MEASUREMENT UNIT, TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AND MEASUREMENT METHOD

• US 20100274513A1
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: MATSUBA, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/89
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

An environment sensor is mounted in a measurement unit. The measurement unit is adapted to be transported by a transportation apparatus. Measurement data from the environmental sensor is stored in a data format suitable for associating the measurement data with a state of the measurement unit.

Claims

1. A measurement unit to be transported by a transportation apparatus, the measurement unit comprising:

an environment sensor arranged to measure environmental situations; and

a memory arranged to store measurement data from the environment sensor and to associate the measurement data with a state of the measurement unit.

2. The measurement unit according to claim 1, wherein the memory is arranged to associate the measurement data with the state of the measurement unit by storing the measurement data and time data together.

3. The measurement unit according to claim 2, wherein the memory is a detachable electronic storage medium arranged to write the measurement data in the storage medium, the measurement unit further including a terminal arranged to write data in the storage medium.

4. The measurement unit according to claim 2, further comprising a timer and a receiver unit arranged to receive a time signal to calibrate time data of the timer, the measurement and the time data being stored together to enable the measurement data to be associated with the state of the measurement unit.

5. The measurement unit according to claim 4, wherein the environment sensor includes at least a particle counter arranged to count a number of particles, a vibration sensor, a wind speed sensor, and a microphone, the measurement unit further comprising:

a low-pass filter arranged to process an output from the vibration sensor; and

a controller arranged and programmed to identify whether the measurement unit is being transported or the measurement unit is stopped, based on a signal from the low-pass filter, to shorten a measurement interval when the measurement unit is being transported, and to extend the measurement interval when the measurement unit is stopped.

6. A transportation system comprising:

a transportation apparatus;

a measurement unit arranged to be transported by the transportation apparatus and including an environment sensor, the measurement unit storing measurement data from the environment sensor and time data together; and

a controller including a memory arranged to store state data of the measurement unit transported by the transportation apparatus and time data together, and a collation analyzing unit arranged to associate the measurement data with the state data using the time data.

7. The transportation system according to claim 6, wherein the state data includes a type of an event experienced by the measurement unit and a position where the event occurred.

8. A method of measuring an environment around a transportation system, the method comprising the steps of:

transporting a measurement unit including an environment sensor, a memory, and a timer;

storing measurement data from the environment sensor and time data from the timer together in the memory;

reporting a state of the measurement unit and the time data received from the transportation apparatus to a controller;

inputting data in the memory to the controller; and

associating the measurement data with data of the state using time data.