Handheld Devices, Systems, and Methods for Measuring Parameters

• US 20140035607A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Vetter, Glen Howard, Heydron, Paul Herman, Koppelmans, Henricus, Epperson, David Lawrence, Katz, Luis Alberto, Hudson, Jeffrey Charles
• Application Number:
  US13/830,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20140035607A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/754.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/84 Measuring functions
• 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

Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to handheld systems, individual components, and methods of using such systems and components for measuring parameters, such as electrical, mechanical, and physical measurement parameters. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a host handheld device generally includes a measuring system for measuring a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is an electrical parameter, and a receiving system for receiving at least a second parameter from a separate module device.

Claims

1. A host handheld measurement device, comprising:

a measuring system configured to measure a first parameter and determine a first measurement value; and

a receiving system configured to receive at least a second measurement value from a separate measurement device, wherein the second measurement value is determined by a measuring system in the separate measurement device measuring a second parameter.

2. The host device of claim 1, further comprising a display on the host device for displaying at least the first and second measurement values.

3. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host device is a digital multimeter.

4. The host device of claim 1, wherein the first parameter is selected from the group consisting of voltage, current, vibration, resistance, capacitance, inductance, and frequency.

5. The host device of claim 1, wherein the second parameter is selected from the group consisting of voltage, current, vibration, resistance, capacitance, inductance, frequency, temperature, relative humidity, decibels, magnetic field, flow velocity, moisture, rotational speed, pressure, distance, light, and contact infrared.

6. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host device is configured to establish a communication link with the separate measurement device using a single-ended binding procedure, such that the separate measurement device is configured to communicate with the host device, wherein the host device and the separate device are automatically bound by activating only the host device.

7. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host device is configured to control the separate measurement device.

8. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host device is not configured to control the separate measurement device.

9. The host device of claim 1, wherein a communication field between the host device and the separate measurement device has a radius selected from the group consisting of less than about 100 meters and less than about 20 meters.

10. The host device of claim 1, wherein the host device is configured to generate a signal to a user in response to a communication link between the host device and the separate measurement device being established.

11. The host device of claim 1, wherein a display of measurement values determined by the host device and/or the separate measurement device is configurable for custom identification to a user of the host device.

12. The host device of claim 1, wherein the receiving system is configured to receive measurement values from a plurality of separate measurement devices capable of taking a plurality of measurements and transmitting the plurality of measurement values to the host device.

13. The host device of claim 12, wherein the receiving system is configured to communicate in a one-to-many network.

14. A method of measuring parameters using a host handheld measurement device, the method comprising:

measuring a first parameter by the host handheld measurement device and determining a first measurement value; and

receiving, by the host handheld measurement device, a second measurement value from a separate measurement device, wherein the second measurement value is determined by the separate measurement device measuring a second parameter.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying both the first and second measurement values on the host device.

16. A handheld module device, the device comprising:

a measuring system for measuring a first parameter and determining a first measurement value; and

a communication system configured to communicate the first measurement value to a separate host measurement device capable of measuring a second parameter, wherein a communication link between the host measurement device and the communication system is automatically established by activating only the host measurement device.

17. The module device of claim 16, wherein the communication system of the module device is configured to periodically transmit a signal to the host measurement device.

18. The module device of claim 16, further comprising a display on the module device for displaying at least the first measurement value.

19. The module device of claim 16, wherein the module device includes no display.

20. The module device of claim 16, wherein the module device is a digital multimeter.

21. The module device of claim 16, wherein the first parameter is selected from the group consisting of voltage, current, vibration, resistance, capacitance, inductance, frequency, temperature, relative humidity, decibels, magnetic field, flow velocity, moisture, rotational speed, pressure, distance, light, and contact infrared.

22. The module device of claim 16, wherein the module device is controlled by the host measurement device.

23. The module device of claim 16, wherein the module device is independently controlled.

24. The module device of claim 16, wherein a communication field between the host measurement device and the module device has a radius selected from the group consisting of less than about 100 meters and less than about 20 meters.

25. The module device of claim 16, wherein the module device is configured to generate a signal that communicates information to a user, wherein the signal is a visual signal, a vibrating signal, or an auditory signal.

26. The module device of claim 16, wherein the module device is configurable for custom identification to the host measurement device.

27. The module device of claim 16, further comprising a second measuring system for measuring a second parameter and determining a second measurement value, wherein the communication system is further configured to communicate the second measurement value to the host measurement device.

28. A method of measuring parameters using a handheld module device, the method comprising:

activating a communication link between the module device and a separate host measurement device by activating the separate host measurement device;

measuring a first parameter using the module device and determining a first measurement value; and

communicating the first measurement value to the host measurement device for display on the host measurement device with a second measurement value determined by the host measurement device.

29. A handheld system for measuring parameters, the system comprising:

a primary handheld device configured to measure a first parameter and determine a first measurement value; and

a secondary handheld device configured to measure a second parameter and determine a second measurement value, wherein the secondary handheld device is further configured to transmit the second measurement value to the primary handheld device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the primary handheld device is a digital multimeter.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the first parameter is selected from the group consisting of voltage, current, vibration, resistance, capacitance, inductance, and frequency.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the second parameter is selected from the group consisting of voltage, current, vibration, resistance, capacitance, inductance, frequency, temperature, relative humidity, decibels, magnetic field, flow velocity, moisture, rotational speed, pressure, distance, light, and contact infrared.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the primary handheld device further comprises a display for displaying at least the first and second measurement values.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the secondary handheld device includes a display.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the secondary handheld device does not include a display.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the primary handheld device is configured to establish a communication link with the secondary handheld device using a single-ended binding procedure, such that the secondary handheld device is configured to communicate with the primary handheld device, wherein the primary handheld device and the secondary handheld device are automatically bound by activating only the primary handheld device.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the primary handheld device is configured to control the secondary handheld device.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein the secondary handheld device controls itself.

39. The system of claim 29, wherein a communication field between the primary and secondary handheld devices has a radius selected from the group consisting of less than about 100 meters and less than about 20 meters.

40. The system of claim 29, wherein the secondary device is configured to generate a signal that communicates information to the user, wherein the signal is a visual signal, a vibrating signal, or an auditory signal.

41. The system of claim 29, wherein the primary handheld device is configured to generate a signal to a user in response to a communication link between the primary and secondary handheld devices being established.

42. The system of claim 29, wherein a display of measurement values determined by the primary handheld device and/or the secondary handheld device is configurable for custom identification to a user of the primary handheld device.

43. The system of claim 29, further comprising an additional secondary handheld device configured to measure a third parameter and determine a third measurement value, wherein the additional secondary handheld device is further configured to transmit the third measurement value to the primary handheld device.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the primary handheld device is configured to communicate with the secondary handheld devices in a one-to-many network.

45. A handheld system for measuring parameters, the system comprising:

a primary device capable of taking a first measurement; and

a secondary device capable of taking a second measurement and transmitting the second measurement to the primary device,

wherein the primary device is configured to establish a communication link with the secondary device using a single-ended binding procedure, such that the secondary device is configured to communicate with the primary device, wherein the primary device and the secondary device are automatically bound by activating only the primary device.

46. A method of measuring parameters using a handheld system, the method comprising:

taking a first measurement using a primary handheld device, wherein the first measurement is an electrical, mechanical, or physical parameter;

taking a second measurement using a secondary handheld device;

transmitting the second measurement to the primary handheld device; and

displaying both the first measurement and the second measurement on a display of the primary handheld device.

47. A method of measuring parameters using a handheld system, the method comprising:

binding a secondary handheld device to a primary handheld device by activating only the primary handheld device to automatically establish a communication link between the primary handheld device and the secondary handheld device;

taking a first measurement using the primary handheld device;

taking a second measurement using a secondary handheld device; and

transmitting the second measurement to the primary handheld device.