| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 6725731 |
Bi-directional differential pressure flow sensor |
April 27, 2004 |
| Disclosed is a bi-directional differential pressure flow sensor that is configured to establish a direction and flow rate of a fluid flow. The flow sensor includes a flow restriction member, a differential pressure sensor, and processing electronics. The flow restriction member is co |
| 6722927 |
Electrical connector for a pressure sensor stem |
April 20, 2004 |
| An electrical connector protects a pressure sensor stem that protrudes from a pressure sensor capsule. The electrical connector includes a baseplate with a central hole and a peripheral wall joined to the baseplate and protruding below the baseplate. The peripheral wall slidingly engages |
| 6722261 |
Hydraulic piston position sensor signal processing |
April 20, 2004 |
| A piston position in a cylinder of a hydraulic assembly is measured using microwave pulses. The microwave pulses are launched along a conductor coupled to the piston or cylinder. A sliding member is slidably coupled to the conductor and moves with the piston or cylinder. Position is |
| 6722260 |
Hydraulic piston position sensor |
April 20, 2004 |
| A piston position in a cylinder of a hydraulic assembly is measured using microwave pulses. The microwave pulses are launched along a conductor coupled to the piston or cylinder. A sliding member is slidably coupled to the conductor and moves with the piston or cylinder. Position is |
| 6720777 |
Bridged capacitor sensor measurement circuit |
April 13, 2004 |
| A pair of sensing capacitors, each having a capacitance C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 respectively, based on a process variable, are coupled to a bridge node which is coupled to a summing node. A reference capacitor, coupled to the summing node, has a capacitance C.sub.REF greater than an expected |
| 6711446 |
Two-wire field-mounted process device |
March 23, 2004 |
| A two-wire field-mounted process device with multiple isolated channels includes a channel that can be an input channel or an output channel. The given input or output channel can couple to multiple sensors or actuators, respectively. The process device is wholly powered by the two-wire |
| 6701274 |
Prediction of error magnitude in a pressure transmitter |
March 2, 2004 |
| A pressure transmitter with an output predicting the magnitude of error in the pressure transmitter's output. A pressure sensor is adapted to sense a process pressure. A controller coupled to the pressure sensor generates a transmitter output representing the process pressure. A memory s |
| 6684711 |
Three-phase excitation circuit for compensated capacitor industrial process control transmitters |
February 3, 2004 |
| A capacitor industrial process control transmitter includes a three-phase excitation circuit to charge a sensing capacitor and a compensation capacitor of the transmitter and transfer charges to an integrator. The sensing capacitor is charged during the first phase. During the second |
| 6675658 |
Manifold for use with a pressure transmitter |
January 13, 2004 |
| A manifold includes a body having generally planar inlet surface. The inlet surface includes a first inlet and a second inlet adapted for coupling to a pressurized process fluid. An outlet surface on the manifold is adapted for coupling to a co-planar transmitter and is at angle relative |
| 6675655 |
Pressure transmitter with process coupling |
January 13, 2004 |
| A process transmitter for measuring a process pressure includes a pressure sensor in a sensor housing. An isolation diaphragm which isolates fill fluid from process fluid is spaced apart from a process fluid seal. The spacing reduces deformation of the isolation diaphragm due to a mounti |
| 6662662 |
Pressure transmitter with improved isolator system |
December 16, 2003 |
| A pressure transmitter with a fluid isolator that includes a sensor tube and a fill tube that have "D" shaped ends that connect together in a port internal to the transmitter. The shaped ends can be brazed into the port for sealing. Fitting both the sensor tube and the fill tube in the s |
| 6658945 |
Vortex flowmeter with measured parameter adjustment |
December 9, 2003 |
| A method and apparatus measures a parameter of a flowing fluid at a first location. A correction is applied to the parameter value that yields an adjusted value representative of the parameter of the fluid at a second location. A flowmeter output is calculated as a function of the adjust |
| 6654697 |
Flow measurement with diagnostics |
November 25, 2003 |
| A fluid flow meter diagnosing the condition of its primary element or impulse lines connecting to a differential pressure sensor. A difference circuit coupled to the differential pressure sensor has a difference output representing the sensed differential pressure minus a moving aver |
| 6651512 |
Ancillary process outputs of a vortex flowmeter |
November 25, 2003 |
| A method and apparatus measures a fluid flow using generated vortices. A flow rate is calculated from at least the frequency of the vortices. Warnings are generated for other characteristics of the vortices and fluid measure. |
| 6647794 |
Absolute pressure sensor |
November 18, 2003 |
| A barometric pressure sensor including a base layer, a sensor layer and a reference layer. The base layer has a passageway between a pressure inlet and a mounting face. The sensor layer is bonded by an insulating bond to the mounting face and includes a conductive diaphragm. The referenc |
| 6643610 |
Process transmitter with orthogonal-polynomial fitting |
November 4, 2003 |
| A transmitter for measuring a process variable includes a sensor configured to couple to a process and having a sensor output related to the process variable. A microprocessor coupled to the sensor output provides a process variable output which is a function of an orthogonal-polynomial |
| 6628229 |
Stabilization of oscillators in a radar level transmitter |
September 30, 2003 |
| A low power pulsed radar level transmitter has first and second pullable oscillator circuits that are offset from one another by a frequency offset. A third or reference crystal oscillator couples a reference frequency output to phase comparators in both the first and second crystal |
| 6622573 |
Process flow device with improved pressure measurement feature |
September 23, 2003 |
| A flow device including a differential flow plate insertable into a flow path between pipe sections including a flow conduit supporting a flow interrupter and differential pressure taps. The flow conduit including a seamless interface between the flow interrupter and the pressure taps to |
| 6615149 |
Spectral diagnostics in a magnetic flow meter |
September 2, 2003 |
| A magnetic flow transmitter provides a coil driver output at a selected fundamental to a coil on a flow tube carrying a flow of a liquid. An amplifier amplifies an electrode signal from the flow tube and an A/D converter converts the amplified electrode signal. A digital signal proce |
| 6612174 |
Optical pressure sensor |
September 2, 2003 |
| A pressure sensor configured to sense an applied pressure, comprising a diaphragm support structure, a diaphragm coupled to the diaphragm support structure and configured to deflect in response to applied pressure, a moveable member coupled to the diaphragm and configured to move in |
| 6611775 |
Electrode leakage diagnostics in a magnetic flow meter |
August 26, 2003 |
| A magnetic flow meter has a diagnostic circuit that indicates leakage from flowtube electrodes. The diagnostic circuit couples to the electrodes and to ground. The diagnostic circuit samples diagnostic potentials between each electrode and ground, and then generates a sum of the diagnost |
| 6611770 |
Liquid conduction indication in a magnetic flowmeter |
August 26, 2003 |
| A magnetic flowmeter with an improved liquid conduction indication has a flowtube assembly with a passage for liquid flow and has an electromagnet mounted outside the passage that provides ramped magnetic excitation. An electrode circuit couples through the passage and generates ramp spi |
| 6609427 |
Gas fill system in a pressure transmitter |
August 26, 2003 |
| A pressure transmitter with a hermetically sealed housing surrounding a cavity that is filled with a gas that is free of integrated circuit contaminants. A sensor circuit including an integrated circuit is placed in the cavity and a gas fill port on the housing is sealed. The sensor |
| 6601005 |
Process device diagnostics using process variable sensor signal |
July 29, 2003 |
| Process device diagnostic is provided for diagnosing the condition of a process by receiving a process variable sensor signal. The process variable sensor senses vibration noise signals carried in a process fluid of the process. The vibration noise signals are generated by the process, |
| 6594613 |
Adjustable bandwidth filter for process variable transmitter |
July 15, 2003 |
| A process variable transmitter providing a transmitter output representing a process variable sensed by a sensor. The transmitter has a filter with a bandwidth which is automatically adjusted based on noise detected in a sensor output. When the transmitter senses higher sensor noise leve |
| 6594603 |
Resistive element diagnostics for process devices |
July 15, 2003 |
| Diagnostic circuitry of a process device is used to detect degradation of a resistive element of the process device while the process device remains online and without an additional power source. The diagnostic circuitry includes a testing circuit and a processing system. The testing cir |
| 6593857 |
Modular process transmitter having a scalable EMI/RFI filtering architecture |
July 15, 2003 |
| A modular process transmitter having a scalable EMI/RFI filtering architecture includes a unitized sensor module and a transmitter module. The unitized sensor module is adapted to operate as a stand-alone process transmitter. The transmitter module can couple to the unitized sensor m |
| 6574515 |
Two-wire field-mounted process device |
June 3, 2003 |
| A two-wire field-mounted process device with multiple isolated channels includes a channel that can be an input channel or an output channel. The given input or output channel can couple to multiple sensors or actuators, respectively. The process device is wholly powered by the two-wire |
| 6571132 |
Component type adaptation in a transducer assembly |
May 27, 2003 |
| A transducer intraconnection bus connects a limited number of transducer components chosen from a larger number of types of transducer components. The transducer components include functional variations in plant communication protocol, fluid variable, operator control, embedded control |
| 6568279 |
Scalable process transmitter |
May 27, 2003 |
| A scalable process transmitter architecture includes a unitized sensor module and an optional scalable transmitter. The sensor module has a sensor output that is configurable which can connect locally to a scalable transmitter module to form a transmitter, or can be wired directly to a |
| 6568278 |
Process connection for in-line pressure transmitter |
May 27, 2003 |
| An in-line pressure transmitter for sensing an absolute or gage process pressure of a process fluid includes an in-line process coupling. The coupling has a mounting member which includes a substantially flat mounting face and a bore generally aligned with an isolation diaphragm asse |
| 6564268 |
Fieldbus message queuing method and apparatus |
May 13, 2003 |
| A method and apparatus are provided to allow at least portions of two fieldbus messages to be stored in a fieldbus device. The fieldbus device includes a media access unit, a fieldbus communication controller, and a controller. The media access unit is coupleable to a fieldbus loop to |
| 6561038 |
Sensor with fluid isolation barrier |
May 13, 2003 |
| A sensor capsule suitable for use in an industrial process fluid transmitter. The sensor capsule includes a block that has a sensor mounting hole. The block includes two half-blocks joined along mating surfaces passing lengthwise through the sensor mounting hole. A sensor has a senso |
| 6556145 |
Two-wire fluid temperature transmitter with thermocouple diagnostics |
April 29, 2003 |
| A two-wire temperature transmitter performs thermocouple diagnostics on a thermocouple attached to the transmitter to determine if, and the extent to which, the thermocouple has degraded. Various methods of obtaining thermocouple resistance are also provided. |
| 6546805 |
Process fluid transmitter with an environmentally sealed service block |
April 15, 2003 |
| An environmentally sealed service block is mounted inside a field wiring compartment of a process fluid transmitter. The service block has field wiring terminals, sealed jumper assemblies and sealed pushbutton switches connected to a sealed cable and plug. The sealed plug plugs into a |
| 6543297 |
Process flow plate with temperature measurement feature |
April 8, 2003 |
| A differential flow plate insertable into a flow path including a flow interrupter extending about an outer periphery of the flow path forming a constricted flow opening and a temperature sensor channel disposed proximate to the flow interrupter. |
| 6539981 |
Flow tube having a bonding layer with a fluoropolymer lining |
April 1, 2003 |
| A flow tube has a metal outer tube and is lined with an ETFE fluoropolymer that is resistant to corrosive chemicals and mechanical damage even at high temperatures. The inner surface of the metal tube is coated with a bonding metal that can be securely bonded to the outer metal tube and |
| 6539267 |
Device in a process system for determining statistical parameter |
March 25, 2003 |
| A process device couples to a process control loop. The process device receives process signals. A memory in the process device contains a nominal parameter value and a rule. Computing circuitry calculates a statistical parameter of the process signal and operates on the statistical |
| 6532392 |
Transmitter with software for determining when to initiate diagnostics |
March 11, 2003 |
| A process device couples to a process control loop. The process device receives a process signal. A memory in the process device contains a nominal parameter value. Computing circuitry provides an event output based upon the stored nominal value and the process signal. Output circuit |
| 6531884 |
Diagnostics for piezoelectric sensor |
March 11, 2003 |
| A diagnostic device for testing a piezoelectric sensor includes an AC source configured to apply an AC signal to the piezoelectric sensor at two or more different frequencies. The response of the piezoelectric sensor can be measured and used for diagnostics. |
| 6520020 |
Method and apparatus for a direct bonded isolated pressure sensor |
February 18, 2003 |
| A pressure sensor integrally formed in the shape of a beam around a central channel. The beam has an integral blind end that is pressurized by the fluid. The beam has an opposite end that is shaped to provide a stepped corner with a gap opening at the base of the stepped corner, where th |
| 6519546 |
Auto correcting temperature transmitter with resistance based sensor |
February 11, 2003 |
| A transmitter in a process control system includes a resistance-based sensor sensing a process variable and providing a sensor output. Self heating circuitry coupled to the sensor provides a self heating signal related to the sensor. Analog-to-digital conversion circuitry coupled to |
| 6516672 |
Sigma-delta analog to digital converter for capacitive pressure sensor and process transmitter |
February 11, 2003 |
| A pressure transmitter includes a pressure sensor comprising a pressure cell having an interior to form a main cell cavity and a deflectable diaphragm which deflects in response to an applied pressure. The pressure sensor includes electrodes to compensate for hysteresis. A charge inverte |
| 6516671 |
Grain growth of electrical interconnection for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) |
February 11, 2003 |
| A sensor has an electrical interconnect grown in a cavity between first and second layers that are bonded together. Electrically conductive grain growth material is selectively deposited on at least one of two electrically conductive film interconnect regions that face one another ac |
| 6511337 |
Environmentally sealed instrument loop adapter |
January 28, 2003 |
| An environmentally sealed instrument circuit adapter connecting a process transmitter to instrument wiring. An environmentally sealing elastomeric part seals between a lip on an outer sleeve and a connector header of the process transmitter. One or more washers can provide sealing betwee |
| 6510740 |
Thermal management in a pressure transmitter |
January 28, 2003 |
| A pressure transmitter with a transmitter housing having an outer wall providing thermal resistance. The outer wall extends from an isothermal island at a first end to a heat sink island at a second end. The isothermal island includes a fluid inlet, and pressure and temperature senso |
| 6509746 |
Excitation circuit for compensated capacitor industrial process control transmitters |
January 21, 2003 |
| An industrial process control transmitter has a capacitive sensor having at least three outputs each responsive in differing amounts to a process condition and to sensor hysteresis. An excitation circuit charges the sensor and pumps the charges to a sigma-delta capacitance-to-digital |
| 6508131 |
Process sensor module having a single ungrounded input/output conductor |
January 21, 2003 |
| A process sensor module includes a housing with a first fitting that rotatably mates with a corresponding fitting on a bus adapter module. Integrated circuitry in the housing includes a process sensor. A two conductor circuit energizes the integrated circuitry, communicates a sensed |
| 6508129 |
Pressure sensor capsule with improved isolation |
January 21, 2003 |
| A pressure sensor capsule with a beam shaped sensor body, made of direct bonded layers of single crystal sapphire, surrounding a hollow central channel. A first beam end receives pressure and a second beam end has electrical contact pads and there is a mounting surface between the ends. |
| 6505517 |
High accuracy signal processing for magnetic flowmeter |
January 14, 2003 |
| A magnetic flowmeter for measuring flow of a conductive fluid includes a flow tube assembly adapted to receive a fluid flow and a coil configured to apply a magnetic field in the fluid flow through the flow tube. An EMF sensor coupled to the flow tube provides an EMF output related to an |
