A pumpjack monitor includes a processor and memory, a communicator for communicating with other monitors and a server, a sensor module having at least one strain gauge, and accelerometers for determining vibration and position of the monitor. Other sensors may be internal, including sensors for polished-rod rotation, and linked to the monitoring device wirelessly. Some embodiments serve as network hubs or bridges for other monitors. The server is configured to generate surface cards. A method for monitoring of pumpjacks uses the monitor to sense changes in pumpjack parameters, and communicate the changes to a server when changes exceed configurable thresholds. Some embodiments include determining location with GPS and/or relaying signals from other monitoring devices, smart power management, gas sensing, and relaying of signals from external wireless-equipped sensors such as valve position sensors, oil level sensors, and pressure sensors.
E21B 47/009 - Monitoring of walking-beam pump systems
E21B 43/12 - Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
F04B 51/00 - Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
F04B 47/02 - Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level
G01L 5/00 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
G01C 9/06 - Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
G01B 7/16 - Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. by resistance strain gauge
H04Q 9/00 - Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
G01C 9/08 - Means for compensating acceleration forces due to movement of instrument
2.
Virtual inertia enhancements in bicycle trainer resistance unit
A method and apparatus for detecting and varying indoor bicycle trainer pedaling resistance in varying manner to replicate the effects of increased system inertia. The method uses a high-resolution position detection method to correlate crank acceleration and deceleration to resistance level. The effects of inertia are replicated by limiting acceleration of the crank by application of increased resistance unit resistance and deceleration via reduction of the resistance applied to pedaling. Thus, the decreased magnitude of acceleration events imitates the effects an increased system mass (inertia) perceived by the rider, enhancing “road feel”, which is synonymous with the feeling of accelerating one's own inertia while cycling outdoors. This is accomplished through sensors used to detect or determine crank position with a high resolution, a method of providing and varying resistance, such as an eddy current resistance device using either electromagnets or permanent magnets and a microcontroller to calculate the required magnetic field strength and adjust the field strength or magnet position in the resistance unit to facilitate the change required as determined by the outlined algorithm.
A63B 21/00 - Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices
A63B 21/005 - Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices using electromagnetic or electric force-resisters
A63B 23/04 - Exercising apparatus specially adapted for particular parts of the body for limbs, i.e. upper or lower limbs, e.g. simultaneously for lower limbs
3.
Adhesive strain sensing pods with improved protection
An adhesive strain sensing pod includes at least one strain sensor, electronics for electrically sensing at least one strain signal from the at least one strain sensor, and a sensor adhesive for adhering the strain sensor to a surface of a structural element. The pod may have a protective case for protecting the strain sensor and the electronics and for transferring at least part of a force, pressing the pod against the surface, to press the strain sensor against the surface. The sensor adhesive may be a liquid adhesive contained in a fragile pouch that ruptures when the pod is forced against the surface, or may be a thermally activated adhesive film that is activated to bond the strain sensor to the surface. A protective film may protect the sensor adhesive prior to installation of the pod and is removed prior to installation of the pod on the surface.
G01L 1/22 - Measuring force or stress, in general by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress using resistance strain gauges
G01L 1/16 - Measuring force or stress, in general using properties of piezoelectric devices
G01L 1/24 - Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations of optical properties of material when it is stressed, e.g. by photoelastic stress analysis
H05B 3/46 - Heating elements having the shape of rods or tubes non-flexible heating conductor mounted on insulating base
G01L 1/26 - Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload
4.
Systems and methods for time based remote control of product functionality
Systems and methods provide remote control of product functionality and software kits allow firmware development of remote control of product functionality. The remote control may be time-based where the product functionality is based upon the expiration date and a current time. The remote control may be location-based where the product functionality is based upon the geographical location of the product. The remote control of the product functionality may be based upon proximity of the product to an authentication device.
A solar wireless collector beacon (data hub) and associated method stores source data, received wirelessly from a data source, in a data buffer of the data hub. Sensor data is read from one or more onboard sensors of the data hub and stored as structural and/or environmental data in the data buffer. The environmental data is processed to determine an operating status of a vehicle being used with the data hub and an energy harvester of the vehicle is controlled to harvest energy from the vehicle based on the operating status. One or more of the operating status, the source data, and the environmental data is wirelessly transmitted from the data hub to an external device.
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
H04W 4/021 - Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
H04W 40/24 - Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
G06F 16/909 - Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
B62J 50/22 - Information-providing devices intended to provide information to rider or passenger electronic, e.g. displays
B62J 43/30 - Arrangements of batteries for providing power to equipment other than for propulsion
A crank measurement system includes four bend-sensing strain gauges located on one surface of a crank and oriented parallel to a neutral axis of the crank to sense bend strain induced in the crank. Two of the bend-sensing strain gauges are located above the neutral axis, and the other two bend-sensing strain gauges are located below the neutral axis. The system also includes two shear-sensing strain gauges located on the one surface and oriented to sense shear strain induced in the crank. The shear-sensing strain gauges are located on opposite sides of the neutral axis. The system may also include up to four axial-sensing strain gauges located on the one surface and oriented to sense axial strain induced in the crank. An electronics module receives strain data from the strain gauges, and determines from the strain data one or more of force, torque, and power applied to the crank.
G01L 1/22 - Measuring force or stress, in general by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress using resistance strain gauges
A61B 5/22 - Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow
G01L 3/24 - Devices for determining the value of power, e.g. by measuring and simultaneously multiplying the values of torque and revolutions per unit of time, by multiplying the values of tractive or propulsive force and velocity
A61B 5/00 - Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons
G01L 5/22 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring the force applied to control members, e.g. control members of vehicles, triggers
B62J 6/06 - Arrangement of lighting dynamos or drives therefor
B62M 3/00 - Construction of cranks operated by hand or foot
An adhesively coupled power-meter measures one or more of force, torque, power, and velocity of a mechanical arm. The power meter includes a plate with a first surface prepared for adhesively coupling to the mechanical arm. At least one strain gauge is physically coupled with a second surface, opposite the first, of the plate and with an orientation corresponding to an orientation of the adhesively coupled power meter such that mechanical forces are transferred from mechanical arm to the at least one strain gauge when the plate is adhesively coupled to the mechanical arm. The power meter also includes electronics for receiving a signal from the at least one strain gauge and for determining one or more of force, torque, power and velocity from the signal, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting one or more of force, torque, power and velocity to a receiving device.
G01L 5/00 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
G01B 21/32 - Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant for measuring the deformation in a solid
A61B 5/22 - Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow
B62M 6/50 - Control or actuating devices therefor characterised by detectors or sensors, or arrangement thereof
A61B 5/00 - Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons
G01L 5/16 - Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes for measuring several components of force
B62M 3/00 - Construction of cranks operated by hand or foot
An adhesively coupled power-meter measures one or more of force, torque, power, and velocity of a mechanical arm. The power meter includes a plate with a first surface prepared for adhesively coupling to the mechanical arm. At least one strain gauge is physically coupled with a second surface, opposite the first, of the plate and with an orientation corresponding to an orientation of the adhesively coupled power meter such that mechanical forces are transferred from mechanical arm to the at least one strain gauge when the plate is adhesively coupled to the mechanical arm. The power meter also includes electronics for receiving a signal from the at least one strain gauge and for determining one or more of force, torque, power and velocity from the signal, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting one or more of force, torque, power and velocity to a receiving device.
G01B 21/32 - Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant for measuring the deformation in a solid
A system and method implement biometric sensing with sensor fusion. A first sensor is coupled with a user and is capable of sensing a first characteristic of the user. A second sensor is coupled with the user and is capable of sensing a second characteristic of the user. A memory stores software with machine readable instructions that when executed by a processor implement an algorithm to correct for motion artifacts included within the second characteristic based upon activity of the user determined from the first characteristic.
A61B 5/053 - Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
A61B 5/11 - Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb
A61B 5/0205 - Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
A61B 5/08 - Measuring devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
A61B 5/145 - Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH-value
A61B 5/1455 - Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH-value using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
A wireless sensor pod and associated method use a trigger event to pair with a master device. The wireless sensor pod includes an inertial sensor for detecting physical movement of the wireless sensor pod, a wireless transceiver, a processor communicatively coupled to the inertial sensor and the wireless transceiver, and a memory communicatively coupled with the processor and storing machine readable instructions. When the machine readable instructions are executed by the processor, they are capable of: detecting, using the inertial sensor, a first trigger event caused by the physical movement, and when the first trigger event is detected, transmitting, using the wireless transceiver, a communication to pair the wireless sensor pod with a master device.
H04W 4/80 - Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
H04W 4/00 - Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
11.
Peripheral vision head-mounted display for imparting information to a user without distraction and associated methods
A head-mounted peripheral vision display and associated methods display information to a user without distraction. A plurality of light display elements are positioned within an area of peripheral vision of at least one eye of the user such that the information is imparted to the user without a need for repositioning or refocusing of the eye. The information may be determined from data received from one or more sensors and an illumination pattern is determined based upon the performance information. The light display elements are controlled to display the illumination pattern to the user.
patents
