Apparatus and method for machine data collection
First Claim
1. A hand-held sensor unit for use by an operator to acquire operating data from a machine and for communicating acquired operating data to a peripheral device capable of wireless communications, the sensor unit comprising:
- a housing configured for being hand held by an operator;
a first sensor disposed in said housing for being placed in sensory contact with a machine at a measurement location to sense a first operating characteristic of the machine during data acquisition, producing first sensor signals corresponding to the machine operating characteristic that is sensed;
a microcomputer, including memory, disposed in said housing in electrical communication with said first sensor to receive and process sensor signals, producing processed sensor data;
a wireless communications port in electrical communication with said microcomputer to provide wireless communications between the microcomputer and the peripheral device; and
a power supply disposed in said housing for supplying electrical power to the sensor unit;
wherein said housing is dimensioned and configured for being hand-held by an operator during acquisition of data with said first sensor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for machine data collection includes a hand-held personal computer (HPC) having route-based machine information data stored therein, and at least one hand-held sensor unit which includes a sensor for sensing an operating characteristic of the machine. The sensor unit includes a microcomputer for controlling the overall operation of the sensor unit, and a wireless communications port for wirelessly communicating with the HPC and/or other peripheral device. Wireless communications between the HPC and the sensor unit include uploading route-based machine information and instructions from the HPC to the sensor unit, and downloading collected sensor data from the sensor unit to the HPC. Data may also be manually input to the HPC, including reading from control panels and process gauges. All LCD visually displays information and instructions to the operator, and a set of headphones aurally informs and instructs the operator with regard to data collection. Data may be transmitted wirelessly from the sensor unit to the HPC as the data is being generated, or data may be stored in the sensor unit over multiple data measurement points and then downloaded to the HPC or other peripheral device. In a distributed database, the sensor unit is configured to read a bar code or memory module positioned adjacent a measurement point of the machine, and each memory module is used to store data corresponding to test point location, sensor unit analysis setup, alarm levels, route-based information, and the like.
198 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A hand-held sensor unit for use by an operator to acquire operating data from a machine and for communicating acquired operating data to a peripheral device capable of wireless communications, the sensor unit comprising:
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a housing configured for being hand held by an operator; a first sensor disposed in said housing for being placed in sensory contact with a machine at a measurement location to sense a first operating characteristic of the machine during data acquisition, producing first sensor signals corresponding to the machine operating characteristic that is sensed; a microcomputer, including memory, disposed in said housing in electrical communication with said first sensor to receive and process sensor signals, producing processed sensor data; a wireless communications port in electrical communication with said microcomputer to provide wireless communications between the microcomputer and the peripheral device; and a power supply disposed in said housing for supplying electrical power to the sensor unit; wherein said housing is dimensioned and configured for being hand-held by an operator during acquisition of data with said first sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A multiple sensor data collection system for use by an operator in monitoring and collecting data from a machine, the system comprising:
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a base instrument dimensioned and configured for being hand-held by an operator during data acquisition and for receiving and storing data, the base instrument including a data collection route stored therein and a base wireless communication port for transmitting and receiving wireless signals; a plurality of sensor units for sensing a plurality of machine parameters and for producing data corresponding to the sensed machine parameters, each sensor unit including a wireless communications port for receiving route-based data collection instructions from the base instrument and transmitting signals corresponding to the data produced by the sensor units according to route-based data collection instructions, each sensor unit being dimensioned and configured for being hand-held during data acquisition, said plurality of sensor units including; (1) a first sensor unit having a sensor for sensing a first machine parameter according to route-based data collection instructions received from the base instrument and producing first sensor signals, a converter for producing first electrical signals corresponding to the first sensor signals, a microprocessor for receiving and analyzing the first electrical signals and producing analyzed electrical data corresponding to the first machine parameter, and a first wireless communications port for producing and transmitting first wireless signals corresponding to the analyzed electrical data; and (2) a second sensor unit having a sensor for sensing a second machine parameter different from the first machine parameter according to route-based data collection instructions received from the base instrument and producing second sensor signals, and a second wireless communications port for transmitting second wireless signals corresponding to the second sensor signals; wherein said base instrument is operable to receive at least one of the first and second wireless signals through the base wireless communications port and to produce and store machine data corresponding to at least one of the first and second sensed parameters of the machine. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A multiple sensor data collection system for use by an operator in monitoring a machine, the system comprising:
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a microprocessor-based instrument having a data collection route stored therein and including a base wireless communications port; a first hand-held sensor unit dimensioned and configured for being hand-held during data acquisition, said first hand-held sensor unit including; a first microprocessor secured therein, a first wireless communications port mounted on the first hand-held sensor unit and in electrical communication with the first microprocessor, the microprocessor-based instrument being operable to transmit route-based data collection instructions to the first microprocessor via the base wireless communications port and the first wireless communications port; and a first sensor mounted on the first hand-held sensor unit and in electrical communication with the first microprocessor for sensing a machine operating characteristic according to route-based data collection instructions and producing first sensor signals corresponding to the machine operating characteristic that is sensed, the first hand-held sensor unit being further operable to transmit a first set of data signals corresponding to the first sensor signals via the first wireless communications port; and a second hand-held sensor unit dimensioned and configured for being hand-held during data acquisition, said second hand-held sensor unit including; a second microprocessor secured therein; a second wireless communications port mounted on the second hand-held sensor unit and in electrical communication with the second microprocessor of the second hand-held sensor unit, the microprocessor-based instrument being operable to transmit route-based data collection instructions to the second microprocessor of the second hand-held sensor unit via the base wireless communications port and the second communications port of the second hand-held sensor unit; and a second sensor mounted on the second hand-held sensor unit and in electrical communication with the second microprocessor of the second hand-held sensor unit for sensing a machine operating characteristic according to route-based data collection instructions and producing second sensor signals corresponding to the machine operating characteristic that is sensed, the second hand-held sensor unit being further operable to transmit a second set of data signals corresponding to the second sensor signals via the second wireless communications port. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A multiple sensor data collection system for use by an operator in monitoring a machine, the system comprising:
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a microprocessor-based instrument having a data collection route stored therein and including a wireless instrument communications port; and a hand-held sensor unit being dimensioned and configured for being hand-held during data acquisition, said hand-held sensor unit including; a microcomputer; a power source disposed in the sensor unit for powering the sensor unit; an LED in electrical communication with the microprocessor for notifying the operator when receipt of the data signals is complete; a display in electrical communication with the microcomputer for displaying data collection instructions and information to the operator; a data acquisition switch in electrical communication with the microcomputer for initiating data collection; a wireless communications port in electrical communication with the microcomputer, the microprocessor-based instrument being operable to transmit route-based data collection instructions to the microcomputer via the wireless instrument communications port and the sensor unit wireless communications port; and a sensor disposed in the sensor unit for sensing an operating characteristic of the machine and producing sensor signals corresponding the machine operating characteristic that is sensed, said sensor being in electrical communication with the microcomputer for sending sensor signals to the microcomputer. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for collecting machine operating data comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of hand-held sensor units, each of said plurality of hand-held sensor units being dimensioned and configured to be hand-held during data acquisition and having a microcomputer, a sensor in electrical communication with the microcomputer, and a wireless communications port for wirelessly communicating with a peripheral device; providing a base instrument dimensioned and configured to be hand-held and having a base wireless communications port for wirelessly communicating with one or more of said plurality of sensor units, said base instrument having a data collection route stored therein; wirelessly transmitting route-based data collection instructions from the base instrument to at least one of the hand-held sensor units; taking a data measurement by placing said at least one of the hand-held sensor units in sensory contact with a machine in accordance with route-based data collection instructions so that said sensor unit senses an operating characteristic of the machine and produces a corresponding sensor signal which is received and processed by the microcomputer to produce machine data; and wirelessly transmitting machine data from said at least one of the hand-held sensor units to the base instrument. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification