TRIGGERED OPERATION AND/OR RECORDING OF TEST AND MEASUREMENT OR IMAGING TOOLS

• US 20160080667A1
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Hammond, Hilton G., Stuart, Michael D., Heydron, Paul H., Ferrante, Joseph V., Schoch, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,602,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/00 Arrangements for displaying electric variables or waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/302 Contactless testing G01R31/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths

Abstract

Systems can include a test and measurement tool configured to generate measurement data, and imaging tool configured to generate image data, and a processor in communication with the imaging tool and the test and measurement tool. The processor can be configured to receive image data from the imaging tool and, if the image data satisfies one or more predetermined conditions, trigger the test and measurement tool to perform one or more corresponding operations. Similarly, the processor can receive measurement data from the test and measurement tool and, if the measurement data satisfies one or more predetermined conditions trigger the imaging tool to perform one or more corresponding operations.

Claims

1. A system including:

a test and measurement tool configured to generate measurement data;

an imaging tool configured to generate image data; and

a processor in communication with the imaging tool and the test and measurement tool configured to (i) receive image data from the imaging tool, and (ii) in the event that the received image data satisfies one or more predetermined conditions, trigger the test and measurement tool to perform one or more corresponding operations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging tool comprises the processor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the test and measurement tool and the imaging tool are combined into a single apparatus.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging tool is configured to detect infrared (IR) energy from a target scene and generate IR image data corresponding to the detected IR energy.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more predetermined conditions comprises a alarm condition satisfied by detected IR energy from the target scene.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the amount of power dissipated as heat from an object under test based on detected IR energy from the target scene, and wherein the one or more predetermined conditions comprises the determined amount of power dissipated as heat meeting a threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the test and measurement tool is configured to perform a power quality measurement in response to a temperature alarm detected in the image data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations performed by the test and measurement tool can include any combination of adjusting the frequency of a measurement, duration of a measurement, or the type of measurement performed by the test and measurement tool.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display one of both of the image data and the measurement data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the display is incorporated into at least one of the imaging tool or the test and measurement tool.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein one or both of the display and the processor are included in an external device separate from the test and measurement tool and the imaging tool.

12. A system including:

a test and measurement tool configured to generate measurement data;

an imaging tool configured to generate image data; and

a processor in communication with the imaging tool and the test and measurement tool configured to (i) receive measurement data from the test and measurement tool, and (ii) in the event that the received measurement data satisfies one or more predetermined conditions, trigger the imaging tool to generate image data representative of a target scene.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein

the imaging tool is configured to detect infrared (IR) energy from a target scene and generate IR image data corresponding to the detected IR energy;

the test and measurement tool is capable of determining at least one from the list consisting of;

a resistance, a current, and a voltage of a device under test; and

the one or more predetermined condition comprises at least one of the resistance, current, or voltage of the device under test satisfies at least one predetermined resistance, current, or voltage condition.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one predetermined resistance, current, or voltage condition comprises one or more of:

(i) a resistance, current, or voltage value, (ii) a change in a resistance, current, or voltage value, or (iii) a rate of change in a resistance, current, or voltage value meeting a threshold.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a display configured to display at least one of infrared image data, resistance, current, or voltage information indicative of the electrical performance of a device under test.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein triggering the imaging tool to generate image data representative of a target scene comprises at least one of:

triggering the capturing of a single image, triggering the capture of a plurality of images, triggering the starting of a video recording, or triggering the stopping of a video recording.

17. A measurement system comprising:

a test and measurement tool configured to generate measurement data;

an infrared imaging tool configured to generate infrared image data representative of a target scene; and

a processor in communication with the infrared imaging tool and the test and measurement tool configured to determine an amount of power or energy lost due to heat dissipation of an object under test based on at least one of received infrared image data or measurement data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the determined amount of power or energy lost is based on the received infrared image data, and wherein the processor is configured to, in the event that the determined amount of power or energy reaches a predetermined condition, acquire measurement data representative of at least one parameter of the device under test.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze a load present on an object under test based on measurement data received from the test and measurement tool with respect to the temperature of the object under test determined from the received infrared image data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the amount of additional load that can be placed on the object under test before the occurrence of a potential safety hazard.