Remote data acquisition and processing system

A data acquisition and processing system comprising at least one optical imaging device for generating computer-readable image data of a visual representation generated by a metering device of data related to at least one phenomenon being monitored by said metering device, and a host computer processor remotely located from said optical imaging and metering devices, said host processor being for generating the data related to said phenomenon from said image data and also for storing said image data, the system further comprising,

• at least one controller for generating control signals for controlling generation of said image data by said at least one optical imaging device and for gathering said image data generated by said imaging device for transmission to said host processor,
• a wireless communications link between said at least one controller and said imaging device for permitting transmission of said control signals from said at least one controller to said optical imaging device and transmission of said image data to said at least one controller, and wherein said at least one controller is also for transmitting image data received from said optical imaging device to said host processor,
• said wireless communications link comprising one radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one controller and another radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one imaging device,
• each of said transmission/reception devices comprising a phase-locked loop for generating output signals for being mixed with received radio signals for facilitating generation of incoming data signals and also for being mixed with outgoing data signals for facilitating generation of radio signals to be transmitted, said phase-locked loop having a voltage controlled oscillator for generating said output signals and a phase detector for generating feedback control signals for controlling frequency of the output signals generated by said oscillator, said phase detector including an electronically programmable frequency synthesizer for generating said feedback control signals based upon reference clock signals, said output signals, and digital control signals supplied to said synthesizer.

A data acquisition and processing system comprising at least one optical imaging device for generating computer-readable image data of a visual representation generated by a metering device of data related to at least one phenomenon being monitored by said metering device, and a host computer processor remotely located from said optical imaging and metering devices, said host processor being for generating the data related to said phenomenon from said image data and also for storing said image data, the system further comprising,

• at least one controller for generating control signals for controlling generation of said image data by said at least one optical imaging device and for gathering said image data generated by said imaging device for transmission to said host processor,
• a wireless communications link between said at least one controller and said imaging device for permitting transmission of said control signals from said at least one controller to said optical imaging device and transmission of said image data to said at least one controller, and wherein said at least one controller is also for transmitting image data received from said optical imaging device to said host processor,
• said wireless communications link comprising one radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one controller and another radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one imaging device,
• each of said transmission/reception devices comprising a phase-locked loop for generating output signals for being mixed with received radio signals for facilitating generation of incoming data signals and also for being mixed with outgoing data signals for facilitating generation of radio signals to be transmitted, said phase-locked loop having a voltage controlled oscillator for generating said output signals and a phase detector for generating feedback control signals for controlling frequency of the output signals generated by said oscillator, said phase detector including an electronically programmable frequency synthesizer for generating said feedback control signals based upon reference clock signals, said output signals, and digital control signals signals supplied to said synthesizer, and
• each of said at least one imaging device including a microprocessor for generating said digital control signals whereby to permit said microprocessor to control generation of said feedback control signals by said synthesizer.

A data acquisition and processing system comprising at least one optical imaging device for generating computer-readable image data of a visual representation generated by a metering device of data related to at least one phenomenon being monitored by said metering device, and a host computer processor remotely located from said optical imaging and metering devices, said host processor being for generating the data related to said phenomenon from said image data and also for storing said image data, the system further comprising,

• at least one controller for generating control signals for controlling generation of said image data by said at least one optical imaging device and for gathering said image data generated by said imaging device for transmission to said host processor,
• a wireless communications link between said at least one controller and said imaging device for permitting transmission of said control signals from said at least one controller to said optical imaging device and transmission of said image data to said at least one controller, and wherein said at least one controller is also for transmitting image data received from said optical imaging device to said host processor,
• said wireless communications link comprising one radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one controller and another radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one imaging device,
• each of said transmission/reception devices comprising a phase-locked loop for generating output signals for being mixed with received radio signals for facilitating generation of incoming data signals and also for being mixed with outgoing data signals for facilitating generation of radio signals to be transmitted, said phase-locked loop having a voltage controlled oscillator for generating said output signals and a phase detector for generating feedback control signals for controlling frequency of the output signals generated by said oscillator, said phase detector including an electronically programmable frequency synthesizer for generating said feedback control signals based upon reference clock signals, said output signals, and digital control signals supplied to said synthesizer,
• each of said at least one imaging device including a microprocessor for generating said digital control signals whereby to permit said microprocessor to control generation of said feedback control signals by said synthesizer, and
• each of said at least one imaging device including a temperature sensor, and said microprocessor being adapted to control the generation of said feedback control signals by said synthesizer based at least partially upon temperature sensed by said sensor.

A data acquisition and processing system comprising at least one optical imaging device for generating computer-readable image data of a visual representation generated by a metering device of data related to at least one phenomenon being monitored by said metering device, and a host computer processor remotely located from said optical imaging and metering devices, said host processor being for generating the data related to said phenomenon from said image data and also for storing said image data, the system further comprising,

• at least one controller for generating control signals for controlling generation of said image data by said at least one optical imaging device and for gathering said image data generated by said imaging device for transmission to said host processor,
• a wireless communications link between said at least one controller and said imaging device for permitting transmission of said control signals from said at least one controller to said optical imaging device and transmission of said image data to said at least one controller, and wherein said at least one controller is also for transmitting image data received from said optical imaging device to said host processor,
• said wireless communications link comprising one radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one controller and another radio transmission/reception device included in said at least one imaging device,
• each of said transmission/reception devices comprising a phase-locked loop for generating output signals for being mixed with received radio signals for facilitating generation of incoming data signals and also for being mixed with outgoing data signals for facilitating generation of radio signals to be transmitted, said phase-locked loop having a voltage controlled oscillator for generating said output signals and a phase detector for generating feedback control signals for controlling frequency of the output signals generated by said oscillator, said phase detector including an electronically programmable frequency synthesizer for generating said feedback control signals based upon reference clock signals, said output signals, and digital control signals supplied to said synthesizer,
• each of said at least one imaging device including a microprocessor for generating said digital control signals whereby to permit said microprocessor to control generation of said feedback control signals by said synthesizer,
• each of said at least one imaging device including a temperature sensor, and said microprocessor being adapted to control the generation of said feedback control signals by said synthesizer based at least partially upon temperature sensed by said sensor, and
• said microprocessor being adapted to determine age of said transmission/reception device whose synthesizer is controlled by said microprocessor and to control the generation of said feedback control signals based at least partially upon said age.