Measuring instrument
AssigneeEndress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
InventorsDietmar Spanke, Holger Steltner, Fabrice Peter, Bernhard Ottenbreit
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A measuring instrument is provided, to which various ultrasonic sensors can be connected in a simple way. The measuring instrument has an electronic measuring instrument unit, to which various ultrasonic sensors can be connected, and having an apparatus for detecting the ultrasonic sensor that is connected, which apparatus, for detecting the ultrasonic sensor, causes the ultrasonic sensor to oscillate, picks up its oscillation behavior, and from that derives a sensor-specific variable.
Claims8
A measuring instrument, comprising:
- an electronic measuring instrument unit,
- a replaceable ultrasonic sensor having a sensor-specific variable, said ultrasonic sensor being chosen from a variety of ultrasonic sensors having different sensor-specific variables;
- means for connecting said ultrasonic to said electronic measuring instrument unit;
- and
- means for identification of said ultrasonic sensor based on said sensor-specific variable of said ultrasonic sensor connected to said electronic measuring instrument unit, wherein:
- said means for identification of said ultrasonic sensor identifies said ultrasonic sensor by causing said ultrasonic sensor to oscillate, picking up the oscillation behavior of said ultrasonic sensor, and from that deriving the sensor-specific variable of said ultrasonic sensor.
A method for identifying an ultrasonic sensor of a measuring instrument, wherein:
- said ultrasonic sensor has a sensor-specific variable, said ultrasonic sensor is chosen from a variety of ultrasonic sensors having different sensor-specific variables, said ultrasonic sensor is connected to a measuring instrument unit of the measuring instrument, and said measuring instrument comprises means for identification of said electronic sensor based on its sensor-specific variable, comprising the steps of:
- exciting the ultrasonic sensor to oscillation at a predetermined frequency and a predetermined amplitude;
- picking-up the amplitude of the oscillation of the ultrasonic sensor at a fixed time after termination of said excitation;
- comparing the amplitude pick-up, with sensor-specific amplitudes stored in memory in a table;
- and
- identifying said connected ultrasonic sensor based on this comparison.
The method for identifying an ultrasonic sensor of a measuring instrument wherein:
- said ultrasonic sensor has a sensor-specific variable, said ultrasonic sensor is chosen from a variety of ultrasonic sensors having different sensor-specific variables, said ultrasonic sensor is connected to a measuring instrument unit of the measuring instrument, comprising the steps of:
- picking-up, after termination of said excitation, a development of the amplitude of the oscillation of the ultrasonic sensor;
- determining from said development, a decay time at which the amplitude decreases exponentially;
- comparing said decay time with sensor-specific decay times stored in memory in a table;
- and
- identifying said connected ultrasonic sensor based on this comparison.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.