Portable data acquisition system

• US 20050262221A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas Mcdonnell
• Original Assignee: Thomas Mcdonnell
• Inventors: Mellick, Dave A., Daniels, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/24 Housings ; Casings for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers

Abstract

According to typical inventive embodiments, a compact data acquisition unit is modularly assembled of COT components, based on a PC-104 or other form factor of relatively small size. Inside a durable casing, a dc-dc converter increases battery-generated dc voltage for a computer processor that communicates with storage/memory and collects sensory information via an a-to-d converter. The inventive data acquisition unit can be implemented in either handheld (e.g., so as to include touchscreen interactivity) or situate (e.g., so as to be combined with sensory instrumentation) fashion. Especially propitious inventive practice involves wireless communication with an inventive “podded” device, remotely placed, that includes an inventive data acquisition unit, one or more sensors, and a pod containing the unit and the sensor(s). For underwater applications, a preferred embodiment of an inventive podded device is planoconvex, having a flat side for mounting on vehicular structure and an outwardly curved/rounded side for mitigating hydrodynamic penalties.

Claims

1. An integral apparatus for performing sensing and for acquiring data based on said sensing, said apparatus comprising a data acquisition device, at least one sensor, and a structure characterized by an at least substantially continuous exterior surface and containing said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor, said data acquisition device including a processor for receiving signals from said at least one sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises at least one wire for transmitting said signals from said at least one sensor to said processor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said data acquisition device further includes a dc power supply, a dc-dc converter for adapting voltage from said power supply to said processor, means for storing data associated with said processor, and a housing for said processor, said dc power supply, said dc-dc converter, and said means for storing data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is selected from the group consisting of motion sensor and pressure sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least substantially continuous exterior surface defines a planoconvex three-dimensional geometric shape, said at least substantially continuous exterior surface including two generally oppositely facing exterior surfaces, said generally oppositely facing exterior surfaces being a convex exterior surface and a planar exterior surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said planoconvex three-dimensional geometric shape is characterized by a maximum height;

said maximum height is the distance between said planar exterior surface and the location of maximum convexity of said convex exterior surface;

said planar exterior surface defines a two-dimensional closed geometric figure;

said planoconvex three-dimensional geometric shape is characterized by a maximum length;

said maximum length is the furthest distance between two locations on said two-dimensional closed geometric figure;

the ratio between said maximum length and said maximum height is in the range between about five and about twenty.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said planar exterior surface defines a two-dimensional closed geometric figure that is symmetrical about a center location of said planar exterior surface, and wherein the location of maximum convexity of said convex exterior surface is at least substantially aligned with said center location.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said planar exterior surface is capable of attachment to a marine vessel, and wherein during said attachment said convex exterior surface, when submerged during navigation of said marine vessel, is characterized by minimal flow disturbance.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said structure includes an exterior shell and an interior matrix material;

said exterior shell is characterized by said at least substantially continuous exterior surface, said at least substantially continuous exterior surface including said convex exterior surface and said planar exterior surface;

said exterior shell encapsulates said interior matrix material, said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor;

said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor are embedded in said interior matrix material.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said exterior shell is made of a material selected from the group consisting of metal material, composite material, and plastic material;

said interior matrix material is a polymeric material that includes polyurethane.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said structure includes a polymeric matrix material;

said polymeric matrix material is characterized by said at least substantially continuous exterior surface, said at least substantially continuous exterior surface including said convex exterior surface and said planar exterior surface;

said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor are embedded in said polymeric matrix material.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

said structure includes an elastomeric matrix material;

said elastomeric matrix material is characterized by said at least substantially continuous exterior surface, said at least substantially continuous exterior surface including said convex exterior surface and said planar exterior surface;

said apparatus further comprises a pressure vessel that contains said data acquisition device;

said pressure vessel, said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor are embedded in said elastomeric matrix material.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said structure includes a pressure vessel and an acoustic fluid;

said pressure vessel is at least substantially characterized by said continuous exterior surface, said continuous exterior surface including said convex exterior surface and said planar exterior surface;

said pressure vessel encapsulates said interior matrix material, said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor;

said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor are at least substantially surrounded by said acoustic fluid.

14. A method for performing sensing and for acquiring data based on said sensing, said method comprising attaching a self-contained unit to an object, said self-contained unit including a data acquisition device, at least one sensor, and a pod enclosing said data acquisition device and said at least one sensor, said data acquisition device including a processor for receiving signals from said at least one sensor, said pod having a planoconvex outside pod surface that includes a smooth convex outside pod surface and a flat outside pod surface, said object having an outside object surface, said attaching including adjoining said flat outside pod surface to said outside object surface.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said object is a marine vessel, and wherein said attaching is performed so that said smooth convex outside pod surface but not said flat outside pod surface is exposed, and so that said planoconvex outside pod surface has a minimal amount of drag associated therewith when said self-contained unit is in an attached state with respect to said marine vessel during travel.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating with said self-contained unit from a remote location.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein:

said outside object surface is a flat object surface; and

said attaching includes adjoining said flat outside pod surface to said flat outside object surface so that said flat outside pod surface is at least substantially conformal with respect to said flat outside object surface.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein:

said pod is flexible;

said outside object surface is a curved object surface; and

said attaching includes adjoining said flat outside pod surface to said curved outside object surface so that said flat outside pod surface assumes a curvature that is at least substantially conformal with respect to the curvature of said curved outside object surface.

19. A self-contained data acquisition device comprising:

a processor for receiving signals from at least one sensor;

a direct current power supply;

a direct current-to-direct current converter for changing the voltage obtained by said processor from said power supply;

storage means for information associated with said processor; and

an outer casing for said processor, said direct current power supply, said direct current-to-direct current converter, and said storage means;

wherein resident in said storage means is a computer program product including a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling said processor to process data related to said signals.

20. The self-contained data acquisition device of claim 19, further comprising a touchscreen display for facilitating interactivity between a user and said processor, said computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling said interactivity, said outer casing describing an approximate geometric rectangular prism shape having six geometric sides, said touchscreen display being situated at one said geometric side.