Abstract: An electronic inspection apparatus includes a probe, a sensor, a memory unit, and a controller. The apparatus senses a condition, and stores data representative of the sensed condition at a high bit rate. The inspection apparatus transfers the sensed data to a computing device or database via a lower bit rate. In one embodiment, a data queue or memory unit of a temperature probe temporarily stores data before transmitting the data to a computing device (e.g., a mobile device). The method of the present invention provides two separate data logging parameters: (1) how fast to read and log data which determines a data logging period and (2) how fast to send the data to the mobile device which determines a data transmit period. Thus, the data transfer period is isolated or decoupled from the data logging period.

Abstract: An automatic inspection system includes intelligent sensor monitors. A sensor monitor receives input from at least one sensor. The sensor monitor conserves power and communications link bandwidth by transmitting data to an aggregator or server only when relevant to rules of the inspection system or when prompted by the inspection system for data. The sensor monitor also provides an alarm when the sensed data indicates an alarm condition, and the alarm provided is indicative of the alarm condition.