Wireless Transmitter Network Analysis Tool

• US 20150133062A1
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Mrvaljevic, Nikola
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/00 Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received correcting synchronisation H04L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

A handheld wireless transmitter network analysis tool has a transceiver for detecting wireless signals from a transceiver of a smart device used in an automated process control. The tool has a processor with program modules for analyzing the spectrum of received wireless signals and noise. Another memory module includes a device description protocol program for reading tag and primary variable data carried by the wireless signals from smart device. The network tool displays the frequency and spectrum of the wireless signal from smart device, the tag and primary variables for device, the signal to noise ratio and the possible identity of the sources of noise.

Claims

1. A method for testing wireless transmissions of a smart device comprising:

receiving a wireless signal carrying tag and primary variable information generated by a smart device monitoring a process;

determining frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal;

receiving noise signals, determining the magnitude of the received noise signals, and determining a signal to noise ratio of the received wireless signal compared to the received noise signals;

applying a communication protocol to the received wireless signal to read tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal; and

displaying the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal and the tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of analyzing the received noise signals to determine type(s) of equipment generating said noise signals.

3. A handheld wireless transmitter network analysis tool comprising:

a receiver for receiving a wireless signal carrying tag and primary variable information generated by a smart device monitoring a process and for receiving noise signals;

circuitry for converting received wireless signals and noise received signals into digital signals;

a memory for holding digital data and one or more operating and application programs;

a processor for operating said programs to generate data signals representative of the tag, the primary variables, and the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal; and

a display for showing the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal and the tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal.

4. The handheld wireless transmitter network analysis tool of claim 3 wherein the circuitry comprises analog-to-digital conversion circuitry for converting the received wireless signal and the received noise signals into digital data representative of the information carried by the received wireless signal, the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal and the frequencies and magnitude of the received noise signals.

5. The handheld wireless transmitter network analysis tool of claim 4 wherein the memory receives and stores:

(1) the digital data representative of the information carried by the received wireless signal, (2) the digital data representative of the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal, and (3) the digital data representative of the frequencies and magnitude of the receive noise signals.

6. The handheld wireless transmitter network analysis tool of claim 3 wherein the memory holds a spectrum program for analyzing digital signal data to determine the spectrum of the received of wireless signal, the spectrum of the received noise signals, and a device description protocol program for reading the tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal.

7. The handheld wireless transmitter network analysis tool of claim 6 wherein the processor executes the spectrum program and said device description protocol program to determine the frequency of the received wireless signal, the magnitude of the received wireless signal, the frequencies of the received noise signals, the magnitudes of the received noise signals, and the tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal.

8. A handheld wireless transmitter network analysis tool comprising:

a receiver for receiving a wireless signal carrying tag and primary variable information generated by a smart device monitoring a process, and for receiving noise signals;

analog-to-digital conversion circuitry for converting the received wireless signal and the received noise into digital data representative of the information carried by the received wireless signal, the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal, and the frequencies and magnitudes of the received noise signals;

a memory for holding the digital data representative of the information carried by the received wireless signal, the digital data representative of the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal and digital data representative of the frequencies and magnitudes of the noise signals;

one or more programs stored in said memory, including a spectrum program for analyzing digital signal data to determine the spectrum of the signals and a device descriptions protocol program for reading the tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal;

a processor for operating said spectrum program and said device description protocol program to determine the frequency of the received wireless signal, its magnitude, the frequencies of received noise signals and their magnitudes and the tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal; and

a display for showing the frequency and magnitude of the received wireless signal and the tag and primary variable information carried by the received wireless signal.