APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR READING GAUGES AND OTHER VISUAL INDICATORS IN A PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM OR OTHER DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM

• US 20090322884A1
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Patel, Umesh J., Bolick, Jack D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,383,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/008 Modifications to installed utility meters to enable remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/39 Scanning a visible indication of the measured value and reproducing this indication at the remote place, e.g. on the screen of a cathode ray tube mechanical adjustment G01D5/264
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/02 Recognising information on displays, dials, clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• 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 portable apparatus includes a camera configured to capture images of multiple visual indicators. Each visual indicator, such as a gauge or meter, includes a display configured to present a reading. The portable apparatus also includes a recording device configured to store and/or transmit information associated with the captured images of the visual indicators. The camera and/or the recording device could be configured to identify, using the images, the readings presented on the displays of the visual indicators, and the information associated with the captured images could include the readings. Also, the camera could be configured to be mounted on each visual indicator in order to capture one or more images of the visual indicator'"'"'s display and to be removed from the visual indicator after the one or more images are captured.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to capture images of multiple visual indicators, each visual indicator comprising a display configured to present a reading; and

a recording device configured to at least one of store and transmit information associated with the captured images of the visual indicators.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to be mounted on each visual indicator in order to capture one or more images of the visual indicator'"'"'s display and to be removed from the visual indicator after the one or more images are captured.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the camera and the recording device is configured to identify, using the images, the readings presented on the displays of the visual indicators; and

the information associated with the captured images comprises the readings.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the camera and the recording device is configured to perform optical character recognition to identify the readings presented on the displays of the visual indicators.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the camera and the recording device is further configured to associate each reading with a timestamp and an identifier associated with one of the visual indicators.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the identifiers comprise radio frequency identification (RFID) identifiers.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises:

an image capture unit configured to capture the images;

a memory configured to store at least one of the images and the readings; and

an interface configured to transmit at least one of the images and the readings to the recording device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the recording device comprises:

an identification reader configured to receive identifiers associated with the visual indicators;

a memory configured to store the identifiers and at least one of the images and the readings; and

an interface configured to transmit the identifiers and at least one of the images and the readings.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the visual indicators comprise at least one of;

one or more gauges and one or more meters; and

the displays comprise at least one of;

one or more textual displays and one or more dials.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the visual indicators identifies one or more of:

a temperature, a pressure, a flow rate, a gas usage, a water usage, and an electrical usage.

11. A method comprising:

capturing an image of a first visual indicator'"'"'s display using a reading device, the first display presenting a first reading;

capturing an image of a second visual indicator'"'"'s display using the reading device, the second display presenting a second reading; and

at least one of storing and transmitting information associated with the captured images.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying, using the images, the readings presented on the first and second visual indicators'"'"' displays;

wherein at least one of storing and transmitting the information comprises at least one of storing and transmitting the readings.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving identifiers associated with the first and second visual indicators; and

associating the readings with the identifiers;

wherein at least one of storing and transmitting the information comprises at least one of storing and transmitting the readings and the associated identifiers.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

identifying timestamps associated with the readings;

wherein at least one of storing and transmitting the information comprises at least one of storing and transmitting the readings, the associated identifiers, and the associated timestamps.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of storing and transmitting the information comprises wirelessly transmitting the information.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

capturing the image of the first visual indicator'"'"'s display using the reading device comprises mounting a camera on the first visual indicator and capturing the image of the first visual indicator'"'"'s display using the camera; and

capturing the image of the second visual indicator'"'"'s display using the reading device comprises mounting the camera on the second visual indicator and capturing the image of the second visual indicator'"'"'s display using the camera.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the visual indicators comprise at least one of;

one or more gauges and one or more meters; and

the displays comprise at least one of;

one or more textual displays and one or more dials.

18. A system comprising:

multiple visual indicators each comprising a display configured to present a reading; and

a reading device configured to;

capture images of two or more of the visual indicators; and

at least one of store and transmit information associated with the captured images.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the reading device is configured to be mounted on each visual indicator in order to capture one or more images of the display of each visual indicator.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the reading device is configured to identify, using the images, the readings presented on the displays of the visual indicators; and

the information associated with the captured images comprises the readings.