Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Mechanical measurement system
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-15
2003-05-20
Shah, Kamini (Department: 2863)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Mechanical measurement system
C368S011000, C340S970000, C701S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06567756
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable pressure measuring apparatus for detecting a designated altitude by sensing an outside pressure, and more particularly to a portable pressure measuring apparatus for detecting a designated altitude by using pressure data so that a high time resolution is obtained.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a conventional portable pressure measuring apparatus, there is known a wristwatch with an altitude measurement function.
FIG. 5
is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a conventional wristwatch with an altitude measurement function. The conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function includes a pressure sensor
501
for sensing an outside pressure, that is, an atmospheric pressure, an A/D conversion portion
502
for generating digital pressure data by performing A/D (analog/digital) conversion of sensor output (sensing result) of the pressure sensor
501
, a calculation portion
503
for calculating altitude data corresponding to the pressure data generated in the A/D conversion portion
502
, a measurement control portion
504
for controlling the pressure sensor
501
and the A/D conversion portion
502
, a control portion
505
for controlling the whole of the wristwatch with the altitude measurement function, a switch input portion
506
by which a user makes input, a display portion
507
for making display, and a storage portion
508
for storing data.
The storage portion
508
stores altitude data of a designated altitude as a threshold, and the control portion
505
compares the altitude data calculated by the calculation portion
503
with the altitude data stored in the storage portion
508
to detect the designated altitude. In the case where the designated altitude is detected, the control portion
505
gives an alarm.
In the above structure, the operation of the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function will be described with reference to
FIGS. 6
,
7
and
8
.
FIG. 6
is a flowchart showing the flow of normal altitude measurement processing in the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function. In the normal altitude measurement processing of the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function, first, the control portion
505
drives the pressure sensor
501
through the measurement control portion
504
to sense the outside pressure (step S
601
). Subsequently, the A/D conversion portion
502
makes A/D conversion of sensor output of the pressure sensor
501
to generate pressure data (step S
602
). Next, the calculation portion
503
inputs the pressure data from the A/D conversion portion
502
and calculates altitude data corresponding to the input pressure data (step S
603
). The control portion
505
inputs the altitude data from the calculation portion
503
and causes the display portion
507
to display the altitude (step S
604
). Here, a pressure value may be displayed, or the pressure data or the altitude data calculated in the calculation portion
503
may be stored in the storage portion
508
.
Next, the process for setting of a threshold altitude will be described. In the case where there occurs an input for setting a measurement value of an altitude as a threshold, or there occurs an input for setting a threshold by a user's direct designation of an altitude, the setting processing of the threshold is started.
FIG. 7
is a flowchart showing the flow of the process for setting of a threshold altitude in the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function. In the setting processing of the threshold in the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function, first, the control portion
505
judges whether there occurred an input for setting a measurement value of an altitude as a threshold through the switch input portion
506
(step S
701
).
In the case where the input for setting the measurement value of the altitude as the threshold was made, the control portion
505
drives the pressure sensor
501
to sense an outside pressure (step S
702
), the A/D conversion portion
502
makes A/D conversion of sensor output of the pressure sensor
501
to generate pressure data (step S
703
), and the calculation portion
503
calculates altitude data from the pressure data generated in the A/D conversion portion
502
(step S
704
). On the other hand, in the case where it is judged, at step S
701
, that the input for setting the measurement value of the altitude as the threshold was not made, altitude data is input through the switch input portion
506
(step S
706
). The control portion
505
causes the storage portion
508
to store the altitude data calculated in the calculation portion
503
or the altitude data input through the switch input portion
506
as the threshold (step S
705
).
Next, detection processing of an altitude will be described. In the case where there occurs an input of instructions to start detection processing through the switch input portion
506
, the detection processing of the altitude is started.
FIG. 8
is a flowchart showing the flow of the detection processing of the altitude in the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function. In the detection processing of the altitude in the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function, first, the control portion
505
drives the pressure sensor
501
to sense the outside pressure (step S
801
), the A/D conversion portion
502
makes A/D conversion of sensor output of the pressure sensor
501
to generate pressure data (step S
802
), and the calculation portion
503
calculates altitude data from the pressure data generated in the A/D conversion portion
502
(step S
803
). The control portion
505
inputs the altitude data calculated in the calculation means
503
, and displays the altitude through the display portion
507
(step S
804
).
Next, the control portion
505
compares the altitude data calculated in the calculation portion
503
with the altitude data stored in the storage portion
508
, and judges whether the calculated altitude data exceeds the stored altitude data, that is, whether the difference between the calculated altitude data and the stored altitude data is changed from a positive to a negative or from a negative to a positive (S
805
). In the case where the altitude data calculated in the calculation portion
503
does not exceed the altitude data stored in the storage portion
508
, the processing returns to step S
801
. In the case where the altitude data calculated in the calculation portion
503
exceeds the altitude data stored in the storage portion
508
, it is judged that the designated altitude is detected and the processing is ended.
Here, in a time required for the detection processing of the altitude, the ratio of a calculation time for calculating the altitude data at step S
803
is large, and a time resolution of the altitude detection, that is, a measurement period in which the steps from step S
801
to step S
805
are repeated mainly depends on the calculation time of step S
803
. Thus, calculation processing capacity to a certain extent is required. If a clock frequency of the conventional wristwatch with the altitude measurement function is a clock frequency (several tens of kHz to several MHz) of a general portable apparatus, the time resolution of the altitude detection become s about several hundred ms.
As described above, according to the conventional portable pressure measuring apparatus, the designated altitude is detected by comparing the previously stored altitude data of the designated altitude with the altitude data calculated from the pressure data corresponding to the outside pressure.
However, according to the foregoing conventional technique, since the calculation time for determining altitude is long and the time resolution of the altitude detection is coarse, in the case where it is used in an application in which the altitude changes at a high speed, for example, gliding on skis, skydiving,
Adams & Wilks
Seiko Instruments Inc.
Shah Kamini
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