Remote witness testing system

• US 20090006023A1
• Filed: 06/23/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Tiegs
• Original Assignee: Paul Tiegs
• Inventors: Tiegs, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A master testing control system includes at least one remote computer with one or more communications lines for communicating over a communications network and a plurality of remote sensors, a two way real-time digital video system, a two-way real-time digital audio system. A set of instructions is on each remote computer for sending and receiving data over one or more data lines and for remote display. A set of instructions is on each remote computer for displaying data. At least one local computer is located geographically distant from the remote computer and able to monitor and control the display, storage, and transmission of data acquired by the remote computer. The remote computer collects data from the plurality of sensors and transmits this data to the local computer, under the control of the local computer, for permanent recording.

Claims

1. A virtual witness master product testing control system, comprising:

at least one remote computer with one or more communications lines for communicating over a communications network and a plurality of remote sensors;

a two way real-time digital video system;

a two-way real-time digital audio system;

a set of programmed instructions stored on each remote computer for sending and receiving data over one or more communications networks and for remote display; and

for displaying data;

at least one local computer located geographically distant from each said remote computer and able to monitor and control the display, storage, and transmission of data acquired by each said remote computer;

wherein each said remote computer collects data from said plurality of sensors and transmits this data to each of said local computer, under the control of said local computer, for permanent recording.

2. The system as in claim 1 where the communications network is the Internet.

3. The system as in claim 1 where the transmission of data is encrypted.

4. The system as in claim 1 where the two-way digital video and audio systems include at least one digital camera and digital audio recorder co-located with the plurality of remote sensors and able to view the placement of said plurality of remote sensors.

5. The system as in claim 1 wherein said local computer collects and stores audiovisual data from said two way real-time digital video system and said two way real-time digital audio system as part of the permanent recording of test data.

6. A method for conducting remote witness product testing, comprising the steps of:

assembling at a remote test site a test apparatus comprising;

a subject device to be tested;

a plurality of remote sensors;

a two-way real-time digital audio-visual system;

at least one remote computer with at least;

one or more communications lines for communicating over a communications network;

a set of programmed instructions stored on each of said at least one remote computer for displaying data; and

,

a set of programmed instructions stored on each of said at least one remote computer for sending and receiving data over one or more communications networks and for remote display;

conducting tests on the subject device in accordance with predetermined testing procedures;

communicating data from the plurality of remote sensors to each of said at least one remote computers located at the remote test site during the conduct of the test;

transmitting test data from each of said at least one remote computers to a local computer, wherein the local computer is co-located with a party designated to observe the testing and geographically distant from the remote test site;

wherein display, storage, and transmission of test data is controlled by the local computer and the local computer permanently records said test data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmission of test data is encrypted.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the two-way real-time digital audio-visual system includes at least one digital camera and digital audio recorder co-located with the plurality of remote sensors and able to view the position of said plurality of remote sensors.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the party designated to observe the testing electronically authenticates the test data recorded by the local computer.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined testing procedures comprise standards required for certification of the subject device by a regulatory authority.

12. A remote witness testing system to perform testing of consumer heating appliances to ensure compliance with building safety code standards, comprising:

a testing structure or “

booth”

built for this type of thermal testing;

a plurality of K-type thermocouple sensors (TC) are mounted on the appliance and at various locations inside the booth, as specified by the particular standard;

the appliance is then fired with appropriate fuel while temperatures are recorded at test-standard-specified time intervals until temperatures of key test appliance components have stabilized or reached equilibrium, usually defined as three consecutive temperature readings within 1°

to 3°

F. (0.5 to 1.7°

C.).