Wireless measurement device

• US 7,937,080 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Melvin, Steven Louis, Starks, Matthew Wayne, Snow, Kevin Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer; Temica M
• Application Number:
  US10/780,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20050181781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,632 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/67.11, 455/115.1, 455/226.1
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system for viewing measurements remotely, including a first processor that is connected to a wireless communications device; a sensor; and at least one measurement device comprising a second processor programmed to (1) receive an input from the sensor and (2) wirelessly communicate with the first processor. The first processor is programmed to retrieve measurements from the measurement device via the wireless communications device.

Claims

1. A system for viewing measurements remotely, comprising:

a processor that is connected to a first wireless communications device, the processor and the first wireless communications device being external to an equipment;

wherein the processor is programmed to retrieve, via the first wireless communications device, directly and not via a controller in the equipment, at least one measurement from each of a plurality of second wireless communications devices, each of the second wireless communications devices being connected to respective ones of a plurality of measurement devices in the equipment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement represents at least one output from a sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface connected to the processor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to configure the measurement devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to perform at least one of:

displaying data that has been retrieved from the measurement devices, analyzing data that has been retrieved from the measurement devices, and storing data that has been retrieved from the measurement devices.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is included in a computer that is selected from the group consisting of a custom-designed computing device, a desktop personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a handheld computer, and a java-enabled portable computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless network.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the wireless communications device sends signals to the measurement devices via the wireless network.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the measurement devices send signals to the second wireless communications devices via the wireless network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement devices are selected from the group consisting of a gauge and a transducer.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the wireless communications devices is selectively attached to at least one second measurement output device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement relates to a component in the equipment.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the equipment is a vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one measurement device is selectively detachably connected to a component in the equipment.

12. A system for viewing measurements remotely, comprising:

a first processor that is connected to a wireless communications device;

at least two sensors that each provides at least one output related to a component in an equipment; and

at least two measurement devices, each comprising a second processor programmed to (1) receive an input from the sensor and (2) wirelessly communicate directly, and not through a controller in the equipment, with the first processor via the wireless communications device,

wherein the first processor is external to the equipment and is programmed to retrieve measurements from the measurement devices via the wireless communications device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the component is a component in a vehicle.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one measurement device is selectively detachably connected to the component.

18. A method for viewing measurements remotely, comprising:

receiving, in a plurality of second wireless communications devices, respective first communications from a first wireless communication device, the first wireless communications device being associated with a processor external to an equipment, and each of the second wireless communications devices being associated with one of plurality of measurement devices in the equipment;

providing at least one datum from the measurement devices to the second wireless communications device; and

sending at least one second communication from at least one of the second wireless communications devices to the first wireless communications device directly and not via a controller in the equipment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one datum represents at least one output from a sensor.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising sending a third communication from the processor for configuring one or more of the measurement devices.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the third communication is sent before the first communication.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising performing at least one of:

displaying data that has been retrieved from at least one of the measurement devices, analyzing data that has been retrieved, and storing data that has been retrieved.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the processor is included in a computer that is selected from the group consisting of a custom-designed computing device, a desktop personal computer, a laptop personal computer, a handheld computer, and a java-enabled portable computing device.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the first wireless communications device sends signals to the measurement devices via a wireless network.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the second wireless communications devices send signals to the first wireless communications device via the wireless network.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the measurement devices are selected from the group consisting of a gauge and a transducer.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising selectively attaching at least one of the second wireless communications devices to at least one second measurement device.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising selectively detachably connecting at least one of the measurement devices to a component in the equipment.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising sending a plurality of second communications, each of the second communications being sent from a different one of the second wireless communications devices.