Apparatus and method for reading gauges and other visual indicators in a process control system or other data collection system

摘要

A portable apparatus includes a camera configured to capture images of multiple visual indicators. Each visual indicator, such as a gauge or meter, includes a display configured to present a reading. The portable apparatus also includes a recording device configured to store and/or transmit information associated with the captured images of the visual indicators. The camera and/or the recording device could be configured to identify, using the images, the readings presented on the displays of the visual indicators, and the information associated with the captured images could include the readings. Also, the camera could be configured to be mounted on each visual indicator in order to capture one or more images of the visual indicator's display and to be removed from the visual indicator after the one or more images are captured.

主权项

1. A portable apparatus comprising:
an attachment interface configured to removably mount the apparatus to multiple visual indicators including a plurality of different gauges of different sizes or different structures; a camera configured to capture images of the multiple visual indicators, each visual indicator having an associated unique identifier and comprising a display configured to present a gauge reading; and a recording device configured to:
perform optical character recognition on the captured images received from the camera to identify at least part of the gauge readings presented on the displays of the visual indicators;identify timestamps of the captured images received from the camera;identify the unique identifiers for the visual indicators using an identification reader separate from the camera;associate each of the identified gauge readings and the identified timestamps with one of the visual indicators based on the identification of the unique identifiers; andat least one of store and transmit information including the identified gauge readings, the identified timestamps, and the identified unique identifiers of the visual indicators.