Data collecting system

• US 4,973,957 A
• Filed: 05/02/1989
• Issued: 11/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Farrel Ltd. (L. Possehl & Co. mit beschränkter Haftung)
• Original Assignee: Man Design Company Limited
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Hajime, Shimizu, Giichiro, Wakatsuki, Yoshio, Shimizu, Misao, Okuyama, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US07/348,170
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 33/504, 33/505, 33/474.01, 364/550, 364/552-564, 340/825.06, 340/825.07, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.52, 340/825.53, 340/870.02, 340/870.03, 340/870.01, 340/825.5, 340/825.51
• US Class Current: 340/870.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/06 specially adapted for measuring length or width of objects while moving
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/58 Wireless transmission of information between a sensor or probe and a control or evaluation unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/205 provided with a counter for digital indication of the measured dimension
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/04 specially adapted for measuring length or width of objects while moving
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/022 having an ideal characteristic, map or correction data stored in a digital memory
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/28 using pulse code

Abstract

A host apparatus collects the physical or chemical quantities of articles, which have been measured by a plurality of measuring devices, for example, vernier calipers. Each calipers has a caliper unit as a measuring means, a dip-switch, a CPU, a RAM, and a transmitter. The caliper unit has an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. The dip-switch is operated, thus setting an ID number of the device, before the device is used. The ID number is stored into the RAM. When the transmission button of the device is pushed, the CPU edits the digital value supplied from A/D converter and the ID number stored in the RAM, thereby forming a serial-data message. This message is transmitted by a transmitter, in the form of a radio message. The host apparatus has a receiver and a host computer. The receiver received the serial-data messages transmitted from the measuring devices. The host computer collects the values measured by the devices and contained in the serial-data messages, in accordance with the ID numbers also contained in the serial-data messages.

Claims

1. A measured data collecting system comprising:

a plurality of measuring device means each of which includes;

measuring means having a data transmission function of transmitting digital output data obtained by operating said measuring means,

measured data message preparing means,

(a) in an identification number setting mode, for storing a numerical signal of a predetermined digit of the digital output data, which is input from said measuring means, as an identification number having a unique number for identifying each measuring device means, and,

(b) in a measurement mode, for incorporating the digital output data, which is input from said measuring means, and the identification number stored during said identification number setting mode, into a serial measured data message, and

transmitter means for wirelessly transmitting the serial measured data message which is prepared by the measured data message preparing means during said measurement mode;

receiver means for receiving the measured data message which are sent from said plurality of measuring device means; and

host computer means for identifying the measured data on the basis of the identification number included in the measured data messages received by said receiver means and for collecting the measured data thus identified.

2. A measured data collecting system comprising:

a plurality of digital measuring devices each of which includes;

digital measuring and displaying means for displaying a numeral value obtained by operating said digital measuring and displaying means, the numeral value representing a measurement result obtained during a measurement mode,

identification number storing means, connected to said digital measuring and displaying means, for storing at least one digit of an arbitrary numeral value obtained by operating said digital measuring and displaying means and displayed by said digital measuring and displaying means during an identification number setting mode prior to the measurement mode as an identification number, said identification number having a unique number for identifying each digital measuring device,

microcomputer means, connected to said identification number storing means and to said digital measuring and displaying means, for generating a serial digital data message including a measurement result obtained by said digital measuring device and an identification number stored by said identification number storing means, in the measurement mode, and

transmitter means, connected to said microcomputer means, for transmitting RF signals encoded with the serial measured data message generated by said microcomputer means to host apparatus means; and

host apparatus means which includes;

receiver means for receiving the RF signals transmitted from said plurality of digital measuring devices and for decoding said RF signals to provide said serial digital data messages, and

host computer means, connected to said receiver means, for identifying respective measurement results of said digital measuring devices based on the identification number included in each of said serial data messages and for collecting the measured results of said digital measuring devices.

3. The measured data collecting system according to claim 2, wherein said ID number storing means includes reading means for reading at least one of a one-digit numeral and a two-digit numeral of arbitrary numeral values displayed on the digital display of said digital measuring device and storing means for storing the numeral read by said reading means as an ID number.

4. The measured data collecting system according to claim 3, wherein said ID number storing means includes switching means connected to said reading means for operating when an arbitrary numeral is displayed on the digital display of said digital measuring device, said reading means performing the reading of said at least one of the one-digit numeral and the two-digit numeral when said switching means is operated.

5. The measured data collecting system according to claim 2, wherein said ID number storing means includes reading means for reading at least the upper one-digit numeral of the numeral values displayed on the digital display of said digital measuring device and storing means for storing the numeral read by said reading means as the ID number.