Abstract: A smart sensor can include a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) configured to receive analog signals from a sensor module, and a plurality of channel modules. Each channel module can be connected to a respective ADC and each channel module can include a limited data processing module configured to provide initial processing. The sensor can include a data control module operatively connected to each of the plurality of channel modules and configured to select a selected channel of the plurality of channels to receive initially processed data from the limited data processing module of the selected channel. The data control module can be configured to interface with external memory to store data to the external memory and/or to read data from the external memory.

Abstract: A method of determining component health including measuring an electrical characteristic of a component during operation using a sensor coupled to the component having internal circuitry to be monitored and to a configurable external sensing device to as specified by configuration settings stored in the external sensing device and comparing the measured electrical characteristic to a baseline using a computational device within the configurable external sensing device in order to determine component health.

Abstract: A distributed network system can include a master controller having a master clock configured to output a master time, and a master transmission delay time module configured to modify the master time to add a known master transmission delay to the master time to output an adjusted master time. The system can include a first device operatively connected to the master controller and configured to receive the adjusted master time from the master controller.

Abstract: A sensor node for a distributed sensing system, can include a physical memory configured to store configuration settings data, one or more sensor channels configured to interface with one or more physical sensors to receive signals from the one or more physical sensors, and one or more configurable logic modules connected to the physical memory and operative to receive the configuration settings data and to be configured by the configuration settings data into a logic state to control whether and/or how the one or more one or more configurable logic modules receive and/or processes data from the one or more sensor channels. The one or more configurable logic modules can include one or more FPGAs and/or PLDs, for example.

Abstract: A distributed network system can include a master controller having a master clock configured to output a master time, and a master transmission delay time module configured to modify the master time to add a known master transmission delay to the master time to output an adjusted master time. The system can include a first device operatively connected to the master controller and configured to receive the adjusted master time from the master controller.

Abstract: A sensor system can include a sensor configured to output raw sensor data, a plurality of processing modules configured to process the raw sensor data from the sensor to output processed sensor data, a state module for each processing module operative to cause a respective processing module to receive and/or process the sensor data, and a control module configured to receive a coded bitstring and activate or deactivate a predefined set of state modules based on the coded bitstring to control which processing modules process the sensor data and/or an order of processing. The coded bitstring can include a plurality of discrete bits less than the amount of processing modules and/or state modules. A plurality of the state modules and/or processing modules can be associated with at least one discrete bit of the plurality of discrete bits such that each coded bitstring corresponds to a predetermined group of state modules and/or processing modules.

Abstract: A smart sensor can include a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) configured to receive analog signals from a sensor module, and a plurality of channel modules. Each channel module can be connected to a respective ADC and each channel module can include a limited data processing module configured to provide initial processing. The sensor can include a data control module operatively connected to each of the plurality of channel modules and configured to select a selected channel of the plurality of channels to receive initially processed data from the limited data processing module of the selected channel. The data control module can be configured to interface with external memory to store data to the external memory and/or to read data from the external memory.

Abstract: A control module for a distributed sensor system can include a non-application specific configurable module configured to operate as a function of controller configuration settings data, at least a first memory configured to store the controller configuration settings data, at least one external interface module configured to connect with a master host module of the sensor system to receive updated controller configuration settings data, the control module configured to receive and store the updated controller configuration settings in the first memory thereof via the at least one external interface module, and a subnet interface module configured to connect to one or more configurable sensor nodes on a subnetwork, wherein the control module is configured to control and/or configure the one or more sensor nodes as a function of the controller configuration setting data and receive sensor data from the one or more sensor nodes.

Abstract: A sensor system can include a sensor configured to output raw sensor data, a plurality of processing modules configured to process the raw sensor data from the sensor to output processed sensor data, a state module for each processing module operative to cause a respective processing module to receive and/or process the sensor data, and a control module configured to receive a bitmask and to operate each state module based on the bitmask to control which processing modules process the sensor data and/or an order of processing. The bitmask can include a plurality of discrete bits. Each state module and/or processing module can be associated with at least one discrete bit.

Abstract: A sensor node for a distributed sensing system, can include a physical memory configured to store configuration settings data, one or more sensor channels configured to interface with one or more physical sensors to receive signals from the one or more physical sensors, and one or more configurable logic modules connected to the physical memory and operative to receive the configuration settings data and to be configured by the configuration settings data into a logic state to control whether and/or how the one or more one or more configurable logic modules receive and/or processes data from the one or more sensor channels. The one or more configurable logic modules can include one or more FPGAs and/or PLDs, for example.

Abstract: A control module for a distributed sensor system can include a non-application specific configurable module configured to operate as a function of controller configuration settings data, at least a first memory configured to store the controller configuration settings data, at least one external interface module configured to connect with a master host module of the sensor system to receive updated controller configuration settings data, the control module configured to receive and store the updated controller configuration settings in the first memory thereof via the at least one external interface module, and a subnet interface module configured to connect to one or more configurable sensor nodes on a subnetwork, wherein the control module is configured to control and/or configure the one or more sensor nodes as a function of the controller configuration setting data and receive sensor data from the one or more sensor nodes.

Abstract: A sensor system can include a sensor configured to output raw sensor data, a plurality of processing modules configured to process the raw sensor data from the sensor to output processed sensor data, a state module for each processing module operative to cause a respective processing module to receive and/or process the sensor data, and a control module configured to receive a bitmask and to operate each state module based on the bitmask to control which processing modules process the sensor data and/or an order of processing. The bitmask can include a plurality of discrete bits. Each state module and/or processing module can be associated with at least one discrete bit.

Abstract: A sensor node of a sensing network acquires first sensing data from an internal sensing node and/or second sensing data via an interface from an external sensing node. The sensor node is configured with a selected configuration file. The first and second events are detected as a function of the first and/or second sensing data based on the configuration file. The method further includes performing a first action set of the plurality of action sets as a function of detecting the first event and performing a second action set of the plurality of action sets as a function of detecting the second event, wherein the first and second action sets are defined by the configuration file. Once configured with the configuration file, detecting the first and second events and performance of any of the first and second action sets is performed autonomously of a controller or host of a system being monitored by the sensing network.

Abstract: A method performed by a plurality of digital sensing nodes included in a sensing network having a controller and/or host is provided. The method includes a first sensing node of the plurality of digital sensing nodes being configured with a configuration file selected from a plurality of configuration files, the configuration file defining a plurality of action sets to perform in association with detection of respective first and second events. The plurality of digital sensing nodes are configured for acquiring sensed data for monitoring a system. The first sensing node is configured based on the configuration file for, autonomously of the sensing network controller and host, detecting at least one of the first and second events as a function of sensed data output by a sensing element of the first sensing node, performing a first action set if the first event is detected, and performing a second action set if the second event is detected.

Abstract: A method performed by a plurality of digital sensing nodes included in a sensing network having a controller and/or host is provided. The method includes a first sensing node of the plurality of digital sensing nodes being configured with a configuration file selected from a plurality of configuration files, the configuration file defining a plurality of action sets to perform in association with detection of respective first and second events. The plurality of digital sensing nodes are configured for acquiring sensed data for monitoring a system. The first sensing node is configured based on the configuration file for, autonomously of the sensing network controller and host, detecting at least one of the first and second events as a function of sensed data output by a sensing element of the first sensing node, performing a first action set if the first event is detected, and performing a second action set if the second event is detected.

Abstract: A sensor node of a sensing network acquires first sensing data from an internal sensing node and/or second sensing data via an interface from an external sensing node. The sensor node is configured with a selected configuration file. The first and second events are detected as a function of the first and/or second sensing data based on the configuration file. The method further includes performing a first action set of the plurality of action sets as a function of detecting the first event and performing a second action set of the plurality of action sets as a function of detecting the second event, wherein the first and second action sets are defined by the configuration file. Once configured with the configuration file, detecting the first and second events and performance of any of the first and second action sets is performed autonomously of a controller or host of a system being monitored by the sensing network.