Moving algorithms are calculations that use the values in the current sample and values from previous samples to provide historic values. They allow you to set the system to calculate a value based on a time period that is a different size to the interval. For example, you can use a moving algorithm to calculate the average hourly value every 30 minutes.
Moving algorithms can only be used to calculate sum or average values.
Example:
An 8 hour algorithm is used to calculate the average values.
The average value for an 8 hour period is to be calculated once an hour.
Every hour, the algorithm calculates an average value based on the values that have been reported during the previous 8 hours.
For example, at 3pm, the algorithm calculates the average value based on the values that have been reported during the hours 7am-8am, 8am-9am, 9am-10am, 10am-11am, 11am-12 noon, 12 noon-1pm, 1pm-2pm, and 2pm-3pm.
At 4pm, the algorithm calculates the average value based on the values that have been reported during the hours 8am-9am, 9am-10am, 10am-11am, 11am-12 noon, 12 noon-1pm, 1pm-2pm, 2pm-3pm, and 3pm-4pm.
This means that for every hour in the day there is an average value based on the previous 8 hours worth of data.
If an accumulative algorithm had been used to calculate the average value for 8 hours of data, the historic value would only be calculated 3 times a day—once every 8 hours.