# US 12,001,227 B2 · Operating method for a valve system, control unit and computer program product > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,227 B2 - Document ID: US12001227B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/964,983 - Filed: 2022-10-13 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-14 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Marco Volz; Robert Markus Stegmanns - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001227B2 ## CPC - G05D 16/028: {Controlling a pressure difference (control of flow G05D7/00)} - G05B 15/02: electric - G05D 16/2013: {using throttling means as controlling means} - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - 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) ## Abstract A valve system having a valve with a moveable armature and a pneumatic actuation apparatus, a controller, a computer program product for simulating operating behavior of the valve system and an operating method for the valve system, wherein the valve is provided in an active operating state and a valve position to be approached is specified, a target differential pressure corresponding to the valve position to be approached that is to be set in the pneumatic actuation apparatus is determined, a differential pressure in the pneumatic actuation apparatus is changed and the differential pressure present is detected, and the differential pressure present is stabilized if a deviation between the differential pressure present and the target differential pressure falls below a settable threshold value in terms of amount. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operating method for a valve system having a valve with a moveable armature and a pneumatic actuation apparatus, the method comprising: a) providing, by a controller, the valve in an active operating state and specifying a valve position to be approached; b) determining, by the controller, a target differential pressure corresponding to the valve position to be approached which is to be set in the pneumatic actuation apparatus; c) changing, by the controller, a differential pressure present in the pneumatic actuation apparatus and detecting the differential pressure present; and d) stabilizing, by the controller, the differential pressure present when a deviation between the differential pressure present and the target differential pressure falls below a settable threshold value in terms of amount; wherein the valve position to be approached lies between two end positions of the moveable armature; and wherein the operating method comprises self-calibration of the valve system in which the end positions are approached to determine a pressure-time characteristic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein steps b) to d) are performed without mechanical, electromechanical, magnetic, capacitive or optical detection of a present valve position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the differential pressure is formed based on at least one of a first and second chamber pressure; and wherein the at least one of the first and second chamber pressure is detected at a first or second pressure line of the valve. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The operating method as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the first and second chamber pressure is determined via a pressure sensor with a measuring accuracy of up to +/−10 mbar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the settable threshold value corresponds to up to 0.1% to 3.0% of a stroke length of the pneumatic actuation apparatus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a corresponding target differential pressure is determined during step (b) while taking into account hysteresis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least steps b) and c) are performed repeatedly in order to travel through a specifiable traversing profile of the armature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of steps a) to d) is performed while taking into account an assembly orientation of the valve system. ### Claim 9 A valve system comprising: a valve; a pneumatic actuation apparatus in which setting a differential pressure causes an armature of the valve to be moveable, a specifiable valve position being settable in a radial direction via the differential pressure as a sole input variable to save installation space of the valve system; and a controller; wherein the controller is configured to: a) provide the valve in an active operating state and specify a valve position to be approached; b) determine a target differential pressure corresponding to the valve position to be approached which is to be set in the pneumatic actuation apparatus; c) change a differential pressure present in the pneumatic actuation apparatus and detect the differential pressure present; and d) stabilize the differential pressure present when a deviation between the differential pressure present and the target differential pressure falls below a settable threshold value in terms of amount; wherein the valve position to be approached lies between two end positions of the moveable armature; and wherein the controller is further configured to initiate a self-calibration of the valve system such that the end positions are approached to determine a pressure-time characteristic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The valve system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a first and/or second chamber pressure are each settable via a pressure line. ### Claim 11 A controller for actuating a moveable armature on a pneumatic actuation apparatus for a valve system, the controller being configured to receive measurement signals for a first and a second chamber pressure and to output control signals for setting at least one of the first and second chamber pressures, and wherein the controller is further configured to: a) provide a valve in an active operating state and specify a valve position to be approached; b) determine a target differential pressure corresponding to the valve position to be approached which is to be set in the pneumatic actuation apparatus; c) change a differential pressure present in the pneumatic actuation apparatus and detect the differential pressure present; and d) stabilize the differential pressure present when a deviation between the differential pressure present and the target differential pressure falls below a settable threshold value in terms of amount; wherein the valve position to be approached lies between two end positions of the moveable armature; and wherein the controller is configured to initiate a self-calibration of the valve system such that the end positions are approached to determine a pressure-time characteristic.