Patents by Inventor Andreas Rueegg

Andreas Rueegg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11946888
    Abstract: A thermal sensor device is configured to determine a fluid parameter of a fluid based on the heat transfer behavior of the fluid. The sensor device comprises one or more heaters and means for determining a response of the sensor device to heater power being supplied to the heaters. For detecting sensor faults, the sensor device is operated in two different modes of operation. First and second values (cstatic, cdynamic) of the same fluid parameter are determined in the two modes. A fault indicator value (F) is derived by comparing the first and second values. The first mode of operation may be a steady-state mode, the first value (cstatic) being based on a steady-state response of the sensor device to heater power being supplied to the heaters, and the second mode of operation may be a dynamic mode, the second value (cstatic) being based on a transient response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Eric Monnin, David Kiliani, Andreas Rüegg, Mark Hornung
  • Patent number: 11851860
    Abstract: A jet regulator for a fitting for dispensing boiling water is provided. The jet regulator includes a substantially cylindrical housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and a swirl creating portion, arranged in the region of the inlet opening, with a substantially helically extending flow guide for rotationally accelerating a stream of water flowing through, an expansion zone, following the swirl creating portion, in which the rotationally accelerated stream of water can flow under the action of centrifugal force in the region of the housing inner wall, and a guide portion, in which the rotational movement of the stream of water is decelerated and the latter is guided in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: KWC AG
    Inventors: Manuel Keel, Reto Berger, Andreas Rueegg
  • Publication number: 20230324270
    Abstract: In a method of determining a flow rate of a flow of a fluid of interest in a fluidic system, a raw flow rate signal (Qsensor) is determined using a flow rate sensor. The raw flow rate signal is corrected using a flow rate correction function (?) to obtain a corrected flow rate signal (Qsensor,corr). The flow rate correction compensates for a flow rate signal error that is caused by integration of the flow rate sensor into the fluidic system. It is based on a reference correction function (?) that is indicative of a flow rate signal error for a flow of a reference fluid due to the integration of the flow rate sensor into the fluidic system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventors: Andreas RÜEGG, Nicolas MOELLER
  • Publication number: 20230194450
    Abstract: A thermal sensor device serves for determining a concentration of a target gas in a gas sample that further comprises a disturbance gas. The thermal sensor device comprises first and second measurement structures (1, 2) comprising first and second temperature sensors (TS1, TS2) and a heater element (31) operable to cause heat transfer to the measurement structures through the gas sample. Processing circuitry provides heating power (P3) to the heater element and derives an output signal (S) based on a response of the temperature sensors to the heating power, the output signal being indicative of a concentration of the target gas in the gas sample. The first and second measurement structures have different heat dissipation capabilities, and the processing circuitry derives the output signal from a weighted difference of temperature signals from the first and second temperature sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Andreas RÜEGG, David KILIANI, Matthias STUDER, Nicolas MOELLER, Mark HORNUNG, Lukas BÜRGI
  • Patent number: 11674833
    Abstract: A thermal sensor comprises an active element (41), e.g., a heater or cooler, at least one temperature sensor (31), and processing circuitry (50). The processing circuitry causes a change of power supplied to the active element (41). It then determines, at a plurality of times, a thermal parameter based on an output signal of the temperature sensors and analyzes the transient behavior of the thermal parameter. Based on this analysis, the processing circuitry determines a contamination signal that is indicative of a contamination on a sensing surface of the thermal sensor. If the thermal sensor comprises a plurality of temperature sensors arranged in different sectors of the sensing surface, a multi-sector thermal signal can be derived from the outputs of the sensors, and determination of the contamination signal can be based on the multi-sector thermal signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Andreas Rüegg, Harry Figi, Lucas Huber
  • Patent number: 11474056
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a sensor device for determining the thermal capacity of a natural gas. The sensor device comprises a substrate, a recess or opening arranged in the substrate, a first heating component and a first sensing component. The first heating component comprises a first heating structure and a temperature sensor and the first sensing component comprises a temperature sensor. The sensor device is configured to measure the thermal conductivity of the natural gas at a first measuring temperature and at a second measuring temperature. The sensor device is configured to determine a first, in particular a constant, and a second, in particular a linear temperature coefficient of a temperature dependency function of the thermal conductivity and to determine the thermal capacity of the natural gas based on a fitting function. The fitting function is dependent on the first and the second temperature coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Andreas Rüegg, David Kiliani, Nicolas Möller
  • Publication number: 20220178855
    Abstract: A thermal sensor device is configured to determine a fluid parameter of a fluid based on the heat transfer behavior of the fluid. The sensor device comprises one or more heaters and means for determining a response of the sensor device to heater power being supplied to the heaters. For detecting sensor faults, the sensor device is operated in two different modes of operation. First and second values (cstatic, cdynamic) of the same fluid parameter are determined in the two modes. A fault indicator value (F) is derived by comparing the first and second values. The first mode of operation may be a steady-state mode, the first value (cstatic) being based on a steady-state response of the sensor device to heater power being supplied to the heaters, and the second mode of operation may be a dynamic mode, the second value (cstatic) being based on a transient response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Eric MONNIN, David KILIANI, Andreas RÜEGG, Mark HORNUNG
  • Patent number: 11226300
    Abstract: A method for determining fluid parameters, such as a heat capacity cP?, a calorific value Hp, a methane number MN, and/or a Wobbe index WI, of an unknown fluid (g). An unknown flow (55) of the fluid (g) is set in a sensor device (10), the sensor device (10) comprising a thermal flow sensor (1) and a pressure sensor device (15) for measuring at least one temperature value T1, T2, a further parameter, and differential pressure value ?? over a flow restrictor (14). Using these measurement parameters T1, T2, ?? and calibration data, the calorific value Hp, and/or the Wobbe index WI, or parameters indicative thereof, of an unknown fluid (g) are calculated. The invention also relates to such a sensor device (10) and to a computer program product for carrying out such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Andreas Rüegg
  • Publication number: 20210388985
    Abstract: A regulation device for regulating a mixing ratio (x) of a gas mixture comprises a first conduit (1) for carrying a flow of a first gas (e.g., air) and a second conduit (2) for carrying a flow of a second gas (e.g., a fuel gas). The first and second conduits (1, 2) open out into a common conduit (3) in a mixing region (M) to form the gas mixture. A first sensor (S1) is configured to determine at least one thermal parameter of the gas mixture downstream from the mixing region. A control device (10) is configured to receive, from the first sensor, sensor signals indicative of the at least one thermal parameter of the gas mixture and to derive control signals for adjusting device (V1) acting to adjust the mixing ratio, based on the at least one thermal parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Mark HORNUNG, Andreas RÜEGG, Eric MONNIN, David KILIANI, Samuel WEHRLI, Daniel TRAEUTLEIN
  • Publication number: 20210048401
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a sensor device for determining the thermal capacity of a natural gas. The sensor device comprises a substrate, a recess or opening arranged in the substrate, a first heating component and a first sensing component. The first heating component comprises a first heating structure and a temperature sensor and the first sensing component comprises a temperature sensor. The sensor device is configured to measure the thermal conductivity of the natural gas at a first measuring temperature and at a second measuring temperature. The sensor device is configured to determine a first, in particular a constant, and a second, in particular a linear temperature coefficient of a temperature dependency function of the thermal conductivity and to determine the thermal capacity of the natural gas based on a fitting function. The fitting function is dependent on the first and the second temperature coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Mark HORNUNG, Andreas RÜEGG, David KILIANI, Nicolas MÖLLER
  • Publication number: 20200407955
    Abstract: A jet regulator for a fitting for dispensing boiling water is provided. The jet regulator includes a substantially cylindrical housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and a swirl creating portion, arranged in the region of the inlet opening, with a substantially helically extending flow guide for rotationally accelerating a stream of water flowing through, an expansion zone, following the swirl creating portion, in which the rotationally accelerated stream of water can flow under the action of centrifugal force in the region of the housing inner wall, and a guide portion, in which the rotational movement of the stream of water is decelerated and the latter is guided in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: KWC AG
    Inventors: Manuel Keel, Reto Berger, Andreas Rueegg
  • Publication number: 20200200580
    Abstract: A thermal sensor comprises an active element (41), e.g., a heater or cooler, at least one temperature sensor (31), and processing circuitry (50). The processing circuitry causes a change of power supplied to the active element (41). It then determines, at a plurality of times, a thermal parameter based on an output signal of the temperature sensors and analyzes the transient behavior of the thermal parameter. Based on this analysis, the processing circuitry determines a contamination signal that is indicative of a contamination on a sensing surface of the thermal sensor. If the thermal sensor comprises a plurality of temperature sensors arranged in different sectors of the sensing surface, a multi-sector thermal signal can be derived from the outputs of the sensors, and determination of the contamination signal can be based on the multi-sector thermal signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Andreas Rüegg, Harry FIGI, Lucas HUBER
  • Patent number: 10345829
    Abstract: A mass flow controller (10) comprises a fluid inlet (15) and at least one first flow meter (11) to measure a first flow rate (F1) and to output a first flow signal (FS1); at least one second flow meter (12) to measure a second flow (F2) rate and to output a second flow signal (FS2); a control device (13) connected to said first and second flow meters (11,12) and configured and arranged to generate a control signal (C); and at least one control valve (14) connected to said control device (13) to control a total flow rate (Fout) through the mass flow controller (10) in response to the control signal (C). The control signal (C) is generated as a function of both the first and second flow signals (FS1,FS2) such that the mass flow controller's (10) sensitivity to perturbations of said inlet pressure is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Thomas Huber, Philipp Reibisch, Andreas Rüegg
  • Publication number: 20180038811
    Abstract: A method for determining fluid parameters, such as a heat capacity cpp, a calorific value Hp, a methane number MN, and/or a Wobbe index WI, of an unknown fluid (g). An unknown flow (55) of the fluid (g) is set in a sensor device (10), the sensor device (10) comprising a thermal flow sensor (1) and a pressure sensor device (15) for measuring at least one temperature value T1, T2, a further parameter, and differential pressure value ?? over a flow restrictor (14). Using these measurement parameters T1, T2, ?p and calibration data, the calorific value Hp, and/or the Wobbe index WI, or parameters indicative thereof, of an unknown fluid (g) are calculated. The invention also relates to such a sensor device (10) and to a computer program product for carrying out such a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Mark HORNUNG, Andreas RÜEGG
  • Patent number: 9804063
    Abstract: Sampling device for samples containing DNA in particular, with a sample-collecting area provided at the free end of an elongate holding device, wherein the sample-collecting area is designed to be separable from the sampling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PRIONICS AG
    Inventors: Eligio Lardi, Christoph Stamm, Bernhard Hostettler, Mathias Blaser, Andreas Rüegg
  • Publication number: 20150226646
    Abstract: Sampling device for samples containing DNA in particular, with a sample-collecting area provided at the free end of an elongate holding device, wherein the sample-collecting area is designed to be separable from the sampling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Eligio Lardi, Christoph Stamm, Bernhard Hostettler, Mathias Blaser, Andreas Rüegg
  • Patent number: 9060290
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system comprising a processing unit, a plurality of access nodes adapted to communicate with a plurality of mobile terminals and wireless backhaul links adapted to connect said access nodes and a wireless backhaul termination interfacing with a core network, According to the present invention:—said processing unit determining dynamically out of said plurality of access nodes, access nodes to remain unused and, access nodes to be used for supporting communication of said mobile terminals, said determination taking into account at least one optimisation criterion consisting in reducing the interference between active access nodes and mobile terminals; said processing unit determining a mapping between said mobile terminals and said active access nodes,—said wireless backhaul links consisting in point-to-multipoint connections between said wireless backhaul termination and said access nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Hardy Halbauer, Andreas Rueegg
  • Patent number: 8550536
    Abstract: The tailgate (1) or rear door for a motor vehicle with a rear window includes a single-piece main carrying structure (10) with a peripheral, flexurally resistant frame (11), with an upper transverse beam (12), two lateral longitudinal beams (13, 14) and at least one lower transverse beam (15). The main carrying structure consists of a fibre-reinforced moulding compound (20) with at least two impregnated, integrated continuous-fibre bands (21) and this moulding compound is non-positively connected to the rear window (2) and together with this forms a flexurally resistant structure. Thereby, the continuous-fibre bands (21) in sections are integrated into the frame (11) in an arrangement vertical (v) to the surface (H) of the tailgate, by way of the continuous-fibre bands (21) being arranged vertically to the surface (H) and/or at a vertical distance (d) to the surface (H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Weber Automotive AG-Holding
    Inventors: Matthias Gächter, Diego Jaggi, Andreas Rüegg, Stefan Ziegler, Norbert Stötzner
  • Publication number: 20130252650
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system comprising a processing unit, a plurality of access nodes adapted to communicate with a plurality of mobile terminals and wireless backhaul links adapted to connect said access nodes and a wireless backhaul termination interfacing with a core network, According to the present invention:—said processing unit determining dynamically out of said plurality of access nodes, access nodes to remain unused and, access nodes to be used for supporting communication of said mobile terminals, said determination taking into account at least one optimisation criterion consisting in reducing the interference between active access nodes and mobile terminals; said processing unit determining a mapping between said mobile terminals and said active access nodes,—said wireless backhaul links consisting in point-to-multipoint connections between said wireless backhaul termination and said access nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: ALCATEL LUCENT
    Inventors: Hardy Halbauer, Andreas Rueegg
  • Patent number: 8457239
    Abstract: The method is for managing operation of a first apparatus belonging to a first communication system and exchanging within the first communication system a multi-carrier modulated signal on several sub-carriers. The method includes detecting at the first apparatus the presence of an interfering signal emitted from a victim apparatus on a sub-carrier. The method may also include determining at the first apparatus the path loss between both apparatuses, determining from the path loss and from an allowed interference level at the victim apparatus a maximum allowed transmit power on the sub-carrier of a multi-carrier modulated signal to be transmitted from the first apparatus, and adjusting within the first apparatus the processing of the multi-carrier modulated signal to be transmitted in accordance with the maximum allowed transmit power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics N.V.
    Inventors: Friedbert Berens, Andreas Rüegg