# US 10,310,462 B2 · System and apparatus for sustaining process temperature measurement for RTD lead wire break > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,462 B2 - Document ID: US10310462B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/147,231 - Filed: 2016-05-05 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-05 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Applicants: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Chaitanya Kumar Beeram; Sarabjit Singh; Sharath Babu Malve; Anthony F. Digiulian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310462B2 ## CPC - G05B 15/02: electric - G01K 7/20: in a specially-adapted circuit, e.g. bridge circuit - G01K 15/007: {Testing} - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) ## Abstract Method and apparatus for sustaining process temperature measurement with respect to a lead wire break. A resistance temperature device can include a group of lead wire arms including lead wire arms of a first lead wire type and a second lead wire type. An operation can occur to automatically switch from a first lead wire type configuration to a second lead wire type configuration in the resistance temperature device having the plurality of lead wire arms including the first lead wire type and the second lead wire type, if one or more wire breaks occurs in one or more the lead wire arms. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for sustaining process temperature measurement with respect to a lead wire break, said method comprising: configuring a resistance temperature device to comprise a plurality of lead wire arms including lead wire arms of a first lead wire type and a second lead wire type; and automatically switching from a first lead wire type configuration to a second lead wire type configuration in said resistance temperature device having said plurality of lead wire arms including said first lead wire type and said second lead wire type, if at least one wire break occurs in at least one arm of said plurality of lead wire arms of said resistance temperature device, wherein said resistance temperature device includes a controller that is electrically connected to a current source via a first switch and to a current sink via a second switch, and wherein said automatically switching from the first lead wire type configuration to the second lead wire type configuration includes 4 to 3, 3 to 2, 4 to 2, 2 to 4, 2 to 3, and 3 to 4 configurations based on said controller detecting a break in at least one wire arm of the plurality of wire arms. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said resistance temperature device (RTD) configured to be a 2-wire RTD if at least one wire break occurs in at least one arm of said plurality of lead wire arms of said resistance temperature device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said resistance temperature device (RTD) configured to be a 3-wire RTD if at least one wire break occurs in at least one arm of said plurality of lead wire arms of said resistance temperature device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said resistance temperature device (RTD) comprises a 4-wire RTD. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said resistance temperature device includes a controller that is electrically connected to said plurality of lead wire arms and to a current source via a first switch and to a current sink via a second switch, wherein said controller assists in automatically switching from said first lead wire type configuration to said second lead wire type configuration. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said controller comprises a multiplexing circuit with respect to at least one analog input among said plurality of lead wire arms. ### Claim 7 An apparatus for sustaining process temperature measurement with respect to a lead wire break, said apparatus comprising: a resistance temperature device comprising a plurality of lead wire arms including lead wire arms of a first lead wire type and a second lead wire type; and wherein a first lead wire type configuration automatically switches to a second lead wire type configuration in said resistance temperature device having said plurality of lead wire arms including said first lead wire type and said second lead wire type, if at least one wire break occurs in at least one arm of said plurality of lead wire arms of said resistance temperature device, wherein said resistance temperature device includes a controller that is electrically connected to a current source via a first switch and to a current sink via a second switch, and wherein said automatically switching from the first lead wire type configuration to the second lead wire type configuration includes 4 to 3, 3 to 2, 4 to 2, 2 to 4, 2 to 3, and 3 to 4 configurations based on said controller detecting a break in at least one wire arm of the plurality of wire arms. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said resistance temperature device includes a controller that is electrically connected to said plurality of lead wire arms. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said controller comprises a multiplexing circuit with respect to at least one analog input among said plurality of lead wire arms. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said resistance temperature device (RTD) configured to be a 2-wire RTD if at least one wire break occurs in at least one arm of said plurality of lead wire arms of said resistance temperature device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said resistance temperature device (RTD) configured to be a 3-wire RTD if at least one wire break occurs in at least one arm of said plurality of lead wire arms of said resistance temperature device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said resistance temperature device (RTD) comprises a 4-wire RTD. ### Claim 13 An apparatus for sustaining process temperature measurement with respect to a lead wire break, said apparatus comprising: a resistance temperature device configured to comprise a plurality of lead wire arms including lead wire arms of a first lead wire type and a second lead wire type, wherein a first lead wire type configuration automatically switches to a second lead wire type configuration in said resistance temperature device having said plurality of lead wire arms including said first lead wire type and said second lead wire type, if at least one wire break occurs in at least one arm of said plurality of lead wire arms of said resistance temperature device; and a controller that is electrically connected to said plurality of lead wire arms and to a current source via a first switch and to a current sink via a second switch, wherein said controller assists in automatically switching from said first lead wire type configuration to said second lead wire type configuration, wherein said automatically switching from the first lead wire type configuration to the second lead wire type configuration includes 4 to 3, 3 to 2, 4 to 2, 2 to 4, 2 to 3, and 3 to 4 configurations based on said controller detecting a break in at least one wire arm of the plurality of wire arms. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said controller comprises a multiplexing circuit with respect to at least one analog input among said plurality of lead wire arms.