Trigger Camera Monitoring for Machine Fault Time-Window Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine monitoring devices generate large volumes of data, including high-resolution image data, which are difficult to evaluate efficiently, especially when malfunctions occur sporadically, requiring significant storage and on-site expert evaluation.
Innovation Solution
A machine monitoring device equipped with cameras and a control/evaluation unit that uses a trigger camera to capture and evaluate image data, reducing data volume by focusing on relevant time ranges and allowing for remote data access and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring with high-resolution cameras is used, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but the quantity of data generated increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the relevant portion of data by using a trigger camera to identify malfunction events and then selectively storing image data within a specific time window around these events. This eliminates the need to store and evaluate all continuous high-resolution image data, significantly reducing data volume while maintaining monitoring precision for actual malfunctions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously capturing data in a buffer memory before actual malfunctions occur. When a malfunction is detected by the trigger camera, the already-captured data within the time window is immediately available for evaluation, eliminating the need to store vast amounts of pre-malfunction data permanently.
2Reliability
If large volumes of image data are stored for evaluation, then reliability of error detection is improved, but loss of time for data evaluation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the critical time window containing the malfunction event from the continuous data stream. By using the trigger camera to identify when malfunctions occur and then selectively retrieving only the image data within this specific time range from buffer memory, the system maintains high error detection reliability while dramatically reducing the time needed to evaluate data, as experts only need to examine relevant portions rather than entire datasets.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously capturing and buffering image data before malfunctions occur. This ensures that when a malfunction is detected, the relevant data is already captured and ready for immediate evaluation within the defined time window, eliminating delays associated with data collection during the evaluation phase.
3Measurement precision
If all image data is made available locally for expert evaluation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen due to on-site expert requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary by transmitting the extracted relevant image data (within the malfunction time window) from the local monitoring system to remote experts via communication networks. This intermediary transmission mechanism allows experts to perform accurate evaluations remotely without needing to be physically present at the machine location, thereby maintaining evaluation accuracy while significantly improving operational convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential malfunction-related data from the complete dataset and transmits this condensed information to remote experts. This selective data extraction reduces the burden on experts and enables them to perform accurate evaluations remotely without needing access to the entire dataset or being physically present at the monitoring location.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for machine monitoring and to a computer program product for machine monitoring. According to the invention, the image data captured with the aid of at least one camera and any additionally collected measurement data are time-limited using the image data captured with the aid of a trigger camera and evaluated for the presence of a trigger event such that only the relevant time range of the image data and, if applicable, measurement data has to be stored and analysed. This saves both time and hardware resources. In further advantageous embodiments of the invention, time synchronisation of different (image) data sources, a colour filter function, and/or a master-frame comparison for recognising faults are implemented.