SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING AND RECORDING DISTANCE

1 . A system for measuring a distance, the system comprising:

a hand-held measurement device including

a cable-extension transducer operable to generate an electronic signal corresponding to the distance, and

a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit the electronic signal; and a receiver operable to receive the wireless transmission of the electronic signal and

to provide the electronic signal to a computing device.

2 . A system for measuring a distance, the system comprising:

a hand-held measurement device including

a cable-extension transducer operable to generate an electronic signal corresponding to the distance,

a microprocessor operable to determine the distance based upon the electronic signal,

a display device operable to display the distance in a particular unit of measurement,

a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit the distance, and

a control mechanism operable to control transmission of the distance by the transceiver and to allow for selecting the particular unit of measurement; and

a data collection device operable to receive the wireless transmission of the distance and to provide the distance to a computing device.

3 . The system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the cable-extension transducer includes

a cable;

a spool, about which the cable is wound in one or more layers and from which the cable can be extended and retracted over the distance;

a wheel, around which the cable is at least partly directed such that the wheel turns as the cable is extended or retracted over the distance; and

a rotational sensor operable to detect rotation of the wheel as the cable is extended or retracted over the distance and to generate the electronic signal corresponding to the distance.

4 . The system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the electronic signal includes a series of spaced apart pulses, and wherein the number of pulses corresponds to the distance.

5 . The system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein there are a plurality of instances of the measurement device, with each measurement device having a unique identifier recognized by the data collection device.

6 . The system as set forth in claim 2 , the measurement device further including a memory for storing the distance, and the control mechanism being further operable to allow for selectively storing the distance in the memory.

7 . The system as set forth in claim 2 , further including the computing device operable to receive the distance from the data collection device, to compare the distance to an ideal distance, and to report any difference therebetween.

8 . A system for measuring a distance, the system comprising:

a plurality of hand-held measurement devices, with each measurement device having a unique identifier and including

a cable-extension transducer operable to generate an electronic signal including a series of spaced apart pulses, wherein the number of pulses corresponds to the distance,

a microprocessor operable to determine the distance based upon the electronic signal,

a display device operable to display the distance in a particular unit of measurement,

a transceiver operable to wirelessly transmit the distance and the unique identifier, and

a control mechanism operable to control transmission by the transceiver and to allow for selecting the particular unit of measurement;

a data collection device operable to receive the wireless transmission of the distance and the unique identifier; and

a computing device operable to receive the distance and the unique identifier from the data collection device, to compare the distance to an ideal distance, and to report any difference therebetween.

9 . The system as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the cable-extension transducer includes

a cable;

a spool, about which the cable is wound in one or more layers and from which the cable can be extended and retracted over the distance;

a wheel, around which the cable is at least partly directed such that the wheel turns as the cable is extended or retracted over the distance; and

a rotational sensor operable to detect rotation of the wheel as the cable is extended or retracted over the distance and to generate the electronic signal corresponding to the distance.

10 . The system as set forth in claim 8 , the measurement device further including a memory for storing the distance, and the control mechanism being further operable to allow for selectively storing the distance in the memory.

11 . A method of measuring a distance, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating an electronic signal in response to the extension or retraction of a cable over the distance, wherein the electronic signal corresponds to the distance;

(b) determining the distance based upon the electronic signal;

(c) allowing for selecting a particular unit of measurement;

(d) displaying the distance in the particular unit of measurement;

(e) transmitting the distance wirelessly to a data collection device; and

(f) communicating the distance from the data collection device to a computing device for analysis.

12 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the step (a) of generating the electronic signal is accomplished by a cable-extension transducer including

a cable;

a spool, about which the cable is wound in one or more layers and from which the cable can be extended and retracted over the distance;

a wheel, around which the cable is at least partly directed such that the wheel turns as the cable is extended or retracted over the distance; and

a rotational sensor operable to detect rotation of the wheel as the cable is extended or retracted over the distance and to generate the electronic signal corresponding to the distance.

13 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the step (a) of generating the electronic signal includes generating a series of spaced apart pulses, wherein the number of pulses corresponds to the distance.

14 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein there are a plurality of instances of a measurement device performing steps (a)-(e), and the method further including the step of assigning to each of the instances a unique identifier recognized by the data collection device.

15 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , further including the step of allowing for selectively storing the distance on the measurement device.

16 . The method as set forth in claim 11 , further including the steps of

receiving the distance from the data collection device;

comparing the distance to an ideal distance; and

reporting any difference therebetween.

17 . A method of measuring a distance, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of hand-held measurement devices, wherein each measurement device is independently operable to perform steps (c)-(g);

(b) assigning to each measurement device a unique identifier;

(c) generating an electronic signal in response to the extension or retraction of a cable over the distance, wherein the electronic signal includes a series of spaced apart pulses, and the number of pulses corresponds to the distance;

(d) determining the distance based upon the electronic signal;

(e) allowing for selecting a particular unit of measurement;

(f) displaying the distance in the particular unit of measurement;

(g) transmitting the distance and the unique identifier wirelessly to a data collection device;

(h) communicating the distance and the unique identifier from the data collection device to a computing device;

(i) comparing the distance to an ideal distance; and

(j) reporting any difference between the distance and the ideal distance.

18 . The method as set forth in claim 17 , further including the step of allowing for selectively storing the distance on the measurement device.