Remote display for portable meter

• US 7,304,618 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henry J. Plathe
• Original Assignee: Henry J. Plathe
• Inventors: Plathe, Henry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US10/368,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 345/2.1, 345/1.1, 345 22- 23, 345/4.1, 324/111, 324/114, 324/149, 324/160
• US Class Current: 345/2.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06788 Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/00 Arrangements for displaying electric variables or waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels

Abstract

A remote display is provided for use with a portable meter, such as a portable meter used for obtaining electrical measurements. The remote display can optionally be mounted to an extremity of a user for displaying information obtained by the portable meter within an operating area of a user. The user may position leads that are coupled to the portable meter to obtain a measurement of an electrical apparatus, without having to look away, as the remote display may be positioned on the user'"'"'s hand. Controls may also be located on the remote display, on a lead and/or on the portable meter for control of the display mode of the remote display and/or various operations of the portable meter.

Claims

1. A remote display for a portable meter capable of obtaining an electrical measurement, comprising:

a display panel configured to remotely display information obtained from said portable meter;

a case accommodating said display panel;

a first port coupled to said display panel and configured to receive data corresponding to said information from said portable meter;

a control for said portable meter coupled to said first port to enable a control input for said portable meter to select a mode of said remote display; and

a second port located apart from said first port configured to receive data from said portable meter.

2. The remoto display of claim 1, wherein said display panel is a liquid crystal display having at least one unit indicator specific to an electrical measurement unit and incorporated into the liquid crystal display.

3. The remote display of claim 2, wherein said unit indicator is specific to an electrical in measurement unit selected from the group of volts and ohms.

4. The remote display of claim 1, wherein said electrical measurement is at least one of the group of voltage, resistance and current.

5. The remote display of claim 1, wherein said first port is configured to receive at least one wire.

6. The remote display of claim 1 wherein said first port is configured to communicate with said portable meter without the use of wires coupling said first port to said portable meter.

7. The remote display of claim 1, further comprising a lead port coupled to said case and in communication with said first port to enable a lead for use with said portable meter to be coupled to said portable meter through said remote display.

8. The remote display of claim 1, further comprising a light positioned to illuminate said display panel.

9. The remote display of claim 1, further comprising a glare shield mounted to said case and positioned to inhibit light from striking said display panel.

10. The remote display of claim 1, wherein said case is integral with a lead for use with said portable meter.

11. The remote display of claim 1, wherein said display panel displays said information digitally.

12. A remote viewing apparatus for use with a portable meter capable of obtaining an electrical measurement, comprising:

a remote display to display said electrical measurement obtained by said portable meter; and

a remote display holder coupled to said remote display and to mount said remote display to an arm or hand of a user;

wherein said remote display holder is formed as a glove and said remote display is mounted to said glove by least by a hook and loop fastener.

13. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said remote display comprises:

a display panel configured to remotely display information obtained from said portable meter;

a case accommodating said display panel; and

a first port coupled to said display panel and configured to receive data corresponding to said information from said portable meter.

14. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 13, wherein said display panel is a liquid crystal display having at least one unit indicator specific to an electrical measurement unit and incorporated into the liquid crystal display.

15. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 14, wherein said unit indicator is specific to an electrical measurement unit selected from the group of volts and ohms.

16. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a second port located apart from said first port configured to receive data from said portable meter.

17. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a control for said portable meter, mounted to said remote display and coupled to said port to enable a control input for said portable meter to be entered by a user at said remote display and provided through said first port.

18. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said remote display holder is to mount to an extremity of said user.

19. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said remote display holder to mount to at least a wrist of a user.

20. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said remote display holder to mount to a hand of a user to lo ate said remote display proximate to a thumb and back of said hand of said user.

21. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said glove is formed as an open-palm glove.

22. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 21, wherein said glove does not encase any fingers.

23. The remote viewing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said remote display is mounted to said glove by at least by stitching.

24. A system for obtaining electrical measurements, comprising:

a portable meter capable of obtaining an electrical measurement;

a remote display, remotely located from said portable meter, coupled to said portable meter and capable of displaying information obtained by said portable meter; and

a remote display holder in the form of a glove, coupled to said remote display and adapted to mount to an extremity of a user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said remote display holder is adapted to mount to at least a wrist of a user.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said remote display holder is adapted to mount to a hand of a user to locate said remote display proximate to a thumb and a back of said hand of said user.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said remote display holder further comprises a hook and loop fastener coupling said remote display to said glove.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising a meter holder coupled to said portable meter and adapted to enable said portable meter to be mounted to a user.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising at least one lead for use with said portable meter.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a control on said lead to send a control input to said portable meter.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said remote display is integral with said lead.

32. The system of claim 29, further comprising control on said lead for selecting a mode of said remote display.

33. The system of claim 29, further comprising a lead port coupled to said remote display and in communication with said portable meter to enable a lead for use with said portable meter to be coupled to said portable meter through said remote display.

34. The system of claim 33 further comprising a control on said portable meter for selecting a mode of said remote display.

35. The system of claim 24, further comprising control on said remote display for selecting a mod of said remote display.

36. The system of claim 24, wherein said remote display comprises:

a display panel configured to remotely display information obtained from said portable meter;

a case accommodating said display panel; and

a first port coupled to said display panel and configured to receive data corresponding to said information from said portable meter.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said display panel displays said information digitally.

38. The system of claim 24, further comprising a control for said portable meter coupled to said port to enable a control input for said meter to be entered by a user at said remote display and provided through said port.

39. The system of claim 24, wherein said coupling of said remote display to said portable meter is performed by at least one wire.

40. The system of claim 24, wherein said coupling of said remote display to said portable meter is performed by a wireless coupling.

41. The system of claim 24, wherein said remote display is attachable and detachable from said portable meter.

42. A method of configuring a remote display coupled to a portable meter, said method comprising the steps of:

mounting a remote display to an extremity of a user by he us of a remote display holder; and

coupling said remote display to said portable meter;

wherein said step of mounting a remote display to an extremity of a user includes locating said remote display proximate to a thumb and a back of a hand of said user.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of mounting said portable meter to a user by the use of meter holder.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of locating a first lead in a hand of said user.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the steps of:

electrically coupling said first lead and a second lead to an electrical apparatus;

obtaining a reading on said portable meter representative of a characteristic of said electrical apparatus sampled by said first lead and said second lead; and

viewing information corresponding to said reading on said remote display.

46. The remote display of claim 45, wherein said step of viewing involves said reading being representative of an electrical measurement and said information is a value corresponding to at least one of the group of voltage, resistance and current.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of selecting a mode of said remote display by activating control on said at least one lead.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of selecting a mode of said remote display by activating a control on said remote display.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of selecting a mode of said remote display by activating a control on said portable meter.

50. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of inputting a command to said portable meter by activating a control on said remote display.

51. The method of claim 42, wherein said step of mounting a remote display to an extremity of a user includes inserting a hand of said user into an open-palm glove extending to at least one finger of said hand.

52. The method of claim 42, wherein said step of mounting a remote display to an extremity of a user includes coupling said remote display holder to at least a wrist of said user.

53. The method of claim 42, wherein said coupling step includes coupling said remote display to said portable meter by the use of at least one wire.

54. The method o claim 53, wherein said coupling step includes selecting from a plurality of ports on said remote display to couple said at least one wire to said remote display.

55. The method of claim 42, wherein said coupling step includes coupling said remote display to said portable meter by the use of a wireless coupling.

56. The method of claim 42, further comprising, before said mounting step, the step of detaching said remote display from said portable meter.

57. A remote viewing apparatus for use with a portable meter capable of obtaining an electrical measurement comprising:

a remote display to display said electrical measurement obtained by said portable meter; and

a remote display holder coupled to said remote display and to mount said remote display to an arm or hand of a user;

wherein said remote display holder to mount to at least a wrist of a user.

58. A method of configuring a remote display coupled to a portable meter, said method comprising the steps of:

mounting a remote display to an extremity of a user by the use of a remote display holder; and

coupling said remote display to said portable meter;

wherein said coupling step includes coupling said remote display to said portable meter by the use of a wireless coupling.