireless digital protocols) instead of analog voltage signals. This substitution eliminates analog noise susceptibility and improves processing performance while maintaining the essential function of transmitting rotational speed data from the tachometer to the central processing unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the signal parameter from analog voltage to digital data packets. The encoder component samples the rotational position and encodes it into digital values representing rotational speed and acceleration. This parameter change from continuous analog signals to discrete digital data improves signal integrity, reduces noise susceptibility, and enhances processing performance in the central processing unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If digital encoding is implemented for rotational data, then accuracy and noise resistance improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotational data accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the encoder component with the existing tachometer assembly. The encoder integrates digital signal processing capabilities directly into the tachometer unit, combining the rotational sensing function with digital encoding and transmission functions. This integration reduces overall system complexity by eliminating separate analog-to-digital conversion components and simplifying the signal path while maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If distributed sensors are synchronized using digital data packets, then false failure alerts are reduced and maintenance efficiency improves, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefailure alert accuracyVSAvoidnetwork synchronization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the central processing unit receives synchronized digital data packets from multiple distributed sensors, compares the rotational data across sensors, and provides feedback to validate measurements. This feedback loop enables the system to detect and eliminate false failure alerts by cross-validating data from multiple sensor sources, improving reliability while managing network complexity through intelligent data processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3413058B1Generating and encoding rotational data for a mechanical element over a digital network
Publication Date: 2025.01.15 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP3413058B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3413058B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3413058B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and techniques to facilitate generating and/or encoding rotational data associated with a mechanical element are presented. A sensor system 100 can measure rotational speed data and phase data associated with a mechanical element 104 that rotates. The sensor system 100 can also encode the rotational speed data and phase data into a digital data packet. Furthermore, the sensor system 100 can transmit the digital data packet associated with the rotational speed data and phase data to one or more sensor devices 3041-N in communication with the sensor system 100.