Inductive probe controller/conductive probe emulator

• US 7,499,810 B1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Knight LLC
• Original Assignee: Knight LLC
• Inventors: Walker, Stephen A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feliciano; Eliseo Ramos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suarez; Felix E
• Application Number:
  US10/949,167
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 702/31, 702/64, 702/81, 702/104, 702/134, 702/155, 702/182, 702/30, 702/33, 702/50, 702/183, 340/853.3, 530/358, 700/9, 705/1
• US Class Current: 702/31
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/023 where the material is placed in the field of a coil

Abstract

An Inductive Probe/Conductive Probe Emulator is designed to replace conductive probes at a much lower cost than existing inductive probe systems. The conductivity probe simulator is usable with any industrial controller that uses a standard two wire conductivity probe interface. A continuously variable semiconductor resistive element is employed to match the conductivity of any conductive probe. The system uses the inductive probe reading to adjust the resistive element to the correct value. The conductivity probe simulator can be configured to emulate any conductivity probe with any probe constant by downloading configuration parameters to the probe controller or by setting configuration switches on the controller module. Additionally, the inventive probe simulator is equipped with an embedded temperature sensing element, giving the system a capability to perform a temperature correction in the controller section, if necessary.

Claims

1. An inductive probe controller/inductive probe emulator system, comprising:

an inductive probe for disposition in a solution;

a micro-controller having multiple analog to digital input ports and having a plurality of output ports said micro-controller being connected to said inductive probe; and

a variable conductive resistance connected to said micro-controller for receiving control inputs from the micro-controller and having conductive probe outputs;

wherein said system is capable of being configured to emulate any of a number of different conductivity probes with any of a number of different probe constants by downloading configuration parameters to the probe controller or by setting configuration switches in said system.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a chemical controller connected to said micro-controller.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said micro-controller is disposed within a housing separate from said inductive probe.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein said housing is generally cylindrical.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, and further comprising a cable connecting said inductive probe to said housing.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein both said inductive probe and said housing are sized and configured to be insertable through a mounting hole in a tank containing said solution.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, and further comprising a second cable for connecting said housing to said chemical controller.

8. The system as recited in claim 2, and further comprising a conductivity probe emulator.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said conductivity probe emulator is connected between said chemical controller and said probe micro-controller.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a temperature sensor.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said inductive probe comprises a primary coil and a secondary coil.

12. The system as recited in claim 2, and further comprising a bi-directional serial interface bus connecting said micro-controller to said chemical controller.