# US 2017/0255176 A1 · Apparatus and System for Determining, Optimizing or Monitoring at least one Process Variable > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0255176 A1 - Document ID: US20170255176A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/596,308 - Filed: 2017-05-16 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-07 - Assignees: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG - Applicants: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG - Inventors: Matthias Altendorf; Marc Baret - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170255176A1 ## CPC - G05B 19/0425: {Safety, monitoring} - G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) - 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 An apparatus for determining or monitoring at least one process variable which comprises a sensor element, measuring electronics, at least one control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from the measuring unit and/or an in/output unit arranged removed from the measuring unit and the control/evaluating/calculating unit. The control/evaluating/calculating unit and the in/output unit are connected with the measuring unit via a first interface, respectively a second interface, wherein the measuring electronics operates the sensor element and forwards the measurement signals via the interfaces to the control/evaluating/calculating unit as unprocessed, raw, measured values, and wherein the control/evaluating/calculating unit arranged removed from the measuring unit determines, improves and/or monitors the process variable based on the raw, measured values and makes such available via the in/output unit. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-10. (canceled) ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: a plurality of measuring units, each comprising a sensor element and measuring electronics; a sensor element; at least one control, evaluating and calculating unit arranged removed from said measuring units; an in- and output unit arranged removed from the measuring unit and the control, evaluating and calculating unit; and a database, in which are stored a plurality of data sets with raw, measured values of different measuring units and/or with further processed, raw, measured values of the different measuring units, wherein: said measuring electronics operates said sensor element and forwards the measurement signals via interfaces to said control, evaluating and calculating unit as unprocessed, raw, measured value; said control, evaluating and calculating unit, using corresponding evaluating hardware and/or evaluating software, further processes raw, measured values delivered from the different measuring units and determines, improves and/or monitors the corresponding process variable and makes said process variable available via said in- and output unit; said measuring units are connected with said control, evaluating and calculating unit via corresponding communication connections; said communication connections are internet structures; the data sets reflect raw, measured values and/or further processed, raw, measured values, which have been ascertained as a function of different process—and/or device conditions in different applications directly or by simulation; and associated with each data set with raw, measured values and/or further processed, raw, measured values is a parameter set, which provides an optimized adjusting of a corresponding measuring unit of the different measuring units and/or the control, evaluating and calculating unit as a function of defined process—and/or device conditions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein: said measuring electronics is implemented on an FPGA chip or on a dynamically reconfigurable FPGA chip or on an ASIC or on a memory chip. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein: said control, evaluating and calculating unit is implemented on an FPGA chip or on a dynamically reconfigurable FPGA chip or on an ASIC or on a memory chip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein: said control, evaluating and calculating unit is implemented as one of: a handheld device, or a computer and a transportable service unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein: said handheld device is a smart phone or a smart pad. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein: the software for said control, evaluating and calculating unit is downloadable from a server as a function of said respective measuring unit as apps or an application oriented software unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein: said control, evaluating and calculating unit obtains said software form said server via web services. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein: an alarm management based on diagnostic programs for the individual measuring units is implemented on said control, evaluating and calculating unit. ### Claim 19 A method for configuring a measuring unit of a system, said system comprising: a plurality of measuring units, each comprising a sensor element and measuring electronics; a sensor element; at least one control, evaluating and calculating unit arranged removed from said measuring units; an in- and output unit arranged removed from the measuring unit and the control, evaluating and calculating unit; and a database, in which are stored a plurality of data sets with raw, measured values of different measuring units and/or with further processed, raw, measured values of the different measuring units, wherein: said measuring electronics operates said sensor element and forwards the measurement signals via interfaces to said control evaluating and calculating unit as unprocessed, raw, measured value; said control, evaluating and calculating unit, using corresponding evaluating hardware and/or evaluating software, further processes raw, measured values delivered from the different measuring units and determines, improves and/or monitors the corresponding process variable and makes said process variable available via said in- and output unit; said software for said control, evaluating and calculating unit is downloadable from a server as a function of said respective measuring unit as apps or as an application oriented, software unit; said measuring units are connected with said control, evaluating and calculating unit via corresponding communication connections; said communication connections are internet structures; the data sets reflect raw, measured values and/or further processed, raw, measured values, which have been ascertained as a function of different process—and/or device conditions in different applications directly or by simulation; and associated with each data set with raw, measured values and/or further processed, raw, measured values is a parameter set, which provides an optimized adjusting of a corresponding measuring unit of the different measuring units and/or the control, evaluating and calculating unit as a function of defined process—and/or device conditions, said method comprising: establishing a communication connection between said measuring electronics to said server; downloading a changed configuration data set; and programming said control, evaluating and calculating unit via the changed configuration data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein: the apparatus operates further with the present configuration data set, in cases in which said communication connection to the configuration server cannot be established. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein: said server is operated as a license server and wherein an authorization for accessing said license server is checked and a license is granted. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein: a license is granted with reference to a user, said license is associated with a serial number of the apparatus, or said license is granted for a certain number of accesses to said license server.