44 results about "Predictive failure analysis" patented technology

The present invention provides an improved method and system for real-time monitoring, validation, optimization and predictive fault analysis in a process control system. The invention monitors process operations by continuously analyzing sensor measurements and providing predictive alarms using models of normal process operation and statistical parameters corresponding to normal process data, and generating secondary residual process models. The invention allows for the creation of a fault analyzer directly from linearly independent models of normal process operation, and provides for automatic generation from such process models of linearly dependent process models. Fuzzy logic is used in various fault situations to compute certainty factors to identify faults and / or validate underlying assumptions. In one aspect, the invention includes a real-time sensor data communications bridge module; a state transition logic module; a sensor validation and predictive fault analysis module; and a statistical process control module; wherein each of the modules operates simultaneously.

The present invention provides an improved method and system for real-time monitoring, validation, optimization and predictive fault analysis in a process control system. The invention monitors process operations by continuously analyzing sensor measurements and providing predictive alarms using models of normal process operation and statistical parameters corresponding to normal process data, and generating secondary residual process models. The invention allows for the creation of a fault analyzer directly from linearly independent models of normal process operation, and provides for automatic generation from such process models of linearly dependent process models. Fuzzy logic is used in various fault situations to compute certainty factors to identify faults and / or validate underlying assumptions. In one aspect, the invention includes a real-time sensor data communications bridge module; a state transition logic module; a sensor validation and predictive fault analysis module; and a statistical process control module; wherein each of the modules operates simultaneously.

Operating computer memory in a computer including dynamically monitoring, by a predictive failure analysis (‘PFA’) module, correctable memory errors and memory temperature and managing cooling resources in the computer in dependence upon the correctable memory errors and memory temperature.

A method for predicting the failure of a data storage device having a slider heater is disclosed. For slider heaters exhibiting a decreasing resistance aging characteristic, a failure warning is produced when heater resistance suddenly increases 2 to 5%, or dR / dt changes sign from negative to positive. For slider heaters exhibiting an increasing resistance aging characteristic, a failure warning is produced when the heater resistance suddenly drops 2 to 5%, or dR / dt changes sign from positive to negative. Additionally, random changes in heater resistance exceeding nominal measurement error may also be utilized to produce a failure warning. This method provides advance warning of potential data read / write errors well before the open circuit failure of the slider heater occurs.

A large population of mass-produced devices (80) such as a particular model of computer hard disk drive, are distributed around the world. Each device (80) includes an arrangement for collecting failure analysis data of the device (50). Each device (80) is arranged to transmit this data to the device manufacturers server (10) via the internet (20). The server (10) analyses the data in order to determine trends in failure performance of the population of devices in order to improve future designs and to provide updated software for distribution to the devices (80) via the internet (20).

A method, system, and computer program for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit. One embodiment of the invention monitors the current utilization, environment conditions, and operating conditions of the electronic circuit. A system manager is altered if the current utilization of the electronic circuit is outside a pass range at the measured environmental conditions and the measured operating conditions of the electronic circuit. The invention may also be configured such that if the electronic circuit fails, the electronic circuit is isolated from among a plurality of potentially failed electronic circuits using the measured current utilization, environment conditions, and operating conditions of the electronic circuit.

Determining a contact condition between read-write head and accessed disk surface inside hard disk drive, where micro-actuator assembly mechanically couples to slider and electrically interacts through signal path. Signal path sensed, creating sensed feedback signal, used to determine contact condition, which indicates when read-write head is, or is not, in contact with accessed disk surface. Means for implementing this process. Contact condition is product of process. The process may respond to contact condition, altering read-write head flying height. Process may be implemented as operations of embedded control system and / or servo controller. Method of predictive failure analysis using the contact condition to estimate performance parameter and create performance degradation warning. Manufacture process collecting contact condition to partly create reliability estimate of the hard disk drive, which may be form of Mean Time to Failure. Manufacturing may further include screening the hard disk drive based upon the reliability estimate.

The invention relates to the management of large stationary batteries. The invention is a comprehensive system and process for the management of stationary batteries that are used for backup power and are deployed in widely dispersed locations. The system is comprised of Mega-Tags, a battery testing and data acquisition device, and web-based software. The system software can automatically analyze, determine and report predicted battery failure data such as a future anticipated failure date by aging standard ohmic test values such as impedance, conductance, or resistance, by multiplying the test value by a monthly factor derived from statistical analysis and comparing the aged value to a baseline value to determine the predicted failure date.

Detecting, predicting, and diagnosing faults in a cooling system. According to one embodiment, a heat sink is in thermal contact with a heat-generating electronic component. When a temperature differential between the electronic component and the heat sink exceeds a set point, a fault signal is generated. The set point may be empirically or theoretically determined. The set point may be a static set point, or it may be a dynamic set point determined according to real-time operational parameters of the system. The system may be implemented with predictive failure analysis (PFA) to provide a more reliable, efficient, inexpensive, and robust computer system.

A data storage subsystem in a distributed storage system having a plurality of predictive failure analyzing data storage devices. The subsystem furthermore has a circuit that is responsive to a predicted failure indication by a data storage device in relation to predetermined rules stored in memory for deterministically initiating a preventive recovery either by a data recovery procedure in the data storage device or by a fault tolerance storage arrangement in the subsystem.

A computing system includes a semiconductor which sources / sinks current to / from components within the system, an in-circuit semiconductor on-resistance characterization circuit which measures the on-resistance of the semiconductor, and a processor which periodically or continuously engages the characterization circuit over the life of the semiconductor to obtain a series of on-resistance measurements. Depending on the type of semiconductor used, or depending on arbitrary design limitations, the computing system predicts semiconductor failure based on either a relative mode or an absolute mode. The relative mode is useful when using FET's since on-resistance values vary significantly. In the relative mode, an optional NVRAM is used to store one or more on-resistance measurements which may serve as a reference for assuring proper circuit operation within tolerable deviations from the reference. In the absolute mode, one or more optional thresholds are utilized to assure that circuit operation remains in a known good region.

A method and apparatus are provided for implementing enhanced tiered Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) at domain intersections in a computer system. When recoverable errors trigger PFA calculations on an individual threshold unit, PFA calculations are performed on the individual threshold unit. A threshold domain of all intersection hardware with the individual threshold unit is established. PFA calculations are performed on all intersection hardware in the threshold domain. A repair action is triggered based upon comparing the PFA calculations for the individual threshold unit and comparing the PFA calculations for each intersection hardware.