Multiple display electronic caliper

• US 9,316,474 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Radionic Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Radionic Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Stockman, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, R. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURSON, TANIA C
• Application Number:
  US13/662,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20130152419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 337/00, 337/16, 337/84, 338/13, 33818-819, 116DIG 46- 47, 708/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/58 Wireless transmission of information between a sensor or probe and a control or evaluation unit
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/20 Slide gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/205 provided with a counter for digital indication of the measured dimension
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B5/004, G01B5/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes

Abstract

In addition to other aspects disclosed, a caliper is configured to measure at least one physical dimension. The caliper has a display configured to present a first representation and a second representation of a measurement provided by the caliper. The format of the first representation is different from the format of the second representation, and the first representation is approximately simultaneously displayed with the second representation.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a caliper configured to make a measurement of a physical dimension;

a display configured to present a first representation of the measurement, the first representation of the measurement having a format and including a United States measurement unit presented as a decimal; and

a button for causing the display to toggle between presenting the first representation of the measurement and a second representation of the same measurement, the second representation of the measurement having a format and including the United States measurement unit presented as a fraction, the format of the first representation being different from the format of the second representation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to present a third representation of the measurement, wherein the third representation of the measurement includes a metric measurement unit presented as a decimal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resolution of the format of the first representation is selectable.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronics package that includes the display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display includes a unit indicator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display includes a variance indicator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronics package configured to provide data representative of the first representation and the second representation to an external display module.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a hardwire connection provides the data from the electronics package to the external display module.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a wireless connection provides the data from the electronics package to the external display module.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resolution of the format of the second representation is selectable.

11. A method comprising:

on a display of a caliper configured to make a measurement of a physical dimension, toggling between;

a first representation of the measurement, the first representation of the measurement having a format and including a United States measurement unit presented as a decimal; and

a second representation of the same measurement, the second representation of the measurement having a format and including the United States measurement unit presented as a fraction,

the format of the first representation being different from the format of the second representation.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing data that represents the first representation and the second representation to an external display module.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising toggling between a third representation of the measurement, wherein the third representation of the measurement includes a metric measurement unit presented as a decimal.

14. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

on a display of a caliper configured to make a measurement of a physical dimension, toggling between;

a first representation of the measurement, the first representation of the measurement having a format and including a United States measurement unit presented as a decimal; and

a second representation of the same measurement, the second representation of the measurement having a format and including the United States measurement unit presented as a fraction,

the format of the first representation being different from the format of the second representation.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further operable to cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

providing data that represents the first representation and the second representation to an external display module.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise toggling between a third representation of the measurement, wherein the third representation of the measurement includes a metric measurement unit presented as a decimal.