Configurable indicating device and method for monitoring and control in fluid systems

• US 8,302,090 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sensocon, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sensocou Incorporated
• Inventors: Kohl, Tony E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hebert, Theodore
• Application Number:
  US12/308,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20100095292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: 717/173
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/00 Tariff metering apparatus in taximeters G07B13/00; apparatus actuated by coins, cards or the like with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas, or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/16 Dials; Mounting of dials

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring and/or controlling a fluid system includes a housing having at least one display mounted thereon and a sensor interface that includes at least one sensor configured to output signals corresponding to a sensed fluid characteristic. A computer readable memory is disposed within the housing and stores user configurable program parameters in a stored menu configuration partitioning the program parameters among a plurality of discrete menus. The apparatus further includes a user interface having an input device configured via outputting a menu reconfiguration command to adjust the stored menu configuration, and a processor disposed within the housing and configured to display the program parameters in the plurality of discrete menus according to the stored menu configuration. In an exemplary application, the apparatus is a differential pressure indicator having optional control/output features, internally or externally sourced 4-20 mA current output and infrared communication for uploading and/or downloading programming and data.

Claims

1. An indicating device for use in monitoring or controlling a fluid system comprising:

a housing;

a sensor interface disposed at least partially within said housing and configured to receive sensor data corresponding to at least one fluid characteristic;

a computer readable memory disposed within said housing and storing user configurable program parameters for processing said sensor data;

said computer readable memory further storing a menu configuration partitioning said user configurable program parameters among a plurality of discrete menus;

a user interface having an input device configured via outputting a menu reconfiguration command to move one of said program parameters out of a first one of said menus and into a second one of said menus, of said stored menu configuration, and such that the first and second menus are simultaneously reconfigured in response to the menu reconfiguration command; and

a processor disposed within said housing configured to receive sensor data via said sensor interface and responsively output a data display signal according to at least one of said program parameters, and further configured to output a menu display signal according to said stored menu configuration.

2. The indicating device of claim 1 comprising a pressure indicating device, wherein said sensor interface includes input circuitry for at least one pressure signal, and wherein said processor being configured to determine at least one of, a positive pressure, a negative pressure and a differential pressure based on said at least one pressure signal and output said data display signal based thereon.

3. The indicating device of claim 2 wherein one of said user configurable program parameters includes selectable units of measure, and wherein said processor is configured to output said data display signal according to a selected unit of measure.

4. The indicating device of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of displays including an indicating display and a programming display, wherein said processor being configured to output said data display signal to said indicating display, and further configured to output said menu display signal to said programming display.

5. The indicating device of claim 4 further comprising a third display that includes a process arch having an illumination state based on said data display signal.

6. The indicating device of claim 2 further comprising a communication port coupled with said processor, wherein said processor is configured to replace resident programming stored on said computer readable memory with substitute programming uploaded via said communication port.

7. The indicating device of claim 6 wherein said processor is configured to download said user configurable program parameters and said stored menu configuration to a second computer readable memory via said communication port.

8. The indicating device of claim 7 wherein said communication port comprises a wireless communication port.

9. The indicating device of claim 1 comprising power supply circuitry having a plurality of different states to supply electrical power to said indicating device from a range of input voltages at either of a positive polarity and a negative polarity.

10. An apparatus for monitoring or controlling a fluid system comprising:

a housing having at least one display mounted thereon;

a sensor interface comprising at least one sensor configured to output signals corresponding to a sensed fluid characteristic;

a computer readable memory disposed within said housing and storing user configurable program parameters in a stored menu configuration partitioning said program parameters among a plurality of discrete menus;

a user interface having an input device configured via outputting a menu reconfiguration command to alter said stored menu configuration via moving one of said program parameters out of a first one of said menus and into a second one of said menus and such that said first and second menus are simultaneously reconfigured in response to the menu reconfiguration command; and

a processor disposed within said housing and configured to display said program parameters in said plurality of discrete menus according to said stored menu configuration

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said input device is configured to output a menu selection control signal to select one of said discrete menus for displaying via said at least one display.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said at least one display comprises a programming display and at least one indicating display, said processor being configured to display said program parameters in said plurality of discrete menus on said programming display and further configured to display sensor data received via said sensor interface on said indicating display.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 comprising at least one fluid passage extending through said housing, wherein said at least one sensor is configured to sense a pressure of fluid in said at least one fluid passage, and wherein said processor is configured to determine at least one of, a positive pressure, a negative pressure and a differential pressure based on inputs from said at least one sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said at least one fluid passage comprises a first fluid passage extending through said housing and a second fluid passage extending through said housing, wherein said at least one sensor is operable to sense fluid pressure of said passages, and wherein said processor is configured to determine a differential pressure between said passages based on inputs from said at least one sensor and output a corresponding differential pressure signal to said at least one indicating display.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said at least one indicating display comprises a seven segment display having a display state corresponding to said differential pressure signal and a process arch having an illumination state also corresponding to said differential pressure signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said computer readable memory stores said user configurable program parameters in a stored menu configuration that comprises at least three menus, one of which is a secure menu.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a wireless communication port coupled with said processor.

18. A method of setting up an indicating device for use in monitoring or controlling a fluid system comprising the steps of:

displaying a menu of program parameters for an indicating device according to a first menu configuration;

configuring discrete menus of program parameters for the indicating device via a menu reconfiguration command from an input device to a processor of the indicating device;

wherein configuring discrete menus further includes moving a first program parameter out of a first one of the menus and into a second one of the menus via said menu reconfiguration command and such that the first and second menus are simultaneously reconfigured in response to the menu reconfiguration command; and

verifying configuring of the discrete menus at least in part by displaying program parameters partitioned according to the menu reconfiguration command.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising a step of restricting configuring of program parameters within a secure menu, wherein the configuring step further comprises moving at least one program parameter out of a non-secure menu and into the secure menu.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the configuring step further comprises configuring the menus at least in part by replacing resident programming with substitute programming via a wireless communication link of the indicating device.