Sensor data correlation and analysis platform

Abstract

Systems and methods for aggregating multiple handheld instruments into a single platform facilitating the collection and transfer of measurement data to a centralized or distributed system. The platform comprises multiple sensor heads made up of the minimum hardware required for application specific sensing with a common interface which communicates with a common interface device that provides power for the sensor, passes data from the sensor modules and transmits it to a computational platform (mobile phone, tablet or computer), and a centrally accessible system to receive data transmitted from the computation platform and stores it.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A sensor data correlation and analysis apparatus, comprising:
 one or more sensor modules, wherein each sensor module collects one or more measurements associated with one or more of diagnosis, preventative maintenance, and repair of an item being monitored; and   a computational device comprising a communication interface for communicating with the one or more sensor modules and one or more remote server devices;   wherein the computational device receives data comprising the one or more measurements associated with one or more of diagnosis, preventative maintenance, and repair of the item being monitored,   wherein the computational device stores the measurements in a repair and maintenance profile associated with the item being monitored; and   wherein the computational device communicates the data via the communication interface to the one or more remote server devices.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a measurement is one or more of a digital image, a temperature measurement, a pressure measurement, a thermal image, network analyzer data, and spectrum analyzer data. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more server devices are configured to transmit a notification to the apparatus when the apparatus is within a close proximity to the item being monitored and having a designated work assignment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computational device comprises one or more on board sensors. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein an on board sensor comprises one or more of a GPS, accelerometer, magnetometer, compass, digital camera, or Wifi information. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computational device is configured to process the data using one or more of temporal filtering, low pass filters, high pass filters, spatial filtering, Kalman filtering, bad data interpretations, signal amplification, and digital gain correction. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more remote server devices are configured to process the data using one or more of temporal filtering, low pass filters, high pass filters, spatial filtering, Kalman filtering, bad data interpretations, signal amplification, and digital gain correction. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein both the computational device and the one or more remote server devices are configured to process the data using one or more of temporal filtering, low pass filters, high pass filters, spatial filtering, Kalman filtering, bad data interpretations, signal amplification, and digital gain correction. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 coupling a sensor of an apparatus to a computational unit of the apparatus, the computational unit configured to couple to individual ones of a plurality of sensor modules, wherein each sensor module collects a sensor reading in the form of one or more measurements associated with one or more of diagnosis, preventative maintenance, and repair of an item being monitored, the computational device comprising a communication interface for communicating with the plurality of sensor modules and one or more remote server devices;   transmitting one or more sensor readings from the sensor module to the computational unit,   wherein the sensor readings comprising measurements associated with one or more of diagnosis, preventative maintenance, and repair of the item being monitored are stored in a repair and maintenance profile associated with the item being monitored; and   wherein the computational device receives a notification from the one or more remote server devices when the computational device is within a close proximity to the item being monitored and having a designated work assignment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a measurement is one or more of a digital image, a temperature measurement, a pressure measurement, a thermal image, network analyzer data, and spectrum analyzer data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the computational device comprises one or more on board sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein an on board sensor comprises one or more of a GPS, accelerometer, magnetometer, compass, digital camera, or Wifi information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising
 processing the data, by the computational device, using one or more of temporal filtering, low pass filters, high pass filters, spatial filtering, Kalman filtering, bad data interpretations, signal amplification, and digital gain correction.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising
 processing the data, by the one or more remote server devices, using one or more of temporal filtering, low pass filters, high pass filters, spatial filtering, Kalman filtering, bad data interpretations, signal amplification, and digital gain correction.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising
 processing the data, by the computational device and the one or more remote server devices, using one or more of temporal filtering, low pass filters, high pass filters, spatial filtering, Kalman filtering, bad data interpretations, signal amplification, and digital gain correction.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising
 storing, by the computational device, the measurements in a repair and maintenance profile associated with the item being monitored.