Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PROC~SS A~D DEVICE FOR ~DIC~TING Pl~D
VALU TIN El~V R_E~TAL P~ETER S
81?ECIPICa~I0~7
F~eld of the Invention
____
My pre~ent inventlon relate~ to a proces~ for ç~atherln
ln~ormatlon on envlronmental condit~on~ as well a~ to a portable
devlce adaptcd to measure 6elected par~et~r~ pertain1n~ to these
conditlon~s.
5'h~ m~3a~!;ur1ng of environmental pa~ameters, either for i~n-
me~lat~ ob6ervatlon or for ~;ubsequent evaluat~on, i~ lmportant ln
many inf;tance~. q'hus, for exam~le, the atmospher~ of a coal mlne
must be nnon~tc)r~d contlnuously ~or poYsible concentration~ of flr~
damp or other noxloul3 ga~as while ~ recorsl ~hould al~o be kept of
condltlon6- ~xistln~ at various t~mes on a p~rtlcular ~it~ Thi~
rQcordin~ ~a~ h~reto~ore ~enQrally b&en done by hand, ln a mln~ log
~estalnln~ to a glv~n locatlon, ox ~ub~eque~t rev~ew and com~arl~on
with ex~sting ~tan~ard~ to enable the in~tltution o~ measure~ for
improvlng oparations (a. g. by providin~ better ~entllation) an~
pxeventlng po~ible accident~. ~he immediate ob~ervatlon of ~uch
data, o~ cour~a, prov~de~ a timely warning o~ lmpendin~ dan~er.
Situations exi~t when the readln~ of a mer~ numerlc~l value
of ~ ~lven param~er does not 6upply 6ufflc~ent lnformat~on ~or de-
t~rminln~ wh~th~r opex~tln~ conditions ~re satisfactory or not~
~hu8, for ~xample, ambient tempersture alone ~ 8 not neces~arily
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a mea~ur~ of comfor~ or alscomfort since rela~vs hllmldlty and
w~nd-chill ~Eactor ought tc~ be ta~;en ~nto acs:oun~- Al80, ~arometrlc
pressure may have to be rsferred ~o elevatlon above ~iea level in
ordex to be relevant. Dev~atl~n~3 ~rom a norm ln, 8a~, ~he mea~ure~
c:onc:erltrat~on of ~ certain g~a~ may be du~ to a locall:~ed varlat~on
so thalt such read~ngs may h~}ve to ~e averaged over a ~ertaln time
p~rlod andJor for d l f f ~rent locatlon~.
An ~mport~nt ob~ct of my pr~ent lnv~nt~on, there~ore, 1
to prov~de a proce~ or gatilering such data wlth t~e aid of ~
~rta~l~ instrw~ent in a mam~ ur2lishin~ not only lnformation
lmmedl~tely available but ~leo a recor~ for &ub~ nt evalua~ion,
preferably wlth ths aid of a ~rsces~;or.
A related ob~ect 1~ to provide a ~evice for lmpement~ng
thls proc~
~b~ ~
A proce~ ~O: gatherin~ ln~or~ation or~ environm~ntal con-
~it~on~ in accor~ance~with n~y presen'c invention, using a port~ble
~nstrur~ent 2~dapt~ to Ben~e var~iou8 pararnet~rs, comprlses th~ stepls
of nl~asurlng a selected par~eter, di~;pl~in~ ~mB, enterlng tlme
and plac~ of mea~uremQnt on a recordlng ~edlum along with t~e
me~sured v~lue, and ~iubse~uently evaluating the t5ata e~o r~ ter~d.
For the rea60ns ~ u~sed above, it will be ds~slra~le
ln many ln6tances to a~ub~ect th.~ mea~ured valu~ to a cetrta~n ad~u~t-
Z5 ment befor~ di~playing or at l~ast b~fore recordlng ~t. Specif lc
instances of such an adjustment involve a modification in light of
other measured pararneters or a linearization of a curve interpolated
from scattered values.
According to ano~her aspect of my invention, a device
for aathering information of the type discussed above comprises a
portable base carrying measuring means for detecting the magnitude
of selected environmental parameters as well as chronometric means
and storage means, the latter being coupled with the measuring and
chronometric means for registexing a detected magnitude together
with the time of detection on a recording medium. The base further
carried coding means, such as a keyboard, for additionally register-
ing on that recording medium the location bf the apparatus at the
instant of detection. Advantageously, a keyboard used for this
purpose is designed to command the registration of a detected
magnitude only after registration of a location code on the record-
ing medium.
More particularly, the keyboard may be operable to call
forth the detected magnitude of a selected parameter and to display
same visually whereupon the user can decide whether or not the dis-
played value should be recorded. I further prefer to provide thedevice with threshold means coupled to the measuring means for
emitting an alarm signal in response to a detected magnitude which
e~ceeds a predetermined limiting value for the respective parameter.
Such an alarm signal could be emitted in response to or independently
of any manual operation of a keyboard or other coding means to be
handled by the user. ~lowever, in order to prevent an untimely
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s~en~ratlon o~ an ~larm ae a resul ~ of ar~ erratle m~asur6raent, or
one fa~linç~ to take ad~ltional factor~; lnto account. adjustment
me~ns ~e~ned to modl~y a detect~ed ma~nl tude ILn light o~ o~h~
in~orma~.iorl may ~e lntarpo~ d b~t:w~ e mea~uring IllQanfi ~nà th~
threshsl~l mean~;.
At 'che ~nd of a ~layi or at s>ther a~pr;:~rlat~ ti~e~, ~ev~ral
devices according ~o my ~ven~ion could be plugged ~nto a common
proces~or for a ~int evaluation of <~ata r~tered on th~ir
r2~?ect~v~3 record~n~ m~dla.
O ~ ~ _
The above and other feature~ of my in~ention will now bg}
de~cr~bed ~ n detail with reference to the accompanylng drawlnc~ in
whic~h c
P~LG. 1 1~ 3chematlc vle~J o~ a ~e~suring instrul;lent u~ed
for the gatharing c~f inormatlon on e~nvironmental conditlon~ in
E~ccor~ o w~ th n~ pre~;~nt inventlon
FIG. 2 dlagrammatically lllustrate~ an ~ssembly oi~ ~ev~r~l
~vices according to my lnventlon. each includln~ an ln~trument a~
~ho~ in FI~. 1, coupled to ~ common procE~s~or for the ~ int
~0 ~valuation ~ their data
~ ~IG. 3 1~ a ~lock dlagram of a devlc~3 ~chematlcal~
lu~trat~d ~n FIG~ ~;
~IG~ 4 1B a mOre detailed ~ace view of ~uch a dev~ce;
an~ ....
FI~;S. 5 and 6 ar~3 graph~ rQpresent~ ible data
modif~atlong in a d~v~ce accord~ to mv ~nv~ntlon.
3~
~pec ~ ~
FIG. 1 ~ichematlc:ally ~how~ a mea~3urinS~ trument 10
res~onslv~3 to a variet~ of amblent paxEImeter~ to ~ re~i~tf3red
~n a ~a.ta 8tor~3 13, Re~erence ~n thi8 cor-nectlon m~y b~ m~de, fox
exampls, to Ge~man ~atent ~o . lS 9~ 5 20. The instrument 10 ha~ lnpult~
re~pect~vely c:~nne$:ted to ~ pl~lral~ty s) s~n~or~ l~g,, SensorE~ 1 and
2 mea~-lre ~e concentration ~f m~thane ln the atm~sphere on two
different ~:cale ;or 1 givlng r~ad~ngs o~ o to 5% ~hil~ ;or
2 maai;ure~ between O an~ 100~ Senso,r 3 :3upæl 1e~ ercent~e of
J o~ygen, ~ or 4 det~rmine~s the t:oncentration of carbon monoxide ln
terms of volume per mlll~on, ~3en~30r 5 ~asur~3 d~ree~ C, ~en~or 6
, ,
rea~6 ~tmospheric pre~;~;ure in mi~ nsor 7 give~ the p~rcenta~e
of r~latl~ hum~dity and ~;en60r 8 detec'cs alrf low ~n meters ~er ~econd.
Sensor ~ may mea~ur~ some other par~uneter re~utre~l for a particular
~eld of u~eO Time and place inforrr.ation are ~Eed into the in~trument,
ln a manrler de~;crlbe~l her~lna~ter, as re~;pectlvely indlcat~a at 11
and 12.
Instrument 10 a~d data store 13 form p~rt o~ a device 100
two ~;uch de~ce~ 100', 100" with out~ut~ 14' and 14" are shown
connec~ed ~n ~IG. 2 to an irl~erface 15 fee~n~ a c:~ntral proc~in~
unit 16 coupl~d to an external computer 17. Several ~eripheral ~nlt~
c~nnected to outputE~ o:f~ CP~J 16 ~nclu~e a ~?rinter ~. a recorder 19
and a u8er ters~inal 20. The data ~;tores 13 (F~G. 1 ) oP dev~s:es 100 '
and 100" and o~er~ conrlec:table to interface 15 should, o~ cour~e,
b~ ~ult~bly pro~rammablç~ aæ i~ well ~nown in t~e mtcroproce~or art.
s~
E~ch ou~>ut 14 ~ " m~Ly compri~e, for example, a panel on on~ of
~3 mirlor slde~ of the rec~ansrular ba~e with a nulaber of socket~
lnto wh~ corx2E~pondlng C~nnector~ o~ ~nter~aC~ ~5 14ay be plu~ged.
F~G. 3 ~howe details og a ~en~rlc device ~ 03 whoE;e ba~e~
r~pre~ented ln ~hantom line~3, carry thf~ aforeml3n~i~ned data ~;tor~
13 along wit~ other comE~nent2~ wh~ch fonn par~ o~ the me~surin~
lnstrument lC of FIG. 1. 5ql~e compon~t~ lnclude a power 60urc~ 21,
~own sch~a~ically as a battQry, supplyirlg ~e data stOrQ 13 and tht3
r~ o~ the dQvis:~ wl~h op~atlng t:urr~nt. A qas analy~Qr 22, r~
presentative o~ th-3 v ~louEs E;Ç~n~0ro discu~e~ with s~f~ce ~o F:IG.
1, work~ via an ad~u~tex 25 ~ nto a thre6hold circuit 26 whic:h sner~eE
d~ alarm 30 wher~ out~put ~ nal o~ ~nalyzer ~2~ a~ modlfl~d by that
adjus~ ~e~d6 a pr~dete~in~d f~a~ level. ~e ad~u~ter may be
subdivided into a plurality of units a~signed to di:i~ferent paramet~
for individually {aodify~ng them; some, of course, could ~ t un-
modified. !r}~e ~lgnal levels of analyzor 22, Rdjuster 25 and thresh~ld
c~irGu~t 26 ~ay b~ manually aldju~;ted, po}~ ly w~th the aid of a com~on
~lpulator aE; ~chem~t~cally lnd$cated at 32, ln conform~ty w~th
dlfferent operat~ng s:ond~t~on~. ~ k~y~oaxd ~3 wlth 1cey~ 24 ~erves ror
the actlvation of a d~play unlt 27 which lncludel3 a ~ ltal ln~licator
Z8 and a param~t~r ~el~ctor 29 ~n addltion to the alarm lamp 30. Analo~
~l~nal~ Xrom analyzer 22, an~ from othes sen~or~; (not ~hown ~ il. 3)
inclu~led ~ mea~urin~ instrument~ ~r~ lti~ed wlthin ad~uF~ter 25.
Al~o s~30w~ i~ a clock 31 doliv~ring time information to data ~Etore 13.
~ce~board. 23 1F shown to h~v~ tw~31Ye ~csy8 24 wl~ fur~ctlo
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indicated in Figure 4, ten of them bearina the digits from 0 through
9 along with other legends~ A function key at lower left and a
numbers key at lower right enable a shift between the two markings,
the function key F enabling a selection of a particular parameter
to be read out from gas analyzer 22 or from one of the other sensors
for display on indicator 280 The selec~ed parameter (e.g. Rc)
appears in the field 29 of display 27. The symbol under digit "0"
calls for a repeat of the measurement, that under digit "1" commands
a recording in data store 13, and the legends under the remaining
digits correspond to some of those indicated in Figure 1.
When the numbers key # is depressed, the operator can
dial a numerical code that identifies the location at which the
measurement is being taken. The digital code is transmitted to the
data store 13 via a line 33 (see Figure 3) while other lines 34 and
35 respectively carry the identity of the activated sensor and the
digitized output signal thereof as modified by adjuster 25. Data
store 13 is advantageously provided with circuitry enabling the
reception of information over lines 34 and 35 only after the arrival
of a location code fed in via line 33; the time of the event avail-
able from clock 31 is also recorded. Thus, each data set registeredon a tape or other recording medium is accompanied by the necessary
time and location identification.
As noted earlier, gas analyzer 22 and other sensors
(e.g~ a temperature feeler) may also access the threshold circuit
26 independently of keyboard 23 to cause the emission of an alarm
upon detection of a critical situation. Adjuster 25 may also be
settable,
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. ~. vla 1~ e 32, to pas~ the s~sed dat~ witl~out mod~c~tlon
to indicator 2~, thr~6hold clrcu~ k 26 and data ~tore 13.
~ow~r ~;upp~y 21, whis:h prefe~ably i~ a re~ar~a}31e bnttery~
m~y se~ve a~i ~; principal e:urr~nt 60urce b~t could ~c~ bQ ulsed a~6 a
~y wh~ t~he net~or~ c~nn~ct~le ~o a utility s~utl~:t.
~dju~ter Z3, which m~ b~ a pro~ra~Nnable microprocessor,
cou~d Qperate a~ 2~ inte~rator avera~ a ~;ucce~iorl ~ value~, a
r,od~fiQr ta~ other ~arametexB ~ntC~ 8CCoun~ (e.5~. relative hur~ y
ca~e oi~ mpera~uxe m~a~ m~ts), or a cc~nvert~r of al~olute
values to a lo~ar~hmic ~ical~, for exa~pl~. A ~arSicular lnE~tanl:e
repre~en~ed in FIG. 5 invol~e3 correctlon~; of f;ensitivity wl~:h rl~
conc~ntratlon of a sla&eous co~ponent belns~ Ea~pled, with multipl~ca-
tion of a ~ea~ured value IW ~ay a corrective fac~or ~ = S~ J wh~re
S~ is a Letpoin~ value to be read on ~he ~ndicator 2E3. ~I~. 6 ~hows
the lineari~ation ~f an approxlmate: cur-re ~ynthe~i~ed fro~ a nu~er
of s~p~rately r~ 13tered 6ample~.
~ proce&~3or 15, 16 ~llus~rated in ~IG. 2 co~ld a~o be
uf~od for repro~rar..mi~ tha adju~st~rs 25 of t~e devic~s ? 00 ', lOû"
connec:ted ther E3to.
