# US 10,502,634 B2 · Temperature measuring head unit for a hot stick > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,634 B2 - Document ID: US10502634B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/584,511 - Filed: 2017-05-02 - Published: 2017-11-02 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-02 - Assignees: Hastings Fiber Glass Products, Inc. - Applicants: Kevin Lynn Baum; Lewis Allender Shaw - Inventors: Kevin Lynn Baum; Lewis Allender Shaw - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502634B2 ## CPC - G01K 1/024: for remote indication - G01D 11/30: Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments - G01J 5/025: {Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface} - G01J 5/0275: {Control or determination of height or distance or angle information for sensors or receivers} - G01J 5/028: {using a charging unit or battery} - G01J 5/047: {Mobile mounting; Scanning arrangements} - G01J 5/07: Arrangements for adjusting the solid angle of collected radiation, e.g. adjusting or orienting field of view, tracking position or encoding angular position (optical collimating elements G01J5/0806) - G01J 5/0859: {Sighting arrangements, e.g. cameras} - G01K 1/143: for measuring surface temperatures - H02G 1/02: for overhead lines or cables - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES ## Abstract A temperature sensing system including a head unit comprising a thermal sensor for acquiring thermal data from a surface, a wireless transmitter wirelessly transmitting the thermal data, and a mounting interface; and a non-conductive pole connected to the mounting interface of the head unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A head unit comprising: a directional non-contact thermal sensor for acquiring thermal data from a surface within a field-of-view (FOV) of the non-contact thermal sensor; a direction pointing protrusion providing a visual aid for orienting the FOV towards a surface of interest; a wireless transmitter wirelessly transmitting the thermal data; and a mounting interface for mounting the head unit to another object; wherein the mounting interface comprises a universal hot-stick mount for attaching the head unit to a hot-stick. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The head unit of claim 1, further comprising battery monitoring circuitry for providing a battery level of the head unit, and wherein the wireless transmitter further transmits a value of the battery level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The head unit of claim 1, wherein the direction pointing protrusion protrudes beyond an orientation plane of the non-contact thermal sensor by at least 2 inches. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The head unit of claim 1, wherein a tip of the direction pointing protrusion is located near an edge of the FOV of the non-contact thermal sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The head unit of claim 1, wherein the directional non-contact thermal sensor has an approximately circular sensing FOV with a diameter that increases with distance from the sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The head unit of claim 1, further comprising a momentary-contact power switch with an embedded device status visual indicator for indicating an operational status of the head unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The head unit of claim 1, further comprising automatic function disabling circuitry for disabling one or more components of the head unit when a battery level of the head unit is below a threshold value. ### Claim 8 A head unit comprising: a directional non-contact thermal sensor for acquiring thermal data from a surface within a field-of-view (FOV) of the non-contact thermal sensor; a direction pointing protrusion providing a visual aid for orienting the FOV towards a surface of interest; a wireless transmitter wirelessly transmitting the thermal data; and a mounting interface for mounting the head unit to another object; a shielded enclosure to provide at least partial shielding from electric-power-line-frequency electric fields; wherein the shielded enclosure comprises a conductive enclosure with an opening for at least one of: the directional non-contact thermal sensor; an antenna for the wireless transmitter, wherein the antenna is proximal to the opening; and a battery compartment. ### Claim 9 A temperature sensing system comprising: a head unit comprising a thermal sensor for acquiring thermal data from a surface, a wireless transmitter wirelessly transmitting the thermal data, and a mounting interface; wherein the head unit includes a sliding cover covering a contact sensor, the sliding cover being configured to slide between a cover position wherein the contact sensor is covered and a measurement position wherein the contact sensor is exposed to the surface for measuring a temperature of the surface, engagement with the surface causing the sliding cover to move from the cover position to the measurement position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The temperature sensing system of claim 9, further comprising: a non-conductive pole connected to the mounting interface of the head unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The temperature sensing system of claim 9, wherein the thermal sensor comprises a directional non-contact thermal sensor for acquiring the thermal data from a surface within a field-of-view (FOV) of the non-contact thermal sensor; and the head unit further includes a direction pointing protrusion providing a visual aid for orienting the FOV towards a surface of interest. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The temperature sensing system of claim 9, wherein the thermal sensor comprises a contact sensor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The temperature sensing system of claim 9, wherein the non-conductive pole is telescopically extendible. ### Claim 14 A system comprising: a head unit comprising a thermal sensor and a wireless transmitter, said head unit acquiring thermal data with the thermal sensor and wirelessly transmitting the thermal data; wherein the head unit includes a sliding cover covering a contact sensor, the sliding cover being configured to slide between a cover position wherein the contact sensor is covered and a measurement position wherein the contact sensor is exposed to a surface for measuring a temperature of the surface, engagement with the surface causing the sliding cover to move from the cover position to the measurement position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising: a remote unit comprising a wireless receiver receiving the thermal data wirelessly transmitted from the head unit and a display, said remote unit displaying information related to the received thermal data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the thermal sensor comprises a directional non-contact thermal sensor for acquiring the thermal data from a surface within a field-of-view (FOV) of the non-contact thermal sensor; and the head unit further includes a direction pointing protrusion providing a visual aid for orienting the FOV towards a surface of interest. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the thermal sensor comprises a contact sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the head unit further comprises a momentary-contact power switch with an embedded device status visual indicator for indicating an operational status of the head unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the display of the remote unit further displays a battery level for the head unit based on a battery level value transmitted from the head unit to the remote unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the display of the remote unit further displays a received signal quality for a wireless signal received by the remote unit from the head unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the display of the remote unit further displays an error message if a received signal quality for a wireless signal received by the remote unit from the head unit is below a predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 22 A method, comprising: attaching a head unit comprising a non-contact thermal sensor and a wireless transmitter to a pole; pointing the head unit towards ah object; receiving thermal data transmitted wirelessly from the head unit to a remote unit, the remote unit being located near an operator, the remote unit having a wireless receiver for receiving the thermal data, the remote unit having a display; displaying the thermal data on the display of the remote unit for the operator; determining a battery level value for the remote unit; receiving a head unit battery level value wirelessly from the head unit; displaying battery level information for the head unit based on the head unit battery level value; displaying the battery level information for the remote unit based on a remote unit battery level value; and indicating an error condition if at least one of the head unit and remote unit battery level values is below a threshold value. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further including: obtaining battery level data for one or more batteries powering the head unit; and transmitting the battery level data with the wireless transmitter. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the obtaining and transmitting are automatically repeated periodically over time. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising: determining an operational state of the head unit; and displaying the determined operational state with a visual indicator on the head unit. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the operational state is at least one of: powered on but not paired with a receiver, powered on and paired with a receiver, transitioning to a powered off state, and powered off. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, further comprising automatically disabling one or more components of the head unit when a battery level of the head unit is below a threshold value. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein a step of indicating the error condition comprises at least one of: ceasing display of the thermal information; displaying a warning message; and ceasing display of any information. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying a warning message when a wireless connection between the head unit and the remote unit is lost. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying received signal quality information for wireless signals received from the head unit. ### Claim 31 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying an error message if a received signal quality for a wireless signal received by the remote unit is below a predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 32 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the method is automatically repeated periodically over time.