Digital multimeter having remote display with automatic communication binding

• US 9,008,517 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Hudson, Jeffrey C., Wetzel, Nathaniel J., Vetter, Glen Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Danny
• Application Number:
  US13/763,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20130156438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 398115-117
• US Class Current: 398/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/11 Arrangements specific to free-space transmission, i.e. transmission through air or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/114 Indoor or close-range type systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A method of automatically binding first and second devices for RF communication is disclosed. One step of the method involves establishing a secure, non-RF communication mode between the first and second devices. According to another step, first and second communication addresses respectively identifying the first and second devices are exchanged in the secure, non-RF communication mode such that the first and second devices will recognize each other as communication partners. The secure, non-RF communication mode is then terminated and an RF communication mode is established between the first and second devices as a first bound pair.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a first device and a second device each having control circuitry, IR interface circuitry, and RF transceiver circuitry, said control circuitry having associated memory for storing an address of a current RF communication partner;

said first and second devices having a respective first address and second address for RF communication;

said first and second devices exchanging said first and second addresses with each other via said IR interface circuitry such that said first device will recognize said second device as its RF communication partner and said second device will recognize said first device as its RF communication partner; and

said first and second devices being operative to communicate via said RF transceiver circuitry with their respective RF communication partner;

wherein said first and second devices are separable units of an electrical test instrument; and

wherein said first device is a base unit of said electrical test instrument and said second device is a remote display unit of said electrical test instrument, said base unit and remote display unit together comprising the electrical test instrument.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second devices are matable with each other, wherein said first device includes a receiving portion configured to physically receive at least a portion of the second device, and wherein said second device is configured with at least a portion that is complementary to the receiving portion of the first device.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said control circuitry automatically causes communication via said IR interface circuitry when said first and second devices are mated with each other.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said control circuitry automatically attempts communication via said RF interface circuitry when said first and second devices are separated from each other.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said electrical test instrument is an electrical multimeter.

6. A device capable of establishing RF communication with a paired device of a communication pair, said device comprising:

IR interface circuitry;

RF transceiver circuitry;

control circuitry having associated memory for storing a partner address of a current RF communication partner;

said control circuitry operative to receive said partner address via said IR interface circuitry in an IR communication mode; and

said control circuitry utilizing said partner address to communicate with said paired device in an RF communication mode;

wherein said device is one of a base unit or a remote display unit of an electrical test instrument and said paired device is the other of the base unit or the remote display unit of the electrical test instrument.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said IR communication mode is a secure communication mode.

8. The device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said control circuitry is operative to automatically establish said IR communication mode when said device and said paired device are located adjacent to one another.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said device and said paired device are located adjacent to one another when physically mated with one another.

10. The device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said device and said paired device are separable units of an electrical multimeter.

11. The device as set forth in claim 10, wherein said device is a base unit of the electrical multimeter and said paired device is a remote display unit of the electrical multimeter.

12. A method of establishing RF communication between a first device and a second device, the method comprising:

establishing an IR communication mode between the first device and the second device, wherein the first device and the second device each have control circuitry, IR interface circuitry, and RF transceiver circuitry, said control circuitry having associated memory for storing an address of a current RF communication partner, and said first and second devices having a respective first address and second address for RF communication;

exchanging said first and second addresses between said first and second devices via said IR interface circuitry, such that said first and second devices will recognize each other as its current RF communication partners;

communicating between said first and second devices via said RF transceiver circuitry;

wherein said first and second devices are separable units of an electrical test instrument; and

wherein said first device is a base unit of said electrical test instrument and said second device is a remote display unit of said electrical test instrument.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein prior to communicating between said first and second devices via said RF transceiver circuitry, terminating the IR communication mode and establishing an RF communication mode between said first and second devices as a first bound pair.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said IR communication mode is automatically established when said first and second devices are located adjacent to one another.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising physically mating said first and second devices with one another.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein said electrical test instrument is an electrical multimeter.

17. The method as set forth in claim 12, further comprising:

establishing an IR communication mode between said first device and a third device;

exchanging, between said first and third devices, said first communication address and a third communication address respectively identifying said first and third devices in said IR communication mode such that said first and third devices will recognize each other as RF communication partners;

terminating said IR communication mode between said first and third devices; and

establishing an RF communication mode between said first and third devices as a second bound pair.

18. The method as set forth in claim 17, wherein said third device is another remote display unit that is usable with said base unit.