Portable electronic measurement

• US 20050259273A1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Electronic Machines Corp.
• Original Assignee: International Electronic Machines Corp.
• Inventors: Mian, Zahid F., MacAllister, Robert, Peabody, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,525,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/601
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/08 Measuring installations for surveying permanent way applications of measuring apparatus or devices for track building purposes E01B35/00; measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/12 Measuring or surveying wheel-rims measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/06 for measuring thickness

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.

Claims

1. A method of measuring an object, the method comprising:

positioning a handheld electronic gauge adjacent to the object;

automatically determining that the gauge is in a measurement position; and

obtaining measurement data for the object using the gauge, wherein the obtaining step includes;

illuminating the object; and

sensing a reflection of the illuminated object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining step includes measuring a plurality of points on the object using the gauge.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a profile of the object based on the measurement data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the measurement data for use on a second computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically determining step includes determining a measurement position status for at least one positioning sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically initiating the measuring step based on the determining step.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a notification of completion of the measuring step.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining identifying information for the measurement, wherein the measurement data is associated with the identifying information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining previous measurement data for the object; and

comparing the measurement data to the previous measurement data.

10. A system for measuring an object, the system comprising 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 the object; and

means for sensing a reflection of the illuminated wheel for each of a plurality of points on the object.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for determining a profile of the object based on the measurement data.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing the measurement data.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a handheld computing device in communication with the gauge.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the gauge further includes:

means for processing the measurement data; and

means for interfacing with a user.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for automatically determining includes means for determining a measurement position status for at least one positioning sensor.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for providing a notification of completion of a measurement.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for obtaining identifying information for the measurement.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for obtaining previous measurement data for the object; and

means for comparing the measurement data to the previous measurement data.

19. A system for measuring an object, the system comprising a handheld computing device that includes:

means for automatically determining that a gauge is in a measurement position with respect to the object; 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 means for illuminating the object; and

means for operating means for sensing a reflection of the illuminated object.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising the gauge, wherein the gauge comprises a handheld electronic gauge that includes:

a plurality of position sensors, wherein each position sensor detects a measurement position for the gauge;

the means for illuminating, wherein the means for illuminating includes a plurality of light generating devices;

the means for sensing, wherein the means for sensing includes a plurality of sensing devices, wherein each sensing device obtains measurement data for the object.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising an analysis system for analyzing the measurement data with previous measurement data.