Environmental measuring and recording apparatus

• US 4,593,370 A
• Filed: 07/26/1982
• Issued: 06/03/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hayati Balkanli
• Original Assignee: Hayati Balkanli
• Inventors: Balkanli, Hayati
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US06/401,972
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 364/420, 364/422, 364/571, 364/550, 364/551, 364/179, 364/170, 364/172, 364/176, 364/557, 364/558, 365/222, 307/290, 73/708, 73/151-155
• US Class Current: 702/98
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/0365 the undesired influence being measured using a separate sensor, which produces an influence related signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers

Abstract

An environmental measuring and recording apparatus includes a pressure transducer for measuring of pressure conditions in an oil reservoir. A temperature transducer is used to measure the temperature to which the pressure transducer is subject. The measured temperature is used to compensate the pressure transducer and a resulting compensated signal is digitized and stored in a memory unit. Because of the extreme environmental conditions in which the electronic apparatus is operating the memory unit has the capabilities of periodically being refreshed and to retain data after the removal of power.

Claims

1. An environmental measuring and recording apparatus comprising:

pressure sensing means for sensing of a first environmental condition to obtain a first signal therefrom;

temperature sensing means for sensing of a second environmental condition to obtain a second signal therefrom;

compensation means for compensating the first signal with the second signal to obtain a digital signal thereby;

memory means for storing digital data therein represented by the digital signal; and

program control means for controlling the storage of the digital data in the memory means and for periodically updating the contents of the memory means.

2. The environmental measuring and recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

expander means for expanding the digital signal when the digital signal is less than a first selected threshold.

3. The environmental measuring and recording apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the compensation means and expander means, comprises:

first divider means for dividing the digital signal by 10 to obtain a third signal;

first multiplexer means for multiplexing the digital signal and the third signal to obtain a store signal, the multiplexer means being under the control of an expand signal;

word format means for formatting the store signal into a digital word acceptable to the memory means;

threshold generator means for generating the first selected selected threshold;

comparator means for comparing the first selected threshold with the digital word and to provide the expand signal when the digital word is less than the first selected threshold, the expand signal being connected to the first multiplexer means such that when present the store signal is the fourth signal.

4. The environmental measuring and recording apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the program controller and the compensation means comprises:

word format means for formatting the digital signal into a digital word;

address generator means for generating a unique memory address for each digital word;

store command generator means for generating a store signal in response to which the memory means will load the digital word at the unique address;

refresh means for refreshing the stored digital word at each unique address.

5. The environmental measuring and recording apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the refresh means comprises:

high speed clock means for providing a high speed stream of clock pulses;

enable means for generating a refresh signal after each store signal;

enable means for generating a refresh signal after each store signal;

counter means for counting the pulses in the stream of clock pluses when enable by the refresh signal;

multiplexer means for multiplexing the unique address to the memory means when when the refresh signal is not present and for multiplexing the count in the counter means to the memory means as an address when the refresh signal is present;

comparator means for comparing the count in the counter means with a last unique address and for removing the refresh signal when the count in the counter means is equal to the last unique address.

6. The environmental measuring and recording apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

I/O terminal means for retrieving the digital data from the memory means.

7. A method for measuring and recording environmental conditions comprising:

sensing of a first environmental condition to obtain a first signal therefrom;

sensing a second environmental condition to obtain a second signal therefrom;

compensating the first signal with the second signal to obtain a digital signal thereby;

storing digital data that is represented by the digital signal in a memory means; and

controlling the storage of the digital data in the memory means and for periodically updating the contents of the memory means.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

expanding the digital signal when the digital signal is less than a first selected threshold.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the step of expanding the digital signal comprises:

dividing the digital signal by 10 to obtain a third signal;

multiplexing the digital signal and the third signal to obtain a store signal with a multiplexer means, the multiplexer means being under control of an expand signal;

formatting the store signal into a digital word acceptable to the memory means;

generating the first selected threshold;

comparing the first selected threshold with the digital word to provide the expand signal when the digital word is less than the first selected threshold, the expand signal being connected to the multiplexer means such that when present the store signal is the digital signal and when not present the store signal is the third signal.

10. The method according to claim 7 wherein the step of controlling the storage of the digital signal comprises:

formatting the digital signal into a digital word;

generating a unique memory address for each digital word;

generating a store signal in response to which the memory means will load the digital word at the unique address;

refreshing each stored digital word at each unique address.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of refreshing each stored digital word comprises:

providing a high speed stream of clock pulses;

generating a refresh signal after each store signal;

counter means for counting the pulses in the stream of clock pulses when enabled by the refresh signal;

multiplexing the unique address to the memory means when the refresh signal is not present and multiplexing the count in the counter means to the memory means as an address when the refresh signal is present;

comparing the count in the counter means with a last unique address and for removing the refresh signal when the count in the counter means is equal to the last unique address.

12. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

retrieving the digital words from the memory means.