Multisensory meter system

• US 9,615,147 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne FLIR LLC (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Radosavljevic, Dejan, Mavrides, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGDORF, STEPHEN R
• Application Number:
  US13/096,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 34087003, 34087002-87007, 324115, 324149, 324 7611, 34820711
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/065 related to mechanical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/25 using a mesh network, e.g. a public urban network such as public lighting, bus stops or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A multisensory meter system is disclosed. The system comprises one main unit and a plurality of remote units. Each remote unit has at least a sensor to measure a physical parameter and wirelessly transmit the measured parameter as a signal to the main unit. The main unit and the remote units have an interface that allows at least one the remote units to be attached to the main unit. When attached, the main unit and the remote unit function as a single meter, and the main unit is capable of receiving signals from the other remote units. In one embodiment, the main unit and the remote units form a mesh network to transmit and receive signals, wherein each remote unit receives signals and transmits said signals. The mesh network may also contain relays. The remote units may measure a number of physical parameters such as relative humidity, temperature, vibration, moisture, electrical current, air speed, voltage and rotational speed. The signals may contain a unique identifier or code, and may be broadcast in unique frequencies.

Claims

1. A multisensory meter system comprising a main unit, a plurality of attachable remote units, and an infrared (IR) camera, wherein:

each attachable remote unit comprises;

a sensor configured to measure a physical parameter,

a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the measured parameter over a respective wireless signal to the main unit, and

a mechanical interface that allows the attachable remote unit to releasably attach to the main unit;

the main unit and any one of the attachable remote units are configured to form an integral handheld meter while releasably attached to each other;

the main unit is configured to;

receive the measured parameter over a corresponding wireless signal from any one of the attachable remote units;

process the measured parameter received from any of the attachable remote units; and

wirelessly transmit the measured parameter to the camera; and

the IR camera comprises a display and is configured to;

capture an image of a scene;

receive the measured parameter wirelessly from the main unit or any one of the attachable remote units; and

process the captured image based on the measured parameter and/or display the captured image and the measured parameter on the display,

wherein the IR camera is separate from the main unit and the attachable remote units;

the plurality of attachable remote units comprise at least one attachable remote unit comprising a different type of sensor than any other of the attachable remote units; and

each attachable remote unit is configured to transmit its respective wireless signal with a unique identifier or code that identifies at least a type of the measured parameter.

2. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the main unit and the attachable remote units form a mesh network to transmit and receive signals, wherein each attachable remote unit is configured to receive signals from the other attachable remote units and transmit said received signals.

3. The multisensory meter system of claim 2, wherein the mesh network further comprises at least one relay configured to receive and transmit signals.

4. The multisensory meter system of claim 2, wherein the signals are encrypted.

5. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the measured parameter is selected from a group consisting of relative humidity, temperature, vibration, moisture, electrical current, air speed, voltage and rotational speed.

6. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the measured parameters are transmitted as digital data over the wireless signals.

7. The multisensory meter system of claim 1,

wherein the main unit and the attachable remote units further comprise electrical interfaces configured to provide a physical electrical path between the main unit and an attached one of the attachable remote units while the main unit and the attached one of the attachable remote units are releasably attached to form the integral handheld meter, and wherein the main unit comprises an adaptor to process an electrical signal received from the attached one of the attachable remote units via the electrical path.

8. The multisensory meter system of claim 7, wherein the physical electrical path comprises an AC-coupling.

9. The multisensory meter system of claim 8, wherein the adaptor comprises a high-pass filter.

10. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the attachable remote units comprise a clamp-on jaw adapted to measure an electrical current.

11. The multisensory meter system of claim 10, wherein the main unit comprises an electrical line splitter.

12. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the attachable remote units is configured to measure at least one of the following physical parameters:

moisture, humidity, pressure, air velocity, vibration, battery capacity, distance, current, or voltage.

13. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the main unit further comprises a central processing unit and a display.

14. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the main unit further comprises a transmitter.

15. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the attachable remote units comprises a moisture meter.

16. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, further comprising an extension pole, wherein the main unit and any one of the attachable remote units are configured to be releasably attached to each other via the extension pole, and wherein the extension pole extends to space an attached one of the attachable remote units from the main unit to measure the physical parameter.

17. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more attachable remote units comprise a plurality of attachable remote units; and

the main unit is configured to multiplex the respective wireless signals from the plurality of attachable remote units.

18. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier or code associated with each attachable remote unit comprises a unique transmitting frequency.

19. The multisensory meter system of claim 1, wherein the IR camera is configured to capture the image of the scene prior to receiving the measured parameter.