• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    The present invention relates to a system or a method for measuring flow of fluid or gas, which system comprises a flow duct, which flow duct comprises at least two transducers, which transducers generate at least one beam of ultrasound in the flow duct. The object of the pending application is to place ultrasound transducers in a fixed positions in a duct for flowing air where the electronic device for analyzing signal from the transducers is performed in a handheld device. The object can be achieved by the transducers fixed in relation to the duct, which transmitter circuit is permanently connected to the transducers which receiver circuit is placed in a handheld device, which transmitter circuit comprises calibrations data representing the actual placement of the transducers in relation to the actual duct, which calibration data is communicated by every connection to the receiver circuit. Hereby can be achieved that transducers can be permanently placed in ventilation ducts in buildings, where placement of ultrasound transducers for measurement and for calibration of measurement of an air stream is nearly impossible.
    公开号:DK201370341A1
    申请号:DK201370341
    申请日:2013-06-21
    公开日:2015-01-12
    发明作者:Henning Max Hansen；Hans Schmidt-Hansen
    申请人:Agena As；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    A system or method for measuring flow in a flow duct Field of the Invention
    The present invention relates to a system or method for measuring flow of fluid or gas, which system comprises a flow duct, which flow duct comprises at least two transducers, which transducers generate at least one beam of ultrasound in the flow duct.
    Background of the Invention A non-published Danish patent application PA 2012 70241 filed by the same applicant discloses a system or a method for measuring flow in a flow duct comprising at least two ultra sound transducers. It is the object of the pending application to measure the flow of air in a duct by one or more transducers transmitting beams of ultra sound controlled by a microcontroller based electronic system. The object can be achieved if the microcontroller stores a vector of data samples for each direction of transmission, which vector comprises an appropriate number of N samples forming a frame, which microcontroller multiplies each value of the frame which a complex number, which microcontroller based on the result calculates the flow in the duct. By the invention according to the present patent application an efficient flow measurement of air flow in a duct can be achieved.
    Object of the Invention
    The object of the pending application is to place ultrasound transducers in fixed positions in a duct for flowing air where the electronic device for analyzing signal from the transducers is performed in a handheld device.
    Description of the Invention
    The object can be achieved by a system as disclosed in the preamble to claim 1 and further modified by transducers which are mounted and fixed in relation to the duct, which transmitter circuit is permanently connected to the transducers which receiver circuit is placed in a handheld device , which handheld device is communicating with the transmitter circuit, which transmitter circuit comprises calibration data representing the actual placement of the transducers in relation to the actual duct, which calibration data is communicated by each connection to the receiver circuit placed in the handheld device.
    Hereby it can be achieved that transducers can be permanently placed in ventilation ducts in buildings, where later placement of ultrasound transducers for measurement and for calibration of measurement of an air stream is almost impossible. But realizing that the price of the transducers is relatively low compared to the price of measuring electronics, it is possible through the pending application that the relatively cheap transducers are permanently mounted maybe where there is virtually no possibility of access, and when it is necessary the transducers can be activated by connection to the handheld device. In that way it is possible to measure changes in the air stream, perhaps because of pollution of dust or other contamination in air ducts, it is possible at time intervals to control the flow of air and cleaning of air ducts performed depending on measured values . It is rather important in larger buildings where air conditioning is a very important part of the comfort in buildings where thousands of fresh air inlets can be placed in different offices, it is very important to control the air flow in different parts of a building can not be performed constantly, but after some time intervals for example a few times a year. Placing ultrasound flow measurement systems thousands of places in a building will result in an enormously high cost. But in that situation of course it will be possible to continuously measure the air flow in the building. This continued measurement is of no value because the changes in air flow because of pollution in the ducts take place over longer periods. Therefore, it has a high value that relatively cheap transducers are permanently placed everywhere it is necessary to measure the air flow, for example in relation to every air outlet in a building.
    In order to measure the air flow by means of at least a pair of transducers the handheld electronic unit must know a calibration factor depending on the size of the duct and the distance between transducers. The calibration factor may be stored locally together with the transducers and transferred to the electronic unit by some means.
    It is also possible to store other data for example the initial signal levels, the temperature calibration value, set points or other data convenient to have when performing maintenance on the ventilation system.
    Measured data and calibration information can be transmitted from the storage circuit to the receiver circuit by wireless transmission means. It is possible by wireless communication to reach the necessary information from the storage circuit commonly placed in the building where the transmitted information could be, for example, the actual calibration value for the actual placement of the ultrasound flow measuring device and the actual signals received at the transducers. In that way all the electronic handling necessary to measure the time difference in the ultrasound up- and downstream in the air duct can be performed in the handheld device.
    At least calibration data can be communicated by RFID technology. It is possible that the calibration data is transmitted in its own way using the RFID technology. In that way near field communication is possible. If passive RFID technology is in use then the handheld device should probably be as close as a few centimeters from the RFID, in other situations where active RFID technology is used, probably also the measuring data could be transmitted by that technology, but in that situation , the RFID must have a data input and a power supply for the RFID is necessary.
    At least calibration data can be transmitted by a magnetic resonance circuit. It is possible to perform connection of a handheld device by magnetic measurements. A high frequency of magnetic signals can be modulated with data so a relatively large amount of data can be transmitted by the magnetic resonance technology. Again a near field communication is achieved and the distance between the handheld device and the transmitter circuit has been reduced to a few centimeters.
    Calibration data can be stored as a bar code at the transmitter circuit, which bar code dataset directly or indirectly represents the calibration data, which calibration data is read by the hand held device by transmission of data representing actual flow in the duct. It is possible by first installing the ultrasound flow measuring device to print the calibration data or a reference to the calibration data on a bar code. This bar code can then be placed anywhere there is a surface that can be used near the trans mitter circuit. Hereby the handheld device by a traditional bar code scanner can read the calibration information related to the actual ultrasound flow measuring device.
    The transmitter circuit can be connected to a first part of a connector, which handheld device comprises a second part of the connector, which connector transmits at least the calibration data. By using a connector to gain access from the handheld device to the transmitter circuit, it is possible that the storage circuit is designed without any power supply when it is not in use. Therefore, the connector can in some situations start a power and at first then read the calibration data and then start performing measurement.
    The transmitter circuit can comprise at least one EEPROM, which EEPROM comprises at least one data segment representing the calibration data, which calibration data is transmitted from the EEPROM by the connector to the handheld device. It is possible in both wireless connection and by using a connector to have the calibration data stored in an EEPROM. This EEPROM stores the calibration data highly efficient and the data can be read in the EEPROM by most available processors in a serial way reducing the number of pins in the connector. It is also possible that the EEPROM is connected to a small processor, which processor then communicates either wirelessly or through the connector with the handheld device.
    The transmitter circuit comprises at least one DIL switch, which DIL switch comprises at least one data segment representing the calibration data, which calibration data is transmitted from the DIL switch by the connector to the handheld device. By activating or deactivating a number of switches placed on, for example, a printed circuit board, it is possible in that way to store the data representing the calibration data. The calibration data can be stored directly or indirectly. Indirectly, only data representing the actual flow measuring device can be stored in the combination of active or passive DIL switches. In that situation the actual calibration standard is placed in a data storage in the handheld device or in an ata base reachable by the handheld device.
    The transmitter circuit can comprise a resistor, which resistor can have a resister value that represents the calibration data for the actual duct, which resister value is transmitted to the handheld device. One of the cheapest electronic components that can be used is a resistor. The resistor value can represent the calibration data. In that way only a measurement of the ohmic value has to be performed in the handheld device for finding the calibration data. In the size of resistors it should be possible to use values from maybe 10 ohms up to several mega ohms where these values can be measured highly effective and the way the value is stored is highly reliable.
    The resistance representing the calibration data can be stored in a potentiometer such as a rheostat. It is possible to adjust any potentiometer to a specific value and then simply let that potentiometer remain in that position. In that way it is possible to achieve the resistance that represents the actual calibration data.
    The resistance representing the calibration data can be represented in a plurality of resistors, which resistors are activated by connecting one or more resistors to represent the calibration data. It is possible for example on a printed board just to place a number of resistors to achieve a value that represents the calibration data. It should be possible during production to produce small printed boards with different ohmic values so that these relative small printed boards could be placed for example in a connector and then indicating the calibration standard.
    The resistance can be generated on a printed board, at which printed board a number of selected resistors are serial connected, which resistors are short circuited by a conductor at the printed board, which conductor passes a pad, which pad is to be removed for activating the resistor. Placing a row of resistors serial the existing resistance value will be the sum of the resistors. Short cutting all resistors by pads that could be broken away can in that way activate each of the resistors which are then serial connected. In this way it can be achieved that a large number of different calibration values can be activated simply by breaking away some pads from a small printed board. In real life it is the different calibration data, maybe limited to a number of different sizes of air ducts. Because air ducts are probably only produced in some standard sizes, only a small number of calibration data is necessary.
    In an alternative embodiment, the calibration data may be received by measurement of the transmission delay. Because the flow duct has standard sizes and selection of the correct size is possible by the transmission delay.
    Description of the Drawing
    FIG. 1 shows a first possible embodiment of the invention where the system is in full operation.
    FIG. 2 shows the same system but when the system is in a non-operational mode.
    FIG. 3 shows one possible embodiment for a connector.
    FIG. 4 shows a possible embodiment for a resistor network.
    FIG. 5 shows a more detailed disclosure of a resistor network as disclosed in fig. 4th
    Detailed Description of the Invention
    FIG. 1 shows one first possible embodiment of the invention for a system 2. Most of the system is placed above a ceiling 3 where an air duct 4 and 5 is indicated. Ultrasound transducers 6.8 are generating a beam of ultrasound across the duct 4. The signals from the ultrasound transducers 6.8 are sent by wires to a first part of a connector 20, which connector has a further part 22, which connects the transducer circuit 6.8 to the handheld device 16. At the handheld device 16 is indicated 123 cubic meters per hour which is an example of a measured value.
    It is therefore possible to perform an effective measurement of the air flow to the duct in a situation where there is no direct access to the transducers 6.8 because they are placed above the ceiling. All necessary information is sent by wiring to the connector 20, which connects to the other part 22. Therefore, the signals from the transducers 6,8 can be transmitted into the handheld device 16. The handheld device 16 comprises all the necessary electronics for measuring the time difference there is for the ultrasound beam 10 in a first direction following the flow and in a second direction against the flow of air. Based on the difference in the measured time it is possible if the system has the knowledge of the size of the duct 4 to calculate the airflow as indicated on the handheld device 16. In order to achieve a reliable result, it is necessary to perform a calibration of the handheld device 16 according to the size of the duct 4. It is therefore important that calibration data is available for the handheld device in order to achieve reliable measurement.
    FIG. 2 shows the same embodiment as indicated in fig. 1, but that FIG. 2 the connector 20 is disconnected and placed inside the transducer circuit 6.8, which has a housing where there is room for the connector 20. In this situation there can be no measurement and the whole system can be switched off because there is no need to have any ultrasound across the duct, because no measurement is performed. The handheld device 16 is also shut off because there is no connection to the connector 22. Hereby a highly energy efficient system is achieved, because there is no power consumption in the system when the connector is not in the connected situation.
    FIG. 3 shows a connector 20 and indicates that two high frequency signal lines 34,36 are part of the signal transmitted to connector 20. Further indicated is a resistor 24 and all the lines 34, 36 and resistor 24 are connected through connector legs 38th
    In this way, high frequency signals from the two transducers can be directly connected to the handheld device to the legs 38. The resistor 24 can represent the calibration value for the actual device 2. Hereby the handheld device can be calibrated to the actual duct as soon as if the high frequency cables are connected to the connector.
    FIG. 4 shows a possible embodiment for the resistor 24. A plurality of resistors is placed on the same printed board forming a serial connection. All resistors indicated in FIG. 4 26a-n are short circuited by a printed wire 30 running in pads 32, which are part of the printed circuit board 28. The pads 30 are all weakened in their connection because there is one or more holes drilled between the connecting wires 30. Two connectors 38 are indicated which could be part of the connector 20 indicated in fig. 3. In operation, the printed board 28 as seen in FIG. 4 have a very low resistance because all the resistors are short circuited so the resistance that could be measured is depending on the resistance of the printed circuit board wires. But in use one or more of the pads 30 are broken away in order to achieve the resistance value that represents the actual duct.
    FIG. 5 shows a diagram indicating a plurality of resistors 26 a-n placed on a printed circuit board 28. It can be seen in fig. 5 that the resistors have different ohmic values. Further it is indicated that all the resistors are short circuited by printed wires. The short circuit can be broken away for each of the resistors. Their programming of the printed circuit board 28 can be done in a way where starting with the biggest resistor, which is less than the desired value is broken away. Then further pads 30 are broken away by adjusting closer and closer to the actual value you want and every possible value used for the calibration is possible by the combination of resistant values indicated in fig. 5. Imagine that you want to reach a resistance at a value of 3,230 ohms. Then you can start breaking away the path that activates one of the 3,000 ohm values. After that you can break away the 200 ohms pad ending up with breaking away one of the small pads for 30 ohms. Many of the values are possible to achieve. When the correct resistance is achieved by breaking away the pads, the printed circuit board 28 can be placed in the connector 20 and an indication of the calibration standard for the actual duct is achieved in a very effective and very cheap way.
    权利要求:
    Claims (12)
    [1] 1. System (2) for measuring flow of gas or air, which system comprises a flow duct (4), which flow duct (4) comprises at least two transducers (6,8), which transducers (6.8) generate at least one beam (10) of ultrasound in the flow duct (4), which transducers (6,8) are connected to a transmitter circuit (20) and to a receiver circuit (14), characterized in that the transducers (6,8) are mounted and fixed in relation to the duct (4), which transmitter circuit (20) is permanently connected to the transducers (6.8) which receiver circuit (22) is placed in a handheld device (16), which handheld device (16) is communicating with the transmitter circuit (20), which transmitter circuit (20) comprises calibrations data representing the actual placement of the transducers (6,8) in relation to the actual duct (4), which calibration data is communicated by every connection to the receiver circuit (22) placed in the handheld device (16).
    [2] 2. System (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that transmission of measured data and calibration information is transmitted from the transmitter circuit to the receiver circuit by wireless transmission means.
    [3] 3. System (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that at least calibration data is communicated by RFID technology.
    [4] 4. System (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that at least calibration data is transmitted by a magnetic resonance circuit.
    [5] 5. System (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that calibration data are stored as a bar code at the transmitter circuit, which bar code dataset represent directly or indirectly the calibration data, which calibration data is read by the hand held device (16) by transmission of data representing ate actual flow in the duct (4).
    [6] 6. System (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the transmitter circuit (20) is a first part of a connector (20), which handheld device (16) comprises a second part of the connector (22), which connector (20,22) transmit at least the calibration data.
    [7] 7. System (2) according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the transmitter circuit comprises at least one EEPROM, which EEPROM comprises at least a data segment representing the calibration data, which calibration data is transmitted from the EEPROM by the connector (20, 22) to the handheld device (16).
    [8] 8. System (2) according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the transmitter circuit comprises at least one DIL switch, which DIL switch comprises at least a data segment representing the calibration data, which calibration data is transmitted from the DIL switch by the connector to the handheld device.
    [9] 9. System (2) according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the transmitter circuit comprises a resistor, which resistor has a resistor value that represent the calibration data (18) for the actual duct, which resistor value is transmitted to the handheld device (16).
    [10] 10. System (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that the resistance representing the calibration data is stored in a potentiometer such as a rheostat.
    [11] 11. System (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that the resistance representing the calibration data is represented in a plurality of resistors, which resistors are activated by connecting one or more resistors for representing the calibration data.
    [12] 12. System (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the resistance is generated at a printed board, at which printed board a number of selected resistors are serial connected, which resistors are short circuited by a conductor at the printed board, which conductor passes a pad, which pad is to be removed for activating the resistor.
    类似技术:
    公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题
    US8085143B2|2011-12-27|Universal wireless transceiver
    US20110083521A1|2011-04-14|Wireless circular chart recorder
    US20110087461A1|2011-04-14|Wireless data logging device
    JP6788608B2|2020-11-25|How to configure field equipment, remote indicators and remote indicators
    US8159340B2|2012-04-17|Techniques for wireless sensing using device including sensor train
    US9927271B2|2018-03-27|System for identifying a sensor and measuring flow in a flow duct
    JP2009271043A|2009-11-19|Heat stroke index observation and display
    KR20070008951A|2007-01-18|Wireless-type thermal comfort measurement and evaluation system
    US20070139184A1|2007-06-21|Intelligent remote test/display unit for duct smoke detector
    US9055698B2|2015-06-09|Fluid flow control for computing device
    US9439015B2|2016-09-06|Management system with acoustical measurement for monitoring noise levels
    US9568349B2|2017-02-14|Gas flow measurement system and method of operation
    CN205537772U|2016-08-31|Industrial field environment monitoring device
    JP2016145788A|2016-08-12|Power consumption management system for various devices
    JP6697740B2|2020-05-27|Communication device and communication system
    KR100702895B1|2007-04-03|Testing device for electronic apparatus having the ultrasonic sensor
    JP2009104578A|2009-05-14|Wireless connector
    CN105910721A|2016-08-31|Temperature measuring and processing system
    WO2007025545A1|2007-03-08|A method, a heat meter and an installation for distributing heating costs
    DK200600734A|2007-12-01|Flow Balancing
    CN112088278A|2020-12-15|Flow control apparatus for HVAC fluid delivery systems
    CN104345747A|2015-02-11|Humidity control method and humidity control system
    JP2018060524A5|2020-09-03|
    Shtern et al.2016|Hardware and software equipment for the complex investigation of the wireless smart transducers
    RU2019127749A|2021-03-03|A device for monitoring the technical condition of power lines |, the state of the security zone of the power transmission line and a module for monitoring the technical condition of the wire of the power transmission line and its security zone
    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    CN105452817A|2016-03-30|
    DK3011279T3|2020-02-17|
    HUE047560T2|2021-12-28|
    DK178244B1|2015-09-28|
    WO2014202084A1|2014-12-24|
    EP3011279A1|2016-04-27|
    US20160377467A1|2016-12-29|
    EP3011279B1|2019-11-13|
    PL3011279T3|2020-05-18|
    CN105452817B|2019-03-01|
    US9927271B2|2018-03-27|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    US5282388A|1990-11-26|1994-02-01|Suparules Limited|Air flow measuring apparatus|
    US6244114B1|1998-09-30|2001-06-12|Jan Casimir Kowal|Airflow measurement device|
    JP2006003085A|2004-06-15|2006-01-05|Tlv Co Ltd|Vibration diagnostic system|
    US20080216555A1|2004-06-28|2008-09-11|Bernhard Funck|Method For Calibrating Ultrasound Clamp-On Flowmeters|
    NZ243293A|1991-06-25|1995-03-28|Commw Scient Ind Res Org|Fluid flow meter: time of travel of acoustic wave packet through fluid|
    US5514958A|1994-11-22|1996-05-07|General Electric Company|Electrical energy meters having factory set calibration circuits therein and methods of calibrating same|
    US7238159B2|2004-04-07|2007-07-03|Triage Wireless, Inc.|Device, system and method for monitoring vital signs|
    US7307521B2|2005-03-10|2007-12-11|Robert Bosch Gmbh|Secure method and apparatus for retrieving network node identifier in wireless networks|
    US7984637B2|2007-07-06|2011-07-26|General Electric Company|System and method for field calibration of flow meters|
    HU0700785A2|2007-12-05|2009-06-29|Thormed Kft|Method and apparatus for determining the flow parameters of a streaming medium|
    WO2010122117A1|2009-04-22|2010-10-28|Syddansk Universitet|Ventilation system involving ultrasonic flow measurement|
    US20120245878A1|2011-03-25|2012-09-27|Universal Enterprises, Incorporated|Handheld hvac/r test and measurement instrument|
    EP2568263B1|2011-09-12|2018-01-31|Hydrosonic b.v.|Portable ultrasound flow measurement system|
    WO2013165314A1|2012-05-04|2013-11-07|Dhi Water & Environment Pte Ltd|A flow meter system|
    DK177567B1|2012-05-11|2013-10-21|Agena As|System or a method for measuring flow of fluid or gas|TWI712509B|2016-05-02|2020-12-11|愛爾蘭商滿捷特科技公司|Printer having printhead extending and retracting through maintenance module|
    DE102017006455A1|2017-07-07|2019-01-10|Baumer Hhs Gmbh|Volumeter and method for calibrating a volumeter|
    法律状态:
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    DKPA201370341A|DK178244B1|2013-06-21|2013-06-21|A system or a method for measuring flow in a flow duct|
    DK201370341|2013-06-21|DKPA201370341A| DK178244B1|2013-06-21|2013-06-21|A system or a method for measuring flow in a flow duct|
    HUE14731902A| HUE047560T2|2013-06-21|2014-06-13|A system for identifying a sensor and measuring flow in a flow duct|
    EP14731902.4A| EP3011279B1|2013-06-21|2014-06-13|A system for identifying a sensor and measuring flow in a flow duct|
    DK14731902.4T| DK3011279T3|2013-06-21|2014-06-13|System for identifying a sensor and measuring flow in a flow channel|
    US14/900,306| US9927271B2|2013-06-21|2014-06-13|System for identifying a sensor and measuring flow in a flow duct|
    PCT/DK2014/050165| WO2014202084A1|2013-06-21|2014-06-13|A system for identifying a sensor and measuring flow in a flow duct|
    PL14731902T| PL3011279T3|2013-06-21|2014-06-13|A system for identifying a sensor and measuring flow in a flow duct|
    CN201480039462.2A| CN105452817B|2013-06-21|2014-06-13|System for identifying sensor and measuring the flowing in flow tube|
    [返回顶部]