Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for machine data collection

US6078874A · kind A · utility

134Cited by
20References
46Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 4, 1998
Grant dateJun 20, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 4, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q2209/47
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for machine data collection includes a hand-held personal computer (HPC) having route-based machine information data stored therein, and at least one hand-held sensor unit which includes a sensor for sensing an operating characteristic of the machine. The sensor unit includes a microcomputer for controlling the overall operation of the sensor unit, and a wireless communications port for wirelessly communicating with the HPC and/or other peripheral device. Wireless communications between the HPC and the sensor unit include uploading route-based machine information and instructions from the HPC to the sensor unit, and downloading collected sensor data from the sensor unit to the HPC. Data may also be manually input to the HPC, including reading from control panels and process gauges. All LCD visually displays information and instructions to the operator, and a set of headphones aurally informs and instructs the operator with regard to data collection. Data may be transmitted wirelessly from the sensor unit to the HPC as the data is being generated, or data may be stored in the sensor unit over multiple data measurement points and then downloaded to the HPC or …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.