Portable electronic measurement
First Claim
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1. A method of measuring an object, the method comprising:
- positioning a handheld electronic gauge adjacent to a side of the object; and
obtaining measurement data for the object using the gauge, wherein the obtaining step includes;
illuminating at least a portion of the side of the object, wherein the illuminating includes illuminating the side of the object below the gauge and in two locations that are transverse to and on opposite sides of the gauge with a set of illumination devices disposed in the gauge;
sensing a reflection of the illuminated object from the illuminated side, wherein the sensing includes sensing a reflection from below the gauge and the two locations with a set of sensing devices disposed in the gauge; and
measuring a plurality of data points on the illuminated side of the object based on the sensed reflections.
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Abstract
The invention provides a handheld electronic gauge that is configured to obtain measurement data for an object, such as a wheel, rail, axle, or the like. The gauge includes one or more position sensors that automatically determine when the gauge is in a measurement position. The invention also provides a handheld computing device that can automatically determine when a gauge is in the measurement position and automatically obtain measurement data using the gauge. As a result, the invention provides a solution for measuring an object, such as a railway wheel, that is portable and capable of repeatedly providing various desired measurements, irrespective of the operator.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of measuring an object, the method comprising:
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positioning a handheld electronic gauge adjacent to a side of the object; and obtaining measurement data for the object using the gauge, wherein the obtaining step includes; illuminating at least a portion of the side of the object, wherein the illuminating includes illuminating the side of the object below the gauge and in two locations that are transverse to and on opposite sides of the gauge with a set of illumination devices disposed in the gauge; sensing a reflection of the illuminated object from the illuminated side, wherein the sensing includes sensing a reflection from below the gauge and the two locations with a set of sensing devices disposed in the gauge; and measuring a plurality of data points on the illuminated side of the object based on the sensed reflections. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21, 22)
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9. A system for measuring an object, the system comprising:
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a handheld electronic gauge that includes; means for automatically determining that the gauge is in a measurement position with respect to the object; and means for obtaining measurement data for the object, wherein the means for obtaining includes; means for illuminating at least a portion of a side of the object; means for sensing a reflection of the illuminated object for each of a plurality of points on the object from the illuminated side; and means for measuring a plurality of data points on the illuminated side of the object based on the sensed reflection; and a computing device in communication with the gauge, wherein the computing device is configured to compare the measurement data to previous measurement data for the object, determine that the measurement data abnormally deviates from the previous measurement data based on the comparison, and prompt a user of the gauge to re-measure the object in response to the determination. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19)
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16. A system for measuring an object, the system comprising:
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a handheld electronic gauge that includes; a light generating device configured to generate light; a mirror configured to direct the light onto at least a portion of a top surface of the object when the gauge is held in an upright position; a sensing device configured to obtain measurement data for the object by sensing a reflection of the light from the top surface; and a computing device that includes; means for obtaining a scale for the measuring; means for automatically determining that the gauge is in the measurement position; and means for automatically obtaining measurement data for the object when the gauge is in the measurement position, wherein the means for automatically obtaining includes; means for operating the light generating device; means for operating the sensing device; means for measuring a plurality of data points on the top surface of the object based on the sensed reflection; and means for adjusting at least one of;
operation of the light generating device, operation of the sensing device, or a number of data points in the plurality of data points according to the scale. - View Dependent Claims (17, 20, 23)
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Specification