Handheld measurement system with selectable options

• US 9,377,485 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Epperson, David Lawrence, Vetter, Glen Howard, Ferrante, Joseph V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US13/844,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20140282241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/025 concerning dedicated user interfaces, e.g. GUI, or dedicated keyboards G01R31/31912 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 13/02 for displaying measured electric variables in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/125 for digital multimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a handheld measurement system for receiving measurement data. The handheld measurement system generates a measurement image derived from the received measurement data. The handheld measurement system also generates a plurality of option images that each correspond to a particular option. A touch screen is coupled to the measurement device, and the touch screen displays the measurement image and the option images. The displayed option images are selectable, and the measurement device is configured to modify the measurement image in response to a selection.

Claims

1. A handheld measurement system comprising:

a measurement device;

a processor communicatively coupled to the measurement device, wherein the processor is configured to receive primary measurement data from the measurement device, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a measurement image derived from the primary measurement data, and wherein the processor is further configured to generate a plurality of option images, wherein each option image corresponds to a particular option;

a touch screen system communicatively coupled to the measurement device, wherein the touch screen system is configured to display the measurement image and the option images, wherein the displayed option images are selectable, and wherein the measurement device is configured to modify the measurement image in response to a selection of a displayed option image; and

a communication system communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the communication system is further configured to receive secondary measurement data, wherein the secondary measurement data comprises;

first module data received from a first module device, second module data received from a second module device, and third module data from a third module device, wherein the module devices are separate from each other,

wherein a first displayed option image corresponds to a first stored measurement data that includes first module data received from the module device, a second displayed option image corresponds to a second stored measurement data that includes second module data received from the second module device, and a third displayed option image corresponds to a third stored measurement data that includes third module data received from the third module device.

2. The handheld measurement system of claim 1 wherein the measurement image and the plurality of option images are displayed simultaneously.

3. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to modify the measurement image to exclude or include:

the first module data, in response to a selection of the first displayed option image;

the second module data, in response to a selection of the second displayed option image; and

the third module data, in response to a selection of the third displayed option image.

4. The handheld measurement system of claim 3, wherein the measurement image is modified to include a textual representation of module data included in the measurement image.

5. The handheld measurement system of claim 3, wherein one of the displayed option images other than the first, second, or third option images corresponds to an operation determined by the type of the primary measurement data and the module data included in the measurement image, wherein, in response to a selection of the option image corresponding to the operation, the handheld measurement system is configured to perform the operation and modify the displayed measurement image to include a result of the operation.

6. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of option images is generated in response to a user input to the touch screen.

7. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to modify the measurement image to exclude or include:

the first stored measurement data, in response to a selection of the first displayed option image, the second stored measurement data, in response to a selection of the second option image, and the third stored measurement data, in response to a selection of the third option image.

8. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of option images displayed on the touch screen is first plurality of option images, wherein the processor is further configured to generate and display on the touch screen system a second plurality of option images, wherein the second plurality of option images is different than the first plurality of displayed option images and is generated in response to a user input to the touch screen.

9. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein the measurement image includes a textual representation of the primary measurement data.

10. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein the handheld measurement system includes a digital multimeter device.

11. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein one of the displayed option images other than the first, second, or third option images corresponds to an operation determined by a data type of the primary measurement data and a data type of the first stored measurement data, the second stored measurement data, and/or the third stored measurement data, wherein, in response to a selection of the option image corresponding to the operation, the handheld measurement system is configured to perform the operation and modify the displayed measurement image to include a result of the operation.

12. The handheld measurement system of claim 1, wherein the communication system receives the first module data, the second module data, and the third module data over a wireless communication path.

13. A handheld digital multimeter comprising one or more components configured to:

measure at least one electrical parameter;

generate a measurement image derived from the at least one measured electrical parameter;

generate a plurality of option images, wherein each option image corresponds to a particular option;

simultaneously display the measurement image and the option images on a touch screen, wherein the displayed option images are selectable by an input into the touch screen; and

modify the measurement image in response to a selection of at least one of the displayed option images,

wherein the one or more components are further configured to receive secondary electrical measurement parameters from one or more module devices, wherein the secondary measurement data comprises;

a first measured module parameter from a first module device, a second measured module parameter from a second module device, and a third measured module parameter from the third module device, wherein the first, second, and third module devices are separate from each other,

wherein a first displayed option image corresponds to the first module device, a second displayed option image corresponds to the second module device, and a third displayed option image corresponds to the third module device, and

wherein the one or more components are configured to modify the measurement image to include or exclude;

the first measured module parameter, in response to a selection of the first displayed option image;

the second measured module parameter, in response to a selection of the second displayed option image; and

the third measured module parameter, in response to a selection of the third displayed option image.

14. The handheld digital multimeter of claim 13, wherein one of the displayed option images corresponds to an operation determined by the at least one measured electrical parameter and any module data included in the measurement image, and wherein, in response to a selection of the option image corresponding to the operation, the one or more components are configured to perform the operation and modify the measurement image to include a result of the operation.

15. The handheld digital multimeter of claim 13, wherein more than one option image displayed on the touch screen is simultaneously selectable, and wherein, in response to selection of more than one option image, the measurement image displayed on the touch screen is modified to include or exclude module parameters corresponding to all selected option images.

16. The handheld digital multimeter of claim 13, wherein the one or more components receive the secondary electrical measurement parameters from the one or more module devices over a wireless communication path.

17. A method for displaying a measurement image on a handheld device comprising:

measuring at least one parameter with a handheld measurement device;

generating a measurement image that is derived from the measured parameter;

receiving one or more secondary measurement parameters from module devices that are separate from each other and located remotely from the handheld measurement device;

generating a plurality of option images;

simultaneously displaying the generated measurement image and the generated option images on a touch screen, wherein each displayed option image corresponds to a selectable option, and the plurality of option images includes an option image corresponding to each of the module devices;

receiving a selection at an option image displayed on the touch screen corresponding to a particular module device, and

modifying the measurement image displayed on the touch screen to include or exclude the secondary measurement parameter of the particular module device corresponding to the selected option image,

wherein more than one option image displayed on the touch screen is simultaneously selectable, and

wherein, in response to selection of more than one option image, the measurement image displayed on the touch screen is modified to include or exclude data corresponding to the more than one selected option images.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating and displaying on the touch screen an option image corresponding to each of a plurality of stored electrical measurement parameters;

receiving a selection at one or more option images displayed on the touch screen; and

modifying the measurement image displayed on the touch screen to include or exclude the stored measurement parameter corresponding to the selected option image displayed on the touch screen.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a potential operation based on the type of parameter measured by the handheld measurement device and the type of the received secondary measurement parameters;

generating and displaying on the touch screen an option image corresponding to the potential operation;

performing the operation in response to receiving a selection on the touch screen of the option image corresponding to the potential operation; and

modifying the measurement image displayed on the touch screen to include a result of the operation.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of option images displayed on the touch screen is first plurality of option images, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection on the touch screen corresponding to a particular option image in the first plurality of option images;

generating a second plurality of option images that is different than the first plurality of option images; and

displaying on the touch screen the second plurality of option images, wherein each displayed option image corresponds to a selectable option.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein a first displayed option image corresponds to a first stored measurement data, a second displayed option image corresponds to a second stored measurement data, and a third displayed option image corresponds to a third stored measurement data, the method further comprising:

in response to a selection of the first displayed option image, retrieving and displaying the first stored measurement data in the measurement image;

in response to a selection of the second displayed option image, retrieving and displaying the second stored measurement data in the measurement image; and

in response to a selection of the third displayed option image, retrieving and displaying the third stored measurement data in the measurement image.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more secondary measurement parameters are received from the module devices over a wireless communication path.