Method and apparatus to use remote and local control modes to acquire and visually present data

• US 20120044052A1
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Davis, Robert E., Ruther, Timothy G., Alberry, Michel B., Cichy, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,117,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/6.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A system comprising multiple devices that are operable when servicing a device-under service is described. A data acquisition (DAQ) device and a vehicle scanner device of the system are operable to acquire data from the device-under-service and to transmit the acquired data to a display device of the system. The DAQ device can operate in a local-control mode in which selection of DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the DAQ device. The DAQ device can operate in a remote-control mode in which selection of a DAQ mode for the DAQ device is carried out at the display device. The multiple devices may communicate with each other via one or more wireless network via one or more air interface protocols. Each device of the system may operate as a stand-alone device or in combination with multiple devices of the system.

Claims

1. A data acquisition (DAQ) device comprising:

an input element operable to generate input data from input signals received at the input element;

a wireless transceiver;

a display; and

a selector device that is operable to select whether the DAQ device operates in a local-control mode or a remote-control mode;

wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, the display visually presents the input data, and

wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, the wireless transceiver transmits the input data to an air interface for transmission to a display device remote from the DAQ device.

2. The DAQ device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor; and

a data storage device that contains first computer-readable program instructions executable to cause the DAQ device to transition from the local-control mode to the remote-control mode and second computer-readable program instructions executable to cause the DAQ device to transition from the remote-control mode to the local-control mode,

wherein the processor executes the first program instructions, in response to the selector device being used to select that the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, and

wherein the processor executes the second program instructions, in response to the selector device being used to select that the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode.

3. The DAQ device of claim 1, wherein, when the selector device is used to select that the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, the selector device further selects a first data-acquisition mode.

4. The DAQ device of claim 3, wherein the first data-acquisition mode comprise a data acquisition mode selected from the group consisting of (i) a mode to measure direct current volts, (ii) a mode to measure alternating current volts, (iii) a mode to measure resistance of an electrical circuit or component, (iv) a mode to test a diode, (v) a mode to test continuity of an electrical circuit or component, (vi) a mode to measure capacitance of an electrical circuit or component, (vii) an oscilloscope mode, and (viii) an auxiliary mode.

5. The DAQ device of claim 3,

wherein the wireless transceiver is operable to receive a mode-selection command from the air interface while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode,

wherein the mode-selection command identifies a second data-acquisition mode,

wherein the DAQ device is operable to transition from the first data-acquisition mode to the second data-acquisition mode, and

wherein the second data-acquisition mode comprises a data-acquisition mode selected from the group consisting of (i) a mode to measure direct current volts, (ii) a mode to measure alternating current volts, (iii) a mode to measure resistance of an electrical circuit or component, (iv) a mode to test a diode, (v) a mode to test continuity of an electrical circuit or component, (vi) a mode to measure capacitance of an electrical circuit or component, (vii) an oscilloscope mode, and (viii) an auxiliary mode.

6. The DAQ device of claim 5, wherein the mode-selection command identifies sub-mode information for configuring the second data-acquisition mode.

7. The DAQ device of claim 1,

wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, the display visually presents text and/or a graphical image to notify a user that the DAQ device is operating in the remote-control mode, and

wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, the input data is not visually presented on the display.

8. The DAQ device of claim 1,

wherein the input element includes one or more input leads,

wherein the wireless transceiver is operable to receive, via an air interface, information regarding connection of at least one input lead to a respective input signal acquisition point within a device-under-service, and

wherein the display is operable to visually present the information regarding connection of at least one input lead to a respective input signal acquisition point within a device-under-service.

9. The DAQ device of claim 1, wherein the display is operable to visually present the input data as a histogram, a numeric value, an oscilloscope waveform, or a numeric value and an oscilloscope waveform.

10. The DAQ device of claim 1,

wherein the selector device comprises a rotary switch having multiple switch positions,

wherein the multiple switch positions include a switch position to select the remote-control mode,

wherein the multiple switch positions include multiple switch positions to select the local-control mode and to select a data-acquisition mode from among a plurality of data acquisition modes, and

wherein, when the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, the wireless transceiver is operable to receive a mode-selection command that identifies, from among the plurality of data-acquisition modes, a data-acquisition mode in which the DAQ device should begin operating.

11. The DAQ device of claim 1,

wherein the transition from the remote-control mode to the local-control mode includes the transition of the wireless transceiver from a transceiver-on-state to a transceiver-off-state,

wherein, while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode, the wireless transceiver operates in the transceiver-off-state,

wherein the transition from the local-control mode to the remote-control mode includes the transition of the wireless transceiver from the transceiver-off-state to the transceiver-on-state, and

wherein, while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, the wireless transceiver operates in the transceiver-on-state.

12. The DAQ device of claim 1, further comprising:

a packet element to place the input data into data packets when the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, wherein transmission of the input data to the air interface comprises transmission of the data packets to the air interface.

13. The DAQ device of claim 1,

wherein, when the DAQ device pairs with the display device, the wireless transceiver receives from the display device a passkey associated with the display device,

wherein the data storage device is operable to store the passkey associated with the display device, and

wherein, prior to transmission of the input data to the air interface, the processor executes third program instructions, contained in the data storage device, to use the stored passkey to confirm that the DAQ device is paired with the display device.

14. The DAQ device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more additional selector devices selected from the group consisting of (i) a range selector device, (ii) a graph selector device, (iii) a min/max selector device, and (iv) a variable function selector device,

wherein the one or more additional selector devices are inoperable to enter a user-selection while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode, and

wherein the one or more additional selector devices are operable to enter a user-selection while the DAQ device operates in the local-control mode.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, via a selector device located at a data acquisition (DAQ) device, a selection for the DAQ device to operate in a local-control mode;

while the DAQ device is operating in the local-control mode, generating first input data from input signals received at an input element located at the DAQ device, displaying the first input data at a display located at the DAQ device, and then receiving, via the selector device, a selection for the DAQ device to operate in a remote-control mode; and

while the DAQ device is operating in the remote-control mode, generating second input data from input signals received at the input element of the DAQ device and transmitting, via a wireless transceiver located at the DAQ device, the second input data to an air interface for transmission to a display device that is remote from the DAQ device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

at a data storage device located at the DAQ device, maintaining first computer-readable program instructions executable to cause the DAQ device to transition from the local-control mode to the remote-control mode and maintaining second computer-readable program instructions executable to cause the DAQ device to transition from the remote-control mode to the local-control mode;

executing, at a processor of the DAQ device, the first program instructions in response to receiving the selection for the DAQ device to operate in the remote-control mode; and

executing, at the processor of the DAQ device, the second program instructions in response to receiving the selection for the DAQ device to operate in the local-control mode.

17. The method of claim 16,

wherein the transition from the local-control mode to the remote-control mode includes the wireless transceiver transitioning from a transceiver-off-state to a transceiver-on-state, and

wherein the transition from the remote-control mode to the local-control mode includes the wireless transceiver transitioning from a transceiver-on-state to a transceiver-off-state.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the DAQ device comprises one or more additional selector devices,

wherein the transition from the local-control mode to the remote-control mode further includes the DAQ device establishing a wireless network with the display device,

wherein the display device and DAQ device pair with each other prior to establishing the wireless network, and

wherein the one or more additional selector devices are inoperative while the DAQ device operates in the remote-control mode.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

while the DAQ device is operating in the remote-control mode and in a first data-acquisition mode, the wireless transceiver receiving a mode-selection command via the air interface, wherein the mode-selection command identifies a second data-acquisition mode; and

responsive to receiving the mode-selection command and while the DAQ device is operating in the remote-control mode, the DAQ device transitioning from the first data-acquisition mode to the second data-acquisition mode.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the wireless transceiver, information regarding connection of an input lead of the input element to an input signal acquisition point of a device-under-service that generates the input signals; and

visually presenting, at the display located at the DAQ device, the information regarding connection of an input lead of the input element to an input signal acquisition point of a device-under-service that generates the input signals.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the selection for the DAQ device to operate in the local-control mode occurs while the DAQ device is operating in the remote-control mode or while the DAQ device is operating in an off mode.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the second input data at a display located at the display device remote from the DAQ device,

wherein displaying the first input data at the display located at the DAQ device comprises displaying the first input data as a first oscilloscope waveform, and

wherein displaying the second input data at the display located at the display device remote from the DAQ device comprises displaying the second input data as a second oscilloscope waveform.