REMOTE OPERATION AND MONITORING OF MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS AND REMOTE MEASUREMENT DATA PROCESSING

• US 20120154172A1
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redfish Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Redfish Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Hara, Patrick, Xiao, Qiwei (Alan), Lavo, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,976,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The present application is directed to systems and methods for operating a measurement system. Various embodiments may comprise a measurement device and a receiving device remote from the measurement device. The measurement device may acquire data corresponding to one or more measurements, convert any analog portion of the data into a digital transmission signal, and transmit the signal. The receiving device may receive the signal, convert the signal into digital data, and display the digital data.

Claims

1. A measurement system, comprising:

a measurement device, comprising;

a data acquisition component to acquire data corresponding to one or more measurements, the data acquisition component converting any analog component of the data into digital data;

a processor to receive the digital data from the data acquisition component and process the digital data into a communications signal; and

a communications component to transmit the signal; and

a receiving device remote from the measurement device, comprising;

a transceiver to receive the signal;

a second processor to convert the signal into digital data; and

a display unit to display the digital data.

2. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the measurement device further comprises memory to store at least a portion of the analog and digital data.

3. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the receiving device further comprises memory to store at least a portion of the digital data.

4. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is adapted to wirelessly communicate with the measurement device such that a user can manipulate the measurement device.

5. The measurement system of claim 4, wherein the receiving device further comprises a graphical user interface displayed on the display unit, the interface processing commands from the user to operate the measurement device.

6. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises an analog to digital converter.

7. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the communications component transmits the signal using wireless transmission.

8. The measurement system of claim 7, wherein the wireless transmission comprises an ad-hoc wireless connection between the measurement device and the receiving device.

9. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the second processor analyzes the digital data.

10. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein the second processor produces a graphical representation of the digital data.

11. A control device for remotely controlling a measurement device, comprising:

a graphical user interface to process commands from a user;

a processor to convert the commands into a signal; and

a transceiver that wirelessly transmits the signal to the measurement device and receives a return signal from the measurement device, wherein the signal directs the measurement device to measure one or more parameters and the return signal comprises data corresponding to the one or measured parameters.

12. The control device of claim 11, further comprising memory to store the data corresponding to the one or more measured parameters.

13. The control device of claim 11, wherein the processor analyzes the data and provides a graphical representation of the data.

14. A measurement system, comprising:

a control device, comprising;

at least one memory;

a first processor operatively coupled to the memory to produce command signals;

a display unit coupled to the processor for displaying data; and

a first transceiver for transmitting the command signals; and

a measurement device that is remote from the control device, comprising;

a second transceiver for receiving the command signals; and

a second processor that processes the command signals and adjusts operation of the measurement device according to instructions in the command signals.

15. The measurement system of claim 14, wherein the control device further comprises a graphical user interface for projection on the display unit, the interface processing commands for operation of the measurement device.

16. The measurement system of claim 14, wherein the measurement device further comprises a data acquisition component coupled to the second processor, the data acquisition component comprising one or more sensors to detect an input voltage corresponding to one or more measured parameters.

17. The measurement system of claim 16, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more probes that contact a portion of an electrical circuit and generate the input voltage.

18. The measurement system of claim 16, wherein one of the first and second processors is configured to convert the input voltage into a numerical representation of the one or more measured parameters.

19. A method for operating a measurement system, comprising:

acquiring data corresponding to one or more measurements by a data acquisition component of a measurement device;

converting any analog component of the data to digital data;

receiving the digital data by a processor of the measurement device and converting the digital data into a communications signal;

transmitting the signal by a communications component of the measurement device;

receiving the signal by a transceiver of a receiving device remote from the measurement device;

converting the signal into digital data by a second processor of the receiving device; and

displaying the digital data on a display unit of the receiving device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising establishing a wireless communications link between the measurement device and the receiving device, the wireless communications link processing commands for manipulation of the measurement device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the wireless communications link comprises an ad-hoc wireless communications link.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer instructions to:

acquire analog data corresponding to one or more measurements by a data acquisition component of a measurement device;

convert the analog data to digital data;

receive the digital data by a processor of the measurement device and convert the digital data into a communications signal;

transmit the signal by a communications component of the measurement device;

receive the signal by a transceiver of a receiving device remote from the measurement device;

convert the signal into digital data by a second processor of the receiving device; and

display the digital data on a display unit of the receiving device.