METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION IN TEST, MEASUREMENT, CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20100302031A1
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radiaulics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Radiaulics, Inc.
• Inventors: Komninos, Nikolaos I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,872,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007

Abstract

A system for wireless multiple user access to a sensor comprises a sensor unit having a sensor element, a sensor user interface, and a sensor wireless transceiver that transmits information corresponding to the output of the sensor user interface. One or more receiving units each receive the information corresponding to the output of the sensor user interface, and provide that output to a receiver user interface. The receiver may be located near the sensor unit, or may be located remotely from the sensor unit. Multiple receiving units may be used, for example, by students receiving training on the use of a sensor unit.

Claims

1. A system for multiple user access to a sensor, comprising:

a sensor unit comprising a sensor element, a sensor user interface, and a sensor wireless transceiver that transmits information corresponding to the output of the sensor user interface; and

one or more receiving units each comprising a wireless receiver that receives the information corresponding to the output of the sensor user interface, and a receiver user interface connected to the wireless receiver that outputs the information corresponding to the output of the sensor user interface.

2. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a leak detector.

3. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor user interface comprises an amplifier and a speaker.

4. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises an analog to digital converter interconnected to the sensor element that outputs digital information related to the state of the sensor element, and wherein the sensor wireless transceiver transmits the digital information.

5. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor wireless transceiver comprises a FM transmitter.

6. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor wireless transceiver comprises a spread spectrum transceiver.

7. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a first of the receiving units further comprises a network interface and provides information related to the output of the sensor user interface to the network interface.

8. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a remote receiving unit having a network interface that receives the information related to the output of the sensor user interface from the first receiving unit over a network external to the first and remote receiving units.

9. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit further comprises a network interface and provides information related to the output of the sensor user interface to the network interface.

10. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a remote receiving unit having a network interface that receives the information related to the output of the sensor user interface from the sensor unit over a network external to the sensor unit and receiving units.

11. The system for multiple user access to a sensor, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first receiver unit further comprises a receiver unit transceiver and a microphone interconnected thereto, the receiver unit transceiver configured out transmit audio from the microphone and information corresponding to the output of the sensor, and

wherein one or more other receiving units each comprise a wireless receiver that receives the information corresponding to the output of the first receiver unit, and a receiver user interface connected to the wireless receiver that outputs the information corresponding to the output of the first receiver unit.

12. A method for multiple user access to a sensing device output, comprising:

providing a sensing device having a sensor element and a sensor wireless transceiver electrically interconnected to the sensor element;

transmitting information related to the current state of the sensor element using the sensor wireless transceiver;

receiving, at one or more receiving units, the information related to the current state of the sensor element from the sensor wireless transceiver; and

at each receiving unit, outputting the information related to the current state of the sensor element to a receiving unit user interface.

13. The method for multiple user access to a sensing device output, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the receiving unit user interface at each receiving unit comprises a headset that provides audio output corresponding to the information related to the current state of the sensor element.

14. The method for multiple user access to a sensing device output, as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensing device is a leak detector.

15. The method for multiple user access to a sensing device output, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising, at least at a first receiving unit, transmitting the information related to the current state of the sensor element over a network external to the receiving unit.

16. The method for multiple user access to a sensing device output, as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at a remote receiving unit interconnected to the external network, the information related to the current state of the sensor element from the first receiving unit; and

outputting the information related to the current state of the sensor element to a remote receiving unit user interface.

17. The method for multiple user access to a sensing device output, as claimed in claim 12, wherein a first receiver unit of the one or more receiver units is associated with an instructor and also comprises a wireless transceiver and a microphone interconnected thereto, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the first receiving unit, the information related to the current state of the sensor element from the sensor wireless transceiver;

receiving, at the first receiving unit, audio input at the microphone;

transmitting, from the first receiving unit the audio input from the microphone; and

receiving, at one or more other receiving units associated with one or more students, the information related to the current state of the sensor element from the sensor wireless transceiver and the audio input from the microphone, whereby the one or more students can hear audio output from the sensor as the instructor is instructing on the use of the sensor.

18. An apparatus for wirelessly transmitting sensor information from a sensing device to one or more receiving devices, comprising:

a sensing device interface adapted to be interconnected to an output of a sensing device;

a wireless transceiver electrically interconnected to the sensing device interface that receives the output of the sensing device and is adapted to wirelessly transmit the output of the sensing device to one or more receiving devices.

19. The apparatus for wirelessly transmitting sensor information from a sensing device to one or more receiving devices, as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensing device comprises a leak detector and the sensing device interface comprises a headset jack adapted to be interconnected to a headset interface in the sensing device.

20. The apparatus for wirelessly transmitting sensor information from a sensing device to one or more receiving devices, as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sensing device interface comprises a microphone configured to be mounted adjacent to a speaker output of the sensing device.

21. The apparatus for wirelessly transmitting sensor information from a sensing device to one or more receiving devices, as claimed in claim 18, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a FM transmitter.

22. The apparatus for wirelessly transmitting sensor information from a sensing device to one or more receiving devices, as claimed in claim 18, wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a spread spectrum wireless transceiver.

23. The apparatus for wirelessly transmitting sensor information from a sensing device to one or more receiving devices, as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a microphone interconnected to the wireless transceiver configured to be used by a user of the sensing device, and wherein the wireless transceiver is adapted to wirelessly transmit the output of the sensing device and audio received from the microphone to one or more receiving devices.