Method for operating a measuring point

• US 20100063762A1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser Conducta Gesellschaft Fur Mess- Und Regeltechnik Mbh + Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser Conducta Gesellschaft Fur Mess- Und Regeltechnik Mbh + Co. Kg
• Inventors: Grosse-Uhlmann, Ronny, Trapp, Thilo, Pechstein, Torsten, Scholz, Katrin
• Granted Patent: US 9,164,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/85
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/4165 for pH meters

Abstract

A method for operating a measuring point for determining at least one measured variable of a medium, wherein the measuring point includes a base unit, which is connected releasably with a sensor unit, and which is provided for communication of a signal representing the value of the measured variable to a process monitoring facility. The following steps are included:

• • at least one-time registering and storing, in a first data storage unit of the base unit, of a value of a diagnostic parameter stored in the sensor unit or produced by the sensor unit; on the basis of the at least one value of the diagnostic parameter stored in the first data storage unit, conforming a prognosis value or prognosis interval stored in a second data storage unit of the base unit, and storing the conformed prognosis value or prognosis interval in the second data storage unit of the base unit in place of the previously stored prognosis value or prognosis interval.

Claims

1. A method for operating a measuring point for determining at least one measured variable of a medium, wherein the measuring point comprises a base unit, which is connected releasably with a sensor unit, and which is provided for communication of a signal representing a value of the measured variable to a process monitoring facility, the method comprises steps of:

a) at least one-time registering and storing, in a first data storage unit of the base unit, of a value of a diagnostic parameter stored in the sensor unit or produced by the sensor unit;

b) on the basis of said at least one value of the diagnostic parameter stored in the first data storage unit, conforming a prognosis value or prognosis interval stored in a second data storage unit of the base unit; and

storing the conformed prognosis value or prognosis interval in the second data storage unit of the base unit in place of the previously stored prognosis value or prognosis interval.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a step of:

c) comparing the value of a diagnostic parameter registered in step a), stored in the first data storage unit of the base unit, and produced by the sensor unit, with the prognosis value or prognosis interval stored in the second data storage unit of the base unit.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

replacing the sensor unit by a following sensor unit of a same type and, after replacement of the sensor unit by the following sensor unit of the same type, at least steps a) and b) are repeated at least once.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

after replacement of the sensor unit by the following sensor unit of the same type at least steps a) to (c) are repeated at least once.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the conforming of the prognosis value or prognosis interval occurs by means of a learning algorithm.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the learning algorithm comprises, especially, a step of average forming, sliding weighted average forming, exponential smoothing of 1st and 2nd type, linear regression, matching of polynomials or matching of non-linear functions.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least one additional piece of information is made available to the base unit for ascertaining the prognosis value.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first data storage unit comprises a memory unit having a plurality of memory locations, and wherein the value of the diagnostic parameter is stored in a memory location together with an identification of the associated sensor unit, especially, a serial number.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

registering a parameter related to sensor loading, especially a weighted loading time of the sensor unit, as diagnostic parameter, and, as prognosis value or prognosis interval, a parameter is ascertained and stored, which correlates with the total sensor loading, with which the sensor unit can be loaded before it must be replaced, especially, a total loading reserve or a confidence interval, which surrounds the total loading reserve.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

in an ongoing manner, values of the parameter related to sensor loading are registered one after the other and stored in the first data storage unit of the base unit.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

in the case of defective sensor unit of the base unit, the additional information is made available, that the sensor unit is replaced because of a defect.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

after presence of the information that the sensor unit is replaced because of a defect, the value of the parameter related to sensor loading currently stored in the first data storage unit is used for conforming the stored prognosis value or prognosis interval.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

during the ongoing registering of the values of the parameter related to sensor loading, currently registered values are compared with the stored prognosis value or prognosis interval.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

values of a parameter of the sensor unit, especially of a calibration parameter, are repeatedly registered, especially in the case of each new calibration, and stored in individual locations of a data storage unit of the base unit, together with points in time of registering, or a parameter equivalent thereto, and an identification of the sensor unit, especially serial number; and

as prognosis values, expected values of the parameter of the sensor unit at the points in time of registering are stored and conformed on the basis of the registered values.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, from repeatedly registered values of the diagnostic parameter, especially repeatedly registered values of a parameter of the sensor unit, especially a calibration parameter, as prognosis value, a total lifetime, or a sensor remaining service life, for sensor units of the same type is stored and conformed, wherein the prognosis values are determined by ascertaining a trend, especially, a linear function, for the time development of the diagnostic parameter.

16. A measuring point for determining at least one measured variable of a medium, comprising:

a base unit, which is connected releasably with a sensor unit, and which is provided for communication of a signal representing a value of the measured variable to a process monitoring facility, said base unit further includes;

a microprocessor for conditioning data, which are received from the sensor unit, for communication to the process monitoring facility;

a first data storage unit, which is adapted to register and to store a value of a diagnostic parameter stored in the sensor unit or produced by the sensor unit;

a second data storage unit adapted to stored a prognosis value or a prognosis interval; and

a program memory unit, in which an algorithm, especially, a learning algorithm, is stored, which serves for conforming the prognosis value or prognosis interval stored in the second data storage unit on the basis of a last value of the diagnostic parameter registered in the first data storage unit and for storage of the conformed prognosis value or prognosis interval in the second data storage unit.

17. The measuring point as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said base unit has available, furthermore, a second program memory unit, in which a comparison algorithm is stored, which serves for comparison of the last value of the diagnostic parameter registered in the first data storage unit with the prognosis value or prognosis interval stored in the second data storage unit.