Method for providing measured values for end customers

• US 20020040348A1
• Filed: 05/23/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress+Hauser GmbH+Co (ENDRESS)
• Original Assignee: Endressgmbh+Company KG
• Inventors: Dittrich, Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

In a method for providing measured values for end customers:

The measured value for a process variable is recorded using a sensor and is transmitted to a process control system. The number of transmission operations is counted and the costs for the end customer are calculated on the basis of the number of transmission operations. The fundamental advantage of the invention is that the end customer no longer pays for the sensor itself, but rather only for that which he actually requires, the measured value.

Claims

1. A method for providing measured values for end customers, having the following method steps:

a measured value for a process variable is recorded using a sensor S1, S2, S3,

the measured value is transmitted to a process control system PLS,

the number A of transmission operations is counted,

the costs for the end customer are calculated on the basis of the number A of transmission operations.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, where the data transmission between sensor S1, S2, S3 and process control system PLS takes place in line-conducted fashion, e.g. using a data bus system DBS.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, where the data transmission between sensor S1, S2, S3 and process control system PLS takes place by radio.

4. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, where the number A of transmission operations is stored in the sensor S1, S2, S3.

5. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, where the number A of transmission operations is stored in the process control system PLS.

6. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, where the measured values are transmitted over the Internet from the sensor S1, S2, S3 to a database at the field transmitter manufacturer'"'"'s, to which database the end customer likewise has access over the Internet, and the number of database access operations by the end customer to this database is counted.

7. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims 1-6, where the measured values are transmitted by radio (e.g. GSM) from the sensor S1, S2, S3 to a database at the field transmitter manufacturer'"'"'s, to which database the end customer likewise has access over the Internet, and the number of database access operations by the end customer to this database is counted.