Measuring device for evaluation of physical and/or chemical properties of gases, fluids and/or solid materials

• US 6,549,855 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Original Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Inventors: Babel, Wolfgang, Wittmer, Detlev
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, KAMINI S
• Application Number:
  US09/783,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 702/22, 702/31, 702/121, 700/266, 700/267, 703/12, 707/103.R, 707/103.Y, 707/103, 707/103.Z, 73/1--2
• US Class Current: 702/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/00 Measuring arrangements giving results other than momentary value of variable, of general application G01D3/00 takes precedence; in tariff metering apparatus G01D4/00; transducers not specially adapted for a specific variable G01D5/00

Abstract

A measuring device for the evaluation of the physical and/or chemical properties of gases, fluids and/or solid materials. The measuring device is equipped with an arithmetic-logic unit which is linked to a sensor at a technical facility. The arithmetic-logic unit and the sensor are linked to each other over a communications medium. The arithmetic-logic unit and equipment at the technical facility are linked by means of an additional communications medium.

Claims

1. A measuring device to evaluate physical and/or chemical properties of gases, fluids and/or solid materials comprising:

an arithmetic-logic unit and a sensor, the arithmetic-logic unit and the sensor connected to each other over a communications medium and the sensor adapted to send measurement data to the arithmetic-logic unit; and

the arithmetic-logic unit and use equipment in a use installation connected to each other over another communications medium, wherein the arithmetic-logic unit is remote from the use installation and the sensor is at the use installation.

2. The measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communications medium connecting the arithmetic-logic unit and the sensor is one of a radio link, a telephone line, an Internet connection, an Intranet connection, and a communications link superposed on an energy grid.

3. The measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the another communications medium connection connecting the arithmetic-logic unit and the equipment is one of a mail service, a radio link, a telephone line, an Internet connection, an Intranet connection, a communications link superposed on an energy grid and other similar means of communication.

4. The measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein several sensors are connected by means of a multiplexer with the arithmetic-logic unit.

5. The measuring device in accordance claim 1, wherein the arithmetic-logic unit is implemented as a personal computer.

6. The measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the measuring device is adapted to analyze one of fluids, gases, and the measurement of humidity in fluids and gases.

7. The measuring device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor is one of a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a fill level sensor, a pH-value sensor, a turbidity sensor, a temperature sensor to measure one of chlorine and chlorine dioxide, a sensor to measure oxygen content, a conductivity sensor, and a humidity sensor.

8. A method to evaluate physical and/or chemical properties of gases, fluids and/or solid materials comprising the steps of:

transmitting measurement data from sensors to an arithmetic-logic unit over a communications medium, the sensors located at a use installation and the arithmetic-logic unit located remotely from the use installation;

generating data packages by the arithmetic-logic unit from the measurement data; and

transmitting data packages over an additional communications medium from the arithmetic-logic unit to use equipment at the use installation.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the step of transmitting the measurement data comprises the step of:

transmitting the measurement data by one of a radio, a telephone, over the Internet, over an Intranet, and over an energy grid.

10. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the step of transmitting the data packages comprises the steps of:

transmitting the data packages by one of mail, radio, telephone, over the Internet, over an Intranet, and over a power grid.

11. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the arithmetic-logic unit is not operated by an operator of the use installation.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11, comprising:

operating the arithmetic-logic unit by a service provider.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting the measurement data from the sensors to a multiplexer at the use installation prior to transmitting the measurement data to the arithmetic-logic unit.

14. The method according to claim 8 wherein the data packages include commands for use equipment at the use installation.

20. The improvement according to claim 13 wherein the processed data includes commands for equipment at the installation.

15. In a measuring device to evaluate at least one of a physical and chemical property of a material at an installation using a sensor, the material being at least one of a gas, a fluid and a solid, the improvement comprising:

an arithmetic-logic unit located remote from the installation and receiving raw measurement data from the sensor through a first communications means, the arithmetic-logic unit operable to process the raw measurement data and send processed data to the installation.

16. The improvement according to claim 15 further comprising:

a second communications means operable to receive the processed data from the arithmetic-logic unit and send the processed data from the arithmetic-logic unit to equipment at the installation.

17. The improvement according to claim 16 wherein the first communications means is one of a radio link, a telephone line, an Internet connection, an Intranet connection, and a communications link superposed on an energy grid, and wherein the second communications means is one of a mail service, a radio link, a telephone line, an Internet connection, an Intranet connection and a communications link superposed on an energy grid.

18. The improvement according to claim 16, further comprising:

a multiplexer at the installation receiving raw measurement data from several sensors at the installation, the arithmetic-logic unit receiving the raw measurement data as a multiplexed signal.

19. The improvement according to claim 15, further comprising:

a multiplexer at the installation receiving raw measurement data from several sensors at the installation, the arithmetic-logic unit receiving the raw measurement data as a multiplexed signal.