Modular data logger

• US 20070179718A1
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Electronics Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Electronics Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Spiegel, Bruce, Hyacinthe, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/57
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A computer-based apparatus for the collection, processing and distribution of electrical data, having a substantially sealed shell capable of resisting environmental contamination. The shell having a plurality of ports with each port configured to couple to an electrical probe, wherein within the shell are disposed, at least the following: a data acquisition system coupled to the ports, a processing system coupled to the data acquisition system, and a communication system coupled to the processing system.

Claims

1. A computer-based apparatus for the collection, processing and distribution of electrical data, the apparatus comprising:

a sealed shell capable of resisting environmental contamination, the shell having a plurality of ports with each port configured to couple to an electrical probe, wherein within the shell are disposed, at least the following;

a data acquisition system coupled to the ports configured to condition and digitize electrical signals received via the plurality of ports and respective electrical probes to produce a set of digitized electrical signals;

a processing system coupled to the data acquisition system, the processing system being capable of performing a variety of computational processes on the digitized electrical signals; and

a communication system coupled to the processing system, the communication system being capable of receiving commands from an external computer system, and further being capable of providing data to the external computer system, wherein the computer-based apparatus is configured to receive all of its configuration data via the communication system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer-based apparatus has no multi-digit of alpha-numeric display disposed into the sealed shell.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the only indicators disposed into the sealed shell include only six or less single light-emitting indicators.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the only indicators disposed into the sealed shell include only three or less light-emitting indicators.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealed shell include only three or less control buttons or switches not including power controls, the switches each having three or less active positions.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power supply system capable of running from a direct current battery, wherein both the power supply system and the battery are wholly contained within the shell.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the power supply system is further configured to run from an external power supply via a power supply jack embedded within the shell.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the power source of the external power supply is an electrical power wire via a power supply jack embedded within the shell.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer-based apparatus is optimized to collect and store electrical signals directly measured from one or more power lines.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is configured to recognize and store information related to all of single events, repetition events, noise, harmonic distortion, voltage-current phase relationships, power line frequency and power line voltage.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer-based apparatus includes a first control embedded in the shell capable of enabling a user to start data collection when the communication system is not in communication contact with the external computer-based device.

6. A computer-based apparatus for the collection, processing and distribution of electrical data, the apparatus comprising:

a substantially sealed shell capable of resisting environmental contamination, the shell having a plurality of ports with each port configured to couple to an electrical probe, wherein within the shell are disposed, at least the following;

a data acquisition system coupled to the ports configured to condition and digitize electrical signals received via the plurality of ports and respective electrical probes to produce a set of digitized electrical signals;

a processing system coupled to the data acquisition system, the processing system being capable of performing a variety of computational processes on the digitized electrical signals; and

a communication system coupled to the processing system, the communication system being capable of receiving commands from an external computer system, and further being capable of providing data to the external computer system, wherein the computer-based apparatus is configured to receive all of its configuration data via the communication system;

wherein the substantially sealed shell includes only a single control button or switch not including power controls, the switches each having three or less active positions.

10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

17. A data acquisition system configured to collect electrical data from a plurality of locations, wherein the data acquisition system processes and stores the collected data and deliver the stored data to a common external location, the data acquisition data system comprising:

a sealed shell capable of resisting environmental contamination, the shell having a plurality of ports with each port configured to couple to an electrical probe, wherein within the shell are disposed, at least the following;

a data acquisition means for acquiring electrical data from the plurality of locations;

a processing means coupled to the data acquisition means for performing a variety of computational processes on the acquired electrical data; and

a communication means for receiving commands from an external computer system and for providing data to the external computer system, wherein the computer-based apparatus is configured to receive all of its configuration data via the communication means.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a power supply means capable of running from a battery, wherein both the power supply means and the battery are wholly contained within the shell.

19. A method for the collecting, processing and distributing electrical data using a computer-based apparatus having a sealed shell capable of resisting environmental contamination, the shell having a plurality of ports with each port configured to couple to an electrical probe, the method comprising:

acquiring data using a data acquisition system coupled to the ports configured to condition and digitize electrical signals received via the plurality of ports and respective electrical probes to produce a set of digitized electrical signals;

processing the digitized electrical signals to perform a variety of computational processes;

receiving commands from an external computer system and communicating the received commands to the processing system; and

providing processed data to the external computer system based upon a command from the external computer system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the computer-based apparatus further comprises 6 or less light-emitting indicators.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the computer based apparatus further comprising a power supply system capable of running from a direct current battery,

wherein both the power supply system and the battery are contained within the shell.