Digital multi-meter
First Claim
1. A data acquisition unit comprising a digital multi-meter (DMM) including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the DMM being operable to output measurement data to the PDA conformant interface in response to input signals applied to input terminals and the operation of the DMM being configurable by configuration data received from the PDA conformant interface and a computing device including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the computing device having a program memory storing a software application for configuring the computing device to supply digital multi-meter (DMM) configuration data to the PDA conformant interface and to receive DMM measurement data through the PDA conformant interface, the DMM and the computing device being connectable through their respective PDA conformant interfaces, measurement circuitry of the DMM being configured to operate from a uni-polar power supply and includes a voltage divider connected between lower and upper voltages of the uni-polar power supply to provide a reference voltage, and the reference voltage being connected to a one of the input terminals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital multi-meter (DMM) is described which can be inserted into a peripheral device card expansion slot of a personal digital assistant (PDA) to provide the PDA with DMM functionality. The DMM is configurable by configuration data supplied by application software running on the PDA. Configuration of the DMM may include, for example, setting measurement function and input ranges. The DMM internal circuitry measures input signals, digitizes them and supplies them to the PDA for display and/or storage. This allows for a data acquisition unit which combines a DMM with the computing power of a PDA. The PDA may be programmed to display or store data in a multitude of ways, depending on the requirements of a particular application. The combined DMM and PDA may benefit from various other functions of the PDA, for example wireless communication of data to allow remote data logging.
37 Citations
34 Claims
- 1. A data acquisition unit comprising a digital multi-meter (DMM) including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the DMM being operable to output measurement data to the PDA conformant interface in response to input signals applied to input terminals and the operation of the DMM being configurable by configuration data received from the PDA conformant interface and a computing device including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the computing device having a program memory storing a software application for configuring the computing device to supply digital multi-meter (DMM) configuration data to the PDA conformant interface and to receive DMM measurement data through the PDA conformant interface, the DMM and the computing device being connectable through their respective PDA conformant interfaces, measurement circuitry of the DMM being configured to operate from a uni-polar power supply and includes a voltage divider connected between lower and upper voltages of the uni-polar power supply to provide a reference voltage, and the reference voltage being connected to a one of the input terminals.
- 31. A data acquisition unit comprising a digital multi-meter (DMM) including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the DMM being operable to output measurement data to the PDA conformant interface in response to input signals applied to input terminals and the operation of the DMM being configurable by configuration data received from the PDA conformant interface and a computing device including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the computing device having a program memory storing a software application for configuring the computing device to supply digital multi-meter (DMM) configuration data to the PDA conformant interface and to receive DMM measurement data through the PDA conformant interface, the DMM and the computing device being connectable through their respective PDA conformant interfaces, the DMM further including an electrically isolated data coupler arranged to couple data lines between a front-end and a rear-end of the DMM, measurement data outputted to the PDA conformant interface being first passed along measurement-data lines coupled through the electrically isolated data coupler, configuration data received from the PDA conformant interface being subsequently passed along configuration-data lines coupled through the electrically isolated data coupler, and wherein at least one of the configuration-data lines and at least one of the measurement-data lines are connected together and coupled through a common channel of the electrically isolated data coupler.
- 33. A data acquisition unit comprising a digital multi-meter (DMM) including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the DMM being operable to output measurement data to the PDA conformant interface in response to input signals applied to input terminals and the operation of the DMM being configurable by configuration data received from the PDA conformant interface and a computing device including a personal digital assistant (PDA) peripheral device card conformant interface, the computing device having a program memory storing a software application for configuring the computing device to supply digital multi-meter (DMM) configuration data to the PDA conformant interface and to receive DMM measurement data through the PDA conformant interface, the DMM and the computing device being connectable through their respective PDA conformant interfaces, and the DMM further including an electrically isolated power coupler arranged to couple operating power between a front-end and a rear-end of the DMM.
Specification