Measuring unit, measuring data management apparatus, measuring method and measuring data management method

• US 6,233,534 B1
• Filed: 09/02/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: T&D Corporation
• Original Assignee: T&D Corporation
• Inventors: Tsukanaka, Takeshi, Morozumi, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, KAMINI S
• Application Number:
  US09/145,257
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 702/173, 702/79, 702/89, 702/125, 702/176, 702/177, 368/89, 368/251
• US Class Current: 702/176
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A measuring unit capable of measuring change in physical quantity, such as a temperature, and incorporating a measuring portion for sequentially recording plural measurement data measured at a predetermined interval in a memory, and a communication portion capable of transferring the recorded plural measurement data in the memory and the period elapsed from the last data measurement to communication. In the measuring unit, only measurement data can be recorded, requiring no recording of the time information. After transferring the measurement data and the elapsed period to a measuring data management apparatus, the measuring data management apparatus is able to obtain measurement time of each measurement data. Therefore, the structure of the measuring unit can be simplified and the capacity of the memory can effectively be used to record the measurement data. Moreover, time required to transfer measurement data can be shortened. Thus, the resultant measuring unit minimizes electric power consumption and be usable for measurement over en extended period.

Claims

1. A measuring unit comprising:

measuring means capable of sequentially recording plural measurement data measured at a predetermined interval of period of time in a recording means; and

communication means capable of transferring the plural measurement data recorded in said recording means and transferring a period elapsed from last data measurement to a time of transferring the plural measurement data, together with said plural measurement data.

2. A measuring unit according to claim 1, wherein

said communication means is able to receive a measurement start command containing a waiting period elapsing from receipt of the measurement start command to measurement start, and

further comprises control means for starting measurement after the elapse of the waiting period contained in said measurement start command upon receipt thereof.

3. A measuring data management apparatus comprising:

communication means capable of performing communication with said measuring unit claimed in claim 1 and receiving the period elapsed from the last data measurement together with the plural measurement data;

time measuring means for obtaining communication time; and

means for obtaining measurement time of each of received measurement data in accordance with the communicated time, the elapsed period and the measurement interval.

4. A measuring data management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said communication means is able to obtain, from said time measuring means, time at which a measurement start command is transmitted and transmit said measurement start command containing waiting period elapsing from the transmission to the measurement start.

5. A measuring method comprising:

sequentially recording plural measurement data measured at a predetermined interval of period of time; and

transferring the recorded plural measurement data and period elapsed from last data measurement to a time of transferring the recorded plural measurement data.

6. A measuring method according to claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a measurement start command containing waiting period elapsing from receipt of the measurement start command to measurement start prior to said recording step; and

starting measurement after the elapse of the waiting period contained in said measurement start command upon receipt thereof.

7. A measuring data management method comprising:

performing communication with a measuring unit capable of sequentially recording plural measurement data measured at a predetermined interval of period of time and receiving the plural measurement data and period elapsed from last data measurement to communication;

obtaining communication time; and

obtaining measurement time of each of the received measurement data in accordance with the communication time, the elapsed period and the measurement interval.

8. A measuring data management method according to claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting a measurement start command containing waiting period elapsing from transmission to measurement start when transmitting the measurement start command for communication with said measuring unit.

9. A recording medium having a measuring data management program recorded therein, wherein

said measuring data management program includes commands for executing:

a receiving process for performing communication with a measuring unit capable of sequentially recording plural measurement data measured at a predetermined interval of period of time and receiving the plural measurement data and period elapsed from last data measurement to communication,

a time measuring process for obtaining communication time; and

a process for obtaining measurement time of each of the received measurement data in accordance with the communication time, the elapsed period and the measurement interval.

10. A recording medium having a measuring data management program recorded therein according to claim 9, wherein said measuring data management program further includes a command for executing a transmission process for transmitting a measurement start command containing waiting period elapsing from transmission to measurement start when transmitting the measurement start command for communication with said measuring unit.