Fault detector, using redundant signal emitter outputs - user to determines fault probabilities to eliminate stochastic faults

摘要

A fault detector, for determining significant differences in the outputs from redundant signal emitters (10, 12), is fed with the output signal differences and provides a fault indication when the outputs correspond to a predetermined criterion which characterises a significant difference by a threshold value (T). The novelty is that, for obtaining a criterion for the presence of a significant difference which signals a fault, the detector (32) includes (a) a system (54, 64) for determining the probability, in a test interval, that the output difference is greater than the threshold value (T); and (b) a system (64, 68) for determining whether this probability exceeds a preset reference value (E), the fault indication being produced if this reference value is exceeded. The fig. shows a block diagram of the fault detector (32). USE/ADVANTAGE - The fault detector is useful in air transport, chemical process engineering, nuclear engineering and automation. It takes account of stochastic faults.