Flow meter device and method of operation

• US 9,207,683 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Rossi, Sergio, Bessegato, Renato
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, TOAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/355,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20130191045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 702/45, 702/33, 702/41, 702/46, 702/50, 702/81, 702/84, 702/127, 702/142, 702/145, 210/85, 210/87, 210/97, 210/282, 210/739, 73/11.6, 73 127- 128, 73195-196, 738/61, 738/617.7, 738/617.9, 340/606, 340609-610
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/103 with radiation as transfer means to the indicating device, e.g. light transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/115 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/068 with electrical means G01F15/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence

Abstract

A flow meter device is coupled to at least one sensor that measures a flow speed and provides status signals from which the flow speed can be determined. The flow meter receives and processes the flow measurement data provided by the at least one sensor. The at least one sensor is enabled at defined time instances for a defined interval time. The flow meter receives at least one status signal from the sensor each time the sensor is enabled and processes the status signals to generate a trigger event when certain conditions arise. A processing unit wakes up from a sleep mode when a trigger event is generated by the flow meter device.

Claims

1. A flow meter device, which is configured

to be coupled to at least one sensor, which is configured to measure a flow speed and to provide status signals from which the flow speed is determined;

to receive and process the status signals provided by the at least one sensor;

to enable the at least one sensor at defined time instances for a defined interval time;

to receive at least one status signal from the at least one sensor each time the at least one sensor is enabled;

to process the status signals and generate a trigger event if certain conditions arise; and

to be coupled to a processing unit, which wakes up from a sleep mode when the trigger event is generated by the flow meter device.

2. The flow meter device according to claim 1, which is further configured to work as a coprocessor.

3. The flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein the time instances and the interval time for enabling the at least one volumetric sensor are programmable.

4. The flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein a status signal is received at a beginning of the defined interval time.

5. The flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein a status signal is received at an end of the defined interval time.

6. The flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein a pulse counter will be incremented, when a status signal of one sensor of the at least one sensor at a certain time instance is different from a preceding status signal of the same sensor.

7. The flow meter device according to claim 6, wherein the trigger event is generated, when the pulse counter crosses a defined threshold.

8. The flow meter device according to claim 6, wherein the trigger event is generated, when a defined time elapses, without the pulse counter being incremented.

9. A flow meter arrangement comprising:

at least one sensor configured to measure a flow speed and to provide status signals from which the flow speed is determined;

a flow meter device coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to enable the at least one sensor at defined time instances for a defined interval time, to receive at least one status signal from the at least one sensor each time the at least one sensor is enabled and to process the status signals and generate a trigger event if certain conditions arise; and

a processing unit coupled to the flow meter device and configured to detect the trigger event generated by the flow meter device and to wake up from a sleep mode when the trigger event is detected.

10. The flow meter arrangement according to claim 9, further comprising a valve drive coupled to the processing unit and configured to regulate the flow speed.

11. The flow meter arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the processing unit is configured to control the valve drive to regulate the flow speed based on measurements performed by the at least one sensor.

12. The flow meter device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a volumetric sensor.

13. The flow meter device according to claim 9, wherein the processing unit comprises a central processing unit.

14. A method of operating a flow meter device that is coupled to at least one sensor that measures a flow speed and provides status signals from which the flow speed is determined, the method comprising:

receiving and processing the status signals provided by the at least one sensor;

enabling the at least one sensor at defined time instances for a defined interval time;

receiving at least one status signal from the sensor each time the sensor is enabled;

processing the status signals and generating a trigger event when certain conditions arise; and

communicating with a processing unit to cause the processing unit to wake up from a sleep mode when the trigger event is generated by the flow meter device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the time instances and the interval time for enabling the at least one volumetric sensor are programmable.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein receiving at least one status signal comprises receiving a status signal at a beginning of the defined interval time.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein receiving at least one status signal comprises receiving a status signal at an end of the defined interval time.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising incrementing a pulse counter when the status signal of one sensor of the at least one sensor at a certain time instance is different from a preceding status signal of the same sensor.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the trigger event is generated when the pulse counter crosses a defined threshold.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the trigger event is generated when a defined time elapses without the pulse counter being incremented.