WIRELESS TEST MEASUREMENT

• US 20150185251A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Heydron, Paul Herman, Epperson, David Lawrence, Patel, Jeetendra
• Granted Patent: US 9,766,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 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 15/00 Details of measuring arrangements of the types provided for in groups G01R17/00 - G01R29/00, G01R33/00 - G01R33/26 or G01R35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/12 Circuits for multi-testers , i.e. multimeters, e.g. for measuring voltage, current, or impedance at will
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/28 Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002; testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers or computer components G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 ; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3025 Wireless interface with the DUT
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile

Abstract

An installation test system has a control device and one or more hand-held test devices. The control device and the one or more hand-held devices are in wireless communication via respective communication systems. The control device performs typical pre-power tests including insulation testing and ground testing. There is at least one hand-held device dedicated to testing for residual current in circuit breakers and another hand-held device dedicated to testing for loop impedance. The control device records all test data and stores data in storage.

Claims

1. A system for installation testing comprising:

a control device and a hand-held test device, the control device having a wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving test information from the hand-held test device,

wherein the control device and the hand-held test device each perform at least one test selected from the group consisting of residual current detection testing, loop impedance testing, insulation testing, and ground testing.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising multiple hand-held test devices, wherein the wireless receiver of the control device is configured to wirelessly receive test information from each of the multiple hand-held test devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held test device is adapted to perform a residual current detection test.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hand-held test device is adapted to perform a loop impedance test.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device has a processor, storage, and one or more programs stored in storage that, when executed, cause the control device to receive and store test data, and one or more test probes for conducting insulation testing and ground testing.

6. An installation and inspection system for testing new or existing circuits comprising:

a control device having a display, a processor, storage, one or more probes for connecting to a circuit under test, a measuring system, and one or more programs stored in storage or pre-programmed into said processor, said programs for operating the processor to perform one or more tests on a circuit using the measuring system, an input/output interface for entering commands or data and indicating test results, and a wireless transceiver for receiving test information; and

one or more test devices, each test device adapted to perform at least one test on a circuit, said one or more test devices having a measuring circuit for measuring one or more circuit parameters, one or more probes for connecting to a circuit under test, an interface including one or more switches for selecting one or more test parameters, a display for showing test parameters or test data, and a wireless transmitter to communicate test information to the control device,

wherein the control device and the one or more test devices each perform at least one or more tests selected from the group consisting of residual current detection testing, loop impedance testing, insulation testing, and ground testing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control device is adapted to perform insulation testing.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the control device is adapted to perform ground testing.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one test device is adapted to perform residual current detection testing.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein another test device is adapted to perform loop impedance testing.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one test device has a probe for contacting a contact of a circuit breaker and for injecting current into the circuit breaker.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the other test device has a test cord with a multi-prong plug for connecting to an outlet to conduct loop impedance testing.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless transceiver of the control device is further adapted to wirelessly transmit test information to a separate computing device.

14. An installation and inspection method for testing new or existing circuits comprising:

providing a control device with a processor, storage for holding measurement data, a measuring system for applying a test of an electrical parameter, and a wireless transceiver;

providing a hand-held test device with a measurement circuit for testing an electrical parameter of one or more circuits;

operating the control device to perform at least one of an insulation test and a ground test;

operating the hand-held test device to perform at least one of a residual current detection test and a loop impedance test;

wirelessly transmitting the results of the test performed by the hand-held test device to the control device; and

recording the results of the wirelessly transmitted results in the storage of the control device.

15. The installation and inspection method of claim 14, wherein the hand-held test device performs the residual current detection test.

16. The installation and inspection method of claim 15, further comprising providing another hand-held test device with a measurement circuit and operating the other hand-held test device to perform a loop impedance test.

17. An installation and inspection method for testing new or existing circuits comprising:

providing a control device with a processor, storage for holding measurement data, a measuring system for applying a test of an electrical parameter, and a wireless transceiver;

providing a hand-held test device with a measurement circuit configured to test an electrical parameter;

operating the control device and the hand-held test device such that each performs at least one or more tests selected from the group consisting of residual current detection testing, loop impedance testing, insulation testing, and ground testing;

wirelessly transmitting results obtained by the hand-held test device to the control device; and

recording the wirelessly transmitted results in the storage of the control device.

18. The installation and inspection method of claim 17, wherein operating the control device performs at least one of an insulation test and a ground test and operating the hand-held test device performs at least one of a residual current detection test and a loop impedance test.

19. The installation and inspection method of claim 17, wherein operating the hand-held test device performs the residual current detection test.

20. The installation and inspection method of claim 19 further comprising providing another hand-held test device with a measurement circuit, and operating the other hand-held test device to perform a loop impedance test.