Measurement unit, transportation system, and measurement method

• US 8,285,507 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2010
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Matsuba, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol
• Application Number:
  US12/760,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 702/89, 702/184, 702/81, 702/187, 340/572, 340/539, 340/988, 340/991, 340/992, 340/539.1, 340/539.26, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/870.28, 340/429, 705/28, 705/59, 738/61, 73/190.4, 73/11.6, 73/12.5, 73/405.R
• US Class Current: 702/89
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

An environment sensor is mounted in a measurement unit. The measurement unit is adapted to be transported by a transportation apparatus. Measurement data from the environmental sensor is stored in a data format suitable for associating the measurement data with a state of the measurement unit.

Claims

1. A measurement unit to be transported by a transportation apparatus, the measurement unit comprising:

an environment sensor arranged to measure environmental situations;

a memory arranged to store measurement data from the environment sensor and to associate the measurement data with a state of the measurement unit; and

a timer and a receiver unit arranged to receive a time signal to calibrate time data of the timer, the measurement data and the time data being stored together to enable the measurement data to be associated with the state of the measurement unit;

wherein

the memory is arranged to associate the measurement data with the state of the measurement unit by storing the measurement data and the time data together.

2. The measurement unit according to claim 1, wherein the memory is a detachable electronic storage medium arranged to write the measurement data in the storage medium, the measurement unit further including a terminal arranged to write data in the storage medium.

3. The measurement unit according to claim 1, wherein the environment sensor includes at least a particle counter arranged to count a number of particles, a vibration sensor, a wind speed sensor, and a microphone, the measurement unit further comprising:

a low-pass filter arranged to process an output from the vibration sensor; and

a controller arranged and programmed to identify whether the measurement unit is being transported or the measurement unit is stopped, based on a signal from the low-pass filter, to shorten a measurement interval when the measurement unit is being transported, and to extend the measurement interval when the measurement unit is stopped.