Inferential sensing engine
AssigneeInvensys Systems, Inc.
InventorWilliam M. Slechta
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Providing a fast response to a process step while allowing a sensor response to remain relatively slow. A mechanical component generates a response to a step change in a physical property and an electrical component generates an analog electrical signal indicative of the response generated by the mechanical component over a period of time. The analog electrical signal is converted into digital values and the digital values are used to indicate the final value of the step change in the physical property before the period of time has elapsed.
Claims20
A sensor system comprising:
- a sensor for generating an analog electrical signal over a period of time in response to a step change in a physical property, wherein the sensor comprises:
- at least one mechanical component configured to generate a response to the step change in the physical property;
- at least one electrical component in communication with the at least one mechanical component for generating the analog electrical signal, wherein the analog electrical signal is indicative of the response generated by said at least one mechanical component;
- an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter connected to the at least one electrical component for receiving and converting the analog electrical signal into a plurality of discrete digital values as a function of time;
- and
- a control circuit connected to the A/D converter for receiving the discrete digital values, wherein the control circuit is configured to infer a final value of the step change in the physical property before the period of time has elapsed as a function of one or more of the received discrete digital values.
A method comprising:
- generating a mechanical response in a sensing system during a first period of time, wherein the mechanical response is indicative of a change from an initial value to a final value of a sensed physical property;
- generating a continuous electrical signal in the sensing system during the first period of time in response to the change of the sensed physical property, wherein the continuous electrical signal is indicative of the mechanical response;
- converting the continuous electrical signal into a plurality of discrete digital values as a function of time;
- and
- indicating the final value of the change in the sensed physical property as a function of one or more of the plurality of discrete digital values before the first period of time has elapsed.
A physical computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for determining the magnitude of a change in a physical property, said computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:
- applying a first time-dependent relationship to an analog electrical signal outputted by an electrical sensing element for determining a mechanical step change inputted to the electrical sensing element, wherein the first time-dependent relationship characterizes the response of the electrical sensing element to the mechanical step change, and wherein the mechanical step change is outputted by a mechanical sensing element;
- applying a second time-dependent relationship to the determined mechanical step change outputted by the mechanical sensing element for determining a physical step change inputted to the mechanical sensing element, wherein the second time-dependent relationship characterizes the response of the mechanical sensing element to the physical step change;
- and
- applying a third time-dependent relationship to the determined physical step change inputted to the mechanical sensing element for determining the magnitude of a change in a physical property of an object, wherein the third time-dependent relationship characterizes a response of the object to the change in the physical property of the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.